# Benefits of joining AARP? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 30, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795 "2008-09-30T02:37:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/1 "2008-09-30T02:37:17Z")
I turned 50 a few years ago, so I started getting the junk mail from AARP. Usually I toss it, since I don’t like to be reminded that I’m getting old. Are you a member? Are there any good reasons to join? Care to share your experiences, good or bad? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/2 "2008-09-30T02:52:41Z")
I’m in the same situation (including “a few years ago”) and would like to know the same thing. What (if any) services do you use? Are there benefits beyond the (sometimes questionable) lobbying? Have I used enough parenthetical asides (appropriate or not) in this post? ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/3 "2008-09-30T02:54:42Z")
I recently found out that you get an extra 10% off paperback books at Borders with an AARP card. That might be enough to tip me over into joining. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/4 "2008-09-30T03:18:58Z")
On vacation last week every single motel we stayed at had a discount for AARP - 10%. Of course, they also had the same for AAA, so you could probably take your choice. And AAA also has that Border’s discount. Friends of ours have their medical insurance through AARP. It’s not great, but it’s something. I’ve been meaning to check and see if we can do better with our car insurance with them. But I haven’t done it yet, so I don’t know if they could help us any. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/5 "2008-09-30T13:44:18Z")
My parents resisted joining for a while. Then they realized that the savings on just one stay at a decent hotel with their AARP card would cover the cost of joining, so they joined up. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/6 "2008-09-30T17:21:38Z")
they actually have a pretty good magazine, and i believe they gear it toward your age (50-60, 70-80, etc.). my husband joined when he turned 50, so i got to be a member even though i’m not 50 (yet!). there are discounts as others mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/7 "2008-09-30T17:35:13Z")
My parents liked the auto insurance. Once you are on Medicare, AARP’s supplemental insurance can be very useful. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/8 "2008-09-30T18:01:27Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > My parents liked the auto insurance. I’ve checked them a few times, but they’ve never been able to beat Geico. J. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/benefits-of-joining-aarp/465795/9 "2008-09-30T18:18:04Z")
You can be pleased that you are contributing to the eventual bankruptcy of the USA. AARP refuses any “fixes” to Social Security, no matter how reasonable.