In 2016, half of all seniors on Medicare had personal incomes of less than $26,200. Even with healthy savings accounts, seniors on a fixed income must take proactive steps to trim their cost of living. Senior citizen discounts allow you to enjoy the products and services you’ve always loved, but at a fraction of the full price.
Texas is one of the nation’s most rapidly aging states, and 9.3 percent of the Fort Worth population is over the age of 65. Local stores, national chains, and a wide variety of service providers have responded with myriad senior discounts. Here are the top eight best senior citizen discounts in the Fort Worth area.
Top 8 Senior Discounts in Fort Worth
1. Movie discounts
There’s no substitute for a good movie, especially in the early afternoon, when theaters are less likely to be crowded. But the costs of regular admission can quickly add up. The following theaters offer senior discounts:
- AMC offers Senior Day on Tuesdays, with discounts that vary.
- Cinemark Theaters offer $5 Mondays for seniors 65 or older. Admission for seniors on other days of the week costs $6.50.
- Studio Movie Grill offers a range of discounts, including matinees for $6.50-$7.25.
- Landmark Theaters offer a $2 reduction of the standard admission price if you’re older than 62.
- Pocket Sandwich Theatre discounts Main Stage performances by $2 Thursday through Sunday for seniors 60 or older.
2. Grocery stores
A number of grocery stores offer senior discounts.
- Albertson’s offers a monthly Senior Day, during which seniors 55 and older can save 10%.
- Whole Foods Market offers regular senior events, but discounts vary from location to location.
- Fred Meyer offers 10% off and additional discounts on certain items.
Additionally, a number of local farmers’ markets accept WIC and SNAP payments, so if you receive food stamps or participate in another government benefit program, you may be eligible for a discount.
3. National and state parks
The national park system offers a wide range of incredible natural wonder. Spend your time picnicking, hiking, watching wildlife, camping, and more. Seniors can purchase an annual pass for just $20. If you’re a true national park lover, purchase a lifetime pass to America’s national parks for just $80. Over time, this can add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars in savings. Check out some of our favorite Texas National Parks for a fun weekend or day trip:
- Big Thicket National Preserve
- Fort Davis National Historic Site
- Guadalupe Mountains
Texas’s state park system also offers a senior discount. You can get a full or partial Senior Passport that offers 50 percent off the regular price of admission at all state parks. Cedar Hill State Park, Mustang Park, and Cleburne State Park are excellent options in the Fort Worth area.
4. Art and culture
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to go to the symphony or learn about our nation’s past. The following artistic and cultural outlets offer senior discounts:
- The Dallas World Aquarium offers senior admission for a mere $4.
- Take in the Dallas Zoo for 20% off the admission price. On Wednesdays, the discount is 35%.
- Enjoy $3 off the price of admission at the Dallas Museum of Art.
- Take $2 off the price of admission at the Dallas Arboretum, or save $3.50 on Thursdays. Seniors 65 or older also get a 20% discount in the gift shop.
5. Retail stores
A wide range of retail stores offer significant senior discounts. Not all advertise their senior discounts, so be sure to ask before you buy. Here are some great discount options:
- Enjoy 10% off at Hallmark stores.
- Take 15% off on Wednesdays at Kohl’s stores.
- Enjoy 10% off at Ross.
- Take 10% off on senior day at Goodwill stores. Senior days vary by store location.
- Take 10% off at Michaels.
- Take 10% off at Pep Boys.
- Enjoy 15% off senior days at Hancock Fabrics. Senior day changes from location to location.
- The Salvation Army’s thrift stores offer a wide range of discounts, including up to 50% off certain merchandise for seniors.
- Stein Mart offers 20% off on the first Monday of every month.
- T.J. Maxx offers 10% off on senior days, the day of which varies by location.
- Dressbarn offers 10% off for seniors.
- Clark’s offers 10% off for seniors.
- Bon-Ton offers 15% off on Senior Discount Days. Contact your local store to learn the precise day.
- Belk offers 15% off to seniors one day of each month.
6. Restaurants
You really can eat out on a retiree’s budget. Dozens of Fort Worth restaurants offer senior discounts. Here are some options:
- Enjoy a discounted senior menu with smaller portions at IHOP and Denny’s.
- Take 10% off your Fuddruckers order.
- Take 15% off your meal at Applebee’s.
- Enjoy 10% off at Arby’s and A&W.
- Get a free drink at Backyard Burger.
- Take 10% off your meal at Burger King, and enjoy additional discounts on drinks and desserts.
- Take 20% off at Jack in the Box.
- Take 10% off at Sonic.
- Enjoy a meal at Sweet Tomatoes for $8.29, including a drink.
- Enjoy all-you-can-eat meal deals at Souplantation for $7.99 Monday through Thursday.
- Take 10% off your purchase at Waffle House.
- Enjoy a 10% discount at the Rainforest Cafe.
7. Pharmacies and prescription drugs
Paying for medications can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a Medicare prescription drug plan. Here are some excellent options for cost savings:
- Get an AARP prescription drug card and save an average of 61% on many drugs.
- Save 20% by signing up for the Rite Aid Rx Savings Program.
- The Prescription Savings Club at K-Mart offers a wide range of discounts, including 25% off of vaccinations and 10% off pet prescriptions.
- Check out Walmart’s wide range of low-cost generic drugs. Some Walmart stores also offer senior prescription discounts.
8. Services, travel, and miscellaneous
Some other options for saving money include:
- Take 20-30% off at Sleep Inn and Rodeway Inn.
- Take 10% off at Red Roof Inn.
- Enjoy a range of discounts at Jiffy Lube. Check your local store for details.
- Enjoy a $70 unlimited senior plan at T-Mobile.
- Take 25-50% off at Hyatt Hotels.
- Take 15% off at Marriott Hotels.
- Enjoy a wide range of rental car discounts, including AARP discounts at Hertz and National Car Rental.
Other Money-Saving Tips
Advertised senior discounts aren’t the only way to save lots of money in retirement. Here are some other strategies that can keep more money in your pocket:
- Buy nonperishable goods in bulk. You’ll spend less money on these items, and you’ll also spend less time driving to stores.
- Try a delivery program such as Amazon’s Subscribe & Save. Many such programs offer discounts of 5-20% for signing up for regular deliveries.
- Ask every retailer about a senior discount. Sometimes there’s a discount you don’t know about. In other cases, small store owners may offer you a free product or other incentive.
- Get rid of the items you no longer want. Etsy, eBay, and local consignment stores can help you get cash for items in good condition that you no longer use.
- Eat more meals at home. Eating out is almost always more expensive, and often less healthy, than cooking your own food. Consider a meal delivery and planning service such as Blue Apron or Splendid Spoon to make meal prep a breeze.
- Eat when you attend events. Church groups, book clubs, and community events often offer free meals. Every dollar saved on a meal is a dollar earned.
- Buy generic products. They’re almost always as good as the name brand, but the savings quickly accumulate.
- Talk to a financial planner about making your money work for you. Your investments may earn more or be safer if you change them up. Regularly re-evaluating your retirement plans is key to ensuring your money lives longer than you do.
- Look for free activities at your local community college or senior center. Find a comprehensive list of community centers and events here.
Planning for an Affordable Retirement
You’ve worked hard your entire life. Now it’s time to enjoy all that you’ve worked for. Many seniors find that the costs and burdens of home ownership become more overwhelming as they age. Property taxes, surprise repairs, ongoing maintenance, and remodels to keep your home current can all eat into your budget. Yet you’re probably sitting on your biggest investment. So if your home has become a burden, consider selling it and switching to a senior living community.
Senior living offers luxury dining, gorgeous homes, help when you need it, real community, loads of classes, and special activities, all under one roof. No more landscaping or carpet cleaning or any of the other burdens of home ownership—just luxury living at a surprisingly affordable price. To see if a senior living community could help you save money in retirement, check out our Senior Living Cost Calculator tool.
Senior living isn’t what it once was. Today’s communities cater to active, healthy, thriving seniors who crave retirements filled with adventure in purpose. We’d love to show you how Arbor fits into that vision. Give us a call, or stop by one of our community events to learn more!
