Mike Morin

Those annoying invitations to join AARP began flooding my mailbox a few years before I turned 50. I had nothing against the American Association of Retired Persons. I just had something against getting old and being reminded of it when I walked to my mailbox. Like late 40s is old. AARP is a 50-thing and at 48, I had no interest in receiving $1 off the Denny’s Grand Slam early bird breakfast for dinner.

Like you, I was not ready to be reminded that joining AARP was a death sentence. Looking back 20 years, I can now admit that was a stupid assumption on my part. For a very small annual membership fee of $16, you get a ton of discounts off things that will more than make up for the equivalent cost of a Starbucks coffee and croissant.

Here’s the kicker: You can join at any age. If you sign up at 20, you could bank 30-years’ worth of savings that I never did. And the new AARP rules do not include casket rebates or cremation upgrades. So, get over it and at least investigate new ways to save.

Since image is everything, the directors might want to rebrand AARP to AASS – American Association of Smart Savers. Drop the ‘Retired Persons’ part. Besides, my generation can’t afford to retire. And many of us, like me, love working and will never retire. I’d be happy to become AASS’ spokesperson if they don’t offer it to Tom Brady, who is actually worse at retiring than I am. (I’ve retired/unretired twice since 63).

You might want to hop on the senior discounts train, before one of our politicians decides Social Security needs to go away. There are a lot of businesses that want your over-50 business and will offer modest discounts to get it. Here are a few examples I collected from seniorliving.org.

If you shop online and pay $139/year for Amazon Prime, AARP can help save some members 50%! Walgreen’s offers 20% off eligible items and cash rewards, if you are over 55 or a member of AARP…which no longer has any age restrictions, remember? Like to travel? Vacations by Rail can save you up to $500 on dozens of train and cruise trips. Just flash that AARP card and hop on board. Turns out more and more 20 to 30-somethings are doing just that at restaurants and movie theaters. In some cases, they get a funny look as not everyone knows that young people can join AARP now.

The Dunkin’ on Main Dunstable Road in Nashua, is my new favorite DD, because they automatically deduct my senior discount without me having to ask for it. This does beg the question, though: do I really look that old? And how many people get their buns in a knot if offered a senior discount and they are only 48? Bet it happens.

Today if I want to be reminded I’m getting old, I don’t walk to my mailbox. I just find the nearest mirror.

Contact Mike Morin at mike morinmedia@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @MikeMorinMedia.

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