Why join AARP?

[athena53]

I got that email too, and re-signed up to AARP. Between the discount on the cell phone plan, restaurant discounts, and other stuff - it seemed silly to not to have the AARP card. Saving right about $100/month now because of AARP. $1,200/year or $12,000 over 10 years. Little decisions add up.

I don't see that much of a savings. I pay $19/month for cell phone service from Ting so I doubt they could do any better. (I'm a household of one so discounts for additional lines don't help me.) I'm suspicious of insurance "savings" because sometimes the lowball quotes come with more restrictive coverage and you don't know till you need it. The restaurant discounts are for chains I rarely patronize (although I did use it at Denny's when BF got an urge for biscuits and gravy) and I get pretty much the same travel discounts with AAA (and Costco for rental cars).

 

[RetMD21]

I get pretty much the same travel discounts with AAA (and Costco for rental cars).

When I had AAA it was much more expensive than AARP

 

[Dtail]

When I had AAA it was much more expensive than AARP

I find at least the hotel discounts are the same for the two.

 

[Chuckanut]

I get a discount of about $60 on an insurance plan which more than pays for the AARP dues. The monthly magazine is a puff-piece about various celebrities who have aged. IOW, it's worthless. in my opinion. The monthly newspaper is a bit better. I could live without either if not for the insurance savings.

 

[Keim]

Their website claims they are nonpartisan.

 

[CaptTom]

...Now, if they interview a "Senator Acme" of the green-with-orange-stripes party who has introduced legislation that affects seniors, they WILL mention the senator's title and party affiliation...

Their website claims they are nonpartisan.

I think the problem is nobody is allowed to be non-partisan these days.

If Sen. Acme from your "Stripes" party proposes legislation which hurts seniors, and I call them out, then I'm accused of being a member of the "Plaid" party.

This leaves organizations like AARP in a tough spot. Any time they endorse or criticize something a politician does, about 41% of the people take it as an attack against their party.

 

[youbet]

I think the problem is nobody is allowed to be non-partisan these days.

We’ll said and oh so true!

I don’t avail myself of any of their sponsored products or use any of their discounts (that I’m aware of) but belong anyway. Despite not agreeing with them on all issues, I’d rather they exist than disappear as they seem to be a net benefit to geezers such as DW and myself.

 

[disneysteve]

The problem is too many people think nonpartisan means having no opinion which isn’t what it means at all.

 

[Keim]

The problem is too many people think nonpartisan means having no opinion which isn’t what it means at all.

Really well put.

 

[MichaelB]

<mod note> Multiple posts discussing BSA were removed because they were not related to the thread topic and were argumentative.

 

[Aerides]

Let’s all please remember the community rules and keep our political opinions to ourselves. If you don’t like AARP no problem, plenty of other threads to join.

And to be clear in case for some reason it's not (it is...) airing your political grievances with this or any organization is a non starter.

 

[braumeister]

A thread started out normally, got mired in politics, and finally ran its course. Then it was needlessly resurrected and got even more deeply mired in politics, leading to its closure.

Our Community Rules are clear enough, but not everyone wishes to abide by them. That's a shame.

Thanks for the interesting discussion.