Senior Discounts May Be A Bust For Boomers
Filed under: Bargains & Freebies, Health, Shopping
The Baby Boomer generation is aging and since they represent a large percentage of the population - more than eight million were born within a twenty year period - boomers have had a huge impact on everything from clothing styles to movies. What other generation could make it acceptable for adults to wear Mickey Mouse on everything from T-shirts to boxer shorts?But while baby boomer parents enjoyed discounts on everything from movie tickets to restaurant meals as senior citizens, senior discounts may be a bust for boomers for the simple reason that there are so many of them now.According to Statistics Canada's 2011 census, there are now almost as many seniors as there are kids under 14 and some businesses have already made adjustments in response to these demographics.
According to a recent article in the Toronto Star, some of the major banks have been among the first to do away with fee-free banking for seniors, instead offering monthly rebates ranging from 25 per cent to 100 per cent, depending on the type of account.
Drug stores like Shoppers Drug Mart, however, are happy to continue their monthly seniors day because people over 65 fill an average of 39 prescriptions every year, as compared to 20-somethings, who fill an average of only eight prescriptions a year. Senior's day offers a 20 per cent discount off regular-priced merchandise to those age 55 and over.
| Yes. I was looking forward to saving money on a variety of goods and services. | |
|---|---|
| No. I'll take a seniors' discount if it's offered, but I don't (or won't) think of myself as a senior citizen. | |
| I'm indifferent. If I can save extra money, great but there are always good deals to be had, no matter how old you are. |
But, how badly do Boomers even want these discounts? According to the Toronto Star article, don't actively pursue such deals and a great deal don't even want to be thought of as seniors, though according to Shoppers Drug Mart, they already are.
That's something else the Baby Boom generation has changed. While their parents, for the most part, pretty much accepted the aging process as part of life, their 'kids' are fighting tooth and nail to hold onto youth. And while we love finding great deals, accepting senior discounts does nothing to foster the fantasy that we can stay young forever.
So, what about you? Will you be sorry if senior discounts all but disappear before you become a senior? Have your say in the comment section or take the poll.
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RELATED LINKS
Don't Forget to Ask for Senior Discounts: You May End up Getting Them
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Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and Dollar Store Diva. She writes tips and tricks for finding and using the best that dollar stores have to offer.
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I don't think this freelance writer has thoroughly researched her topic. Demographically, the Baby Boomer cohorts are an economic force that business will be loathe to disregard. The writer has taken a very limited Canadian perspective. She should look at the power of AARP in the U.S. where she will find that this senior's advocacy group strongly markets "good" deals for Baby Boomers. Canada does not appreciate the purchasing power of seniors as much as the U.S., which is why I make as many purchases in the U.S. as possible. Canadian products and services are a rip-off. If a Canadian bank doesn't want my business, I'll go elsewhere. The TD bank should realize that Baby Boomers may, collectively, has more assets and be economically more financially responsible than younger consumers/customers.
July 19 2012 at 9:50 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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