With every birthday, it can feel like we’re further away from our youth. On some level, that’s true, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sure, there’s more candles on the birthday cake and a few more wrinkles when you look in the mirror. But guess what, you’ve got access to perks and benefits the younger you never would. And I’m not talking wisdom – though that’s nice too. I’m talking about tangible perks that save you money.
Before you can protest that it’s embarrassing to ask for your “senior discount” or other perks, think of it like this. You’ve EARNED it. Just as when you retire, you’ve earned the right to collect money from social security and retirement accounts, you’ve also earned the right to discounts. Why? You’ve gone through a rite of passage – and let’s face it, it’s always nice to save money.
AARP Membership
You don’t actually have to be retired to join, despite the word “retired” being used in the organization’s title. As soon as you hit the age of 50, you can join. Membership entitles you to discounts on everything from travel to entertainment and shopping to shopping and health care, even professional services like lawyers.
Individual restaurants, airlines, hotels, stores and service providers often offer their own discounts to people age 50 or 55 and older. You may need to ask – don’t be afraid to do so! After that many spins around the sun, you’ve earned it.
Community Living
Transitioning from working to being retired and on a fixed income often means downsizing. Having a personal assistant or daily money manager to help with this transition is often beneficial.
One option in the downsizing process is to move to 55+ housing. These communities offer a chance to live among people your own age and often with similar hours and tolerance levels for things like noise. Frequently, 55+ communities also have other onsite amenities such as hair salons or dining facilities to make your life easier.
For help with your downsizing efforts or keeping all your discounts organized, contact me.
