What senior discount starts at 50?

For most people, the 50s are the new 40s, and that's true for your health and wellness. One of the benefits of getting a little greyer is being able to stretch your budget with some amazing senior discounts. Here are some great senior discounts you can enjoy in your first senior decade.

There are plenty of discounts you can get when you turn 50. Senior discounts are offered by numerous retailers, grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, travel companies, entertainment centers, etc. to help you save on your purchases. While some senior discounts require AARP membership, there are other senior discounts available to individuals who have attained a certain age.  

What are senior discounts?

Senior discounts are a type of discount offered by retailers to seniors above 50. These discounts help incentivize people to use a specific service over competitors while rewarding shoppers with limited incomes or beginning to plan for retirement. Available across a wide range of retailers, these perks can help you get some costs off some services while helping you stretch your income.

How old do you have to be to receive a senior discount?

There is no legislation or legal requirement forcing retailers to offer senior discounts, so the age at which they choose to offer theirs can vary significantly. For the most part, senior discounts are offered to the 55 and over crowd. However, some retailers have started offering these discounts to people as young as 50. Some retailers may ask you to provide a form of identification to prove your age when using a senior discount.

What discounts do you get at age 50?

Senior discounts are offered across a wealth of categories and retailers. It’s always worth checking if a retailer offers a perk for you to use their services once you hit a certain age.

Here are some of the best-known senior discounts for the over-50 crowd:

Memberships

A hidden perk of the fancy new ‘5’ ahead of your age is the eligibility to join membership programs that can help you save across a wide range of spaces. For example, once you turn 50, you can join the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Any person who has reached age 50 is eligible to join AARP for $16 a year. As an AARP member, you can access a range of benefits, from reduced health insurance premiums to cheaper car rentals. If your spouse is a little younger, they can also benefit.

There are other similar programs seniors can join such as AMAC. So, keep your eyes open for great deals you could be leveraging.

Discounts at retailers

Retailers are one of the most common places to find senior discounts on offer. Almost every store has something in place, so be sure to ask your favorites. Here are some of the senior discounts that select retailers offer:

American Discount Stores: 10% on Mondays 50+

Fry’s Supermarket: Free VIP membership and 10% on Monday for 55+

Kroger: 10% off, days vary

Publix: 15% on Wednesday for 55+

Dress Barn: 20% off 55+

Kmart: 40% off on Wednesday 50+

Discounted prescriptions

As you age, you’re sure to start picking up a regular chronic medication here and there. Additionally, you want to focus on your health and well-being at this time, ensuring you set the foundation for a long, fun retirement. Luckily, there are senior discounts for over 50s to help you get your medical costs covered at a lower cost.

Rite Aid: 10% on Tuesdays, including prescriptions

Walgreens: Up to 20% off on certain days for 55+

Numerous Pharmacies through AARP offer up to 10% off

Reduced restaurant bills

When you retire, you will have more time to relax and unwind. Many dining establishments, from fast food to high-end cuisine, offer senior discounts you can use to get some discount on your meal or even free products.

Here are some senior discounts in popular restaurants:

Arby’s: 10% off 55+

Chick-Fil-A: 10% or free drinks, 55+

Denny’s: 10% for over 55 or 20% with AARP

IHOP: 10% off for 55+

McDonald’s: Discounted coffees 55+

Tea Room Cafe: 10$ off 50+

Wendy’s: 10% off 55+

Macayo's Mexican Food: 20% off with senior discount card for 55+

Golden Corral: A discounted buffet for 60+

Cheaper travel

Whether you’re keen to see the world, or just explore your local area now that you have the time, there are plenty of travel-related senior discounts on offer to help you make the most of your globetrotting ambitions.

Here are some senior travel discounts you can consider:

U.S Airways, United, Southwest: Discount from 65+

American Airlines: Up to 50% off on non-peak travel for 62+

Greyhound and Amtrak: 15% off for 62+

Avis and Alamo Car Rental: 25% off for AARP members

Dollar Rent-a-Car: 10% off 50+

Many other car rentals have AARP discounts on offer, from 5% to 40%

Mobile phone discounts

Knowing how important it is to keep in touch with your family as you age, many mobile phone operators and other services offer discounts to seniors to help make modern technology access more affordable.

Here are some discounts you can find on mobile phones:

Verizon Wireless offers the Verizon Go Unlimited plan for over 55s

AT&T has a 10% discount through AARP

Consumer Cellular: 30% off with AARP, 5% on monthly services

T-Mobile: Discounted senior plans for 55+

Entertainment

A great meal is a good start to a night on the town, but you want to have some fun too! Fortunately, there are a ton of senior discounts related to entertainment on offer to help. Try these:

Regal Cinemas has 50% off for 55+ at Ripley’s Believe it or Not

AMC Theaters offers up to 30% off over 55

Cinemark/Century matches that with 35% off

US National Parks allows a $10 lifetime pass for 62 and older, with 50% off other services

Why over 50 discounts are important

While your 50s may be the first of your senior years, that doesn’t mean life is going to go easy on you. Many 50-year-olds are still supporting their children through tertiary education, and may still be servicing a mortgage. The less you spend now, the more you can funnel into these goals.

While it may feel strange being classed as a ‘senior citizen’ while you’re still active and living life large, using these discounts from the moment you become eligible, rather than waiting until you ‘feel old’, is a great way to help stretch your budget and make the most of the money available to you.