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I have a question to "current" AND "former" AARP members. "Should I renew my AARP membership?"
When I turned 50, I signed-up for a 5 year membership with AARP. Yet overall, most of the businesses that I could save money by shopping at them, are not business that I normally shop. Whenever I travel, most of the time, I can save more money by using non-AARP travel options. I do admit that I have probably have saved about $60 total by taking advantage of the purchases I have made using my AARP membership, during the past 4 1/2 years.
I think the regular AARP email newsletters, AARP newspapers, and AARP magazines are okay . . . but the information that is contained in these readings thus far has not been very beneficial, not very helpful, and not very informative enough to me. Yet overall reading the content that they have sent to me, often seems like a waste of my time to read . . . as I find most of the interesting sounding articles I read all the way through, end up not very useful and informative at all, and often seem a complete waste of my time after reading them.
Am I missing something? So I just wanted to find out before my membership comes up for renewal in a few months, if there are some things I am missing that would make it worth renewing my AARP membership.
After almost 5 years of reading so much of their content, I feel like I could have much better spent that time elsewhere.
AARP is legally classified as a non-profit organization. A 501(c)3. Their income is derived from commissions, licensing fees and membership fees (very minor amounts). The income supports AARP's real mission: To be a political action committee (a PAC). They are an organization set up to hire lobbyists to influence and pressure politicians. They pool their income to support and defeat candidates running for political office.
How much money did they pay these lobbying firms? In 2018, about
6 million, over 9 million in 20-7 - making AARP 34th out of about 4,000 organizations that spend money on lobbyists.
We save 15% at denny's when we eat out. 10% at outback steak house. Etc. We dont eat out often, but when we do we save the AARP discount on top of the senior discount meals in some cases, like denny's
It more than saves the cost of annual dues for us.
Having worked in the hotel industry i can tell you the prices are set higher for AAA and AARP so the discount onky beings you to regular price.
We HAVE been given a senior discount when we ask if some business takes AARP, that we wouldn't have ordinarily gotten.
So it is worth it to us.
I also have the AARP Supplemental insurance in addition to my Medicare. I NEVER see a bill, and i have lots of medical issues so its well worth it to me. I dont think you HAVE to he a member to use their insurance, though. I could be wrong.
I have a neighbor save the AARP publications, both paper and magazine for me to read, I find them interesting and useful for their current health information. I do not support them in any way. I am a AAA member and use that and/or my senior discounts at most places.
Also, it is not a matter of affording to pay $10.00 a year, the point is the OP does not enjoy reading the material as it is not useful to them. So why on earth would anyone pay money for something they have no use for? Although, AARP does put itself to use in health and drug matters, at the political level, which helps all seniors in the long run.
OP, if you renew based on supporting the health and drug issues AARP is involved in, either request that no printed materials be sent to you (emails OK as they will keep you up-to-date on progress), OR give your magazines/newspapers to the local library donation boxes or pass them along to others who might enjoy reading them.
I assume AARP will support policies and candidates that support me as a person of 65. I belong mostly as a lobbying thing. Don't use the discounts because I don't go to those places or travel.
I easily save more than the cost of membership each year so it is worth it to me. Also regarding the AARP/UHC supplement plans you do have to be a member to get the insurance in the first place but not to renew.
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