Are you a card-carrying AARP member? If so, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re taking advantage of the many perks of being a member of the club.
You probably know that your AARP membership benefits include discounts on an array of products from home and car insurance, to tour packages and home security systems. But you may not realize how many — and what a wide variety — are offered.
“The benefits I use religiously are the discounts,” says AARP member Carol Gee, a retired higher education instructor and administrator in Atlanta. For example, she recently booked a hotel for a trip with her husband to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. She was quoted a rate of $229 but saved $35 with her AARP card. “We were upgraded to a suite at that rate, which was really very nice,” she says.
AARP benefits extend far beyond travel discounts. Read on to make sure you aren’t missing out on these savings or any of the many other pluses of being a member.
AARP Membership Enables You To:
1. Find free financial advice.
As you move toward or into retirement, taking care of your money is essential. As an AARP member, you can print or order free financial publications with detailed advice on topics such as carrying mortgage debt into retirement, dealing with age discrimination, investing with IRAs, reinventing your career and when to claim Social Security.
2. Save on car insurance.
For 40 years, The Hartford has been providing exclusive car insurance coverage to AARP members through the AARP® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford. Get rewarded for being a safe, experienced driver with premium benefits and savings. For example, you can enjoy a discount for the next three years when you complete the AARP Smart DriverTMCourse. Just send The Hartford a copy of your certificate or update your policy online to receive a credit on your car insurance premium.
3. Cut the cost of home insurance.
Get the protection you need at a rate you deserve with the AARP® Homeowners Insurance Program from The Hartford. The program offers valuable coverage for your personal property and protection against personal liability. A range of options are available to meet your needs — whether you own a house or condo, or you’re a renter. You can save even more when you bundle your home and auto policies!
4. Get dental and vision insurance.
As you age, eye health and oral health are more important than ever. The AARP Vision Discounts provided by EyeMed offers AARP members a choice among three vision insurance plans. These include comprehensive eye exams with minimal copays and deep discounts on lenses and frames. AARP also offers dental insurance, administered by Delta Dental, that features large dentist networks, limits on out-of-pocket costs and guaranteed acceptance for AARP members.
5. Improve your hearing.
Hey, have you heard? It’s also important not to neglect your ears. The AARP® Hearing Care Program offers an in-person hearing test, custom fitting for hearing aids and a 20% discount on a large portfolio of digital hearing aids. You even get a free three-year supply of hearing aid batteries.
6. Pay less for prescriptions.
The AARP® Prescription Discounts offers savings to AARP members and their spouses and dependents on drugs not covered by your current prescription insurance or Medicare Part D. The savings average up to 61%.
7. Entertain yourself while waiting in line.
You don’t have to let apps and games drain your bank account a buck at a time. AARP offers free online games for members. Enjoy lots of classics from backgammon to daily jigsaw puzzles and mahjong to solitaire. Some games are available to anyone, while others are for AARP members only. The bonus? Online games can help keep your mind sharp.
8. Read the AARP magazine.
As a member, you receive AARP The Magazine, which offers practical, usable advice on topics important to readers aged 50+. This includes info on health, money and wellness, like how to exercise without breaking a sweat or how to cut your grocery bill by having a garden.
Gee says she loves getting the magazine to learn about topics like scams targeted at older Americans, along with the latest info on Medicare and Social Security benefits. You can also access the magazine digitally by downloading the AARP Publications iPad app.
9. Bury your nose in a book for less.
Are you a book lover who can’t always find what you want at the library? The AARP Bookstore offers AARP members 40% off select titles when ordered directly from the publisher. You can also get eBooks and free downloads on health, food, technology, money and work, home, family and caregiving, and more.
10. Supercharge your rewards earnings.
Loyalty programs from airlines, credit card issuers, and retailers are a great way to live large and get more for your money, and AARP offers several ways to maximize your rewards!
11. Earn while you learn.
When you join the free AARP Rewards for Good program, you earn rewards points for using designated online tools, quizzes and webinars at aarp.org. You can then redeem your points for deals and offers from local retailers, participate in live auctions on everything from iPads to gift cards, and enter sweepstakes for the chance to win prizes. AARP members earn 50% more points.
12. Stretch your dining and entertainment dollars.
You may already know that AARP has deals with restaurants that allow members to trim the fat from their restaurant bills. Most participating restaurants offer AARP members 10% to 15% off their total. Restaurants that offer discounts include Bonefish Grill, McCormick & Schmick’s, and Outback Steakhouse. Want to see a show after dinner? You can also get 20% off online ePremiere Tickets purchased online that can be used at Regal movie theaters nationwide.
13. Protect your pet with health insurance.
AARP allows you to keep your furry family members healthy with up to a 10% member discount on pet health insurance (when you enroll online) plus a $35 prepaid Petplan Visa® Prepaid Card you can use at your next vet visit.
14. Pay less for airport parking, rental cars and hotels.
Get 12% off for off-airport parking with your AARP card at more than 150 locations when you book in advance. AARP offers members a variety of savings on lodging and car rentals.
15. Tour the world for less.
As an AARP member, you can travel light (on your wallet) with discounts on vacations. Here are a few examples: AARP membership includes $50 off per person on small group cultural immersion tours from Collette Explorations. You also get up to $100 off per person on guided vacations, including river cruises to Europe, from Grand European Travel. If you want to see the world by train, you can get 5% off worldwide rail vacations and train tours from Vacations by Rail.
While this may seem like quite the list, there are plenty more perks where these came from. If you haven’t done so already, download the AARP Now mobile app, which lets you easily access your AARP benefits right from your smartphone. And don’t forget that you can add your spouse or partner to your AARP membership at no cost. That’s an easy way to double the bang for your buck!
What’s your favorite benefit of being an AARP member? Are there discounts or perks you didn’t know about that you now plan to use? Comment and let us know!