I remember before my 50th birthday I received the first AARP application in the mail. I was not happy about this. I was fighting the fact that I was going to be turning 50 years old and this simple piece of mail had to remind me of it.

That was almost 5 years ago and now I can honestly say I love AARP! I love their magazine and especially their blog called the Girlfriend. It is as real as it gets about “aging” women. You can check it out at http://www.thegirlfriend.com. Both the magazine and the blog give helpful advice, true stories, and great motivation for making the most out of life for adults over 50.

Benefits for folks over 50 are a blessing. I am not ashamed to use them now as it is tough to keep up with the cost of living. Groceries, restaurants, insurance, vehicles, and medical costs are all rising and income doesn’t seem to keep up with them. I find as many ways as I can to save money and  have found some fun ways to do it along the way.

If you have a smartphone you can use many apps that will help you save money. Some of the ones I use that will give you a discount or a rebate include Groupon, Shopkick, Ebates, Earny, Ibotta, RetailMeNot and GoodRx.  GoodRx literally saved me when I lost a job and as a result my health benefits. I could use this app to get a prescription at an extremely discounted amount that I could afford while looking for a new job.

Another way to save money is to use apps from your favorite stores. I have gotten free Starbucks by using their app on my phone including a free birthday drink every year! I also use Kohls, Wendy’s, Burger King, Publix, Dollar General, Food Lion, Krogers, Dunkin’ Donut, and McDonalds. I am sure there are apps for many more stores that I have not listed.

I have  become a smart shopper in my “old” age and I guess AARP membership wasn’t such a bad idea after all.