Don’t Discount These Serious Senior Discounts

Becoming a senior citizen in today’s world, definitely has its pros and cons. While it’s easy to gripe about all the aches and pains of aging, you’ll never hear anyone complain about the ever-growing list of senior discounts. They are almost too numerous to mention. But we’ll take a crack at it here.

If you don’t know by now, the #1 way for seniors to access discounts galore is by joining AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons). For a paltry $16/year, you can enjoy:

Deals on health care, including eye exams, glasses and contacts, as well as on prescriptions.
Discounted life, auto and pet insurance.
Significant savings on travel (flights, cruises, railways, hotels and car rentals).
Savings at no less than 28 national restaurants.

But whether you’re into AARP or not, there are many other discounts almost everywhere you look. For example, did you know that you can:

1. Save big on your cell phone bill

Many of the large phone companies offer special savings to senior citizens, and these discounts add up quick!

AT&T offers a special Senior Nation Plan for account holders 65 or older for just $29.99/mo. It has 200 Anytime Minutes, Mobile-to-Mobile Minutes, and Nights and Weekends, without roaming and long-distance charges.

Verizon Wireless offers a special 55-plus nationwide unlimited Talk & Text service plan to customers who are 55 or older, in most locations.

Consumer Cellular: Consumer Cellular offers AARP members over 50 exclusive savings on monthly service charges in addition to discounts on accessories.

2. Bumper-to-bumper auto service discounts

If you’re 55 or over and still own a car, you can save 10% at Pep Boys and Jiffy Lube.

3. Great Discounts on Groceries and Other Shopping

Any senior living on a fixed income should never shopping without being aware of these enticing discounts:

American Discount Stores – 10% off every Monday (62+).
Banana Republic – 10% off total purchase (50+).
Clark’s – 10% off shoes (62+).
Fred Meyer – 10-15% off on the first Tuesday of each month (55+).
New Seasons – 10% off every Wednesday on most items (65+).
Goodwill – 10% off on Tuesdays (60+).
Michaels – 10% off (55+).
Jo-Ann Fabrics – a senior discount day that included 20% off (55+).
Kohl’s – 15% discount on Wednesdays (60+).
Rite Aid – various discounts including 20% on the first Wednesday of each month (65+).
Habitat for Humanity Restore – 20% off on Thursdays at select locations (55+).

4. Trim your travel budget

If you’ve still got a travel bug, not only do you have the flexibility to go during the off-peak and shoulder seasons, you have the wherewithal to catch some nifty senior savings along the way:

Greyhound – 5% off (62+).
Amtrak – 10% off (65+).
National Parks Service – discounted senior pass for $80 (62+).
Cruise lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean (55+).
Hotels including Best Western Days Inn, Hyatt, Marriott, Ramada and Wyndham offer savings at various ages.
Hertz Car Rental – various “Baby Boomer” discounts (50+).
Southwest Airlines – various discounts (65+).
United Airlines – various discounts (65+).
Uber – two free trips on the first day of every month.

5. Make your restaurant tab easier to swallow

While a lot of restaurants offer specials and coupons now and then, here are several popular ones that always feature tasty senior discounts:

Applebees – 10% discount
Burger King – 10% discount and discounts on drink items.
Chick-fil-A – 20% off during breakfast hours and 10% off during lunch/dinner hours.
Denny’s – senior menu with discounted prices.
Golden Corral – discounted menu prices (60+).
IHOP – senior menu as well as 10% off.
Outback Steakhouse – 10% off for AARP members.
Sonic – 10% discount.
Subway – 10% discount.
Wendy’s – free drink (or 10% off at some locations).
White Castle – 10% off (55+).

6. Once-in-a-lifetime deals on Life Insurance?

The sad truth is, a shocking number of Americans do not own a life insurance policy. If you don’t have one, your family could end up inheriting any debts you might have.

Fortunately for seniors, there is a service called National Family that is now allowing users to get free life insurance quotes at surprisingly low rates from some of the top insurance companies out there. Life insurance rates are at a 20-year low and thanks to new program policies you could qualify for a great new policy at an extremely affordable price. It only takes about 60 seconds to get a free quote today. Once you’ve answered the simple questions, you will be presented with choices and rates. Enjoy your savings!

It’s no secret that the dollar doesn’t go as far as it once did. And it’s tougher than ever to make ends meet on a fixed income or limited retirement plan. But thankfully, being a senior has never offered more ways to save, if you know where to look.

And of course, you can never overlook the greatest senior benefit of all: the opportunity to live at a Sunshine Retirement community.

This blog was first published here: Sunshine Retirement Living, April, 2019. Some content was provided by aarp.com, Iloveretirement.com and thepennyhoarder.com.