Dear Savvy Senior,
My husband and I are in our 50s and would like to know what resources you recommend for locating senior discounts, and what age do they kick in?
Frugal Fay
Dear Fay,
One of the great perks of growing older in America is the many discounts that are available. There are literally thousands of senior discounts on a wide variety of products and services including restaurants, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail, health, grocery stores, automotive services and much more. These discounts — typically ranging between 5% and 25% off — can add up to save you hundreds of dollars each year.
So, if you don’t mind admitting your age, here are some tips and tools to help you locate the discounts you may be eligible for.
Always ask
The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts, so don’t be shy about asking.
You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, many others may not kick in until you turn 55, 60, 62 or 65.
Search online
Because senior discounts frequently change and can vary depending on where you live and the time of year, the internet is the easiest way to locate them.
A good place to start is at TheSeniorList.com (click on the “Money” tab), which provides a large list of discounts in restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores and for prescription medications, travel and more.
You can also search for discounts by provider. Go to any standard search engine such as Google or Bing and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.” Or use an artificial intelligence tool such as Chat GPT or Gemini to do a search.
If you use an iPhone, you can even use the Senior Discounts & Coupons app (available in the App Store), which categorizes discounts by age and type.
Join a club
Another good avenue to senior discounts is through membership organizations such as AARP, which offers its members age 50 and older a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses — see AARP.org/ViewMyBenefits.
If, however, you don’t like or agree with AARP, or don’t want to pay the $15 membership fee, there are other organizations you can join that also provide discounts such as the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC.us), the American Automobile Association (AAA.com), or for retired federal workers, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE.org).
Types of discounts
Here’s an abbreviated rundown of some of the different types of discounts you can expect to find.
Restaurants: Senior discounts are common at restaurants and fast-food establishments — such as Chili’s, Denny’s, Golden Corral, Outback Steakhouse, McDonald’s and Sonic — ranging from free/discounted drinks to discounts off your total order.
Retailers: Many thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army, and certain retailers such as Joann, Kohl’s, Michaels, Ross, PetSmart and Walgreens stores, offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week.
Supermarkets: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains like BI-LO, Piggly-Wiggly, Fry’s, New Seasons, Fred Meyer and Hy-Vee, which offer discounts on certain days of the week.
Travel: American, Delta and United Airlines provide discounted senior fares for select destinations in the U.S. to passengers 65-plus, while British Airlines offers AARP members $65 off economy seats. Amtrak provides a 10% discount to travelers over 65. Most car rental companies give discounts to 50-plus customers or AARP members. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival cruise lines offer senior rates to cruisers 55 and over. And, most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10% to 30%.
Entertainment: Most movie theaters, museums, golf courses, ski slopes and other public entertainment venues provide reduced admission to seniors over 60 or 65. And the National Park Service offers a lifetime senior pass for those 62 and older for $80.
Send your questions or comments to [email protected], or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
