Harassed by Old People

Valuable member benefits .... I paid the membership for one year and let it go. I applied for their valuable offer for auto insurance. The company sent my check back and canceled it because they didn't get some paperwork returned fast enough for them. The other valuable offers are just that ... offers to sell you stuff, much of which you won't use. I found it totally useless.

They're a greedy business, only thinking about themselves, just like 98% of them.

AARP sent me an invitation to join long before I was age eligible.
They also sent me one of those plastic cards. I've used that card
ever since to ask for discounts on a multitude of things, over the
years.

Whether the membership is worthwhile or not, I can't tell you.

But the card...the card's been worth several thousands of dollars
in discounts for me, over time.

I became a member of AMAC which IS admittedly newer and thus smaller, but it ISN'T AARP. http://amac.us/about-us/ ALSO, it is for 50+. I haven't even looked at the benefits yet. AARP tries to sell various services that aren't that unique/great. They care more about profit and their agenda than their customers. NOW, likely because of new FTC requirements, they are being a bit more honest about that.

BTW I am being pursued by AARP ALSO, though I AM too young. AARP= "american" association of "retired" persons.


Steve

I joined for a year and then let it lapse. I joined because we were told they had affordable health insurance, but after we joined we found it wasn't available in Wisconsin. We used the card for hotel discounts a few times, but all in all it wasn't useful to us.

I just got another membership invite today. Once you're on their list they mail and mail and mail.

Spouse was a paid member for one year. They are very political in ways that not everyone agrees with but very few people pay attention to where there money is going. The discounts are also questionable. Most of the time we found better deals and better products that were not associated with them. The medical insurance they used to endorse was the biggest rip-off of all time. I don't know what plan they endorse now but I would be skeptical. Bottom line - I would never recommend them to anyone.

The "service" AARP provides:

AARP operates as a non-profit advocate for its members and is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the United States.

Once you're a member, it gives the lobby larger numbers. If you don't mind them not being all that forth-coming about their true purpose while trying to entice you to join, then by all means, take advantage of the discounts.

Me - well, if I want to be part of a large lobby, it wouldn't be this one. And I want to know what I join up front

By the way - you don't have to be retired or a senior citizen. They start marketing to you right around 50.

I tried to look for info about the Wisconsin deal. They DID have people lobbying for the improvement of transportation for healthcare in the Wisconsin senate, so they have the interest and voice. That means NOTHING about admittance or compliance, but it still adds to the question. Unfortunately, there is SO much noise and frankly, since google started ignoring quoted strings, several years ago, I have had trouble filtering sites as well. I don't even know if it is POSSIBLE. And I don't want to sit through the VERY slow videos to HOPE that I might glean something from them. If anyone finds out why Wisconsin is excluded, let us know. I'm curious.

Steve

Who are you calling old?


lol

AARP is one of the largest lobbying organizations in the US and it also one of the largest marketing firms in the US. They separate the commercial products from the lobbying arm which is non-profit.

They make the vast majority of their money from selling insurance. They are not insurers, but they work with insurers to allow those insurers to use their brand and AARP pushes the insurance. Personally, I would not touch insurance through AARP, but after this discussion, I do remember that just having the card does give you enough discounts from food and entertainment, travel, rental cars, hotels, etc. to be more than worth the $16 fee ... so I just signed up again. lol.

Don't buy insurance through AARP. It will end up not being the best deal you could get.

BTW WATCH IT when you say DISCOUNTS!

WELL, along comes the "AHA" GARBAGE, and premiums SKYROCKETED! Proponents merely claim that was a last ditch attempt to raise things, and take credit for the fact that SINCE, it is supposedly the smallest increase(on a percentage basis anyway). HECK, one of my medications *******DOUBLED********in price! They actually charge me an extra $30/month because the pills are EXTENDED RELEASE! IRONICALLY, the law REQUIRES that I get those! If I don't want to, I must have a doctor write a new prescription. And I am not crazy about having to do it TWICE a day simply because some JERKS want more money. ANOTHER thing, they REFUSE to give me ANY discount on those pills unless I have a new 90 day prescription, and have THEM fill it! For ME, this is tantamount to never getting the drug(It isn't any good unless I can take it when needed), so I can't use that. So as for the ACA? My premium is a lot higher, I don't get discounts on a given drug anymore, and the other discounts are smaller. OH YEAH, that is REALLY affordable, and a real discount!

And we ALL have likely heard of stores that jack up prices so that during sales they can discount more.

Steve

At my hotel, I give AARP members a 10% discount. I also usually give non-AARP members a senior's discount.
Since AARP members can be 52 or older, the non-AARP members who ask for a senior's discount are usually 65ish or older. I also give people a "traveler's discount" if they are not American Automobile Association members but ask for a break - again 10% usually.