Full-Timer’s Primer
By Janet Groene, F47166
October 2006
Judith Babcock Wylie, author of Best Places Destinations: Central California Coast (Sasquatch Books, $14.95), notes in her book, “We are constantly surprised by how many stores, companies, and agencies offer senior discounts if you ask!”
Mrs. Wylie and her husband have discovered a way to save big-time in their life on the go. They simply ask whether a senior discount is offered, and suddenly they see 10 percent or more melt off their bill. Mrs. Wylie also likes the Tuesday discount at Ross Dress for Less stores; senior discounts at movie theaters; and Denny’s senior dinner menu, which is popular with seniors not just for the savings, but because smaller portions suit their appetites.
Many people don’t realize that senior discounts start entering the picture as early as age 50, when they are eligible to join AARP, or that the AARP discount can be used by a spouse of any age. A woman who is 15 years younger than her husband says, “I just love getting a senior discount and I’m only 39.”
“I’m 62,” says Joan Price, author of Better Than I Ever Expected: Straight Talk About Sex After Sixty (Seal Press, $15.95). “I accept all advertised senior discounts and if a discount isn’t advertised, I ask if there is one. My vet surprised me with a 10 percent discount after I asked.” Although 65 is thought to be the magic age, Ms. Price notes that she has found discounts at age 50, 55, 59, 60, or 62. “I know some people don’t use the discounts out of vanity but puh-leese,” she snorts, “Do you really think the teenage clerk cares if you’re 50 or 60? You’re ancient in her eyes anyway!”
Anne Hart, 65, lives frugally on royalties from her 68 books, including How to Interpret Family History and Ancestry, DNA Test Results for Beginners: The Geography and History of Your Relatives (ASJA Press/iUniverse.com, $33.95). She doesn’t drive, so she takes advantage of senior bus fares, often to escape mid-day heat by going to a mall, a free church concert, the library, or other air-conditioned public place. A vegetarian, she comments, “My favorite is the Fresh Choice restaurant senior discount that starts at age 55.”
Senior discounts aren’t for everyone. “My 65-year-old mother would die before she’d ask for a senior discount,” observes one daughter anonymously. “She prides herself on looking younger than her age. When she’s mistaken for my sister, it makes her day.” Another daughter says her 77-year-old father got a tremendous kick out of being “carded” when he asked for a senior discount. That rankles her 74-year-old mother, who is never asked for proof of her age.
If pride is your problem, keep in mind that your hairdresser already knows that you touch up the gray, the airline requires a picture ID that shows your age, and your age is in the files of almost everyone you deal with medically or financially.
“Seniors usually don’t ask for the discount when they’re with a date,” a restaurant manager reveals. “But most singles and married couples love them. We have many widowed seniors who eat alone, and they resent buy-one, get-one offers. Instead, we give a 10 percent discount to seniors, but they have to ask for it. We can’t risk offending someone by assuming they’re in the senior age group.”
“I’d never ask for a senior discount at the movies or anything like that. That’s for people who are 65 and over,” reports a 58-year-old woman. Another holdout is a World War II veteran who says, “We’ve lived through the best years in the best nation on earth. It doesn’t seem fair for me to get a discount when young parents are struggling to pay their bills. I do, however, sometimes take advantage of discounts to take my three grandchildren out for a meal and movie.”
Ask, keep asking, and keep your sense of humor. Near New York City, a woman whose diabetic dog requires very expensive insulin asked her pharmacist for a senior discount because her 11-year-old dog was 77 in people years. She got it.
Senior Discount Tips
1. At 50, ask your bank whether you qualify for free checking, a lower interest rate on your credit card, or cheaper rent on your safety deposit box. Ask about senior discounts at businesses such as your hair salon, yoga studio, dry cleaner, optician, dentist, or auto service company. Keep asking with each new birthday, and don’t stop when you’re 65. The occasional ski-lift ticket, admission, or bus pass becomes free after age 70 or 75.
2. Even if you don’t agree with AARP’s political views, consider joining to take advantage of their discounts and group health insurance rates.
3. If a senior discount policy isn’t posted or advertised at a restaurant or other place of business, ask. Also check the Yellow Pages, where senior discounts are often advertised by small businesses such as dentists or law firms. Visit senior centers, where bulletin boards carry discount information or coupons, and ask at welcome centers when you enter a new area.
4. Observe all the rules. Don’t try to sneak in under the age limit, and if a membership or card is required, apply for it cheerfully (it’s usually free). The discount may be available only on certain days or you may have to eat during specified hours. Be easygoing. If the policy has changed since your last visit, it won’t help to complain. Be prepared to show your driver’s license or other proof of age. Some businesses (and all airlines) require it.
5. It’s only fair to tip according to what the bill would have been without the senior discount. Don’t penalize the server or barber for your lucky break.
6. In many dealings, such as a major service contract, it’s best to get a complete written estimate first, and then ask whether you can get a senior discount. Otherwise you can’t know whether the estimate was kited to make up for the “discount.”
7. At many franchise eateries and businesses, individual owners set their own senior discount policies. Don’t expect all Wendy’s or Jack-in-the-Box restaurants to offer the discount or the same age limits.
8. When you’re 62, obtain a Golden Age Passport. It’s available to U.S. citizens for $10. The card buys free or discounted entrance and services at sites administered by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Corps of Engineers, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and Tennessee Valley Authority. If you’re permanently disabled, a Golden Access Passport is available free at any age. These passes must be obtained in person and you must have proper documentation. Apply at any pass site.
9. Almost all museums and attractions offer a senior discount. It’s posted at the ticket window.
10. Each state sets rules for hunting and fishing licenses, usually with a special rate for residents who are 64 or 65. Senior discounts usually start at age 65 at state parks, too. Discounts may apply only to residents, not visitors. Shop and compare, because sometimes an annual pass or family pass is a better deal.
11. Don’t let your smile slip. There are sure to be math mistakes, misunderstandings, and even embarrassment when senior discounts are involved. Some merchants will give you a flat “No.” Some may seem pained that you asked. Nevertheless, try to make every encounter a positive one, paving the way for more and better discounts in the future.
Here’s just a small sampling of businesses that offer senior discounts. Check ahead, keeping in mind that not every location has the same senior discount or deal, and some have none at all.
Janet Groene’s book Fantastic Discounts & Deals for Anyone Over 50 (Cold Spring Press, $9.95) lists hundreds of companies that offer senior discounts. The book also offers tips on getting discounts anywhere, any time, without embarrassment.
Here’s just a small sampling of businesses that offer senior discounts. Check ahead, keeping in mind that not every location has the same senior discount or deal, and some have none at all.
Business, Typical Deals
Arby’s “” Varies, usually 10 percent off at 55
Bob Evans “” Small-portion senior menu for those 55 and up
Chili’s “” Some locations offer a 10 percent discount at 55
Church’s Chicken “” 10 percent for those 65 and over
Costco “” On joining, people 55-plus get a $10 card
Cracker Barrel “” People age 50 and up can order from the children’s menu
Golden Corral “” 60 cents off an entree at age 60
Goodwill Industries “” Discounts at age 55 on certain days
Hardee’s “” 10 percent off at age 55
IHOP “” Varies, but there’s a senior menu with smaller plates
Jiffy Lube “” Service Center 10 percent off service, usually at 55
LensCrafters “” At 65 get 10 to 20 percent off
Long John Silver’s “” 10 percent or discounted drink at age 55
Midas Auto Service Experts “” 10 percent off parts and/or service at 55
Perkins “” Senior menu for those 55 and up
Piccadilly Cafeteria “” 10 percent off at 60; certain hours, certain days
Ponderosa “” Varies but starts at age 60
Ross Dress for Less “” Tuesdays, 10 percent off at 55
Sally’s Beauty Supply Store “” policies vary but discounts start at 55
Saturn dealers “” 10 percent off repairs and service at age 60
TCBY “” Varies, often 10 percent at age 55
TJ Maxx “” Mondays, 10 percent off at age 55
Village Inn “” 10 percent off at age 60
Wendy’s “” Varies, usually 10 percent or discounted beverage at 55
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