AZjohns

Just got an e-mail from MilagePlus stating they are offering me (and spouse/partner) a free 1 year membership with the following benefits:

• A subscription to the award-winning AARP The Magazine

• Tools to help with everything from finances to healthy living

• Discounts on eyewear and eye care, home security, mobile services and more

• Trusted news and information regarding health, money, the workplace and more

Anyone know if this might be beneficial or is it just another way to get more junk mail?

kevinsac

IMHO, I would take it.

I signed up at 49.5 years; I bought a 5 year membership for $55. I realized savings far surpassing those $55 in the first week.

I bought MedJetAssist and saved several hundreds of dollars. Several book stores offer 15% discounts. Several times, the AARP discounted rate at hotels (I usuallys stay at SPG properties) is less than my corporate rate or the AAA rate.

If you know how to play it right -- AND if you remember to pull out your card -- it's a good deal.

cordelli

The discounts come and go and they overlap with some others, but if we hit the factory outlets and get the AARP discount card there (same book of coupons as the AAA ones) we can make several times the membership dues without even trying on the savings.

you get other benefits like liability protection for Avis car rentals

-- Enhanced primary liability insurance coverage of $25,000/$50,000/$10,000 at participating locations.

-- Maximum personal liability of $5,000 for damages to the rental car at participating locations if you decline to purchase the loss/damage waiver option.*

besides just discounts.

If you think the mailings will be a burden don't sign up. Me, for the dollar or so a month it costs to be a member I'm way ahead of the game even if I have to recycle a few pieces of mail per month.

1k-all-the-way

Is this a dedicated offer or general promotion for all?

AZjohns

It appears targeted and once I hit the enroll link on my e-mail it takes me to a MP page that said thanks for enrolling. Tried to find a signup page on MP but no luck.

To the others that replied, thank you. It's been hard to see AARP stuff arrive in my mail as I swear I'm not "that" of of a fart
But your additional benefits sound interesting, so might as well give it a try.

Firewind

+1 to all the above re potential bennies. Really pertinent to travel, you can use the AARP rates at all the hotel chains, and not worry about being challenged at the front desk.

I received the offer a couple of months ago (or more?) and before I reacted, I received membership info from AARP -- I was already automatically enrolled. (I had been a member before, but let it lapse out of laziness.) I can anticipate how this point might make some people uncomfortable, and that debate will likely play out in this thread, but it suits me fine. Though one thing gave me pause - where did I tell Mileage Plus my age?

@cordelli, thank you. How does one access the rental car benefits you mention?

Less than that on this track, with the first year free.

cranky1K

I received and accepted the AARP offer last year. Must be a new round.

Tiki

I got this offer last week and accepted it. How do I get my actual AARP account number? I need it to get a discount on a cruise for next year.

WineCountryUA

You will get a card in the mail -takes a few weeks. You could get AARP telephone customer support in week or two to see if they can provide the number over the phone.

Jorgen

Can I join even though I'm not retired? How would they know?

Also, I'm 33.

edit: Not American either, now I come to think of it.

zombietooth

The value of their benefits are wildly overblown.

And, according to a past Atttorney General of New York, they are running an insurance scam. Info here:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a4OkPQIPF6Kg

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...YIg&refer=home

And they don't check your age, so anyone can join, so long as you are willing to lie. It is strictly a for-profit business, even though they have been able to maintain the label of "non-profit" due to their powerful friends, so they really don't care who they take money from.

They are a very powerful lobbying organization and stand to make billions from the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, see here:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/201...s-to-medicare/

Do yourself a favor and don't buy any of their insurance products, you can do far better by shopping around.

Tiki

Ugh-snail mail? They don't have email? I'm an expat American and my Mom tosses anything that looks like junk mail.

Firewind

A bump in the road, I suggest, in light of life's big blessings indicated here -- qualifying for AARP while still having a mom who still gets your mail and sorts it. But your dissatisfaction is understandable.

paytonc

FWIW, when I joined as an "associate" I got an instant online membership card. The snail-mail a few weeks later said that I wasn't eligible to join as a full member and didn't have a membership card -- but at that point, I'd already shown the instant card for a few discounts.