Important Updates to the AARP Rewards Program

[AARPTeri]

Points Expiration – Online Community Post – 7/24  

Hello Everyone! 

I wanted to let you all know that AARP Rewards has updated our points expiration policy. Originally we planned to expire all points after six months without any qualifying earn or redemption activity. We have since changed the plan to expire points on a rolling basis after 12 months without any redemption activity. 

Here’s what to expect: 

• You will be receiving an official email later today with info, but I wanted to let you know here first. 
• Starting January 1, 2021, any unused points older than 12 months will begin to expire on a rolling monthly basis. 

• For example, if you earned 5,000 points in June 2020 — and they are NOT redeemed — they will expire 12 months later on July 1, 2021.  
• Unused points earned from September through December 2019 will expire on January 1, 2021 giving everyone 5 months to plan and redeem their points in the catalog. Your oldest points will always be used first for your redemptions.  

• Points that are eligible to be expired can now be viewed and tracked anytime via the Transaction History (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/transaction/#view=expiration) by filtering on the “Points Expiration” filter. We will also remind all participants monthly that you may have points eligible for expiration in your Rewards Monthly e-Statement email. 

Look for new ways to use your points starting in late August including: 

• The ability to submit up to 20 entries per day per sweepstakes, instead of just 5. 
• Fresh sweepstakes prizes with even more winners like:  

$2,000 Cash Giveaway (5 winners) 

$500 Gas Gift Card (5 winners) 

$500 Walmart Gift Card (5 winners) 

• New and more brands in the catalog - We’re stocking up so you will have more to choose from!  

And of course you can always continue to redeem you points to: 

• Contribute to AARP Foundation (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/contributions/): Help end senior poverty, hunger and isolation by contributing points.  
• Points-Only Offers (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/pointsoffers/) 

• Sweepstakes (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/sweeps/): Use points for a chance to win fabulous prize packages, some worth thousands of dollars! 
• Local Deals (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/local/): Try local offers, from dining to entertainment, and help local businesses — only 500 points each. 

Redeem Your Points Now (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/redeem/pointsoffers/)  

For all the details on points expiration, please read the updated terms and conditions.  Go to:  https://www.aarp.org/about-aarp/rewards-terms-and-conditions/

It’s our hope that you enjoy AARP Rewards to its fullest and redeem your points on an ongoing basis. Please let me know if you have any questions, I’m here to help! You can also visit newly updated About/FAQ page (https://www.aarp.org/rewards/about/) 

AARPTeri  

[PatriciaB426718]

Michael 20 year old I just joined up not even six months ago so how come my points be out of date

[PatriciaB426718]

My points were not six not even six months old so how can you be out of date already plus I didn’t get any kind of notification saying they were so what’s going on with my points

[AARPJanelleM]

@PatriciaB426718 Thank you for being a member of our family! I see you signed up for AARP Rewards in June 2022. You have not had any points expire yet. Check out your points expiration history here: https://www.aarp.org/rewards/transaction/#view=expiration I'm here to help if you need anything!

[k380494p]

I am wondering, now that our points will/might expire if unused, will the maximum number of points only redemptions be increased?  Many/most/all of the high value/high point redemptions are not available to be used in my area.  I usually can only redeem for a $5/10 Target, Walmart, or Amazon gift card.  Can these values be increased or the number of redemptions per month be increased to somewhat equalize the $ amounts of redemption for members and give us the opportunity to use up our accumulated points (at least in the short term)?

[AARPJodeeR]

@k380494p While it's not currently an option to increase the value or number of redemptions per month, there are some exciting changes coming to the Rewards Catalog! We will be increasing the daily limit of individual sweepstakes entries from 5-20, giving you even more chances to win exciting prizes, and we'll have even bigger sweepstakes and prizes too!

Your AARP Rewards points will not start to expire until January 1, 2021. They expire one year after they were earned, on the first day, of the following month. For example, any points earned in January 2020 would expire on February 1, 2021, if you don't use them for redemption. This means any points earned in 2019 would expire on January 1 2021, however, when you make a redemption, we always use your oldest points first. 

[sjean65]

have points

nothing to redeem them for

everything offered is sold out 

everyday i look for something to spend points on

anything i can use is sold out every morning 

[sjean65]

still looking this morning

everything i can use amazon macy etc

all sold out

[gm5271]

@sjean65 

Hey there Sjean

FYI if your wanting to get response from Community Workers or also tag other folks in posts you reply to you need to Tag them: 

Type @ and choose person in drop down you wish to connect with like I did with your signature name above & 2 helpers here

@AARPTeri @AARPJodeeR 

This generates an email or such to them

Good luck!

Ginger ;  )

[rednexsrus]

@AARPJodeeR 

Of course it’s not an option. Anything that will improve or benefit us the members of this program is definitely of no interest to management, they have proved that time and time again. When the members began to cancel their membership, insurance policies and Medicare supplement, then maybe things will change.

Just Saying

[rednexsrus]

An increase to 20 chances will have the same effect as the 5 chances. Our Supreme Leader (the administrator Merkle aka HelloWorld) will be throwing them in the garbage right away
Just Saying

[k380494p]

@AARPJodeeR Thank you for your response and while some members may enjoy the opportunity to submit more entries, an increase in the number of entries per day does nothing to increase the overall chances of winning.  Just the same number of individuals submitting more entries and a way to 'use' points.  Yes, some people will win (and that's great) but the overall odds of winning is still the same (minuscule).  

It would at least be nice if members could try for the Daily Deal without limitation (only 3 points only redemptions per month).  It was my favorite part of the old program and motivated me to come to the site daily.  

[mi4090]

Hello @k380494p 

I'm not seeing any $10 cards that you mentioned😯  Could you screenshot and post it?  What state are you in?

I have seen $5 Amazon daily deal with a 100 cards available for over 3 million members😢,

Thanks & Have a Blessed Day

Marylin

[RussellP197074]

Back near the end of RFG, before the big switch was announced, I recommended implementing an expiration period for points.  At the time, the most complaints were about the huge number of points available for some in the auctions. In my opinion, that would have resolved that issue over a period of time, allowing those with points to use them before they lost them.  There weren't many other issues at the time, at least not like there are now.

The powers that be threw the baby out with the bathwater instead.  

Fortunately there are other options available to us. They seem to be DRIVing us to bE WISEer about where we spend our time earning points and redeeming same points. We can ALL STATE we are unhappy with the status quo, but IN the end it is up to us to do what is best for us. I can give asSURANCE, it is in your best interest to look around for a better offer.

[rednexsrus]

@AARPTeri 

 You stated in your post "Points that are eligible to be expired can now be viewed and tracked anytime via the Transaction History"

Not so at this time: ITS BROKE AGAIN😫😫😫

Just Saying

[PaulineC593962]

Anybody else having trouble with the rewards site since receiving this email? Can't see my points balance at all and unable to redeem -not like there is much in there anyways,,,

[NoreenH3tr0]

Yes!  I am having problems with the rewards page.  I contacted support.  They are working on the problem and should be up and running soon.  This started Wednesday August 5 since around 11:00 a.m. 

[NoreenH3tr0]

Yes!  Plus I am unable to earn anymore points since the email.  The site to earn points is down since Wednesday, July 5 from around 11 AM.  My sister who is a member also is having the same problem.  I tried Safari, Chrome, Edge and Firefox Browsers.  AARP works on none of the browsers.

[AARPJodeeR]

@PaulineC593962 @rednexsrus @NoreenH3tr0  We are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience. Please try again later today.

[NoreenH3tr0]

Thank you! 🙂

[AARPJodeeR]

@NoreenH3tr0 You're welcome! 

[RussellP197074]

Clarification is in order.  In the first paragraph, it reads as though any redemption activity will exempt points from being lost, but later on it sounds like any points older than a year will be lost. So, which is it?

The math would indicate that, if you max out points everyday, you would expect to start losing points after about 2.7 million is in your account.  If you don't max out all the time you will start losing points at a lower level.

[Hokahey1491]

May I suggest AARP has a large audience so in turn the programs offered for point usage isn't suitable. You limit us on buying and using points for purchase. Personally don't find the offering suitable in the state i live nor are they what I use. 

Have you looked at point purchase offers as of today? 

I live in Texas there are very few for gift cards to purchase nor point usage purchase i can use. I have said this many times but nothing is taken in consideration. 

Current offers point wise bids many are not to my taste as products or enjoyment but this is personal. 

Your dealing with one might a universal group so now offer the options to fit all equally. Plus dealing with enough cards for everyone to buy.

Thank you MW

[rosiera]

On the one hand, I'm glad they are extending the point expiration period. On the other hand, I didn't realize there was an expiration period (I guess I didn't read the fine print) and I'm a bit annoyed that there are not worthwhile rewards to use these points for.

As others have noted, I, too, am disillusioned with the quality of the offerings for the rewards program. The old program was much better. I don't live in a highly populated area and I am not someone who eats out much, largely because I try to eat healthily. As another person noted, the $1 off or even 10% in some cases is hardly worth the effort, when and if you can find something you might use. The one item I did like were the magazine options and they have disappeared. I've entered a sweepstakes occasionally and never won. There's just not much of interest to me.

I wonder whether AARP would get our message if all of us who were disillusioned with these paltry offerings were to stop using or accumulating rewards entirely? That would send a message!

[a170938b]

Hi Teri,

I am a little confused as well. I usually earn the maximum daily 7500 points. For a month of 30 days, this leads to a gain of 225,000 points. There is no way with the actual program to use up those points. I had been hoping, as many other members have, that the program will change to include something similar to the Auctions that could use up points. This is why I kept accumulating those points.

However I now understand that we were not meant to accumulate daily points this way as they will expire without the possibility of us using them. Please address my confusion and explain if my take is correct.

[NoreenH3tr0]

You said it well and my exact thoughts. 😁  As a Vegan I have no use to use restaurant Gift Cards or Gift Cards that specifically sell meat. I hope they sell Gift Cards for the Vegan.   Most of the Gift Cards target areas out of my zip code and state.  I currently have 611,?? points that I was holding onto until something useable came available.  I am very unhappy with the new terms for rewards.  I have been a member since 2015 when I turned 50.  I am also lazy so to sell me the Green Chef is not for me.  I am too lazy to prep food.  I want the food prepared so all I have to do is place the food into the microwave to cook. Freshly does this.  To sell Gift Cards to only get $2.00 off is silly.

Noreen H.

[Hokahey1491]

totally agree

[mazur777]

Need to offer more points redemption opportunities as well as up the limits....these are items that can be changed to allow for more redemptions.  Handcuffing members the opportunity to redeem points....

[andrewtoo]

@AARPTeri 

I have redemption activity every month.  What does this mean:

"We have since changed the plan to expire points on a rolling basis after 12 months without any redemption activity."

Why the change?  AARP Rewards may have wasted a lot of my time.

Thanks,