AARP Rewards Holiday Savings & Budget Contest 2023

[AARPTeri]

Share how you use the Rewards Catalog to support your holiday giving and budgeting for a chance to win one of eight (8) $50 gift cards.  

Examples from last year's winners posts:

"One of the most meaningful aspects of the holidays to me is the time I get to spend with others.  Using the AARP Rewards, I am looking forward to meals out at a favorite restaurant with family and/or friends where I will get to spend some quality one-on-one time with them while enjoying a meal thanks to AARP!"  

"This is my first year as an AARP Member.  I love learning through the different activities, to save up Reward Points, which helps me to purchase our favorite restaurant gift cards, for fast food, or dining out for special events, or for grocery shopping.  I love to give these gifts cards to my adult daughter, to enjoy for an easy dinner out where she doesn't have to cook after working her daily shift.  It shows my appreciation, and it is a big savings on items we would most likely purchase anyway."

Runs from 10/18 - 12/12/23. Click here for rules

[roblepore]

This looks like a great AARP Rewards contest.

[CBpepperoni]

I received an email on January 2, stating that I was a winner. The instructions were to reply and say that I received email, and then, someone would forward the gift card to my email address. I replied but never received anything. ☹️ 

[mk50268121]

The same thing happened to me.

[CBpepperoni]

This process was scary and frustrating for me, but here’s how I eventually got my gift card. I had to go through my spam folder and look at dates of emails sent to me on/around the day I responded to the AARP email. There was an email in spam that actually looked like a scam. It wasn’t even written in English. I believe it was French, and I didn’t recognize the name of the company, either. I thought it might be the reward but was afraid to click on the link (as I learned in AARP videos that it could put me at risk). So, I researched the company and then clicked on link. It took me to my $50 Amazon gift card to claim. I was very unhappy with how this reward was sent, as the email was in a foreign language, unknown company, and being directed to spam by gmail… all red flags and worried me. I was able to purchase a step stool for my bed at Amazon, which I needed greatly for safety. I did appreciate the gift card. However, the email process was frustrating and worrisome in that I was truly scared to click on that email link. Someone in AARP should look into this. I’d recommend going with another company to send gift cards, one that sends emails in English. Also, the recipient should be told the name of the company that will send the gift card email or AARP should be mentioned in that email so the recipient knows it’s legitimate, what it’s regarding, and that there’s no reason to be scared if you click on the link to claim (not a scam). Find the date of the AARP email notifying you as a winner and date you responded. Then, go through your spam folder and look for emails on or around that date. You will probably see one like I had, from an unknown company and in a foreign language. I wish I still had the email to tell you the name of the company, but I deleted it. Best of luck! This process needs to be reviewed and improved by AARP. 

- Cheryl

[stuberk625]

https://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/executive-team/info-2016/martha-m-boudreau.html
Martha Boudreau needs to be informed.

Unprofessional, AARP!

[AARPConsumerCare]

Hi @mk50268121, I can take a look into this. Just to be sure, did you receive an email from us stating that you were a winner and did you reply to it? - Diana G.

[AARPTeri]

Your gift cards was mailed to the same email address you confirmed on January 2nd.  Please double-check your email, this would have been sent from our Rewards program and not the AARP email address that confirmed your email address.  

[tinasinge]

Hello Teri, wondering if you can post for us who’s entries won your contest?

 Thank you 

[AARPTeri]

We post winners after we have received confirmation from all.  Thank you.

[stuberk625]

🙄

[tinasinge]

Hello Teri, the courtesy of a reply is requested.

 Thank you 

[tinasinge]

Still no confirmation  from all winners?

[stuberk625]

…whose*… (possessive pronoun), not “…who’s (sic)…” (the contraction of “who is”).

[stuberk625]

…whose*… (possessive pronoun), not “…who’s (sic)…” (the contraction of “who is”).

[ElC161570]

Thank you AARP for providing opportunities to save & learn- especially during holiday season!

[GenettaZ95636]

I could very much use one of these gift cards during this busy season because my oven/stove combo sparked and quit working on Thanksgiving evening before I could even finish cooking my dumplings. We have tried to find a new one but because of the age of our home they don’t make one to fit in the opening. We are looking at having to redo cabinets to make the slot big enough even for the smaller ovens. Not an expense I was prepared for plus having no way to cook a meal. I would use this card to feed my family. 
Thank you for the opportunity to win a few meals for my family. 

[LisaH618076]

I like to find Local Offers and get deals on pizzas or other take-out restaurant offerings during the busy holiday season--my limited cooking hours are usually spent baking holiday cookies to give as gifts to neighbors and friends. No time to make dinner! Thanks, AARP! 

[Linda2000]

  I use the Rewards Catalog to help in a few ways - I buy discounted cards to give as gifts, I use them to purchase gifts and I donate some to charities; I redeem points for gift cards to use as stocking stuffers and also to purchase gifts for others; and I buy/use food gift cards to treat myself and my family while out shopping or to relax at the end of the day.  There are so many wonderful ways that the Rewards Catalog has helped save me money, encouraged me to try new places and provided me with some free things. I love all of the ways that the Rewards Catalog has helped me stretch my budget.

[coolmaine]

 Using my reward points for gift cards is a great help especially when my grandkids come over that's when I order a pizza using the Domino's card. If I redeem one or two a month I save them like saving your money it adds up and reduces your amount due. I also like Khol's you can get just about everything at that store. And my favorite CVS e-card helps me purchase the necessary items I need to get me through the end of the month. I saved (3) $10 Cold Stone e-cards and that helped me a lot for my granddaughter's birthday. Thank you AARP

[neldat357771]

I check AARP Rewards daily for gift cards that I or my daughter can use. I look for Target, Walmart and JCPenney for me. My daughter is more of a Nike, Jersey Mike’s, Nordstrom and Old Navy shopper. I enter the monthly sweepstakes, hoping to win. I have become frustrated with the “Instant Wins.” It is tiresome seeing “Sorry, you didn’t win” for the past several years. Maybe I’ll get lucky one day.

[tinasinge]

Throughout this year my husband and I redeemed our points, as much as possible, for gift certificates to department stores.  I shop on-line and in person on a monthly basis, looking to combine store sales, coupons and credits with the AARP gift certificates.  This has really maximized savings.  We have accumulated 25 gifts for the Spark of Love Toy and Food drive in Ventura County, California.  Thank you, AARP, for your contribution in making 25 happy kids and parents this Christmas in Ventura County.

1. 

[d377998c]

With money being tight, I like to use the AARP rewards catalog to purchase gift cards at a discounted price.  I enjoy giving gift cards as gifts and this helps me save money.  AARP provides me the opportunity to use my rewards points to receive free gift cards that allows me to stretch my spending dollars.  Thank you, AARP!!

[Nadja7]

Holiday giving with the AARP rewards catalog helps me stay on budget.  I love to donate to a local non-profit organization I had previous worked closely with during my working years, to empower women.  A great gift is a gift basket filled with everyday personal care necessities along with some splurge beauty products.  I can really use the catalog to bring down my out of pocket expense by buying discounted gift cards.  For example, today is a gift card form Ulta for a 30% discount.  I can purchase this card and use sales and coupons to get more items for less money.  The gift baskets are a great way to bring a smile to women working on being their best version of themselves. 

[rumbledolly]

Cruise line gift cards make it easy to give gifts to my family and the savings add up!

[TheresaL782585]

I bought the carnival gift cards with a discount for Christmas gifts for family going on a cruise. I’m on a budget and this helped me save. 

[PhillipsFamily]

AARP Rewards offers wonderful savings on grocery gift cards. It used to be that my daughters and I would buy non-perishable items to help stock food pantries for the holidays. They loved to push those little shopping carts and fill them on their own. Now that they are young adults, we use the gift cards to help buy items to prepare a holiday meal and take it to the food shelters. The Rewards Program has enabled us to save, give, and learn a little cooking while we are at it (although cooking is still a work-in-progress that we're enjoying together).

[KatelynD173216]

This is my first year with AARP and i have been using the cards to save money for a future cruise with the family. I have also been entering the sweepstakes in hopes to give them more this year. 

[LenaBee]

As a member of AARP for a few years now, I have come to appreciate the Rewards program & the gift certificates I have purchased with points. These help me get more bang for my buck when shopping for holiday gifts for friends and family.  They also help me shop without the need for braving holiday crowds & traffic since so many can be redeemed online.  Limited income seniors can struggle with discretionary spending for items that are a treat, rather than a necessity.  These gifts bring a little generosity and joy when resources are scarce and help me make my dollars holler!

[AmyL494539]

  I use reward points to enter sweepstakes.