AARP Rewards Online Community Budget Contest 2025

[AARPTeri]

Share how you use AARP Rewards as a smart way to stick to your budget and save money for a chance to win! 

Simply reply to this post telling us about how you have been able to reduce the cost of everyday expenses like travel, gifts, fast-casual meals (ex: Chipotle, Dominos, Panera), and/or online purchases and how the AARP Rewards programs have become an easy, low-effort way to stretch your budget further and stay financially mindful.

The contest will run beginning on Monday, May 5th – Friday, May 30, 2025.  Official Rules - https://community.aarp.org/t5/AARP-Rewards-Connect/AARP-Rewards-Online-Community-Budget-Contest-2025...

[ShelleyP440413]

We purchase cruise line gift cards at the discounted AARP rate and use them to pay for our cruises!  It has saved us so much money! 

[usagypsy]

I use my AARP rewards for discount coupons. Always check for AARP discounts when traveling. Have save a lot over the years which makes my budget very happy! $$$$  😀  💵 👌 😎 😍 

[RobertK4666]

  Using the rewards program to find local deals helps me save on so much, from dining to car repair.  It is a great resource and I love that the gift cards for points and purchase are so varied in the program.  Any and all savings are appreciated!

[CherylB53]

I stick to my budget by making a shopping list and sticking to it. 

[ctjesterhusky]

I do the same thing but allow for sale items that I find that I need. 

[HelenM536893]

II shop at stores that offer Buy one get one free for groceries and plan my weekly menus around that so it keeps my pantry stocked. I do use digital and paper coupons for additional savings. I keep an eye on the calendar for the things I need for upcoming gifts for weddings, birthdays, holidays, etc. so I can watch for sales to get the best price. I love clearance sections where prices are reduced. I do enjoy eating out occasionally but only when there is coupons or special deals at restaurants. I like to make my money work for me so I can save extra. My grandmother always said to save for rainy days ane a bargain isn't a bargain unless it is something you really need.

[uptondunmore1]

By comparison shopping before I buy. Looking at receipts to make sure I am being charged corectly.

[SharmenR875517]

I use AARP mostly for discounts on travel. Whenever I stay at a hotel I check mt AARP app first!

[MaryC477743]

I went to one of the restaurants you give 15% off with 20 other senior living friends.  I reminded everyone to use their AARP card and we all got the deal.  Everyone was very happy.

I have also encouraged my 55x daughters to buy the card and use it and one of them is going to Iceland with friends and is getting some very good deals with the AARP card.

[2talltodd]

I use the discounts and coupons to stretch my dollars and manage my budget.

[KeithL703525]

I take surveys that pay out in restaurant or gift cards, then use them when I don't want to cook, need a gift or just have an urge to splurge--they take the sting out of retail therapy or last-minute dining dashes!

[SusanS535211]

The discounted gift cards have definitely been a great way to save money. And sometimes the daily gift card specials can be even bigger deals. I wish I had joined sooner.

[AndreaC821076]

I must say AARP has definitely took me for a shock . My initial thought whenever I think of this company, I always compare it to older people. I didn’t realize all the benefits. I mean, it could be the smallest things they can help you when you really need it. I’ve saved more with AARP than any other site and I’ve had my membership, less than a year! They are definitely A company I trust and brag about. Thank you AARP!!

[AdrianL617167]

Since joining AARP Rewards, I’ve been able to make smarter money moves—especially when it comes to everyday spending for my family of seven. I use the points I earn from activities like quizzes and videos to redeem gift cards for places we already shop, like Target, Panera, and even online retailers. It’s a great way to stretch our budget.

I’ve also started checking the AARP Rewards site before making any purchase. The restaurant discounts and travel offers help us plan affordable family outings, and the digital coupons stack up fast. Just last month, we saved on a dinner out and used the leftover grocery savings to put gas in the car—every little bit counts.

This program makes budgeting feel less stressful and more rewarding. I tell my friends: it’s like getting paid for being financially mindful.

[MatthewT874584]

Always look for digital coupons, coupon codes and if a merchant price matches

 Look to combine offers also. 

[patriciamgr]

AARP Rewards add real value to my budgeting process as a senior citizen with the valuable savings I have achieved on everyday essentials such as groceries, drug and hardware store items, clothing--and, of course, local restaurant meals.  For senior citizens on fixed incomes, stretching every dollar matters.  And earning rewards by completing quizzes and watching informative videos allows me to be frugal with my hard-earned money.  The e-gift cards are easy to use; I always try to stack  senior discounts & coupon savings with the AARP Rewards gift cards.   

[SusanL900640]

1. Fiscal conservative is the nice way to describe my personality type. I'm in year 2 of my AARP membership. I joined initially for the driver training  that gave me a discount on my car insurance. An added bonus was AARP rewards which I found to be incredibly fun and informative. I've entered countless contests. Although I haven't won any of them yet, I learned that I could cash in my reward points for gift cards. A major factor in my year 2 renewal was the gift cards that I was able to obtain and utilize at great retail stores and restaurants. My membership has more than paid for itself in both years.

[RitaP496048]

We do digital coupons.  And if I find things on sale I buy them whether I need it or not.

[jh95446369]

I I buy the discounted gift cards to use for things for myself and my household, and also to give as gifts to others.

[lanak117821]

I have been using AARP rewards to buy Albertsons and Michaels gift cards, which make grocery and craft supply items cheaper. I'm can also stick to a budget if I only have a certain dollar amount from the gift card to spend 

[lb60016194]

I use the AARP local discounts for reduced cost on activities I want to do anyway.  Saves me 10-20% vs regular rates.

[GAMusician]

I My wife and I SAVE  10% yearly on my auto insurance by leading an in person AARP Smart Driver Course!  The certification is good for 3 years!  My wife and I volunteer as a instructor and course administrator in our North GA county and surrounding area!  We enjoy helping others save money and stay safer driving on our roads!

[dehackey]

    My wife and I enjoy the gift cards I purchase through AARP, like Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, & TJ Maxx, to name a few. They are in my email box fairly quick, so we can use them if we plan a little ahead of going to a specific place. We can always save a few dollars for the amount we plan on spending, which usually works out that way. It definitely helps knowing you already saved by buying the cards at a discount, before you get to spend it. We have also saved at some restaurants, just by asking about AARP or senior discounts, win,win.

[carolwan]

The great thing about the egift cards is that they don't expire, so I try to accumulate the same cards over time and eventually I can stack them with other offers.  For example, I was able to score a completely free box of goodies from Harry and David with free shipping from them and paying with several egift cards either won or bought for points from AARP.   Stacking with offers from vendors has allowed me to get free meals or significant discounts on food and merchandise from my favorite stores.  Keep up the great work AARP!

[AmyF57181]

AARP rewards has a great variety of gift cards that save money thru the discounted purchase price.  Using the gift cards along with store specials and military discounts for things we need is a nice savings for our budget.   I enjoy earning rewards points by watching videos, taking quizzes, and playing games with Rewards.   It’s been fun to redeem those points for discounted restaurant cards.   We try to use the gift cards on lunch menus or daily specials when we can.  It’s been fun to use the gift cards from Instant Wins to purchase gifts for family.   The videos have shown many great ideas for saving money!  And it’s so much fun to play the games and earn points while having a good time!

[ChristinaC603600]

the most effective method that has rung true in my life is just to ask for a discount or a coupon when checking out or paying the bill. My husband and I both have experience in law enforcement and he is a fully disabled combat veteran. So, asking the checkout person if they offer military or law enforcement discounts is an easy ask for me, because the worst thing that can happen is for them to decline. And if that does occur, I’m in no less of a position that I was prior to making the ask! You’d be surprised how many businesses gladly offer discounts when asked, even when they aren’t publicizing their interest to do so! 

[dhazel]

Being disabled is taught me about micromanaging my money budgeting and spending. Also if you log into a lot of restaurants grocery stores apps they have discounts and you get points that you can use also to purchase things for this groceries shoes clothes and also pay your bills on time in full. That's another budgeting technique that will help you save money and spend more money. And also stock up your cabinets your freezer and rotate things in and out as you go grocery shopping that'll save you tremendously amount of money on from eating out. And within three to six months you will see how much you saved and how better the system works if you stick to it, you might be struggling for a minute but trust me stick to the technique and it will pay off in the end. So even getting paid weekly monthly try to sit 20 50 bucks aside and keep doing that every pay period for 3 to 6 months then that would become your traveling money in summer expense money as well. Before you know it you have a budget that you created on your own and it works accordingly to you and your work you put in yes sometime the bank can help you but you got to look at where is the bank's going now with helping you as a customer and how much it's costing you and also as a tip if you're banking with a credit union or Bank set up paying all your bills out of your checking account instead of auto pay that right there is a big savings to help eliminate over fees for withdrawing your money out of your account by overdraft fees stop paying for things with your credit card or bank card at the gas pump because the gas pump puts a hold on your account for excessive amount plus the amount of gas you're trying to get in your vehicles. Trust me I went through this and it's a headache to get it resolved. You can control everything with your hard work and trusting yourself. And you can also try logging on to experian.com boost to help build your credit score up by logging in and create an account and putting all your bills that you pay in your name and that will help you get your credit score raised up. Or you can talk to your bank financial department to see what they offer to help you get your credit score up and also maintain paying off debt and balancing out your payments.

[j138561f]

Love getting the gift cards it really helps my budget. I save money on restaurants and shopping. It is a double savings when I win a gift card and use points to buy one at same place it is like eating out for free.

[JulieB343562]

I saved money with AARP by taking advantage of their Rewards program, which let me redeem points for gift cards to places like Walmart and various restaurants. It’s been a great way to cut down on everyday expenses, especially when shopping for groceries or dining out. We also make a habit of reading all the AARP articles about saving money—they’re full of helpful tips and practical advice that have helped us make smarter financial choices. Between the rewards and the guidance, AARP has definitely made a positive impact on our budget.

[dkhamel63]

We have just recently retired so we used a spreadsheet to monitor our spending for a few years beforehand to get a clear picture of what we were spending, and where we could cut back. We use AARP rewards and discounts to help cut costs.