Life is expensive even when you’re working full-time (or more than full-time). The struggle is real, and gets even more challenging as you get older. Living on a fixed income (the average Social Security benefit is less than $2,000 per month) plus rising healthcare costs plus inflation equals a lot of folks struggling to stay afloat when they should be enjoying a well-earned retirement.
That’s why senior discounts were invented—back in the 1960s someone noticed that a lot of people over the age of 65 were living in poverty. The concept of offering a discount to older folks was borne of good old-fashioned American marketing; it made companies look good. If you’re over 55 (in some cases, you only have to be over 50) you can benefit from that cynical capitalist strategy—often in surprising ways. There are a lot more senior discounts than you might think, if you know where to look.
National and state parks
If you’re an outdoorsy type planning to take some vacations this year, you can get some real deals at our National and State Parks. For the National Parks, once you’re 62 years old you can buy a lifetime pass for just $80 and an annual pass for $20. This will get you into almost all the recreational areas managed by the National Park Service, as well as areas managed by other federal agencies—like the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management—for free, and give you discounts on the amenities and services within.
State park systems vary, but it’s worth looking into whether your state offers a senior discount, as it can make a camping or sightseeing vacation much more affordable.
iHOP
A lot of restaurants offer a senior discount—that’s no secret. From national chains to your local favorite, it’s always worth asking if they offer something off to their older patrons. What’s interesting about iHOP’s approach is that it’s not a simple percentage taken off your bill—it’s a whole separate menu. It’s not the biggest menu in the world, but it’s got some great deals, many of which are under $10.
Pep Boys
Most people are stunned to discover that age 55 is considered “senior” in the modern day, but there you are. Since you’re probably still going to drive your car places despite being ancient, you should know that any Pep Boys location in your area will give you a 10% discount when you bring your car in for service.
Zipcar
A car is a major expense even when you’re working full-time. Once you retire, paying for gas, maintenance, and insurance can become a big hunk of your budget. If you live in a city where Zipcar operates, you can get $20 off the annual membership fee, and have a car whenever you need one without having to park or maintain it (or pay for gas). You have to be a member of AARP to get this, but if you’re looking to ditch the personal vehicle, it might be worth it.
Flowers
Whether you’re congratulating, wooing, mourning, or just cheering up someone’s day, you can get substantial discounts on floral arrangements once you’re old enough. Through an AARP membership, you can get up to 30% off floral orders through FTD, and if you join the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC), you can get 20% off at 1-800-Flowers.
Airlines
Airlines don’t offer a lot of senior discounts, and finding the ones that do can require some real research—or a lot of phone calls, since many airlines only offer senior discounts if you book directly with them on the phone. It’s worth checking into, though, because those deals do exist. For example, British Airways offers up to $200 off airfares for AARP members for the moment, but Delta’s senior discounts are top-secret and you have to call them to find out if your destination is eligible. Bottom line: There may be senior discounts on airfares, but you’ll have to put work in to find them.
Pet insurance
Caring for a beloved pet has incredible benefits for anyone, but the benefits are more pronounced in seniors, who tend to be more isolated and lonely than younger folks. If you’ve got a pet or two, you know they can be very, very expensive to care for—so you should know that you can get 10% to 20% off pet insurance through a membership in AMAC or AARP.
Wine
Being a senior means you’re either retired or planning your retirement, and for some of us that means more time to sit around sipping some great wine. Good news: You can get discounts on orders of wine from Naked Wines (via AARP) and Vinesse Wines (AMAC) that will make your boozy afternoons a lot more affordable.
Gyms
Getting older doesn’t mean you take care of yourself any less—in fact, it generally means the opposite. Even if you’ve never been a gym rat, all those aches and pains that start to pile up after a certain age make joining a gym a pretty good idea. And you can often get some real deals if you can prove your age. There are a lot of programs that can net you a free YMCA membership, for example, and if you’ve got a Medicare Advantage health plan you can take advantage of Silver Sneakers, which offers big discounts on a wide range of health-related services, including access to participating gyms around the country.