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Why Do Senior Citizens Get Discounts?

Written By: Irene Lefever
Reviewed By: William Rivers
Published: August 9, 2021
Last updated: November 11, 2023

Senior discounts are ubiquitous—but have you ever stopped and wondered why senior citizens get them? The origins of senior discounts can be traced back to the Great Depression in the 1930s. It was the older population that was hit the hardest—and President Roosevelt’s Social Security Act of 1935 aimed to extend economic security to this age group. 

A lot of senior citizens retire by the time they turn 65, but this is also dependent on their financial situation. Some seniors may not have been able to save sufficiently for their retirement. Luckily, Social Security and Medicare benefits can aid them to an extent. Other senior discounts can likewise do the same—and are actually meant for this purpose. 

Living off limited or fixed income can be difficult, which is why senior discounts are offered for various goods and services. There are usually discounts for the following, among others:

  • Supermarkets 
  • Retail stores
  • Movie theaters
  • Utilities
  • Restaurants 
  • Airfare and transportation
  • Hotel bookings
  • Service centers
  • Entertainment tickets

Discount amounts and age requirements may differ per place, so be sure to ask ahead of time. 

In addition to this, when you turn 50, you can become a member of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). The AARP can give you access to numerous other tools, discounts, deals, and benefits as you age. 

After years of hard work and labor, senior discounts can give the older population economic and financial protection as they live the remainder of their years in comfort, security, and dignity.

Senior Strong has a host of resources on senior discounts—visit the rest of the website to learn more today!

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Irene Lefever is a senior advisor whose role is to make sure that senior citizens’ physical, mental, psychological, and emotional needs are catered to. Lefever got her degree in Multimedia Arts at the University of California, Riverside.
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