Question for the old and decrepit people here: AARP

[TomK]

Quick question for age-challenged people here. I joined AARP about a year ago because it was cheap, and I saw no harm in doing so, but has anyone found it helpful? If so, please post how it helped you. I get lots of emails about sweepstakes, and today, I have one about what meals I shouldn't order at restaurants. So, I'm looking for for comments that might help me change my mind, especially here on the Big Island.

Thanks!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

I had car insurance through AARP / The Hartford at one time.  I paid them money, I paid them money, I paid them money, then needed to rent a van so called to see if insurance for the rental was covered under my policy.  They said yes.  On the way back from Waikoloa in Hamakua a school bus driving in the other direction kicked up a pebble, cracked the windshield.  I called to place a claim and was told I wasn’t covered.  Informed them I had called first…. Then was told I was only covered for the same type of vehicle I insured with them.  Told them I owned a van, and rented a van.  They said the van I rented was bigger.

I eventually received payment, but after too much time talking to idiots I switched to Geico.

[Obie]

My wife signed me up years ago as a joke. I think you can join when you are 50.
She enjoyed reading the magazine but we never really used it for anything. ( AAA discounts are better )

I let it lapse when she passed away and then I started getting emails everyday trying to get me to come back.
I un-subscribed and the emails kept coming so I sent them off to my spam filter.

[punikahakaiferret]

I joined when I first became eligible (intentional omission of how long ago that was, heh heh) but, by and large, found it not useful at least for me. I don't eat out, I don't go to movies, I don't stay at hotels, I don't rent cars, and also, particularly in Hawaii, it seems a lot of the other things or places that could be useful don't exist here.

YMMV.

[TomK]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I've still got some time on my current subscription, so I will likely wait it out and then leave. I eat out, stay at hotels, and rent cars, but AARP hasn't helped.

[Punatang]

When you factor in the value of your time, it makes zero financial sense.  If you enjoy looking at pictures of old people, it has value.  Anything like that invites loads of new junk mail and puts you on the target list for that many more marketers and you have to spend your precious little remaining time sifting through junk mail and marketing of all sorts.  Avoid.

Lastly, I would encourage you to see yourself as young and energetic instead of old and decrepit. Thoughts and words are things.

[ChunksterK]

I signed up when the Frau and I were planning a vacation that had a hefty discount for AARP members. That paid for the membership about ten times over. They make it hard to cancel all the spam and junk mail, but I was able to do it by reaching out to their call center, and now I get nothing from them. I will cancel at renewal unless we find another great deal on something we actually need or enjoy. As others have said, YMMV.

[terracore]

I used to have AAA back in the old days when people used maps and travel guides and they were free through AAA.

One time I saw a guy paying in front of me at an aquarium get 10% off by showing his AAA card, so I did the same thing and got the discount. I didn't realize at the time I never put the new card in my wallet but they gave me the AAA discount using an expired card.

I got rid of AAA a long time ago, but I still have the old membership card and it still works. Or at least it did. I can't remember the last time I was looking for an AAA discount. The people selling tickets don't care if a membership is good or not, they just need to know what button to push to move one along so they can ring up the next person.

[Obie]

I use AAA for the towing. I drive several vehicles that are over 50 years old and sometimes they break down.

I can even use it for friends as long as I am there to show the tow truck guy my card.

It has saved me thousands over the years.

[HiloJulie]

With both my husband and I having careers that required enormous amounts of flying all over God's green earth as well as staying in hotel beds more nights a year that our own bed and did that for almost 40 years, our "just" reward for all of that was tens of millions of frequent flyer miles as well as over a years' worth of free hotel room nights, so we never really had a need for AAA or AARP for the discount potential it may offer.

As for restaurants, while AARP does offer some really great deals, its mostly geared to the mainland restaurants versus the restaurants here on the Big Island, save maybe a few Kona locations. Plus, with all the traveling my husband and I did, the last thing we really desire to do is fly somewhere, stay in a hotel and/or go out to eat!

I think with the internet and all its offerings you can get better deals on airfare and/or hotels without the need of AAA or AARP, but again, that depends on the amount of travels you intend to do.

Further, since we live in the Acres, AAA was no real advantage as they won't come into the Acres to tow a broke down vehicle under AAA "covered tow" rules, so in the rare situation of needing one of our vehicles towed, we just bit the bullet and called Ken's Towing. We even have their number in our "contacts" list on the cell phones in case we ever need it. Unlike Obie, we have a fairly "modern" fleet of vehicles, although I would love to have the first BRAND NEW car I ever bought here now in Hawaii and that was a 1978 Diamond Jubilee Ford Thunderbird. Oh gosh, I loved that car!

And Tom, you're not old and decrepit. Age is a number. Hell, I am 8.19 years (squared) old! Just a number! 

You maybe are a curmudgeon, but no, you're not old and decrepit! 

Not by a long shot!