Who here is an AARP member?
Do you find the AARP membership worthwhile?

I was a member -- maybe my mom recommended me? I think the first year was free or she paid, I don't recall.

But then they send so much junk in the mail, I never renewed and I just throw away their stuff without opening....

Maybe I'm missing some deals? I suppose I could revisit.

I use AAA for hotel discounts, I don't know if AARP would have anything comparable.

I wonder what other advantages they might offer...

We are members because AARP membership can get you a supplemental Medicare plan. Helps pay some percentage that Medicare doesn’t cover.

Have not really looked into the senior discounts thing. But I think those discounts are for [NY Snob] places like chain restaurants which don’t really interest us. [/NY Snob]

It's funny. I don't even think about the possibility of senior discounts. That's for old people.

I guess I need to re-orient my thinking.

AARP lobbies for Social Security and Medicare benefits for seniors.
I get a medicare supplement policy through AARP.

I and my wife are AARP members. I resisted joining for a long time because it felt like admitting to being old, but eventually a low-priced ($12/year and free second membership) enticed me to join. I'm glad I did. It gets me a small discount on my cellular phone plan. It also brings two pretty good publications, AARP magazine and AARP bulletin, each month. They both have information that I find useful and/or interesting.

There is additional mail and communications, but I can ignore or deal with those as I see fit. There are weekly e-mails regarding benefits/discounts that I occasionally scan that include things like hotels, rental cars, restaurants, etc. They are not all high-end either; I recall seeing Denny's and Outback Steakhouse among the listings. I haven't used the card much for discounts as I tend to use my AAA card for such things where applicable, but I'm probably leaving a little money on the table sometimes. I've been finding their scam alerts to be particularly useful in warning for things to beware of such as the recent advice on check-washing. I think it's been worthwhile for me.

By the way, you don't have to be retired to enroll. Anyone 50+ in age is eligible.

Big Al

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
It's funny. I don't even think about the possibility of senior discounts. That's for old people.

I guess I need to re-orient my thinking.

Honestly, trying to keep track of them is more trouble than it's worth. We also don't go to many places that offer them, so there's that.

quote:

Originally posted by CHAS:
AARP lobbies for Social Security and Medicare benefits for seniors.
I get a medicare supplement policy through AARP.

But you can get the insurance policies without being a member. My supplemental is through them and Aetna and we're not member.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your views on AARP membership.

quote:

Originally posted by big al:

Anyone 50+ in age is eligible.

I have recenty learnt, from AARP website FAQ, that they now accept members as young as 18 years of age. They say the young members enjoy all the same benefits as the other members except products/services that are age-restricted by law or by contracts (e.g., certain insurance products).

Now an AARP member need not be “old” or “retired.”

I've had a complicated relationship with AARP.

To start, I was inundated for years (even well before I turned 50!) with invitations to join AARP. What bothered me (a LOT) was that plethora of mail.

For one thing (re Big Al's sensitivity), the inescapable reminders they presented that I was "Old". (Elderly, senior, "mature" - you name it.). Age is a long-standing delicate public issue, which used to be generally recognized as private especially in regards to women. Asking a women's age was considered rude, and discussions about it (while of universal interest), was off limits with all the many ramifications it had on mortality, marriageability, eligibility for sports and hiring of all kinds. (Recalling the recent brouhaha about the news anchor, Don Lemon, fired for declaring women's "prime" to be 40 y.o., at most - much younger than men's - and thus ineligible for high public office for a longer.*)

Related issues are in the news regularly: advances in cosmetic surgery, relative marital ages and salary differences, nubility (advances in fertility and reproductive endocrinology). I not only minded getting AARP's heavy handed advertising because it reminded me of my own aging but because of its impact on my romantic life. I had a long standing love affair with a considerably younger partner. Though I didn't lie about my birthdate, those AARP solicitations were very unwelcome. Long before I turned 50 I wrote several times (to no avail) protesting the mailings and requesting I be removed from their list.

Finally, I caved and subscribed. Not a few articles provided useful info and I also found an amazingly advantageous health insurance plan which saved me many thous $. Specifically, a so-called indemnity plan, reimbursed me one to two thou/day per hospital stay for several operations. Saved me well over $25K. (I could hardly believe the savings! No accident, that policy was discontinued.). Later, Medicare AARP policies also offered significant discounts.

Considering the relatively low membership cost, I figure the subscription money well spent - really don't know how they afford them, both the newspaper and the magazine. I also appreciate their lobbying on behalf of our demographic.

* Still FWIW wondering what "prime" refers to - physical (i.e., beauty) or intellectual prime.

Not at all a clearcut distinction IMO.

In this case, do you think he referred to electability? In other words, the appearance of "prime" in regards to candidacy, or actual innate prime in the sense of appeal.