Re: AARP

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

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.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@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.

wonderfulworld · ‎12-05-2012

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.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@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)

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

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.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@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.

CatLoverDogsToo · ‎03-10-2010

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.

“The price of light is less than the cost of darkness.”
– Arthur C. Nielsen

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

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...

MsSuze · ‎07-09-2012

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.

milly1 · ‎03-09-2010

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.