I had really been dreading this. I passed 50 a good while ago and then started getting those AARP mailers and invitations. Of course, they went straight into the garbage. I didn’t want to know anything about AARP or even be associated with it. That was for old folks, not for me. I thought, why should I join AARP just because I’m over 50? AARP stands for American Association of Retired Persons, and I’m a long way from retirement. I still have kids in school and I can pay full price for my pancakes damn it. Then, inflation started to take a bigger bite out of things I enjoy, so I went and fished one of those envelopes out of the garbage can and decided to take a look. After all, AARP has 37 million members and not all of them are retired, so I thought what harm could it do?
If you are over 50 and want to save money on insurance and lots of other things, you might want to consider joining AARP. The organization offers discounts on home, renters and auto insurance, travel, gift cards, electronics, and more. And even though you don’t even have to be 50 to join, most of the benefits and discounts are targeted to us folks over 50. Fine. Let’s take a closer look.
AARP Membership
An AARP membership costs $16 a year, and you can add a partner or spouse for free. Both of you will get a membership card, so you can use it together. That price blew me away, and if you sign up for auto renewal it’s even lower. The membership provides discounts on dining, entertainment, and shopping, among its benefits. But I think the best perks are discounts from hotels, resorts, and car rental companies. You can save up to 15% on hotel stays and up to 25% percent on rental cars. That can result in some serious savings.
AARP also offers many health and wellness programs to help maintain fitness and well-being–something important to Better Life After 50 readers. Programs apply to everything from prescription drugs to vision and dental care. For a fee, you can even get discounts at select retailers that offer health and wellness products. Memberships also include discounts on technology and wireless services.
More Benefits
Traditionally, AARP membership has been associated with retired people, but guess what? You don’t even have to be retired to take advantage of the benefits, like 24-hour roadside assistance. If you have a flat tire or are locked out, experts will help you change your tire, jump a dead battery, and refill your gas tank. You can even get help from a locksmith.
You can get free hearing tests and access to the AARP job board. The job search tool is specifically targeted at people over 50 and can be a good way to find opportunities that fit your interests. There are discounts on groceries, retail purchases, movie tickets, restaurants, and sporting events. Some familiar names of participating restaurants include Bonefish Grill, McCormick & Schmick’s, and Outback Steakhouse. You can also get an extra 50 reward points for every dollar you spend on health and beauty products at Walgreens. There are also some recurring deals like 20% off certain retailers on particular days of the week.
My favorite is a $110 discount off of your first order of $139 or more from Naked Wines. What? Yeah.
Members automatically have access to prescription drug discount programs for significant savings on FDA-approved medications. I point this out because this can be valuable for members as not all health plans cover prescriptions. Best of all, coverage is extended to dependents as well. 
The complete benefits list is so extensive that we can’t cover them all, but you can go here to see for yourself.
Auto Insurance
The AARP auto insurance program from The Hartford, offers a number of great benefits, including accident forgiveness, which reduces your collision deductible over time. It also offers 24/7 roadside assistance and bodily injury liability coverage, medical payment coverage for you, your passengers, and affected pedestrians. IMPORTANT: medical payments coverage does not cover the expenses of injuries to other drivers. Also remember that insurance benefits differ by state.
AARP’s auto insurance program also offers special pricing. You can save up to 10% off your premium and get discounts for driving safely and using anti-theft devices. You can also bundle your auto insurance with homeowners insurance to get even more affordable coverage.
Bookstore
The AARP book store provides a wide range of titles on topics that are of interest to people over 50–health, money, food, technology, work, family, and care giving. These titles are available in both print and digital versions. The Bookstore also has a wide selection of free e-books and a loyalty program.
Credit Card
The AARP credit card has no annual fee and provides cash back for purchases. The card lets you earn points for purchases, including groceries and gas. The rewards never expire and you can use them for AARP membership or gift cards. The AARP credit card from Barclays offers a $100 cash back bonus if you spend $500 on purchases in the first 90 days. Cardmembers also earn 3% cash back on gas station and drug store purchases and, 2% cash back on medical expenses. This is a great feature since even basic medical care can be costly.
Other benefits of an AARP credit card include cash back for everyday purchases. While the benefits of an AARP card can be quite attractive, you should comparison shop as there are some better alternatives available.
Conclusion
The American Association of Retired Persons is a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of senior citizens and their families. You don’t have to be a senior to join AARP, you just have to want save money and get access to some nice resources. Joining of course, depends on your own personal situation and comparing other options. For me, it’s a great way to stay active in the community and get discounts on everything from shopping to traveling. As always, we welcome your questions and comments. Please feel free to give us your feedback below.