Any AARP members out there? Is it a good thing?

[panader0]

They've been hitting me up for a few years now and I have resisted because I don't travel much or use many of the services they claim to help on. So what do you think? Is an AARP membership ($12.50 a year) a good thing? As a voting block, they are millions strong, but I've never seen them promote a candidate, only issues that affect those of us over 50.

[DesertFlower]

1. yes. i've been a member since

i turned 50. they send bulletins and magazines which have a lot of good information.

[Imagevision]

2. AARP redundant spam mail, even when you call and tell them to STOP!

[emilyg]

10. I don't get any.

Never gave them my email.

[SmileyRose]

3. Well it DOES pay for itself.

My father has their Medicare supplemental insurance and even though it's pricey it has been well worth every single penny. AARP insurance pays quickly with almost no hassle. They have done very well in this case. My husband is now over 50 and we joined. The 10% discount at Walgreens covered the membership cost within the first 2 months. The magazine seems to be geared toward people wealthy enough to retire by 50 but otherwise it's pretty decent, they have all sorts of discount programs with various retailers, entertainment venues and hotel chains.

I think the $12.50 is worth it.

[Beregond2]

4. I was able to cut my car insurance in half

by joining AARP. Their Medicare supplement programs didn't used to be such a good deal, because there is a 2K annual deductible on hospitalization. But now Kaiser is almost as bad, and costs ten times as much per month. I intend to switch my mother over to them once she gets through her current surgeries. (Sigh.)

[RebelOne]

15. I have my car insurance and mobile home insurance

through AARP and it is definitely cheaper than anywhere else.

[Staph]

5. I travel a lot

for work and otherwise. AARP discounts at hotels are usually the best discounts available. An annual charge of $12.50 is easily recouped by one or two nights in a hotel.

[Union Thug]

6. My dad's been a member for 20 years...

I don't know what specifically keeps him on board, but the fact that he's maintained membership for so long speaks volumes.

[mentalsolstice]

7. Minimal joining price

However, you'll get a card, similar to a AAA card...for joining, you get better travel/movie/restaurant benefits. And, although, I'm not yet eligible, my husband is, their magazine is very informative (politics aside).

[parasim]

8. Absolutely it is a good thing.

Once I turned 50, I was getting all the mail and whatnot about joining and didn't think much of it (like most of my friends, I suppose, I didn't want to admit to myself that I was getting older, so tried to ignore it). Didn't really like that I was constantly being reminded that I was of AARP age necessarily, hehe.

However, when I was driving up to see my kids a few months ago, I stayed at a hotel and the guy says, "AARP member"? Although I hadn't sent in my "dues" yet, but was thinking about it, I said "yep" and he goes, cool, you got 15 % off. I didn't have to show him any card or anything.

Now, despite my disdain for being pegged as an AARP member just because I "looked" the part, I was pretty impressed with the service I got simply because I was perceived to be an AARP member. I sent in the my membership right after that and love the benefits of being one. I'm finding that a lot of businesses give discounts to members.

As for promoting candidates, they are are, as far as I can tell, quite non-partisan but really do look out for us old folk. One of few 50 year old organizations that I really think are doing a good thing for people.

I say, embrace it, spend the 12.50 and reap the benefits. It works for me.

[DesertFlower]

11. my mom enrolled me when i turned 50.

i was a bit upset. didn't want to think of myself as an older person. i'm almost 67 now and have maintained my membership. it's well worth the $12.50. actually i think when i renewed my membership i did it for a few years and it came out to less than the $12.50 a year.

[emilyg]

9. I've been a member for 15 years.

It's a good thing.

[defendandprotect]

12. It's an insurance company --- the do supplemental for SS . . .

If you collect SS, you'll probably need them . . .

and they do the drug insurance now ---

None of this is really a good deal re drugs because of the way Bush did it ---

I wouldn't join just for the membership ---

Politically, I wouldn't trust them --- they want to keep insurance companies in health care --

[shraby]

13. I haven't joined because they

promoted the prescription drug plan that has hurt a lot of older people big time.

[lib2DaBone]

14. Yes...They Sold Out Seniors...

I was thinking about joining... but everytime I get the checkbook out I recall that they sold out America on the Drug Bill. That still bothers me.. a lot.

[KharmaTrain]

16. I'm A Member...And A Proud One

Someone mentioned the suplemental insurance, which alone, is a great reason to join. No matter how good your coverage, even on medicare, the AARP coverage can save an elderly person thousands each year in medical expenses. It's a safety net my mother-in-law relies on to be able to get her meds at an affordable price and gives us a little peace of mind that any illness won't completely bankrupt her.

AARP doesn't endorse directly...that's not their role. They endorse issues vs. candidates and if you read between the lines, the endorsement is easy to see. In the past, they've been the biggest safeguards on Social Security and have taken the lead on cheaper prescription drug prices and calling big pharma into account.

My wife and I joked when we turned 50 and got our membership application. I joked we were too young to be "retired", but my wife is the smarter one...signed us up immediately and in a few years and we're enrolled in the supplemental program.