AARP Membership

[mickeyd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rescueme Hey, speak for yourself, fella ...

Opps, sorry bout that. I meant to type geezers not old fogies. Thanks for the heads up.

[Goonie]

I joined AARP when I hit 50, and just did another 5 year renewal a few weeks ago. I enjoy reading both their magazine and their newspaper. The $12.60 per year membership fee more than pays for itself in hotel discounts when we travel or go to bluegrass festivals. We're currently vacationing in Florida for a couple of weeks, and hotel discounts for this trip alone amount to over $300.

I have no need for AARP's insurance offers, since I already have everything I want and/or need. So AARP junk mail, to me, is like any other junk mail.....I use it to start our bonfires, or I shred it and toss it in the compost pile, or I lay it down in the gardens and use it as mulch. In my view junk mail is like cow manure....to some folks it's just a bunch of cr*p....to others (like me) it's good for the gardens!

Obviously being in the minority here, the only thing that I'll say concerning AARP's political views and opinions, is that I have no major difference of opinion...nuf said. Besides, I only discuss political matters in 'face-to-face' situations, and never over the internet.

[Payin-the-Toll]

AARP sent me a letter to join when I was 48. Back then it was just $10, and as a joke, sent them $10, telling the wife they'd have to send back my check since I wasn't 50. Well, they gave me a membership, so every year I'd cough up the $12 or so; liked the magazine and articles, and liked supporting a worthy cause. This year they wanted $16 (I think), so I said no. Like '73SS454' and 'martyb' said, got bombarded with tons of mail, etc. Too bad for them--no more $$ from me.

[East Texas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyb That's absolutely NOT the case with AARP. As I said in my previous post, I have contacted them multiple times, in multiple ways, requesting to be removed from their mailing/contact lists, to no avail. They promise I will be removed, yet I continue to receive the solicitations for membership, life insurance, etc. etc. They ignore my wishes. I will call them again in the morning.

I guess they just like me better than they like you. (I hope you think that was funny and not sarcastic...) It's time for the old "I've called several times about this matter and evidently I'm not speaking with the right person...." Good luck.

[travelover]

I always check for an AARP discount at hotels, though I've never been asked to show any proof of membership. It just seems to be a way to offer a lower price for bargain hunters while saving face for the establishment.

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by martyb That's absolutely NOT the case with AARP. As I said in my previous post, I have contacted them multiple times, in multiple ways, requesting to be removed from their mailing/contact lists, to no avail. They promise I will be removed, yet I continue to receive the solicitations for membership, life insurance, etc. etc. They ignore my wishes. I will call them again in the morning.

Just take one of those mailings and write on the outside, DECEASED -- RETURN TO SENDER. Then drop it in the post.

This worked for a truly deceased member of our family when I did this.

Hmmm ... maybe this works for other annoyances too?

[martyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Just take one of those mailings and write on the outside, DECEASED -- RETURN TO SENDER. Then drop it in the post. This worked for a truly deceased member of our family when I did this. Hmmm ... maybe this works for other annoyances too?

That's a GREAT idea! I'll do it as soon as I get the next piece of mail from them...

[Ally]

We quit AARP due to their politics. I discovered if I want to read their magazine, most of it is on the web site.

[Koolau]

Agree about the politics issues - not a fan of their particular brand. However, we save many times the membership fee in discounts each year. I feel a bit guilty about filling up landfills with their junk mail, but some of our trash gets burned to make electricity here. YMMV

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau I feel a bit guilty about filling up landfills with their junk mail, but some of our trash gets burned to make electricity here. YMMV

Of course they paid the federal government a bulk-mail postage rate to haul that trash at least 2500 miles across the ocean before we could donate it to the HPOWER plant...

[73ss454]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover I always check for an AARP discount at hotels, though I've never been asked to show any proof of membership. It just seems to be a way to offer a lower price for bargain hunters while saving face for the establishment.

Once DW and I stopped at a motel and when I regiesterd I asked if they gave a discount for AARP and the lady said yes. So I took out my AMEX card to pay and the lady said you get a bigger discount via AMEX, just some food for thought if you think your getting great discounts with AARP.

[martyb]

lol...I usually either ask for the military rate or the government rate. Only once have I been asked to show an ID, and then it wasn't a problem since I do carry one of each. I'm retired from the military side, but so far, nobody's made a distinction between me being active vs. retired. Normally, to get the "government rate" I think you're supposed to be on some kind of travel orders, but like I said, I've only been asked for confirmation once, and that time I actually was on orders.

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 Once DW and I stopped at a motel and when I regiesterd I asked if they gave a discount for AARP and the lady said yes. So I took out my AMEX card to pay and the lady said you get a bigger discount via AMEX, just some food for thought if you think your getting great discounts with AARP.

I'll have to haul out all my cards at all the hotels we go to. Let's see:
1) AAA
2) Amex
3) Library card
4) Safeway
5) Starbucks
6) Visa
7) Democratic Party or Republican Party (depends on how I size them up) ...

[easysurfer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 Once DW and I stopped at a motel and when I regiesterd I asked if they gave a discount for AARP and the lady said yes. So I took out my AMEX card to pay and the lady said you get a bigger discount via AMEX, just some food for thought if you think your getting great discounts with AARP.

I did a similar thing recently while booking online. I compared to see the lowest rates, AAA vs AARP vs just the hotel's lowest rate option. The lowest rate option won out.

[GrayHare]

Good to know about AARP's excessive sending of junk mail. I've discovered Consumer Reports spews similar amounts.

[pb4uski]

I'm surprised at the sentiment against AARP. I've been a member since I was 50 and enjoy the periodicals and utilize the discounts at motels, etc. While I'm not keen on their politics I recognize their right to express their opinion.

I probably could do without it AARP that I also have AAA and often the discounts are similar but to me the periodicals are worth the modest cost and any discounts are gravy.

I haven't found their insurance or anything like that particular compelling.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrayHare Good to know about AARP's excessive sending of junk mail. I've discovered Consumer Reports spews similar amounts.

Comcast is another chronic offender for us...

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pb4uski I'm surprised at the sentiment against AARP. I've been a member since I was 50 and enjoy the periodicals and utilize the discounts at motels, etc. While I'm not keen on their politics I recognize their right to express their opinion.

Their right no question. But I can't subsidize an organization with political views that they know (lf should) are blindly self-serving IMO. Their last TV ad was just another example of same...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3yHa...e_gdata_player

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by easysurfer I did a similar thing recently while booking online. I compared to see the lowest rates, AAA vs AARP vs just the hotel's lowest rate option. The lowest rate option won out.

Most of the time that is not the case... at least for when I book things..

Usually they are close enough that the few $$$s does not matter to me, but not always...

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Their right no question. But I can't subsidize an organization with political views that they know (lf should) are blindly self-serving IMO. Their last TV ad was just another example of same...

I don't have a problem with AARP advocating that SS and Medicare benefits for seniors not be cut. Not sure what else anyone would expect given their constituency.

I wasn't keen on the ad because it implied that seniors (or at least their membership) was united on that hot button issue and I'm certain that is not the case. Like I said in my prior post, I'm not keen on their politics, but as a practical matter I don't think my $12 a year buys a lot of tv time.