Yes, You Can Join the AARP When You Are 30—or Any Age, Really

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The American Association of Retired Persons, better-known by its acronym AARP, sums up its work like this: “We fight for and equip each individual to live their best life.” The organization, which currently counts nearly 38 million members, achieves that goal by:

• Advocating for those over age 50 on local, state and national political issues like health care, Social Security and housing;
• Providing health, financial and social assistance to its members;
• Publishing policy reports through its research groups; and,
• Offering access to hundreds of discounts on travel, restaurants, shopping and more (additional details below).

While membership does help to support programs for the aging population, you don’t have to be over 50 to join the AARP. Even if you are in your 30s and not thinking about retirement (you probably should be, at least a little bit), you can still take advantage of the services, discounts and other benefits the organization offers. 

One of the advantages of joining early is that the benefits of your membership contributions will continue to increase as you approach retirement age. AARP is an investment in yourself and your future, so don’t discount it based on your age.

AARP Age Requirements

Retirement age is generally around 65, but we again want to emphasize that there is no age requirement for joining the AARP. Anyone over 50 is eligible for full membership. If you are under 50 you can obtain an Associate membership. 

Per the AARP website, “Associate members enjoy all of the benefits of membership that are not restricted by law or contract.” 

How Much Is an AARP Membership? 

AARP offers three membership tiers, all of which are auto renewed at the end of the term (you can cancel at any time). A full membership also allows you to sign up a spouse or partner at no additional cost. Tier pricing, outlined below, is discounted your first year and also discounted by paying for multiple years upfront. 

• One year for $12 for the first year ($16 a year for subsequent years). The discounted first year applies if you agree to enroll in auto-renewal of your membership:
• Three years for one payment of $43
• Five years for one payment of $63

How to Sign Up for the AARP

If you’ve ever ordered anything online, the AARP sign-up process should be simple for you. 

1. Go HERE, and hit the join button at the top of the AARP home page.
2. Fill in your personal information (including for your spouse or partner, if applicable). 
3. Create an AARP online account. This online account will allow you to access services and benefits on the AARP website.
4. Select your payment option. 
5. Accept the terms and conditions.
6. Click “Continue to Billing” to enter your payment and complete the sign-up process.

What Are the Benefits of Being an AARP Member? 

The AARP offers benefits in a wide array of categories, including Health and Wellness programs (including insurance), travel and restaurant discounts, financial assistance, and gas and auto service. View the full list of membership benefits. Here are some of the highlights, including some specific examples for each option.

AARP Health and Wellness programs

• Access to health insurance programs 
  • AARP long-term care options from New York Life
  • AARP dental insurance plan from Delta Dental Insurance Company
  • AARP short-term care insurance from Medico
• Discount offers on prescriptions at multiple pharmacies (Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger) and other medical supplies like glasses (LensCrafters, Target Optical)
• Health tools 
  • BMI calculator 
  • WW (formerly Weight Watchers) discount
  • AARP Staying Sharp brain health assessment
• Medicare eligible benefits from UnitedHealthcare (insurance plans, supplemental insurance, RX plans)
• Family caregiving services and resources
  • In-home caregiving discounts
  • Long-term care calculator

Travel discounts

• Car and truck rentals (Avis, Budget, Payless, Zipcar)
• Flights (British Airways)
• Vacation packages (Explorations by Collette, Grand European Travel, savings on rail travel)
• Cruises (Collette Cruise Tours, Grand European Travel)
• More than 60 hotels and resorts
• Travel planning 
  • Destination guides
  • Vacation ideas
  • Travel protection
• Gas and auto services
  • Roadside assistance programs
  • Oil changes
  • Smart Driver course

Financial assistance

• Banking and investment services,
  • Health savings accounts
  • Discounted fees
  • Higher yield accounts
• Financial planning resources
  • Interview an Advisor tool
  • Savi student loan repayment tool
  • AARP Money Map
• Fraud prevention services
  • AARP Fraud Network
  • Norton 360 Protection discount
  • AARP Identify Theft Protection by Norton LifeLock
• Retirement planning
  • Retirement calculator
  • Social Security benefits calculator

Other membership benefits

• Pet, vehicle, life and property insurance
• 10 percent off orders at Landry’s Inc. restaurant chains (e.g., Joe’s Crab Shack, Rainforest Café)
• Shopping discounts 
  • Free Tanger Outlets shopping book
  • Flowers and gifts from places like 1-800-Flowers.com and Simply Chocolata
  • Grocery rewards and coupon center
• Savings on technology and wireless purchases
  • Norton 360 Protection
  • Consumer Cellular services and accessories
• Entertainment discounts 
  • $3 off popcorn at Regal movie theaters
  • Discounted Audible accounts

AARP Rewards Program

In addition to membership benefits, AARP also offers a program that allows you to participate in activities to earn rewards points that you can trade in for “sweepstakes entries, local deals, discounted gift cards, charitable donations or once-in-a-lifetime adventures.” 

The activities include taking quizzes (examples: How to spot age discrimination at work; How do finances affect relationships?), fitness tracking goals like walking 5,000 steps in a day, or signing up for the AARP’s The Daily newsletter.

Membership is not required to sign up for the program, but it does allow you to earn more points per activity and gives you access to exclusive rewards. 

Is an AARP Membership Worth It? 

Absolutely. For the cost of a moderately priced lunch, an AARP membership opens all the benefits outlined above. This is a no brainer.

There are opportunities for you to get more involved with the organization through local AARP chapters and volunteering your time for AARP services, but the only piece that is required is paying the membership fee.

Contacting the AARP

For additional information on the AARP, use these contact and research methods:

• AARP Website
• AARP Help Center
• Phone (Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. through 11 p.m. ET
  • Toll-Free Nationwide: 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277)
  • Toll-Free Spanish: 1-877-342-2277
  • International Calls: +1-202-434-3525
  • TTY user dial 711
    • English: 1-877-434-7598
    • Spanish: 1-866-238-9488
• Mail: AARP, 601 E Street, NW, Washington DC 20049

The post Yes, You Can Join the AARP When You Are 30—or Any Age, Really appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.

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