<p>A mention on another thread kind of gave me a little heart attack. I’ll be turning 55 very, VERY soon and from what I understand, this is an age where some places consider you “of age” for senior perks (or so they say…)</p>
<p>I have to be honest. I have NO desire to partake in senior anything. I feel SOO much not like a senior in anyway, shape or form. Admittedly, really want nothing to do with the idea of “seniors”. Knock me if you want, but this is a stigma for me and one I don’t want to participate in just because my birth year indicates it.</p>
<p>So I’ll pose the question - perhaps to give me pause for thought. How do you feel about the idea of being known as a “senior”? Do you seek the perks? Ignore the perks? Stand in line daily for your free McDonald’s small coffee because you can???</p>
<p>And, again - maybe to sway my mind - what are the perks out there? Some perks at 55? Others at 60 or 62 or 65???</p>
<p>And finally, anyone like me dreading or avoiding being “senior” in mind and spirit at all costs??!!!</p>
<p>I’m a younger senior and proud of it. I got my first senior discount at a Perkins Pancake house at age 55…they have a terrific senior breakfast menu.</p>
<p>The places that offer senior discounts do it to attract you as a patron. What is wrong with using these discounts! They don’t make you any older than you actually are :)</p>
<p>My husband uses Amtrak every week. It is expensive but he appreciates the 15% senior discount for those 62+ (He is 63). Unlike the AAA discount, the senior discount does not have to be reserved in advance. Passing it up would only make him poorer, not younger. </p>
<p>But hey, different strokes for different folks.</p>
<p>While I appreciate good deals (My claim to fame is the “Good Buy of the Day” thread here on CC!!) I truly have a mental thing with age. Always have. Never liked birthdays. My S made a deal with me that at age 50 we could start counting backwards - and each year now, he gives me a card celebrating whatever “40” year we are celebrating counting backwards - this year, 45! </p>
<p>Maybe I’ll quietly nod yes to a senior deal…</p>
<p>Happy birthday! I’m soon to be 55 as well and I have no interest in so-called “senior perks.” I think it’s insulting. They seem to me to be advertising gimmicks to lure you in hoping you’ll spend money elsewhere. A few dollars off the movie, but you pay full price for the $10 popcorn? I’m sure they’ve figured out that the “senior” business is lucrative, and they’d really rather cater to young, still working and healthy “seniors” who will spend and come back, rather than doddering 80 year olds. A 55 year old is not a senior anything…it’s right smack dab in middle age. An 80 year old is a senior citizen.</p>
<p>We have senior Monday movies here. $5 all day for anyone 62 or over. I don’t buy the popcorn or other goodies…but I do appreciate the good bargain of a $5 movie ticket which is normally $12. </p>
<p>As noted above, taking the discount doesn’t make you any older than you actually are. </p>
<p>I actually have found that (at 59), I’m not eligible for that many discounts. I’ll take whatever they offer. My favorite was the 5% off at the emergency vet, though (age 55 and up). I do like the “smaller portions” menus at some of our local chains–where they are available to everyone, not just senior citizens.</p>
<p>I’m not thrilled with being older, and at 55 don’t see too many discounts that I would use, but I always liked my dad’s thoughts on this. The second he qualified for a senior discount, he used it, and happily. He figured this was a reward for making it that far and that the alternative was quite a bit worse. He actually didn’t live long enough to use too many discounts-he was only 59 when he passed away. But I loved the positive attitude he had about getting older.</p>
<p>H and I get some discounts through AARP and saved quite a bit on our vacation,especially with hotels. But we got some discounts for meals and admissions too. We don’t seek out free stuff if we’re not going to use/eat it though.</p>
<p>And although I’m not thrilled about aging, I try to remember the way my dad felt. Besides, pretending you’re not older won’t change anything. Why fight it?</p>
<p>I am fairly pragmatic about things, including age. I am grateful to have birthdays. I don’t do a thing that would be impacted by the presence or absence of senior discounts. If someone benefits from these discounts or appreciates them, I am glad they are there. Yes, there is a marketing aspect, just like under 12 discounts have, yet people don’t seem hesitant to pay less for their kids to see a movie. I am pushing 60 and can’t recall being asked about or offered a senior discount. Maybe they are kicking in at older ages. I think it may be all about making peace with ourselves. I do that better on some days than others… </p>
<p>I just threw away my most recent AARP mailing and have never even read any of the materials. I realize that my doing so is totally, utterly stupid and that my vanity about aging really doesn’t fool anyone but myself.</p>
<p>Therefore, I’m personally resolving that upon my next birthday I will fully embrace my status as a * gulp* senior by definition of being over 55 and intend to take advantage of every last penny of savings I can get. There has to be some compensation for aging in this youth-obsessed society, and paying more than I have to for things doesn’t harm anyone but myself. Let’s face it, to anyone under 40, we all appear ancient anyway ;-).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Sadly, this is only true if you live to be 110.</p>
<p>I am 58, short & petite, and spent the first half of my life being mistaken for much younger than my age. even though I did everything I could think of to look my age, including very serious eye glasses. I was asked for ID at an R rated movie when I was over 30. Now that I am gray, people usually think I’m older than my age and that is fine with me. I kind of like being taken more seriously. I am offered many senior discounts. When someone at a counter asks if I’m eligible, I just enthusiastically respond “yes” and haven’t been asked for ID yet.</p>
<p>Emerald - I’m still raising children…those of us who gave birth after forty may be in a special category, perhaps. If you have younger teenagers are you still elderly? I’m running around doing the same things with my youngest that I did with my oldest…just dropped off at baseball practice, in fact. I guess I haven’t had time to realize that I’m not even middle aged anymore…I’m elderly! </p>
<p>I’m also short, petite and look younger than I am. But if they want to give me a discount for whatever, I’m glad to take it. Like everybody else said: a discount isn’t going to make me any older. It won’t even make me look older.</p>