For seniors discounts abound

When I volunteered to write a blog on frees stuff for seniors, I had no idea what I was getting into.

The first thing I learned is that depending on where the discount or deal is offered, “senior” can mean age , 60 or 65.

And as I trolled the internet, I realized that there is no central, up-to-date source for this information, so I ended up with reams of paper in my recycle bin and a depleted ink cartridge in my printer.

Furthermore, subscribing in the name of research to several online newsletters promising seniors deals of the day was a huge mistake. When my inbox  filled up with junk, I couldn’t unsubscribe fast enough.

So, without in anyway claiming to be comprehensive, here are a few of the bargains for seniors I discovered:

Snow and ice clearance: Winter is over for another year, but if you are a Toronto resident over 65 or under 65 with a disability, next fall you can apply for the free sidewalk snow clearing service. In surrounding communities including Oakville and Mississauga they use bobcats to clear sidewalks, but not in most parts of Toronto. For seniors, this service applies to the city-owned sidewalk in front of your house, but does not include clearing of snow from driveways or private approaches to your residence.
Sidewalks will be cleared when the snow has stopped and the accumulation has reached 8 centimetres (3 inches) in November, December and March and 5 centimetres (2  inches) in January and February.

Shopping: Some chains advertise one day a month where they offer discounts of up to 20 per cent and other rebates for seniors. Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall Pharma Plus, The Bay and Zellers are a few examples. You would need a separate calendar to keep track of all of these deal days and if you went to every sale you probably wouldn’t have time to do anything else.

Banks: I have definitely been in denial since my 60th birthday, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn I am now eligible for the CIBC 60 Plus Advantage.  Among other things, this gives me a chequing account with free transactions, bank drafts and money orders as well as no monthly fees. Most banks and credit unions offer a comparable package for senior clients.

Entertainment:  The Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum and the Toronto Zoo all have reduced entrance fees for seniors. In addition, the ROM is half price for everyone from 4:30 PM on Fridays and free on Wednesdays after 3:30 PM.

Several years ago when a teen-aged ticket seller at a movie theatre in Florida asked my husband if he wanted a seniors’ ticket, he recoiled. However we have since taken advantage of lower prices at cinemas throughout the GTA.

Ticket prices differ depending on where the theatre is located. For example, at the Beach Cinemas, the regular adult fare is $9.96 but the seniors’ price is $$7.95.In contrast, the Silver City Fairview Mall charges adults $11.75 but seniors only pay $8.99.

Gambling junkets and other day trips: Senior Centres regularly run day trips to Niagara Fallsview Casino and Casino Rama. One can only assume legions of seniors descending on casinos across the province have lost enough money to subsidize these excursions.
For example, the Square One Older Adults Club’s sold out trip to Fallsview on April 12th cost $15 for members including $10 in casino tokens. The June 30th trip to Casino Rama is priced at only one dollar! Some of the trips my mother has gone on even include lunch.

Other popular packages from the same club include bus trips to the Stratford and Shaw Festivals. An early bird ticket to Camelot for $93 is not cheap, but if you don’t have to drive and pay for gas it’s probably not a bad price.

Travel:  Road Scholar (formerly known as Elder Hostel Inc.) offers nearly 8,000 educational tours in all 50 U.S. states and more than 90 countries Along with local and renowned experts, senior travelers experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities, from cultural tours and study cruises to walking, biking and more. A variety of programs are advertised for under $600. VIA rail also has age 60+ discount fares and other travel organizations and clubs offer discount travel geared to seniors.

I hope this information is useful, particularly for those of you who have the time and energy to take advantage of all of these great opportunities. As for me, I think the sun must be over the yardarm somewhere in the world, so I’m going to look for a bar with a happy hour where I can get a deal on a good stiff drink.