AARP, Valentines, Investing, and More
My husband and I just joined AARP! Did you know that you can join AARP in your 30s? I had no idea. For $16 you can get a one year membership, which includes a free membership for your spouse.
Now, I’m sure the next thing you want to know is why on earth we joined AARP?
I’m not going to tell you just yet… but, be sure to check back tomorrow for a really exciting Free Money Friday edition for the scoop.
I’m willing to bet many of you will be joining AARP too (if you haven’t already)!
Update: And here it is….. the new Chase AARP Visa 5% Cash Back Credit Card!
Valentine’s Day
We just finished making dozens of Valentine’s Day cards for preschool. I was unaware how time consuming a project like that would be!
To be honest, I’m not really into Valentine’s Day, but I’ll pretend to be so that my kids can get excited about it. How else do I get a 5 year old to sit still long enough to write the names of 21 classmates?
If you are one who loves the Hallmark Holiday, here are some money saving tips for the big day: 10 Fun Valentine’s Day Activities and Crafts Ideas for Kids and Couples
Announcements
My article on the controversial Downsized TV Show is squaring off against You Don’t Need a College Degree, But You Need an Education in Free Money Finance’s March Money Madness this week! Be sure to cast your vote!
Investing
- Best Retirement Plans For The Self Employed or Small Business Owner
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- Target Retirement Funds Increasing International Exposure
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Saving
- A Better Place to Park Your Money
- Saving IS Investing
- How to Buy Cheap Discount Car Tires Online and Save Money
By the Numbers
- 5 Dangers Young Entrepreneurs With A Job Should Avoid
- 5 Ways I Plan To Save Money in February
- Spending Too Much Money? 10 Warning Signs To Watch Out For
- 11 Survival Tips for the Dad’s 9 Months of Pregnancy
Carnivals
And More!
- Hot Free Money Deals: Barclaycard $440+ | $3,000+ in Bonuses
I am 53 and my wife is 56. We joined AARP a few years ago for all the great benefits they offered.
About a year ago a political issue came up selling out my children’s future. Since I strongly disagreed with the AARP on this issue I cancelled my membership and told them why. I could no longer be a member in good conscience.
Since that time I discovered that the AARP is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in the country and is only looking out for themselves and not the best interests of the country. The elderly are financially the best of portion of our population, yet the AARP will be advocating policies that will saddle my children and yours and their children and grand children to large piles of debt that will greatly diminish their lifestyles.
I choose not to be a part of that and in so doing I will forego the many great benefits and discounts they offer.
The AARP was founded at a time when the elderly arguably needed more of a voice. That is no longer needed.
The AARP has become a political organization that wants more power.
Madison, I urge you to stop and ask yourself what possible reason the AARP could have to lower the eligibility age from 50 down to 30 except more members. Ask yourself if you would join the Green Party or Tea Party or some other group you disagreed with politcally for $30 less a night at a hotel. Then check out the AARP political positions and see if you really agree with them. If not, I urge you to change your mind and cancel your membership.
Hi Rory,
Thanks for your thoughts! I’ll have to check out more of what AARP lobbies for. To be honest, I signed up just to take advantage of the deal without checking into them very thoroughly.
The free money deal tomorrow isn’t actually from AARP themselves, so one could probably argue that you can cancel your membership immediately after getting the deal.
You have some very valid points. And obviously, I’m one who is very concerned about the future for my children, both financially and otherwise.
I’d be interested in hearing more about the issue that sent you away. Care to elaborate? (And of course, feel free to email me privately if you’d like).
It sounds like a good deal, 5% back on credit card purchases for 6 months, and I appreciate you finding these deals for all of us, but I think I’ll pass on anything to do with AARP. They have a reputation as an organization that is an advocate for their members, but I think they are an organization that is an advocate for AARP. I first noticed this years ago when reading about an AARP bond fund. It was basically a Scudder bond fund called the AARP bond fund. The recommendation of the article was to just buy the Scudder bond fund that was basically the same, but had lower fees because they weren’t paying AARP. Many people trust AARP and buy something that has AARP on it, not realizing that they could get the same product for less if AARP didn’t have their name on it. Rory says that they have “many great benefits and discounts” but I suspect you could probably get all of the benefits and discounts without an AARP membership by just asking for them or through some other affiliation that you have. Their recent support of the new healthcare law, which will cut Medicare, probably had more to do with their selling Medigap insurance than it did with them looking out for the senior citizens they supposedly represent.
In regards to the note on how one can join AARP in your 30s,there is critical information to know.I just spoke with an AARP representative on the phone.One can join before they turn 49.5 years old,but they will only receive the magazine and a monthly bulletin.One can not receive benefits with AARP until one turns 49.5 years according to the AARP representative.
If one wants to verify this information,call
1-800-566-0242 to speak with an AARP representative.
Good point Rose. I should have mentioned that it’s a limited membership.
For the free money deal tomorrow, all you need is a membership id, which you get with the limited membership.
This got my attention. I just turned 40, and had a few friends tease me about AARP now that I was officially “old”. One of them is 41, so my first reaction was “look in the mirror, dude! YOU are 40!”.
Maybe he was serious after all! I can honestly say that I never knew you could join in your 30′s, let alone in your 40′s. Interested in this…