Tag: AARP

You Won’t Believe What AARP Offers Seniors For Discounts!

Many people ask the question as they get closer 50: is AARP worth it? The membership isn’t terribly expensive, and there are a number of benefits associated with being a member. However, do those benefits outweigh the yearly membership cost of AARP? Let’s look at the AARP and find out if the membership is worth it for you.

AARP Membership

What is AARP?

The AARP stands for the American Association of Retired Persons, but you don’t actually have to be retired to be a member. The group is a non-profit interest group that represents the interests of retired and older Americans. The organization’s stated goal is “to empower people to choose how they live as they age.” The organization was originally founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus and Leonard Davis.

Thanks to their 38 million members and yearly membership fees, the AARP is a rather influential and massive interest group. They lobby Congress and other government agencies on the behalf of retired and elderly Americans, often tackling issues like prescription drug prices and caregiving for older persons.

What Does AARP Do?

In short, AARP lobbies for the interests of retired and elderly people. Their lobbying efforts are part of their stated mission goal, and they are a non-profit that spends most of their funds on their lobbying. They also set up tons of discounts for their members at various businesses. Memberships for a year cost $16, or $12 if you sign up for auto-renewal.

Who can Become a Member?

Membership doesn’t require you to be retired. All you need in order to become a full member of AARP is to be 50 years old. In fact, you can join up as an “associate member” as long as you’re over the age of 18. However, you don’t get access to the full range of benefits AARP offers members if you’re not 50 or older.

Benefits

Some of the most notable benefits you’ll want from AARP include discounts on various services. These can include discounts at restaurants and on travel. Travel, in particular, is a major focus of the AARP. They have travel package deals, focusing on travel for retired persons, that can save you tons of money on vacations.

Other discounts can include up to 25% off of car rental prices, which is great for frequent travelers. Then, on top of this, you can get up to 10% off of your stay at various hotel chains that have deals with the AARP. Flights, cruises, travel packages, and more are also available at discounts through the AARP. You can also land exclusive deals on car insurance like a 10%* discount on your premium, accident forgiveness, and disappearing deductible.

Many people may not know, but AARP has also partnered with dental insurance companies to help those who don’t have coverage. They offer a variety of PPO and USA plans depending on where you’re from. AARP knows it’s always a good idea to make sure you have your smile protected.

Entertainment

Another form of discount you can get through the AARP is on entertainment. This includes discounts on movie tickets through Regal theaters, and there are also discounts through the “Movies for Grown-Ups” program. Another way to save is through Ticketmaster, which offers discounts for AARP members.

Cirque du Soleil offers 20% off for AARP members at some of their Vegas shows, too! This is a great way for a retired person to save a ton on their entertainment budget, making AARP a smart decision for someone looking to see lots of movies and shows.

Bottom Line

There are numerous other upsides for AARP members, including the AARP Now App, the Avo retirement planner, and the free online AARP Brain Games. These benefits, when combined with the discounts that full members get, make AARP membership attractive for many older Americans.

In short, the cost of your membership is easily offset if you use the discounts on even a few movie tickets. If you spend money on a vacation and save some through the discount program, odds are the $16 membership price will more than pay for itself.

December 10, 2019
What is the AARP? Facts and Benefits

You’ve certainly heard of the AARP, though you might not be sure what exactly the organization is. The name stands for American Association of Retired Persons, and they’re primarily known for their lobbying activities for older Americans. The organization is a non-profit, and it sports more than 38 million members. It’s a rather sizable lobbying force, and it offers a multitude of benefits to its considerable number of members.

Originally founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, the modern AARP is derived from an earlier non-profit, the National Retired Teachers Association, or NRTA. Today, the NRTA still exists within the AARP, though it’s no longer the primary face of the organization. Today we’re looking at what exactly the AARP does, what it offers members, and whether joining is a good idea for you.

Historical Overview

The non-profit started as the NRTA in 1947, and was created by Ethel Percy Andrus. Andrus created the NRTA to promote her philosophy regarding productive aging, to destigmatize the experience of growing older. In 1958, in order to spread this philosophy further, Andrus opened the organization to all Americans over 50, thus creating the AARP.

There has been some controversy over this version of events, however. In 1978, a 60 Minutes report claimed that the AARP was originally created by Leonard Davis, the founder of insurance agency Colonial Penn Group, and was primarily meant to advertise the insurance group to older Americans. Following the publication of this report, the AARP stopped offering Colonial Penn insurance plans, and switched to Prudential Financial. Whether this was spurred by the report or not is unclear.

Non-Profit Status

The AARP was the subject of another controversy in the 1990’s. During this period, Senate hearings spearheaded by Senate Republican Alan K. Simpson investigated the organization’s non-profit, tax-exempt status. While the organization retained its tax-exempt status following the hearings, Simpson stated he was still “troubled” by the committee’s findings and the AARP’s practices.

According to the investigation, the committee did not find sufficient evidence that the AARP couldn’t be classified as a non-profit. Assertions that the organization existed primarily to sell insurance to members were found to be unproven, though the seeds of doubt were sown by these investigations. Simpson later described the AARP as “the greatest abuse of American generosity I witnessed in my time in the U.S. Senate”.

Benefits for Members

The majority of members of the AARP sign up in order to take advantage of the multitude of benefits the non-profit offers. Chief among these benefits is the free tax preparation service, which is a popular service used by over 2 million members every year. Retired persons often have incredibly complex tax returns due to their numerous assets and income sources, so it’s no surprise they would want help preparing their taxes.

Another major benefits that members receive is the discount on insurance, including home, auto, life and health insurance discounts through a partnered agency. There are also discounts and benefits on travel packages, particularly cruises, that are offered to members. The AARP magazine distributed to members is the most-circulated publication in the US, as well, and is a major draw to joining.

Membership

Membership with the AARP is $16 per year at its base amount, though this number could be lower if you sign up for multiple years at once. In all, it’s not a lot for the number of discounts and benefits you get. The only requirement for members is that you’re over 50 years old.

Really, the only thing holding anyone back from signing on as a member would be lingering concerns over their practices as a non-profit, which includes lobbying. Some people cite residual concerns from the 90’s era Senate hearings as a reason to not be a member. It’s up to you whether these concerns are enough to stop from signing up and enjoying the benefits.

June 19, 2019
Is an AARP Membership Worth It?

Many people ask the question as they get closer 50: is AARP worth it? The membership isn’t terribly expensive, and there are a number of benefits associated with being a member. However, do those benefits outweigh the yearly membership cost of AARP? Let’s look at the AARP and find out if the membership is worth it for you.

AARP Membership

What is AARP?

The AARP stands for the American Association of Retired Persons, but you don’t actually have to be retired to be a member. The group is a non-profit interest group that represents the interests of retired and older Americans. The organization’s stated goal is “to empower people to choose how they live as they age.” The organization was originally founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus and Leonard Davis.

Thanks to their 38 million members and yearly membership fees, the AARP is a rather influential and massive interest group. They lobby Congress and other government agencies on the behalf of retired and elderly Americans, often tackling issues like prescription drug prices and caregiving for older persons.

What Does AARP Do?

In short, AARP lobbies for the interests of retired and elderly people. Their lobbying efforts are part of their stated mission goal, and they are a non-profit that spends most of their funds on their lobbying. They also set up tons of discounts for their members at various businesses. Memberships for a year cost $16, or $12 if you sign up for auto-renewal.

Who can Become a Member?

Membership doesn’t require you to be retired. All you need in order to become a full member of AARP is to be 50 years old. In fact, you can join up as an “associate member” as long as you’re over the age of 18. However, you don’t get access to the full range of benefits AARP offers members if you’re not 50 or older.

Benefits

Some of the most notable benefits you’ll want from AARP include discounts on various services. These can include discounts at restaurants and on travel. Travel, in particular, is a major focus of the AARP. They have travel package deals, focusing on travel for retired persons, that can save you tons of money on vacations.

Other discounts can include up to 25% off of car rental prices, which is great for frequent travelers. Then, on top of this, you can get up to 10% off of your stay at various hotel chains that have deals with the AARP. Flights, cruises, travel packages and more are also available at discounts through the AARP.

Entertainment

Another form of discount you can get through the AARP is on entertainment. This includes discounts on movie tickets through Regal theaters, and there are also discounts through the “Movies for Grown-Ups” program. Another way to save is through Ticketmaster, which offers discounts for AARP members.

Cirque du Soleil offers 20% off for AARP members at some of their Vegas shows, too! This is a great way for a retired person to save a ton on their entertainment budget, making AARP a smart decision for someone looking to see lots of movies and shows.

Bottom Line

There are numerous other upsides for AARP members, including the AARP Now App, the Avo retirement planner, and the free online AARP Brain Games. These benefits, when combined with the discounts that full members get, make AARP membership attractive for many older Americans.

In short, the cost of your membership is easily offset if you use the discounts on even a few movie tickets. If you spend money on a vacation and save some through the discount program, odds are the $16 membership price will more than pay for itself.

June 7, 2019
Is an AARP Membership Worth it?

Maybe you’ve heard about AARP membership and the benefits that entails. Whether online, through advertisements or on TV, you may have heard about the upsides of AARP memberships. Today we’re going to explain some of the upsides to an AARP membership and discuss whether it’s worth it or if you’d be better off not spending the money for the membership. Let’s talk AARP memberships!

Is an AARP Membership Worth it?

Travel Deals

A notable benefit to AARP membership is the kinds of deals you get on travel. If you’re a retired person, odds are good that you’re looking to travel some. However, you’re likely also looking to save money on any given trip you take, since funds aren’t unlimited when you’re retired. The AARP offers a number of great deals to help in this regard!

Hotel deals up to 20% off are available and chains like Wyndham Hotels and Days Inn. In addition, there are 35% off deals available through Endless Vacation Rentals. Similarly, members of AARP also get access to deals on rental cars. Notably, there’s a 30% discount on memberships with Zipcar rental service. That’s in addition to percentages off of various car rentals from other chains.

Another perk is through the AARP Travel Center, which is an Expedia service. The Travel Center posts great deals on flights, and the deals are only available for members. Additionally, the Travel Center offers exclusive deals on cruises through Windstar, Norwegian and other cruise lines.

Travel Deals Without AARP

It’s worth noting that if you are considering joining the AARP strictly for the travel discounts, there are other discount you can consider that don’t require you join the AARP. For instance, you could go with the base senior discount you get at the Marriot, with is 15% off of your stay for people over 62. Best Western, likewise, offers 10% to people over 55!

Airlines often offer discounts for seniors over 55, too. Southwest is one example of such an airline. Similarly, many flight booking sites will offer discounts for seniors as well. Examples include OneTravel and Travelation, though these aren’t the only ones.

Further, you can often find even better rates than these for some flights. Just keep your eyes peeled when you’re comparing prices online. You never know what kind of deals you might find! There’s no point in shopping at a site with a discount if the base price somewhere else is lower for that same ticket. Just make sure to do your research!

Auto Insurance

Members with AARP cards can also get discounts on their auto insurance. The AARP offers a discount on auto insurance through The Hartford. Their website claims that, on average, members who use this discounted car insurance can save as much as $404 per year on their auto policy! This, of course, depends on your current insurance provider, age, driving history and location. However, it’s worth looking into if you’ve got an AARP membership and want to find out if you could save on your insurance.

Pros and Cons of AARP Membership

The first thing to consider when asking yourself if an AARP membership is worth it is to consider the price. Membership is only $16 a year, so if the membership saves you 17 bucks before the year is out, then it’s paid for itself, right? Well, sort of. Savings can only be calculated this way if they are savings on things you would otherwise be doing. If you’re going out of your way to spend money on something just because you have a discount for it, you aren’t actually saving.

Case in point: let’s say you’re getting ready to go on a vacation and feel like the price is going to bit a bit high. Then, you compare your vacation’s rates with the discounts you could receive through an AARP membership. If the discounts through a membership would save you more than $16, then perhaps you should consider signing up! If not, maybe you shouldn’t.

A big plus for the AARP is that you only need to be 50 to sign up. That’s well before many establishments begin to offer senior discounts. Most places require you be 55 at the youngest before you’re eligible for any kind of discount. The AARP, on the other hand, lets you get started saving on various things a full five years ahead of the most generous senior discounts.

So, is an AARP membership right for you? That’s up for you to decide. However, there are a number of great upsides to it that make it appealing for most people over 50!

January 11, 2019
Top AARP Benefits: Should You Join?

When you start to get past age 50 or so, the jokes start rolling in. Shouldn’t you get a discount here? Are you going to get the Early Bird special? Very fun, everyone; but, seriously, there are some good discounts for being older! Jokes aside, you might be considering joining AARP for a similar reason: the benefits! Today we’re looking at ten of the top AARP benefits you get for the modest $16 per year membership. Let’s see how it all stacks up!

Top AARP Benefits

You Can Join at 50

Most senior discount programs don’t start until you hit 55. AARP, however, lets you join when you’re fifty. That means you can start reaping the benefits sooner, rather than later! You’re more than entitled to the discounts and savings by the time you’re fifty. Don’t let pride or vanity stop you from hopping on: there’s no shame in being 50, 60, 70 or whatever age. All it brings is wisdom and perspective!

If You Are Married…

If you join AARP and you’re married, good news! Your spouse is a member for free. That means that married people get double the value from their membership! It’s like a buy-one, get-one free deal! If you’ve been on the fence about joining and you’re married, you can be assured it’s a good value, as it practically doubles your benefits.

If You Aren’t Married…

Maybe you don’t have a spouse to share your membership with, but no worries! Members can join the AARP dating site as part of their membership. The best part about it is that you know you’ll be matched with people in the same stage of their lives as you are! There’s nothing quite as exhausting as sifting through tons of profiles of people who are half your age. You can cut that whole process out with an AARP membership!

You Get AARP’s Magazine

Your membership also includes a subscription to AARP’s magazine. While it’s not the biggest perk in the world, it does contain a ton of helpful articles detailing the deals you can take advantage of. Nothing quite like saving money while you’re saving money, huh? The articles are also top-notch and well worth the low cost of the membership by themselves! There are articles on personal finance, travel and a ton more. What’s not to love?

Insurance

Some people find that AARP’s car insurance policy is more affordable than other insurers’ plans. This could vary from person to person, but they are often the most affordable option for people over 50. It’s worth asking for a quote from AARP and making a decision based on that. If the switch would save you more than $16 per year, it’s sort of a no-brainer to get an AARP membership just for that!

AARP Travel Center

Between deals on flights, parking and more, the AARP Travel Center is a huge plus for members. Most people think of AARP members are boring older people, but that’s pretty far from the truth. Going on fun vacations and traveling are some of the perks of having an established nest egg! Why not save while you travel? The AARP Travel Center will make sure you’re taken care of.

Cruises

You’ll often find better rates on cruises from Norwegian, Grand European and Windstar through the AARP’s Travel Center. There’s nothing quite like sailing the high seas on a luxury cruise liner! And it’s hard to beat some of the deals you’ll find on them through the AARP discounts.

Rental Car Discounts

Most rental car companies offer discounts to AARP members. In fact, all AARP members get a 30 percent discount on a Zipcar membership. AARP is a great deal for those who love to travel! Not having to worry about what you’re going to drive on your vacation is a pretty big load off your shoulders!

Hotel Discounts

To round out the awesome travel deals, you’ll also get access to great deals on hotel rates. Between the flights, hotels and rental cars, the AARP pretty much has you completely covered on vacation discounts. If you travel often, it’s hard to find reasons not to have an AARP membership!

Other Discounts

You also get discounts on nearly any and everything you can think of. It’s hard to keep track of how many ways you can earn back your membership fee through saving. Angie’s List, Dunkin Donuts, Outback Steakhouse, Kohl’s, AMC Theaters, Verizon and many more places all offer discounts. Really, it’s harder to find places that won’t offer you a discount for being a member!

The Most Important Benefit

The biggest benefit for being an AARP member is knowing that you’re supporting an organization that lobbies lawmakers on your behalf. Rules and regulations that affect seniors are lobbied on by the AARP to help keep you safe. The quality of life of every member is made better by the legislation that the AARP helps to lobby. That’s a benefit that’s pretty hard to pass up!

August 9, 2018