Tulsa World: Age limit on senior discounts dropping

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Age limit on senior discounts dropping

A senior shopper at Macy's in Woodland Hills Mall looks at purses in the department store. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World

By JANICE PODSADA The Hartford Courant
Published: 11/29/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 11/29/2009 10:22 AM

At Fuzziwig's Candy Factory in Clinton, Conn., the "senior discount" kicks in at the half-century mark. Every Tuesday, the confectioner gives a 10 percent discount to customers who are age 50 or older.

"It's called the 50-plus shopper perks," a store owner said.

If you're 50 and hoping for a discount on something more substantial, such as breakfast at Denny's, bring the large-print version of "War and Peace" while you wait: You must be at least 55 to order from the restaurant chain's senior menu.

Confused?

We may be living longer. But when it comes to senior discounts, the age limit keeps dropping. These days, senior discounts can kick in unexpectedly at any age past 50.

So who's a senior, and who's tottering on the edge? It all depends, so to speak.

AARP, for one, sets the mark at 50, "the golden age ... the second half of life," said Jennifer Millea, spokeswoman for AARP Connecticut.

At Denny's, customers receive the senior discount and the opportunity to order from the senior menu once they reach 55; while the prices are lower, the portions are smaller.

If you're trying to settle the debate about how you define a "senior citizen," don't look to state or federal governments for an answer.

Social Security benefits don't kick in until age 62. And if you want anything more than a pittance, you're better off waiting until you're at least 65 to collect.

If it involves canyons or trees or the wind in your Winnebago, the National Parks System offers a $10 Senior Pass once you turn 62. The pass is good for half-off most park-usage fees and free lifetime admission to national parks, monuments and other recreational areas.

Retailers have found it profitable to give senior discounts on low-volume sales days, like Tuesdays, Albert said. For older adults with ambulatory issues, it is easier to move around.

And senior menus that offer smaller portions aren't a bad idea, either, said Teri Albert, marketing professor at the University of Hartford's Barney School of Business, who is 55. "It gets much harder to work it off when you get to be my age." By JANICE PODSADA The Hartford Courant

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If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

	Report Comment FromTheHeart, (11/29/2009 4:00:47 PM) umm...i suddenly feel very OLD!
	Report Comment Mar, Tulsa (12/1/2009 6:22:07 PM) I refused to join AARP when they started sending me membership offers to join at the age of 50. I felt 50 was too young. Now at the age of 61, I still haven't joined AARP, now because they are in Obama's back pocket. AARP is all for Obamacare.

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