Old guy discounts

[FinallyRetired]

As a complement to the travel savings thread, how about old guy discounts? Wife and I went biking in a nat'l park today, with maybe a 19 year old at the gate. Went to pay the $20 yearly pass then asked if there were senior citizen discounts. She asked her supervisor, then came back and said they had some old guy passes. Asked her what old guy meant and she said 62. I just turned 62 so got my old guy pass, $10 and it lets me in any park in the country.

 

[bbbamI]

That's pretty funny....you old guy you!

These discounts confuse me. Sometimes you have to be over 50, 55, 60 or 65. What age constitutes a senior citizen?

 

[haha]

So far the discount that has been most useful to me is the 25 cent bus ride. I really feel good when I ride downtown, mess around all day and come home for 50 cents. At 30 cents/mile, it would cost me $7 or so to drive, plus $7-$15 to park. Basically, to me this is the difference between doing it and not doing it.

Ha

 

[Goonie]

Hey, whatever it takes!

We travel a lot with a local tour company, and most of the folks are usually mid-60's or older, and I almost always get the same 'old guy discount' as they do. Heck, I just turned 50, and this has been going on for several years!!

I never argue though!

(....and if they don't give it to me automatically, I always ask!)

 

[VoyT]

I've resisted joining AARP to get their "old gal" travel discounts.... so far, AAA' s been offering the same discounts at the same places...

I was pleasantly surprised to see my car and liability insurance bills drop once I hit 50.

 

[Goonie]

I was pleasantly surprised to see my car and liability insurance bills drop once I hit 50.

Yeah, I really liked that too! Finally something dropped in price!

 

[kumquat]

I was pleasantly surprised to see my car and liability insurance bills drop once I hit 50.

My car insurance quadrupled when I was 55. No idea why, just because I went from a 15 year old Tempo to a shiny new V8 Mustang?

 

[loosechickens]

Hey, SoonToRetire.....that $10 Golden Age pass you purchase one time at 62, good for life, will not only get you into every National Park free, but also at National Monuments and National Wildlife Refuges and Army Corps of Engineer parks. Most National Forests honor it as well where there are fee areas.

You also get half price camping in National Parks, National Forest campgrounds, and Corps of Engineer parks.

It covers your spouse as well, even if your spouse is younger. Where the admission fee is by the car, all in your vehicle get in free.

It is about the best deal you'll ever get from your government for the money.

I feel so guilty about it sometimes that I've been known to give the gatekeeper the $20 to pay for the young family with kids in the rusted out car behind us.......

Let's see......people over 62 are the most reliable and have the highest percentage of voters of any age group......think that had anything to do with these bennies?

My husband is eight years younger than me.....when I got the magic card at 62, he finally got a payoff for marrying an older lady...... ;-)

LooseChickens

 

[calmloki]

I was in a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store yesterday and spotted a #4 cast iron Griswold frying pan, well used and covered with baked on grease for $1.99. When I happily took it to the counter to pay the lady asked if I was 55 or older and gave me a 10% discount and the pan for $1.79. Score! Earlier Lowes gave me 10% off on some rental supplies for having been in the military. Saving money all over!

 

[W2R]

My grocery store gives seniors a 10% discount on Wednesdays. This is over and above the other discounts for carrying the store card, and so on. This is a substantial discount, though it's not always easy to shop on Wednesdays because I am still working.

Some restaurants also have a discount for seniors. The movie theater gives us a discount in the afternoons.

 

[Eagle43]

Hey, whatever it takes!

We travel a lot with a local tour company, and most of the folks are usually mid-60's or older, and I almost always get the same 'old guy discount' as they do. Heck, I just turned 50, and this has been going on for several years!!

I never argue though!

(....and if they don't give it to me automatically, I always ask!)

That happened to me when I was 58 or 59 in Krogers. The cashier gave me a senior discount and didn't even ask. Made me mad that she would consider me 62. I, of course, did not speak up. Now I am a bona fide and genuine senior. The discounts are a nice perk. There's also a property tax break at age 65, at least here in Texas.

 

[bssc]

I've resisted joining AARP to get their "old gal" travel discounts.... so far, AAA' s been offering the same discounts at the same places...

As people tell me, AARP is for retired people, not old people. Just because you are over 50 doesn't mean that you are old, just retired.

 

[mickeyd]

About 10 years ago (when I was in my 50's) I placed an order at the local Burger King and was charged something like 20 cents for a drink. When I inquired why it was so inexpensive, the teen behind the counter said that I was being charged the senior citizen price. I'm sure that my otherwise youthful appearance somehow made me look about 15 years older, somehow. Anyway ever since that day I have ordered a "senior drink" at most other fast food places and got some kind of hidden discount.

 

[TromboneAl]

I joined AARP but quit as soon as I realized it was mainly a marketing organization. But the card I got doesn't have an expiration date, so I still have it in my wallet (I've never used it, however).

 

[kcowan]

We have found all kinds of discounts just by asking: local attractions, meals, haircuts, and they seldom ask for proof. The extreme case was when we were celebrating a friend's 55th birthday and treated them to a boat tour. Turns out he got the discount because it kicked in at 55!

Our bank offers free banking starting the year you turn 60. You can set up a joint account with a trusted parent and get free banking. They have some rules such as ordering 50 checks is free but 200 checks costs, but otherwise a handy recurring savings.

 

[calmloki]

I joined AARP but quit as soon as I realized it was mainly a marketing organization. But the card I got doesn't have an expiration date, so I still have it in my wallet (I've never used it, however).

I hear what you're saying Al.

 

[Gotadimple]

V8 Mustang

My car insurance quadrupled when I was 55. No idea why, just because I went from a 15 year old Tempo to a shiny new V8 Mustang?

Ummm . . . your insurance increase has nothing to do with your age and everything to do with your new car. Depending on the insurer, they may consider your new car a sports car. Rates for sports cars are higher.

-- Rita

 

[Achiever51]

...

Our bank offers free banking starting the year you turn 60. You can set up a joint account with a trusted parent and get free banking. They have some rules such as ordering 50 checks is free but 200 checks costs, but otherwise a handy recurring savings.

National City Bank offers a special over-50 checking account. No fees, free checks plus a free safety deposit box.

Also, I got a 5% discount from AAA on my car insurance after retiring...but then saved over $300/yr when my AAA agent asked if I was a member of AARP!

Local grocery stores offer seniors 10% off every Tuesday or Wednesday (to get people to do their grocery shopping mid-week). And I always ask for any senior/AAA/AARP discounts on just about any purchase -- recently, I saved $35 on activating a new cell phone because AAA offered a special thru the provider.

 

[VoyT]

As people tell me, AARP is for retired people, not old people. Just because you are over 50 doesn't mean that you are old, just retired.

I like that ...

 

[pfpelican]

Got the senior discount (>65) at the movie theater last weekend...saved $4 between DW and me.

Local dept store has half-price wednesdays for seniors.

AARP now advertizes that it's for 'people with birthdays'...dropping the retired thing too.