Getting old does have its perks
When you get to a certain age, you may be eligible for a variety of discounts. The trick is finding them
There is one tangible advantage to getting older, and that is gaining the right to claim seniors’ discounts. These price breaks are offered by retailers, restaurants, transportation providers, and a host of other companies.
“The trick is being able to find seniors’ discounts, and to get the most benefit out of them possible,” said Maria Roussakis, a Montreal psychologist, seniors’ caregiving expert and seniors’ rights advocate.
“Since there is no central website that lists all of these discounts online — something I am trying to establish myself — smart seniors need to do their homework, to find out what discounts are available to them.”
So how can a savvy senior claim the discounts of their golden years? One way is by joining a retired persons’ organiza- tion such as CARP (www.carp.ca).
For a $14.95 annual membership ($29.95 with an additional subscription to CARP’s Zoomer magazine), CARP members (55 years and older) can get access to a range of discounts. They include car-rental discounts from Avis, Budget, and Hertz; hotel-room discounts at properties run by Comfort Inn, Econo Lodge and Howard Johnson (among many such chains); and 15 per cent off Via Rail’s best available fare in all service classes (except for Escape and minimum fares).
CARP members can also get discounts on some theatre and live-event/ sports tickets, get a no-annual-fee Zoomer MBNA rewards MasterCard credit card, 40 per cent off a one-year Goodlife Fitness membership, and breaks on home, life and travel insurance. Not bad for $14.95 a year!
As for seniors’ discounts on a company-by-company basis? It is possible to find some of them aggregated at websites such as www.senioryears.com/canadiandeals.html.
A recent check of this site reported discounts at Bulk Barn, M&M Meats, and Rexall Drugs, among others. A second source for seniors’ discounts is frugalliving.about.com where we found, among other things, seniors’ deals for Greyhound bus transportation and for the Hudson’s Bay Co.
We’re not citing the actual discounts noted above, since they came from these sites rather than the sellers in question. It’s always best to check such discount claims with the sellers themselves, rather than counting on the accuracy of third-party sites.
Another path for finding seniors’ discounts is by breaking down a person’s needs by category, and then looking for discounts on that basis.
Grocery stores do not commonly offer seniors’ discounts because they operate on such slim profit margins. But drugstore chains do: Pharmaprix, for example, offers a 20-per-cent discount (one day a month). So do many restau- rants, banks, movie theatres, museums, and businesses in all the sectors that serve seniors.
There are two catches to seniors’ discounts that 55-plus people need to keep in mind. First, the definition of “senior” varies from company to company.
One store may say a 55-year-old is a senior; another will insist on 65 or older. All an older shopper can do is to ask, and find out the rules.
The second catch is the time period when such discounts apply. Depending on the seller, the discount may be offered daily, within specific hours, or just on a particular day of the week or month.
A smart way to track these discounts
“The trick is being able to find seniors’ discounts, and to get the most benefit out of them possible.”
Maria Roussakis
and to take full advantage of them is to note them down in a calendar — either on paper or electronically.
Finally, what to do about businesses and services that don’t openly offer seniors discounts?
“When in doubt, ask,” Maria Roussakis said. “For instance, your local cable provider or telephone company might give you a price break for being a sen- ior, just because they want to keep your business.”