When do I take the senior discount?

[iris lilies]

For those of you who attend performances, what's the typical age senior discount kicks in?

I buy tickets from many venues and don't want to take time to search their website to see if they have stated what "senior" means.

Next year I will be 62 years old and am thinking about awarding myself that discount then. I used to think the magic age was 65 but have run into different, younger interpretations. Since I am now on a fixed income, I qualify. I think.

what do you think?

[ApatheticNoMore]

I always thought it often kicks in at 55, but I haven't checked.

[catherine]

I think movie theaters is 62, or maybe even earlier. DH and I started asking for the senior citizen rate a few years ago, and I'm 63 now. It was a very bittersweet moment--cheaper tickets (yay!) / acknowledging that I'm a certified senior (boo!). I was waiting for the ticket seller to say, "NO...YOU can't be old enough for the senior citizen price!!!!" but, alas, he never did.

I'm sure each independent theater has its own policies--you might have to check online yourself on a case-by-case basis.

[Teacher Terry]

The range is wide-55-65. I have to check at every place. Last year my hubby was only 55 but he has a head of gray hair. The guy gave him the senior discount at the movies which is only at age 62 & he was not amused. Now I always ask for it. I am 61 so I figure close enough:~)

[iris lilies]

I think movie theaters is 62, or maybe even earlier. DH and I started asking for the senior citizen rate a few years ago, and I'm 63 now. It was a very bittersweet moment--cheaper tickets (yay!) / acknowledging that I'm a certified senior (boo!). I was waiting for the ticket seller to say, "NO...YOU can't be old enough for the senior citizen price!!!!" but, alas, he never did.

I'm sure each independent theater has its own policies--you might have to check online yourself on a case-by-case basis.
but that's the thing, I will not check. My time has value and I will not search all over a website to find info that may or may not be there. I buy tickets at dozen small venues of theater, music, dance.

I want to set a number that I think is reasonable, ethically.

[Geila]

In my state, 55 is the age when you can transfer your property taxes. This is a one-time deal, presumably to make it easier to downsize or move to an area with lower cost of living. A really fantastic deal for seniors. So, I take that as the magic number. I also figure by that age we have made significant financial contributions from our work. And it does provide a benefit to businesses also, as it encourages customers to spend money with them.

[catherine]

but that's the thing, I will not check. My time has value and I will not search all over a website to find info that may or may not be there. I buy tickets at dozen small venues of theater, music, dance.

I want to set a number that I think is reasonable, ethically.

I think, at 62, no one will raise a fuss selling you a ticket, and you're in the clear, ethically. IMHO.

[bae]

What is the age at which you begin experiencing discrimination in the workforce due to your age?

I'm 52, and in my previous tech industry, I'd never be able to find a job again in Silicon Valley. It's easier to get acceptance as a structural/interior firefighter at this age than to land a job coding at Google :-)

[catherine]

What is the age at which you begin experiencing discrimination in the workforce due to your age?

I'm 52, and in my previous tech industry, I'd never be able to find a job again in Silicon Valley. It's easier to get acceptance as a structural/interior firefighter at this age than to land a job coding at Google :-)

One of my colleagues noticed the rate at which 50-somethings were being "encouraged" to leave their jobs in Big Pharma. So he did a pre-emptive strike and started his own business in his late 40s/early 50s and he's been getting buyout offers (which he has refused). It is hard to reconcile the fact that one can be unemployable in their 50s. What a waste of talent. But then again, I remember working at NBC in my 20s and marveling how "brave" a colleague was to go out for a job at NBC in her thirties.

That's one reason I like being on my own. I might never be able to get a job back at the job I left in 2008, but they're the ones still hiring me to do their work.

[ApatheticNoMore]

What is the age at which you begin experiencing discrimination in the workforce due to your age?

some studies say in the tech industry it's age 35. But I think the movie theater probably wouldn't give a 36 year old a senior discount needless to say :).

Jobs I get now are more business less tech heavy and I kind of shrug if that's the way it is (I seem to have much less control over my career path than I think, more like a career random walk at this point) Mind you I was highly appreciated for my code monkeying once upon a time, but I know it's not that great of a path for a person in their 40s or 50s anyway. Wait is anything a good career path after 50? But at least in non-tech you might find work after 35.

[Geila]

One of my colleagues noticed the rate at which 50-somethings were being "encouraged" to leave their jobs in Big Pharma. So he did a pre-emptive strike and started his own business in his late 40s/early 50s and he's been getting buyout offers (which he has refused). It is hard to reconcile the fact that one can be unemployable in their 50s. What a waste of talent. But then again, I remember working at NBC and marveling how "brave" a colleague was to go out for a job at NBC in her thirties.

This is one of the difficulties with the increased longevity. Most of us can now work productively into our 60's, 70's, and even 80's. And many of us will want to, even if we don't need the job, to remain engaged with the world, feel productive, to use our skills and talents, etc. The Supreme Court justices for example, many of them are up there in age. And when I watch 60 minutes I marvel at the age of many of the contributors on the show. A lot of people who have made it to the top of their respective careers want to hang on "till death do us part."

But what about all the people in their 20's and 30's, even 40's, who need jobs? Those who are still trying to work their way up in order to provide for their families, but find that there are few openings to be had?

A dear friend of mine has a really nice job in a school district with excellent pay and benefits. She doesn't need either of those things, she is in her 80's and is financially set. But she doesn't want to give up the social aspects that the job provides, despite gentle promptings from the school district. They can't fire her, she's in a union. But I'm sure there are many people who could really use the job, who actually do need the salary and benefits. It's a difficult situation all around.

[ApatheticNoMore]

No I really don't think it's some new difficulty with people living longer. Tons and tons of people in the past worked till age 65 (full collection of social security back then, now they extended the age). It's just corporate America is discriminating more and more against older people.

Corporate America should not be forgiven for discrimantory hiring at least until Social Security kicks in and thus provides some other source of regular income (imperfect as it may be).

[Tammy]

Nurses can still get jobs at about any age. I've worked with nurses who almost 80.

[frugal-one]

Senior discounts here range from age 50 on up. I always ask and am truly surprised at how many places do give the discount that you wouldn't even think of.

[freshstart]

Nurses can still get jobs at about any age. I've worked with nurses who almost 80.

that's funny, I was just going to say that it is much younger than I thought, all of our over 50-60 staff were forced to resign. This was just not how our company works, it kept going on until only one old nurse was left (I'm 45), and 2 50 yr old social workers. It was a ton of the very best of hospice care providers, no one understood it, until the new grads started coming in and it was clear, get rid of the old at the top of the pay scale. But hospice pay is the lowest in the company and it really is not the place for a brand new nurse or other professional, so I don't get why they did it. And when they did it, it was unethical, they had to sign papers that they had been counseled by my boss for a certain thing, they continued to do it and had to resign or be fired. One catch- they weren't ever counseled for a problem, they wanted the employee to sign a back dated form for all the "counseling sessions" and leave. NOW, with 2 security guards brought over from the hospital. Humiliating in a place where team was like family. I could not watch the men crying as they packed up their stuff. Dignified people treated like dirty garbage.

and since churned over a whole new staff of the very young at least twice, I stopped paying attention.

Age is favorable in hospice, the dying do not want chitty chatty 20 yr olds who really don't have the career or life experience to be great at their job yet. So I am afraid that if it can happen to an entire dept of people who are a little oder than me, in a place that is just not like that, it can happen in any nursing setting that's at the bedside.

Even suspecting this, I am still very glad that I went out from bedside nursing and not this crappy middle management job they tried to force on me once a year at least with either no pay bump or in a good year, $1 an hour more (outsiders quit rather quickly when they realize a sane person would not do this job). If nursing is over, I am glad hospice at the bedside was my last stop.

[sweetana3]

iris lilies, if you want to be in the clear ethically, use 65. I have not found anyone setting it higher. Otherwise, what do you consider stealing or an ethical violation?

I am not 65, but I pay the regular price unless there is a sign giving the senior discount or it is just a matter of asking at a restaurant or movie theater. My conscience is clear.

[iris lilies]

To be clear, my question was in the context of online ticket sales.
They have a "senior" price without explaining minimum age.

There is no one to ask what "senior" means.

I will not poke around their websites if they don't put ticket price requirements upfront. I will not send an email, asking. Again, my time is worth something.

I'm going with age 62 although 65 is always safer, as sweetana points out.

[Teacher Terry]

In human service the older workers are valued & not pushed out. They have the maturity to do the job. If they aren't listing the age by the prices then I say at 62 you qualify.

[kib]

Have you actually tried ordering tickets online with the senior discount? I would think they might ask for your driver's license or your birthday when you go to pay, and then tell you if you didn't qualify - still a nuisance but not as much so.

[iris lilies]

Have you actually tried ordering tickets online with the senior discount? I would think they might ask for your driver's license or your birthday when you go to pay, and then tell you if you didn't qualify - still a nuisance but not as much so.

i confess to recently doing that, closing the " senior" option because I wanted to see what happened.the website accepted my choice of ticket category. It would do'the same for "student".

[rodeosweetheart]

i confess to recently doing that, closing the " senior" option because I wanted to see what happened.the website accepted my choice of ticket category. It would do'the same for "student".

I think with many airlines, it is 65? At least that is what I am seeing.
Amtrak seems to be 62.

[Radicchio]

It's pretty simple, really. Just ask if they have a senior discount and the reply generally says what the age requirement is. As already noted, it can vary widely. If they don't say what age, then just ask. I've been surprised that I'm not old enough for some of the discounts yet qualify for others. Most places don't ask for proof, but I stay within the limits of their plan and don't lie about my age just to get a small discount.