There are lots of discounts for seniors — so don’t be afraid to ask

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Ijustturned 60 and would like to findoutthebestwaytogo about locating senior discounts. — Looking to Save

Dear Looking: One of the best yet underused perks of aging in the U.S. is the many discounts that are available to older adults.

There are thousands of discounts on a variety of products and services, including restaurants, grocery stores, travel and lodging, entertainment, retail and apparel, health and beauty, and automotive services. These discounts — typically from 5 to 25 percent 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 find the discounts you may be eligible for.

Ask

The first thing to know is that most businesses don’t advertise them, but many give senior discounts just for the asking, so don’t be shy.

You also need to know that while some discounts are available as soon as you turn 50, most don’t 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 the year, the internet is the easiest way to locate them.

A good place to start is at Theseniorlist.com (click on the “Senior Discounts” tab), which provides a large list of discounts in categories such as restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, prescription medications, travel discounts and more.

You also can search for discounts by provider. Go to a search engine such as Google or Yahoo and type in the business or organization you’re curious about, followed by “senior discount” or “senior discount tickets.”

If you use a smartphone, there are apps you can use such as the “Senior Dis

counts & Coupons” app (available at the App Store and Google Play), 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 members 50 and older a wide variety of discounts through affiliate businesses (Aarpdiscounts.com).

Other organizations you can join that provide discounts include the American Seniors Association (Americanseniors.org), 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 fastfood establishments such as Applebee’s, Arby’s, Burger King, Chili’s, Denny’s and IHOP and include free/ discounted drinks and discounts off your total order.

■ Retailers: Many thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation

Army and certain retailers such as TJ Maxx, Banana Republic, Kohl’s, Michaels, Ross and Walgreens stores offer a break to seniors on certain days of the week.

■ Grocery stores: Many locally owned grocery stores offer senior discount programs, as do some chains such as BI-LO, Piggly-wiggly, Fry’s Food Stores, New Seasons, Fred Meyer and Hy-vee, which offer discounts on certain days of the week that vary by location.

■ Travel: American, United and Southwest Airlines provide limited senior fares in the U.S. to passengers 65 and older, while British Airlines offers AARP members discounts of up to $200. Amtrak provides a 15 percent discount to travelers over 62. Most car rental companies give discounts to 50-and-older customers or those who belong to organizations such as AARP. Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity and Carnival cruise lines offer discount rates to cruisers 55 and older. And most hotels offer senior discounts, usually ranging from 10 to 20 percent.

■ 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 (see nps.gov/ planyourvisit/passes.htm).