Is AARP a good thing or a rip-off?

I've paid $325 in dues since joining. According to our wireless bill I've received $250 in AARP service discounts in half the time. Also when we were buying Schwan's products we received a 10% discount on all online orders, but alas no longer. We were spending around $75 - $100 every 2 weeks for years. So yes, it was worth it to us. I've used the card at motels & restaurants for discounts. Never bought any insurance through them, that is agreed - too costly.

The AARP mag does have some usable tips at times.
 
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debodun said:
I know some people whose memberships weren't honored at some restaurants that should have.
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AARP sells different types of insurance. They have discounts on certain things, which is fine if those things are in your path.

My brother is a big AARP fan, he and his wife get like a 10% Discount on Consumer Cellular purchases. I do use Consumer Cellular but I buy my phones unlocked / no contract from various electronics sources, then get the free Consumer Cellular SIM card. That way, I avoid the typical vendor bloatware that gets put on devices from the likes of CC, Verizon, AT&T etc.
 
While previously a member, it did not look like the various items, including insurance, would save much if any. It was only useful when I used to go to Dennys.
 
Pecos said:
Yes, it is way overpriced and over hyped.
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I had AARP The Hartford for years. Then when I got my 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, the insurance policy rose to over $1000. With a ticket (not coming to a complete stop), it became $1200 a year. The next year, it would have rose to $1,300, but I switched over to Geico, and saved hundreds on my car insurance. Yes I know, I sound like a Geico commercial, but I did. Around $480, if I recall correctly.
 
Gary O' said:
The insurance is a rip off
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I agree! I use to do medical billing and United Healthcare was the worst for paying. They would stall and stall and kept asking for more information and I hated calling them because you always got someone in India or somewhere that you just couldn't understand. Their premium prices are ridiculous. We had neighbors a few years back that were paying over $600/mo. EACH for their UHC coverage! I asked them why they paid so much and they said it was because it was the best coverage. I didn't tell them about all the hassle it was to collect from UHC. I quit AARP years ago and I still get their mail. I never got any "bargains" with belonging to them.
 

Is AARP a good thing or a rip-off?​

It depends on how much you paid for it and how often you are going to use it, but if you're good at it, then the sound from playing an 'arp is heavenly. 😊
 
I've often wondered about AARP. Is it worth it? Most of it is not to me. Do they actually help, or is it just a business? I'm a member, but I've wondered about it for years. I guess I see it as a break even thing, and breaking even is not a loss, so I'm a member, but I could be swayed on this one.
 
I’ve posted elsewhere, it started out as an advocacy org, but now, just wants to make money off seniors. You pay the dues to get discounts, and the places giving the discounts pay AARP to advertise them! They make money at both ends.Lotsof places offer discounts without any membership to anything. Their magazine gets paid to promote their advertisers.
Thumbs down on ARP.
 
Their insurance can be cheaper, but I think you are just getting an introductory rate to lure you in after which it creeps up. After I had it a while I compared with Allstate which turned out to be cheaper so I switched. I'm not into AARPs politics either.
 
Paladin1950 said:
I had AARP The Hartford for years. Then when I got my 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, the insurance policy rose to over $1000. With a ticket (not coming to a complete stop), it became $1200 a year. The next year, it would have rose to $1,300, but I switched over to Geico, and saved hundreds on my car insurance. Yes I know, I sound like a Geico commercial, but I did. Around $480, if I recall correctly.
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I've had Geico for 55 years. Back then it was Government Employees Insurance Company, and well I was a federal employee.
 
I have never had insurance through AARP and generally find their discounts to be useless, other than hotel/motel discounts. I do enjoy their articles though, lots of good info on Medicare.
 
I subscribe to AARP but I don't have anything good to say about except for occasional senior discounts
 

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