More Discounts (Recreation)

I know it may take a while to get in the habit of asking for senior discounts.

A penny saved is a penny earned—and pennies can add up very quickly!

Here’s a trivia fun fact for you (just in case you hadn’t heard this before).

Did you know if you double a penny every day for a month, you would have over 5 MILLION DOLLARS!?
Yup!  You heard me correctly—so never underestimate the power of a penny!

Now let’s start saving on some of the activities you enjoy!

MOVIE THEATERS

• Most offer senior discounts on the price of the ticket (often $3 dollars off during primetime showings), OR offer discounts at ‘off’ times during the day
• May offer a FREE ticket to the caregiver if caregiver is caring for a person in a wheelchair

TRAVEL:  Airlines, Trains, Busses, and Cruises

• Airlines may offer discounts or specials on certain flights during the day, and may decrease the cost of the trip substantially
  • Often booking in advance (generally at least two weeks prior to travel) also saves on the cost of the ticket—but not always—as sometimes there are specials offered online that may even be lower than any senior discount offered
  • Many airlines offer discounts to military personnel, so remember to ask
• Trains also offer discounts to seniors, military, and students
  • Amtrack generally offers 15% off the lowest priced ticket to those 62 and over—and can be up to 50% off local travel, depending on the area—always check options when you make your reservation
  • Also give better discounts if ticket is purchased in advance (generally two weeks)
• Busses also offer discounts on the price of tickets to seniors, military and students
  • Greyhound
    • Offers discounts to seniors aged 62 and older, based on standard base fares
    • Greater discounts may be obtained by weekly coupon specials or other discounts they may offer at the time you call and purchase your ticket
    • Discounts also available for active and retired veterans
    • Purchase of Veteran’s Advantage card ($60) gives greater discounts than regular veteran discounts
• If you are a veteran, always ask if there are discounts for any mode of travel.
  • Very often a spouse or family member may also receive these discounts

It is also important to check out hotels, car rental agencies, and everything else involved in travel—as the discounts may be substantial. Senior discounts can vary substantially, as it is always a good thing to do a cost comparison on whatever may be offered.

AARP has relationships with a long list of companies that help and assist seniors who are members. Depending on what you are seeking a discount on, sometimes it’s simply a matter of asking for a general senior discount, and other times the AARP discount may be greater.

AMUSEMENT PARKS, THEME PARKS, AND STATE PARKS

• Again, always ASK for the senior discount, as many may provide FREE admission or discounted admission
• Military and their immediate family members often qualify for discounts to many theme parks, and it is important to always check ahead of time
  • Some discounts include active, inactive, and retired military and may include their families—so always ask for specifics
  • Some discounts offered  to military personnel must be purchased from the military base, as they may not be available at the ticket office
  • www.military.com  is a good website to check out, as they provide a list of establishments that offer military discounts to both military personnel and their immediate families