So just where do enterprising seniors look for senior discounts? And how can they best leverage them?

Now that I’ve passed the threshold of 55 years of age and entered my “golden years,” I’ve fallen prey to the many aches and pains older folks deal with. That’s part of the price you pay for living this long, but there is a silver lining, namely the myriad of senior citizen discounts I’m leveraging.

So just where does an enterprising oldster look for information about these deals?

Sources for Finding Senior Discounts

Your American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) membership entitles you to a variety of senior discounts on food, lodging, travel packages, online services, home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, and others.

For a $16 annual due, any person over 50 is eligible to join. If the potential discounts outweigh the cost membership, you might consider signing up. Surf to the AARP website for details.

Search the internet using the words “senior citizen discounts.” A number of online sites can be located in this manner. One that I’ve found very useful is TheSeniorList.com. But as usual, there are some “gotchas” to remember.

Some Things To Watch for With Senior Discounts

Many locations offering senior discounts on meals are locally owned franchises and not all participate in senior discount programs. As an example, the pink and orange coffee franchise in my favorite vacation destination does not offer senior discounts, and to a point, I understand why. The resident senior population is huge and the discount program would cost the franchisee serious money.

Some national retail chains offer generous senior discounts, but only on a specific day of the week. So plan your shopping junkets wisely.

Some merchants offer senior discounts for folks as young as 50, while other programs don’t apply until patrons reach 65. The website I referenced lists how old you must be.

Some senior discounts are part of national advertising programs and may only exist for a few months.

What If You’re Not Very Internet Savvy?

If you’re thinking, “Rich, I don’t know how to use the internet. I’m not tech savvy.” Do not despair because the old saying is wrong. Older “dogs” can learn new tricks.

Keep in mind the congressionally mandated Universal Access Fee buried in your phone bill has funded internet access and desktop computers in every public library in America. Visit your local library and ask for help. Explain that you’d like to view the websites I’ve listed. The library can even help you print out copies of phone numbers. Librarians love helping people and their services are free even if you don’t have a library card! Better still, many libraries offer free classes in computer use. So sign up! After all, your tax dollars have funded these programs.

A plethora of senior discounts are there for the asking/taking, and you’re not going to live forever. Free computer help is readily available, so why wait? After all, it’s your own money you’ll be saving.

Related Articles

• Senior Discounts You Might Not Know About
• 7 Sources of Low Cost Internet for Seniors
• 3 Ways the Internet Offers the 50+ Crowd Passive Income Opportunities
• Volunteer Your Way to Some Free Fun

Reviewed November 2023

About the Author

Rich Finzer resides in upstate New York. During his 40+ years as a writer, he has published over 1,200 newspaper, magazine and Internet articles. His award-winning book Maple On Tap: Making Your Own Maple Syrup is available Amazon.