AARP; worth joining?

[LuckyInLife]

I joined when I got a .1% bump on the interest rate of my HYSA with Marcus for 2 years. That was worth far more than the annual fee.

[exodusing]

Is it worth it?

Only you can decide, they do have a small discount on British Airways if you sometimes buy tickets from them.

It's $200 off a business class ticket and something smaller off other tickets. More than the cost of joining if you fly BA at least once during your membership year.

[tj]

I joined for $12 or whatever to get a $100 on board credit on Holland America Lines. I'm not AARP's target demographic, but I'll take the $$$.

[popoki]

This was discussed not too long ago. Maybe this post should be merged into the previous.

viewtopic.php?t=420265

[Vinny_in_NJ]

Every so often AARP throws a 5 year $9 per year offer. My wife likes to read the magazine and paper and for the $9 that I have paid for the year it is worth it. We are on their Medigap plan as well so we get that discounted price for now.

[epictetus]

It is for me. I have been a member several years. I usually find several articles in each of their publications interesting.

You don't have to be a particular age anymore to join.

And I like their advocacy work.

You could join for awhile and see if it suits you.

[Tom_T]

Don't they bombard you with junk mail forever once you join?

[Invest4lt]

Along with the occasional price reductions, they additionally offer $5.00 Amazon gift cards. When stacked with credit card refund offers, it is possible to make a little bit of money by joining.

[MathWizard]

I continue to be a member. It's the only membership
I have outside of church.membership.

I joined for the hotel discounts, which have more than paid for
the membership fee. We do get some value from
the publications.

[uaeebs86]

Don't they bombard you with junk mail forever once you join?

It's easy to unsubscribe and tailor down the e-mails to just things you want to see.

[tj]

Don't they bombard you with junk mail forever once you join?

You can opt out. I think I did so on their message board? They processed it pretty quick.

I think I found the message board by googling how to stop all the junk mail. I stopped everything, including the magazine. The only thing i get from them is the annual renewal.

[beyou]

I would pay them to STOP sending me junk mail.
Call it a non-membership.

[RickBoglehead]

No, it is not.

[rich126]

We got it cheaply and it helps with hotel discounts. Some places has AARP, some have AAA discounts. Also found out that The Outback Steakhouse gives you 10% off.

I haven't been much of a discount, coupon, etc. chasing person but now in retirement and with prices fairly high on stuff, I'm being a bit more active. I signed up at a few places near where we live on their apps/email lists and have gotten free entrees, and discounts for signing up and again on my birthday so its been worth it. Of course if you don't eat out, well it won't matter

[FrugalInvestor]

If you value junk mail then it's a great value, otherwise NOT.

I had it when I was about your age but once I figured out that it was nothing special I cancelled my membership. Stopping the junk mail that resulted from the membership however took years (and a couple of moves).

Then when I wanted to buy a UHC/AARP medicare supplement recommended by an agent who I trust I told them that I would only buy it if they could guarantee that I would not be put on their junk mail list. They said they could and have largely lived up to that commitment.

Their discounts are nothing special and can usually be matched or beat will little effort. In addition I've never found their information/education regarding retirement to be all that valuable. Bogleheads.org provides MUCH more value.

[meebers]

I took advantage of an AARP-sponsored Auto insurance program from Hartford. This year they gave me a 13% discount from last years renewal.

[FedGuy]

I've recently received several mailings from AARP inviting me to join. The only "benefit" they have offered is an insulated trunk organizer. I live in the middle of a large city and do not own or drive a car, so the trunk organizer is of no use to me.

The fact that even AARP hasn't told me what the benefits of AARP membership are, other than the trunk organizer, suggests to me that even they don't believe they add much value.

[PatrickA5]

I actually like their magazines. I don't often use the discounts, but every once in a while I find something worthwhile. I do have the UHC/AARP Medicare Plan G that I like.

I recently got an offer for 5 years for $20, so I jumped on it.

I get ZERO junk mail and haven't gotten any in years. I may just have gotten lucky.

[quantAndHold]

What junk mail are y’all getting from them? Other than their two publications, we get nothing, and never have. Maybe it’s some checkbox in your member profile that you haven’t checked or unchecked.

[jabberwockOG]

I actually like their magazines. I don't often use the discounts, but every once in a while I find something worthwhile. I do have the UHC/AARP Medicare Plan G that I like.

I recently got an offer for 5 years for $20, so I jumped on it.

I get ZERO junk mail and haven't gotten any in years. I may just have gotten lucky.

Same. The UHC/AARP Medicare Plan G in our region was available as a community rated plan when we signed up. It started out at a relatively low cost and has increased very little in the last 5 years. We are happy with it. We buy the 5 year membership, a decent deal.

[FrugalInvestor]

What junk mail are y’all getting from them? Other than their two publications, we get nothing, and never have. Maybe it’s some checkbox in your member profile that you haven’t checked or unchecked.

I used to get a mailbox full of ads from companies that AARP was affilliated with to promote their products. That was probably a decade ago so maybe things have changed as online advertising has gone mainstream.

Even if the ads have disappeared, I see very little value to it either for discounts or information. As far as retirement related education, this site dwarfs anything AARP ever provided me.

[bsteiner]

For $10 or so a year it's not worth worrying about.

I've used the 10% discount at restaurants in the Landry group such as Chart House, Oceanaire, etc., several times.

[Jack FFR1846]

Google AARP discounts to get membership for $12.

When I was speaking with my Medicare agent, they found that the AARP United Health Care option was best for me. It required an AARP membership to sign up. I got the $12 membership for that year and then let it lapse after a year.

Outback gives you, if I remember right, 10% off for AARP. You don't need to show a card, just say it and they put it in.

Some hotels give an AARP discount and not AAA. We first joined because of that when we checked into the hotel for a week.

I find zero value otherwise and because I no longer need it, I won't renew.

[stan1]

If people want it, seems like now would be best time to join. Rates go up from $16 to $20 per year later this month, so you can buy a 5 year membership for $63 still. $12 membership offer is on their site too but it does autorenew.

[tj]

If people want it, seems like now would be best time to join. Rates go up from $16 to $20 per year later this month, so you can buy a 5 year membership for $63 still. $12 membership offer is on their site too but it does autorenew.

Actually, you can get 5 years for $49 right now:

https://www.aarp.org/renewdiscount

[Jeepergeo]

My wife turned 55 in December and I'll turn 55 in April.

Right on time, AARP sent us some junk mail to join.

1 year $16, 3 years for $43

Is it worth it?

Get ready for piles of United Health Care junk mail.

Many feel AMAC is a better choice, or maybe ignore them all.

[SouthernInvestor]

Cell phone discount is worth it (ATT). There are actually a LOT of AARP discounts. Mostly small but much larger than the fee.

[ModifiedDuration]

AARP does get you a very nice discount on a MedjetAssist membership:

https://www.aarp.org/membership/benefit ... jetassist/

[Kendall]

Watchnerd's post has been added to the existing discussion.

(Thanks to the members who reported the post and provided a link.)

[HighLonesome]

I will not join AARP, ever.

[LikeNumbers]

I do not feel AARP represents my values; therefore, no $ from me.

[FrugalInvestor]

Outback gives you, if I remember right, 10% off for AARP. You don't need to show a card, just say it and they put it in.

Some hotels give an AARP discount and not AAA. We first joined because of that when we checked into the hotel for a week.

The hotels we typically stay at (middle-of-the-road national chains) may give an AARP discount but typically have a 'senior' rate that is the same.