Discounts To Save You Money
The good thing about being an old fart is that I now get a senior citizen discount just about every time I go to a fast food restaurant. The kids working behind the counter don’t even ask my age any more, they just knock a few cents off my bill.
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It bruises my ego just a tiny bit when some cute little thing thinks I’m old enough to be her Grandpa, but then I remember that I am old enough to be her Grandpa! Or at least the dirty old man who lives next door. On the other hand, my budget sure does appreciate the savings, and I’ve reached that age where I can use the money more than I can use the fantasies of young women (but over age 18, I’m not a complete pervert!) falling in love with me for my vast experience and maturity.
I’m all for saving money wherever and whenever I can. And yesterday longtime reader Peter Genereaux gave me a tip that can really save some bucks. If you are a veteran and use Verizon telephone service, if you take your DD 214 (discharge) to any Verizon company store (not a franchise store), and ask for discount code #117818, you will get a 15% discount off your Verizon bill, before taxes. We have two Verizon cell phones and a Verizon air card, so that will save me about $20 a month, which is nothing to sneeze at. Heck, I could take that $20 to a fast food restaurant, and get yet another discount there! Where does it end?
There are discounts everywhere you look, if you just keep your eyes and ears open. Most national chain restaurants offer senior discounts, just do a Google search and you’ll be amazed at how many places want to save you money!
Most RVers know that they can get a 1 cent per gallon discount on diesel, gasoline, and propane at Flying J truck stops with their free RV RealValue Club.
If you are age 62 or over, for $10 the National Parks Service will issue you a National Parks Senior Pass, which will admit the cardholder and up to three others in a non-commercial vehicle free into Federal recreation sites that charge a fee, and 50% off Expanded Amenity Fees, such as camping and boat rental. The discount does not apply to services offered by private contractors. The pass is good for life, and is a great way to save money.
Handicapped citizens can get a free National Access Pass with the same benefits as the Senior Pass, and you do not have to be 100% disabled to qualify. Anyone with a permanent disability, who can prove it with documentation (a letter from a physician, or documentation from the Veterans Administration or Social Security) qualifies for the pass.
Discounts also extend to Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds and National Historic sites, with some National Pass cards. Some states also extend discounts to holders of National Access and National Senior cards at their state parks.
As fulltimers, we have stayed in a lot of casino parking lots across the country. We always sign up for their Players Club type cards, because they usually come with discounts for their restaurants, and while we’re not big gamblers, we do like to eat! Many offer two-for-one buffets for first time visitors. A good guide to RV friendly casinos is the Casino Camper website.
Never hesitate to ask what kind of a discount a business can offer. When we were building our bus conversion, we were shopping for a house style refrigerator. Miss Terry found a nice Maytag unit she wanted, and noticed that the floor model had a small scratch on the side. She asked for the store’s manager, and told him she wanted a discount. By the time she got done negotiating with him, she bought a $700+ dollar refrigerator for only $400!
Like my old Aunt Peggy used to say, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get!”
Thought For The Day – Grandchildren are God’s reward for not killing your children.
