My husband would often mention the first time he was called “sir”. He was in his late twenties, a grad student, and a “kid” working in the text book session at the Harvard Coop came up to Jim to ask him if he needed any help. And in the process “sirred him.”
I don’t recall the first time I was “ma’am’d”, but I do remember the first time I was given a senior discount without even asking for it. I was buying a cup of tea at the Dunkin Donuts on State Street in downtown Boston and the kid behind the counter gave it to me for the senior price. I was in my early 60’s at the time. I was a bit miffed at the time. Just how old do you think I am, sonny-boy? But I decided to go with it.
I never remember to ask at Dunks, but I do when I eat at Friendly’s. Doesn’t happen that often – once or twice a year – but I like getting that mini-sundae for free.
I always ask at the movie theater. Again, I don’t go all that often, but if I can save a buck or two, why not?
I’m a subscriber to a local theater company – the Actors Shakespeare Project – and I happily take the small discount on my season’s tickets.
And one of these days, I’ll join the AARP. After all, I’ve been eligible for nearly 20 years, and I’m sure there are all sorts of little goodies that come with that membership card.
But I’m not crazily looking for discounts. In truth, I throw away my CVS “transcripts” rather than figure out what it all means. And if someone can explain to me how the frequent-yellow-pad-discounts at Staples work, I’d appreciate it, but I still probably wouldn’t act on the info.
Maybe once I stop working entirely, and I’m living on what’s coming from Social Security or in the bank – I’m one of those no-pension folks – I’ll be more likely to hunt for senior discounts. Til then, I’ll mostly stick to the two areas where I’ll all-in on senior discounts:
Medicare! It pays to be a senior! ((I realize that Medicare isn’t a discount, but having paid for individual insurance coverage for the decade before I turned 65, it’s hard not to think of the low rate I pay now between Medicare and my supplement anything other than a discount.)
And then there’s public transportation.
I take some form of public transpo (train or subway) once or twice a week, and, courtesy of my Senior Card, I get to ride for half-price.
I don’t travel any more frequently because I get a discount, but it’s sure nice to have. The question is, what – other than contributing to Medicare via the tax system - have I done to deserve any discount?
Others are also asking the same thing:
…some question whether senior discounts are warranted in an era when many of those enjoying them are relatively well off, while large numbers of younger folks strain under the weight of student debt and labor in a gig economy bereft of benefits.
David Wallis, who leads the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, a nonprofit that supports journalism focused on inequality, argues that the deals for seniors are a relic of an earlier time. He calls for replacing them with income-based discounts for people of all ages.
“The senior discount should be radically rethought,” Wallis said. “Let’s say you have a very comfortable lifestyle. Do you deserve cheap seats at the movie theater?” (Source: Boston Globe)
Frankly, no.
But does anyone actually “deserve” cheap theater seats, given that movies are a luxury item to begin with?
For public transportation, I can see discount based on need.
A number of years ago, there was a demonstration at the State House, with college students arguing that they should ride for free.
I got into a bit of a discussion with one of the demonstrators – a young man sporting a Patagonia jacket – and asked him why transportation should be subsidized. He didn’t have much of an answer other than “because”.
I’d be all in favor of providing free or discounted public transportation for, say, students at Bunker Hill Community College. And for other low-income folks. (E.g., those on Medicaid. Why not give those with such limited means a break on public transportation.). Less inclined to support it for a Patagonia-wearing Harvard student.
I suspect that the Patagonia-wearing Harvard student is now wearing a Canada Goose and taking Uber, so no longer in “need” of free rides on the T.
But, of course, there’s no reason to subsidize me, either.
When I was in college in Boston – late sixties-early seventies – there was a program called “dime time”. At a time when a ride on the T cost a quarter, students and senior riding during non-prime hours could ride for a dime.
That makes sense to me.
If stores and theaters and trolley cars want to encourage people to shop-view-ride during off-hours, why not offer a discount? And maybe not restrict it to the young and the old, but to any group you wanted to reach.
This is a reasonable argument (which was made not just by original-old-me, but in the Globe article), but I don’t know what to make of this:
…if discounts were extended more broadly, it might lessen the stigma for baby boomers who are reluctant to accept them because they don’t want to think of themselves as old.
Admittedly, I was a bit taken aback when that kid at Dunks automatically given a discount, but I have to say I do not know any boomers “who are reluctant to accept” discounts.
I obviously don’t know every baby boomer on the face of the earth, and there may be discounter-disdainers among us IRL. Just not in the real life I live in.
One of the problems with giving seniors discounts – which is the same problem that we have as an economy with Social Security and Medicare – is that people live a lot longer now as seniors.
When Social Security was first implemented in the late 1930’s, people cashed a couple of checks and quite magnanimously dropped dead.
When senior discounts were cooked up, there were fewer well-to-do retirees, and, again, the elders claiming their cut-rate cup of coffee were not, for the most part, living into great old age.
Perhaps my tune will change once I’m pushing 100, but I truly hope I’m not around to “achieve” 40 years worth of discounts on the T. Thanks but no thanks. In the meantime, I’m with Len Fishman.
Fishman, the 67-year-old [UMass Boston] Gerontology Institute director, somewhat sheepishly admits he carries a Senior Charlie Card — giving him half off on MBTA fares — though he could probably afford not to.
“Every time I swipe it,” he said, “I think the T shouldn’t be subsidizing me. But I still swipe it.”
Not that us boomers are swiping anything here. It’s just that we haven’t actually done anything to deserve this largesse.
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