topic Re: AARP in Among Friends

AARP

dex — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:09:25 GMT

Does anyone subscribe and think that it is a good deal.I have been getting mailings from them for over ten years and they never give up on me...anyway this morning they have included a membership envelope in our newspaper.These people are spending a lot of money trying to get new members.

Re: AARP

Mistreatedbycs — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:18:15 GMT

The people I know that belong to AARP are all for the "discounts".

Just the word discounts makes them all excited to be a member.

The problem with discounts is no one know what the original price should be, they believe and I mean believe that this card/membership allows them

to buy at a much lower price than anyone else.

I don't know first hand if the pricing is that good but it would be interesting if someone that's not a member vs someone that is a member get a quote. But I heard some plans are just for AARP members so there wouldn't be anything to compare.

I guess when you get old you get to the point of believing you need to be "entitled" to lower costs for everything....it's that senior citizen discounts that have been embedded in people's minds.

Re: AARP

2blonde — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:32:02 GMT

FYI.......you don't have to be "old" to belong to AARP. They start sending notices to people when they aren't even 50 yet (that's not old in my book).

Yes, I belong to AARP; I joined when I was in my late 50's. It's only $15 per year, and I do enjoy the monthly magazine they send. Other than that, I really don't use my AARP card for anything. I usually get good discounts through other avenues.

Re: AARP

Luvitorleaveit1 — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:32:18 GMT

My husband and I totally resisted the join us mail from AARP for years until recently we decided to give it a try since the membership was only $16 for the year I think. We have used them for the discounts since we travel alot but I do still shop around. My parents were members for many years and were satisfied. They do spend a lot in mailings though because even though we joined a couple of months ago we are still getting mail to join so I don't understand how they update the records on their end.

Re: AARP

Sooner — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:32:27 GMT

I never remember where the discounts or, and never remember to ask!

AARP is basically an insurance company targeted at older folks.

Re: AARP

2blonde — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:42:01 GMT

@Luvitorleaveit1 wrote:
My husband and I totally resisted the join us mail from AARP for years until recently we decided to give it a try since the membership was only $16 for the year I think. We have used them for the discounts since we travel alot but I do still shop around. My parents were members for many years and were satisfied. They do spend a lot in mailings though because even though we joined a couple of months ago we are still getting mail to join so I don't understand how they update the records on their end.

@Luvitorleaveit1 You're so right. When I recently renewed, they kept sending me renewal notices, even a month after I had received my new card. They are pesky whether you join or not!

Re: AARP

jlkz — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 15:58:19 GMT

@dex

A lot of different types of businesses are out to get new members / users or to get former ones to renew or rejoin.

Magazines and newspapers are full of cards / envelopes to make new and rejoining folks " active ". As a matter of fact, before I try to read anything nowadays, I tear out and discard the solicitations. It has gotten so bad that when I get the AAA magazine, I just toss it.

As for the discounts, they are there in the AARP program:

one restaurant group has them all day, every day.... 15% at Carrabas, Bonefish Grill, Outback, and Denny's. 10% at Michael's Craft; free donut with coffee at Dunkin' Donuts among others. Some outlet mall management offices have special discount booklets too.

The articles in their AARP magazine are very useful and informative; resources are cited / provided. Especially useful if you are responsible for elderly relatives. Nice to have all the information available for them or yourself !

One last thought about the discounts, I usually ask if there are any AAA or AARP or senior discounts available. You'd be surprised at what all is available and not advertised !

One example, I happened to come across an older flyer for our trash service at home ( it was thumb tacked under the current one ). It mentioned a senior discount: I had overlooked this generous discount for two years. Got the discount and alerted my next door neighbor who also took advantage of it. It saved over $100 for each of us !

Advice: try it for a year.

Re: AARP

henderson — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 16:10:46 GMT

They lean politically to the left and I don't agree with most of what they are promoting/lobbying for. However, we get a discount (home, cars) from our insurance company if we have a membership. We've found that the AARP hotel discount is much better than the AAA discount and we've saved money in the past for that.

Re: AARP

software — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 16:25:23 GMT

Agree, my late parents were on a great policy through AARP.

$100/month for each and it covered all their co-pays and out-of-pockets that Medicare didn't. It was a good way for them to budget for health care costs. It was a benefit for them. I think it was United Healthcare.

@Sooner wrote:
I never remember where the discounts or, and never remember to ask!

AARP is basically an insurance company targeted at older folks.

Re: AARP

dex — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 16:44:25 GMT

I see that there can be benefits and savings if you are using the services they promote.Thanks everyone who has been so helpful.

Re: AARP

151949 — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 17:44:18 GMT

We each joined AARP when we turned 50.After having my Dad in a nursing home with a ventilator at $30,000 a month, we decided it was a necessity for us. We have long term care insurance , life insurance and health insurance thru them and we feel we have done well with all of them.

Friends of ours get their cell phones thru AARP & dental & health ins.

The discounts are very good. Here in Florida it is not unusual for a waitress to ask if you have an AARP card to get the discount.Of course , those are restaurants we go back to most often.

I enjoy the monthly new letter that presents issues pertaining to seniors and our insurance sends us a monthly newsletter pertaining to health maintenance as well.

So I guess you could say I am very happy to be a member of this fine organization.

Re: AARP

Carmie — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 20:50:13 GMT

@Sooner wrote:
I never remember where the discounts or, and never remember to ask!

AARP is basically an insurance company targeted at older folks.

AARP IS NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY!!! They do not sell any type of insurance.

What they do is recommend insurance... all different types. If you are a member and buy insurance with one of the companies they recommend through them, they get a commission every time you pay your premium.

They are a large and very rich organization. They lobby for senior's rights and give generously to politicians that they endorse. You can get discounts at business by showing your card.

I got a free year of AARP from them. I enjoyed the magazine they sent, but did not feel anything else was useful to me, so I did not renew.

I still get tons of junk mail from them....Every month.

Re: AARP

wonderfulworld — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 20:59:20 GMT

We joined for one year to get a discount on an Alaskan cruise. Otherwise, I find AAA discounts are just as good. Their price for Medicare Supplemental Insurance was more than others (we chose Mutual of Omaha and USAA). Mutual of Omaha Long Term Health Care seemed to be a better deal but you can never know what the future holds as far as the premium of those policies is concerned.

We didn't renew our membership.

Re: AARP

hckynut — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 21:37:01 GMT

@dex

I split with AARP once I found out they were more connected with companies, that paid AARP for their advertising of them, were going to a certain political party.

I told them to save their magazine for those that read them, and that was not me. Told me they would remove me from their mailing list. They did, but then sent them to my wife. Didn't waste time calling them again and it goes right into our bin with the other trash mail. Doesn't make it inside our home.

I like knowing where money goes if paid by me personally, or any entity that supports things with which I do not agree.

hckynut(john)

Re: AARP

chrystaltree — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 21:40:56 GMT

I joined but dropped out after a few years. We aren't retired and we didn't see that many discounts that interested us. The magazine was interesting but it was geared to older, retired people. Perhaps, we'll revisit AARP when we are retired or 70, whichever comes first.

Re: AARP

Sooner — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 22:13:58 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

@dex

I split with AARP once I found out they were more connected with companies, that paid AARP for their advertising of them, were going to a certain political party.

I told them to save their magazine for those that read them, and that was not me. Told me they would remove me from their mailing list. They did, but then sent them to my wife. Didn't waste time calling them again and it goes right into our bin with the other trash mail. Doesn't make it inside our home.

I like knowing where money goes if paid by me personally, or any entity that supports things with which I do not agree.

hckynut(john)

Yes they certainly are a lobby group. The problem with that is like most things one size does not fit all. Not all seniors vote alike, think alike, or have the same issues or financial situations.

Like Joh, I like to know what people, groups or companies are doing with my money. I think that's an important issue with AARP.

Re: AARP

CatLoverDogsToo — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 22:19:23 GMT

I let my membership lapse because I don't agree with the left leaning policies they support. Having said that, when my mother was still living, she was on dialysis and I had a lot of aggravation trying to get her medications and health services. She had an AARP secondary insurance policy backing up her medicare. That was incredibly helpful and the customer service folks helped me get the things I needed. She passed away in 2007, so I really have no idea what the medigap policies are like now. As for the AARP discount card, personally it never helped me as no one accepted it other than Walgreens, and I don't shop there. I did like the magazine and newspaper, but I can live without it.

Re: AARP

CelticCrafter — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 22:28:07 GMT

They're relentless with the amount of junk they mail out.

If we didn't join after the first 50 invitations what makes them think 51 will be the clincher...

Re: AARP

MsSuze — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 22:54:21 GMT

I made the mistake of joining AARP for five years when I turned 50. I joined online and immediately started getting numerous emails everyday. I had to unsubscribe from all of their emails Then they sent so much paper mail EVERY WEEK for insurance policies, long-term health care, their magazine, their newspaper, etc. I got sick of it. It was the same stuff week after week after week for five years. What a waste of paper and money. I was so happy when the five years passed. I would never rejoin again.

Re: AARP

milly1 — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 00:08:40 GMT

I'm not so sure you can ever unsubscribe to this organization. Since they supported health care changes where my husband's insurance basically doubled anything I receive from them goes right to the shredder. You can get many senior discounts without belonging to AARP.