AARP worth it?

[2retireearly]

We're talking about $16 a year..right? The magazines can have some useful info...so for just that yes. I don't have vision isurance, but my AARP gives me discounts at my eye doctor for glasses...so, Yes. Also there are always restaurant and hotel discounts, that I don't seek out or use, but, if one did then Yes...$16 premium is nothing...and you can get a return in benefits of more than that.

 

[CincyDave]

I joined to get access to the UHC medigap plan. Never found much of interest in their magazine/newspaper. Do get emails, but not much snail mail.

Did get an email today about a 5.40% 14 month CD offer through Marcus (Goldman Sachs) which seems like a pretty decent rate.

 

[JJpop]

Just saved $50 on our medjet insurance for the next year and $50 last year.

 

[2retireearly]

I joined to get access to the UHC medigap plan. Never found much of interest in their magazine/newspaper. Do get emails, but not much snail mail.

Did get an email today about a 5.40% 14 month CD offer through Marcus (Goldman Sachs) which seems like a pretty decent rate.

Oh yeah, I forgot, I get my AARP Supplemental United Healthkeepers through AARP. Really I get that through my company that I retired from, so I don't know if I need to actually be an AARP member, or if by getting this insurance I automatically am given the AARP. but if my company didn't give me this insurance, I am sure I'd get a discount premium by having AARP.

 

[Koolau]

I was a member for multiple years. I recently decided not to renew as they sell their membership information to all kinds of places. Since I am no longer a member I have stopped getting so many random emails and phone calls.

NEVER give out your email address or phone no. Fake it.

 

[Koolau]

Oh yeah, I forgot, I get my AARP Supplemental United Healthkeepers through AARP. Really I get that through my company that I retired from, so I don't know if I need to actually be an AARP member, or if by getting this insurance I automatically am given the AARP. but if my company didn't give me this insurance, I am sure I'd get a discount premium by having AARP.

Yeah, I get my Part D through an AARP insurance provider. DW gets hers through another AARP insurance provider. YMMV

 

[Paulz]

I bought a 3-year membership last year as it was on sale for $12 a year.

I don't really get any benefit from it, so will let my membership expire unless I can get it for $12 or under. I get better discounts from other sources, so other than flipping through their magazine I don't see the draw.

Best thing I did was opt out of all their advertisements. Last thing I want or need is daily insurance mail\emails from Hartford.

 

[vdesalvo]

Not for me.unless required for an insurance policy you want. I do not wish to fund the type of lobbying they do.

I'm also not contributing to them because of there views that is why I went with AMAC. Damn near the say benefits as AARP.

 

[pb4uski]

.... It's great that folks with cushy high paying desk jobs can cheer on the idea of increasing the full retirement age while blue collar workers, many of whom do backbreaking jobs and have much lower life expectancies, pretty much have to work until they drop dead. Have some empathy, people!

WADR, these blue collar worker, many of whom do backbreaking jobs, already understand or should know that it will be hard for them to work into their late 60s even under the current FRA not to mention if the FRA is increased and should plan accordingly. They already get higher benefits in relation to their SS contributions because of how the bend points are constructed, and that is fine.

BTW, I know some people like that and they are doing fine. Besides, any change to FRA would likely only impact those 40s or younger based on how they phased in the 1983 change in FRA from 65 to 67.

 

[mickeyd]

if it is worth getting a AARP membership.

Not worth it unless you prefer being part of a self-inflicted marketing scheme. But if you fail to sign up @ age 55. do not fear. You will receive opportunities via the US mail for the next 15 years.

I refused all offers to "sign on the line that is dotted" and made it to age 79 w/o difficulty.

 

[troutnut1]

My wife nearly divorced me when I told her I joined to save a few bucks on a motel. Had to call them back and cancel. They didn’t seem like that was unusual. Turns out they stand for everything I hate too. She was right. But I do pay more for motels I guess.

 

[Gotadimple]

My wife nearly divorced me when I told her I joined to save a few bucks on a motel. Had to call them back and cancel. They didn’t seem like that was unusual. Turns out they stand for everything I hate too. She was right. But I do pay more for motels I guess.

Probably you don't pay more for motels. Many chains offer a senior discount - not connected to AARP. Check their websites when you plan on booking.

- Rita

 

[ShokWaveRider]

My wife nearly divorced me when I told her I joined to save a few bucks on a motel. Had to call them back and cancel. They didn’t seem like that was unusual. Turns out they stand for everything I hate too. She was right. But I do pay more for motels I guess.

Things you hate? Like Making sure SS lasts as long as we do, funding Medicare, making sure Medicare supplement companies stand by their obligations, fighting against scammers of vulnerable elderly Americans, Looking after Older Americans......

I cannot comprehend why people "Hate" AARP. Seems very blinkered, philistine and short sighted to me.

 

[GenXguy]

Things you hate? Like Making sure SS lasts as long as we do, funding Medicare, making sure Medicare supplement companies stand by their obligations, fighting against scammers of vulnerable elderly Americans, Looking after Older Americans......

I cannot comprehend why people "Hate" AARP. Seems very blinkered, philistine and short sighted to me.

Agreed. I would rather have people fighting for those things for people over 50 so we don't see cuts rather than taxpayer funded student loan bailouts, expanding the child tax credit, and funding for swarms of migrants to have free health care and free housing when many American senior citizens are struggling.

 

[nobody]

No, never gotten any discount or anything from them besides a cheap as bag that broke first time I used it. The magazines, I don't learn anything from them.

 

[Koolau]

My wife nearly divorced me when I told her I joined to save a few bucks on a motel. Had to call them back and cancel. They didn’t seem like that was unusual. Turns out they stand for everything I hate too. She was right. But I do pay more for motels I guess.

If your DW ever finds an organization with which she fully agrees (about EVERYTHING) please let us know. I've never found such a group (or such a person for that matter) - heh, heh, not even here on FIRE Forums where we agree about almost everything.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I just saved [-]a couple of[/-] four hundred bucks on a European rail vacation package with the AARP discount, so yeah, it was worth it.

 

[m3bs]

Probably you don't pay more for motels. Many chains offer a senior discount - not connected to AARP. Check their websites when you plan on booking.

- Rita

I just booked 4 nights. Senior rate was $10/night more than AARP rate at that property (LQ/Wyndham), but many are the same.

 

[jazz4cash]

I was a member for multiple years. I recently decided not to renew as they sell their membership information to all kinds of places. Since I am no longer a member I have stopped getting so many random emails and phone calls.

I have seen this mentioned a few times but AARP specifically says they do not sell info outside of their AARP branded partners. I don't get much from AARP or thier "partners". Most of the junk mail I get is from charities including some that already get regular donations from us.

 

[SecondAttempt]

It depends on your perspective and your willingness to work their system to disable all mailings - or you will keep your recycler in business forever.

AARP is a lobbying and marketing organization. There are very few 'senior discounts' you can't get on your own - no AARP card is needed. When there is a need for an AARP card it is because the entity is a major sponsor and won't give a discount without proof of membership (think United Health Care, Walgreens, etc.).

Their magazine has some good articles, their monthly bulletin doesn't. There are decent articles on their website, but you can access by registering (and they'll bug you to join). They don't make $ on membership fees, they make it by licensing their logo to major sponsors promising they have data that can direct mailings to seniors in specific geographic and demographic areas.

With all of that if you feel strongly about senior benefits and retaining them they are very strong lobbying organization helping to influence legislation at the state and national level, so your annual (or multi-year) membership helps that it adds to a member count they can quote, but their funding comes from licensing arrangements (see above).

I joined for a year because it was so cheap. I did not renew because I was uncomfortable with their approach, lobbying organization masquerading as an organization to help retirees. It's not so much that I agree or disagree with their positions. It is more that I don't like them "using" me to inflate their member count.

In my year as a member I took advantage of a few discounts that easily exceeded the membership cost. But, you know what? No one ever asked to see my card. I guess they just believed me because of the wrinkles around my eyes. So, if you are just in it for discounts you can probably get many of those without actually being a member. (I know the ethics of that are questionable.)

Overall, I don't have strong feelings about AARP. If they offered some tangible benefit they could probably buy me off to participate in their lobbying game. But I just did not personally see much benefit. I have friends who love it.

You can always join for a year and see what you think. They don't make it difficult to not renew, I'll give them that.

 

[CaptTom]

Interesting take on the "lobbying game." I can't argue with it.

But, I see it a little differently. Big corporations and lots of other special interests spend a fortune on lobbying. I'm glad there's someone representing seniors. Or, for that matter, any other citizen group. I don't have to like all their fund-raising and advertising partners. I don't have to always agree 100% with everything they say.

In fact, I would expect them to stake out an "extreme" position, then compromise back from there. That's just a sensible negotiating strategy.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Interesting take on the "lobbying game." I can't argue with it.

For most it is just an excuse, they simply do not like AARP.

I would like to know where it is published what they lobby for, other than things that benefit all seniors that is not just partisan propaganda.

I answered my own question here, I checked what they have lobbied for, most of which I, and I think most seniors would support. I could only find 2 that I was not 100% for. Not enough to stop supporting them. I am glad they do try to fight for their members.

 

[Koolau]

I have seen this mentioned a few times but AARP specifically says they do not sell info outside of their AARP branded partners. I don't get much from AARP or thier "partners". Most of the junk mail I get is from charities including some that already get regular donations from us.

Yeah, we never ask for the specific stuff targeted in their magazine, so never get any extraneous stuff from them. Agreed that our charities are very loose with our name/address. It's disappointing but the way the world w*rks I suppose.

 

[CaptTom]

For most it is just an excuse, they simply do not like AARP...

Excluding anyone on this forum, of course. But I'd say most of them are simply parroting what the talking heads at their favorite TV network, web site or social media outlet are saying. Facts and reality are irrelevant. It's all about supporting "my team."

 

[USGrant1962]

...
I answered my own question here, I checked what they have lobbied for, most of which I, and I think most seniors would support. I could only find 2 that I was not 100% for. Not enough to stop supporting them. I am glad they do try to fight for their members.

Thanks for asking, it caused me to look at their Policy Book and don't see how most seniors would support all of these policies. An awful lot of their policies are on topics that have nothing related to specifically being "seniors".

https://policybook.aarp.org/

An simple example is that they take positions on redistricting, campaign finance reform, voter ID, and lobbying reform. Nothing there is specific to seniors or has an obvious "senior's position" that is different from the debate among the general public. And those examples are just from the first of 15 policy areas where they take positions.

While they certainly should be advocating for SS, Medicare, improved health care, elder abuse, senior services, etc., it would be better if they stayed in their swim lane.