Savings and cutting costs are crucial to most retirees and fortunately many businesses have recognised this with discounts and special offers for the pensioner.
Pensioners often find that while money is tight time is not and many start to enjoy shopping. Today with both parents working often on-line shopping is a boon, but there are times when a person enjoys getting the items they want and often the pensioner can perform a shopping service.
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Tsheke has started a business where she buys at stores who give her discounts. She has created a circle in which she buys for her family and neighbours who are working as well. They pay her a small fee for the shop, this fee, coupled with what she saves a means she is able to survive on her pension and look after her grandchildren. The parents send money sporadically for the children, so she is grateful she has this option as otherwise her pension would not feed them all. Tsheke says her best investment was buying a small truck and getting her driver’s licence since this has managed to help her in what would be a very miserable retirement.
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It is great to see businesses who give discounts and this section is all about saving. The best way is to go around your local shops and find out what savings they offer. Often identification and a pensioner card may be required to prove you are really that old.
Often municipalities will give pensioner rates for properties although this is normally means tested.
Since I am South African I found out about some (not all) of our nation-wide offers, hopefully this will give you ideas, if you are not in South Africa of what to ask for.
A South African site that negotiates discounts is https://youve-earned-it.co.za/
Longevity means the older person in some economies are responsible for millions jobs and contribute huge amounts to the Government as a result of wages and salaries. The over 50s spend more than other age groups as they are spending on their own children, grandchildren and their parents.
Yet few businesses try to get their attention. Business that are of value to older persons, include mobile health, telemedicine, regenerative medicine, anti-aging market, sensor based tracking systems for aged and Alzheimer’s patients. The older person wants ergonomic designs to make them comfortable, cars that are easy to enter and exit as well as structures they can use with mobility aids.
Fortunately the picture is changing and certain shops and businesses offer discounts to the elderly.
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Age related rebates |
Business |
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55+ |
Hertz’s ‘A group’ fleet. Rates include theft and damage waivers, airport surcharge, VAT, tourism levy and 200 kilometres free per day. |
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60 + |
AA (Automobile Association) –discount for an annual AA Membership on the AA Alliance option. This includes three call-outs per membership year. Bertha’s Restaurant Quayside Centre, 1 Wharf Road, Simonstown: senior menu City sightseeing: 50% discount; Cape Town and Johannesburg CapeNature: 30% off all self-catering and camping facilities. Car, Getaway magazine and Leisure Wheels magazine: 30% discount on an annual subscription of 12 issues. Cape Metrorail : Tuesdays 09h00 and 14h00 Free train rides Cradle of Humankind: discounted ticket Diemersfontein Wine and Country Estate in Wellington in the Western Cape: 15% pensioners discount available on a midweek stay subject to availability Eyesave : Western Cape: free eye test Golden Arrow Buses have a discounted pensioner’s clipcard, available to passengers over 60 years of age and is valid for 10 rides. This clipcard must be used within 60 days of purchase date and can only be used between 08:00 and 16:00 on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays. Greyhound : 15% discount on off peak periods. MediRite: a free wellness screening on the first Wednesday of every month Metrobus: Johannesburg, Gauteng: Pensioners use a black Metrobus tag, which is valid for a year. They receive a 50 per cent discount on their bus trips. The minimum amount on the stored value tag is R50, and the maximum is R500.00. Montagu Fruit and Nuts Location: National Montagu stores nationwide offer a 5 to 10% discount to senior customers. Movies@ Montecasino: Pensioner discount available on the purchase of tickets everyday of the week Mango flights 10% discount for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Numetro Cinemas also offer pensioner discounts on every day of the week except for Wednesdays, as Wowza Wednesday Special applies which costs even less than senior prices. Pick n Pay have various pensioner policies which vary by store. Intercape: 15% discount Intercity Xpress: 5% discount on tickets Orion hotel group:40% discount on B&B rates. Sanparks: discounts for only certain months of the year and excludes Fridays, Saturdays and long weekends. Shosholoza Meyl rail service: a 25% discount on Tourist Class only Ster Kinekor –a 50% discount for all movies at Ster Kinekor on weekdays and weekends, up to and including the 5.30pm shows.( you need to join the club) The V&A Waterfront free parking 09h00 and 12h00. from Monday to Friday The Willows Holiday Resort & Conference Centre in Eastern Cape offer Pensioners a 10% discount on accommodation units and a 50% discount on camping sites. Torga Optical offers free eye testing and discounts on frames and lenses Weighless ( ladies only) 18% discount World of Birds: Cape Town, Western Cape: 62% discount on entry fees for pensioners. |
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63+ |
Tsogo Sun Hotels, Southern Sun hotels and resorts, a 50% discount to those who are over the age of 63 on the Best Available Rate of the day, subject to availability. |
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65+ |
Spur Steak Ranches will give a Senior's Menu, |
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70 years |
SABC: If you are over 70 years of age, you can apply for a rebate on your TV licence. People under 70 who are eligible for a government pension or disability grant are also able to apply. |
The rule of the retiree is: Always ask the business you use if there is a senior discount.
For many pensioners they enjoy gardening and can return a beautiful crop of fresh produce which others will buy. Either swop for a different produce or ask the person to pay you in other items. People do this in order to get financial advice and accounting services and one person even pays for their chiropractic treatments in sewing items that are needed for the practice. The pensioner has skills which have value, but may not want cash, rather preferring to have a service or swop. In researching this book, I found people giving massages in return for fresh produce. Nail care for haircuts and project management on building sites for holidays in a person’s home by the sea.
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We have a wonderful swop going here in which I make tinctures and salves in return for bottles of pure alcohol in our Worthog brewers group. As I am a trained herbalist, this means the b person with the still gets a product which they want and I get the means to make it. Since I know the source I know the alcohol spirit is pure and I can measure the efficiency. Additionally the person giving me the alcohol uses the product so they have an interest in the quality.
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