AARP Hearing Center
99 Great Ways to Save 2026 Edition
Make your dollars go further — and save big on groceries, travel, entertainment and more
Nicolas Rapp
In this story
Grocery shopping • Home and garden • Car care and driving • Computer care • Buy it used • Personal finance • Dental care • Travel • AARP Member Benefits • Utilities and energy • Get it free • Online deals • Pet care • Insurance • Entertainment • Smartphones • Health care • Saving aids
These are challenging days to be living paycheck to paycheck, on a fixed income or off retirement savings. Even people with some savings socked away are feeling their pocketbooks being pinched.
Inflation has remained stubborn, and global turmoil has spiked gasoline prices and made food less affordable. But AARP is here to help.
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For our 17th annual edition of “99 Great Ways to Save,” our experienced consumer reporters consulted dozens of experts to get their best tips for beating high prices. And this year, we recruited our own savings guru, Lisa Lee Freeman, to add her favorite cost-cutting ideas. So check out these timely tips on how to save money on groceries, travel, auto expenses and more.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Grocery shopping
1. Give yourself a low-spend challenge. Once or twice a year, take stock of your pantry. Tee up recipes using what you have, and plan to spend no more than $20 per week on what you need.
2. Use cash for groceries. One way to keep within your budget is to set out with a fixed amount of cash and forgo using your credit cards.
3. Rotate stores each week. As new grocery chains have proliferated, you can often save money by hitting more than one store. Buy in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco. Check out what’s in stock at discount stores such as Grocery Outlet. Everyday staples can cost much less at stores that focus on their own brands, such as Trader Joe’s, Lidl and Aldi. When you visit a traditional supermarket or specialty store for specific brand items, be sure to sign up for the store’s loyalty rewards program. Download its app or browse its circulars to check for weekly deals.
4. Grow your own herbs. One basil or cilantro plant costs $3 to $4 and can provide fresh herbs throughout the season, eliminating the need to buy them at the supermarket and delivering even better flavor. You can easily chop fresh herbs to freeze in ice cube trays. Even frozen and thawed, they’ll still taste more flavorful than dried herbs.
5. Triple-dip for rewards. In addition to getting rewards through your grocery store loyalty program, use a credit card that gives you cash back or redeemable points for grocery purchases. Some to try: the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express, Capital One Savor and Citi Strata Premier. Then you can upload a photo of your receipt to the Fetch app, where you get points that you can redeem for store gift cards.
6. Snag a senior discount. Plan your shopping to take advantage of the extra discounts some supermarkets offer to older adults during specific times. For example, shoppers age 55 and older can get an extra 10 percent off most purchases at Fred Meyer stores on the first Tuesday of the month, and 10 percent off purchases at Gristedes every Tuesday.
7. Order pickup through your grocer’s app. Placing an order ahead of time online will eliminate the opportunity for impulse purchases when shopping the aisles. To minimize markups, order directly from your supermarket (rather than using Instacart or other third-party shopping apps).
8. Get deep discounts with Flashfood. Grocers often discard fresh food because they ordered more than they can sell. Through the Flashfood app, you can buy this produce, along with items nearing their sell-by date, at a discount of up to 50 percent. You’ll save money while keeping food out of landfills. Check Flashfood.com to see if there are any participating grocery stores near you.
9. Look for manager markdowns. Fresh food nearing its sell-by date usually gets marked down by up to 70 percent. Use it to make a great last-minute dish, or throw it in the freezer to cook later.
10. Know when a sale is solid. Keep a price list of your grocery store go-to foods on your phone or in a notebook. That way, you can compare current prices with what you normally pay. Stock up when it makes sense; skip it when it’s just a come-on.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Home and garden
11. Clear your gutters of debris. Clogged gutters can sag, causing them to overflow and start to leak, which can lead to rotted wood siding. And while vinyl or aluminum siding won’t rot, water can get trapped behind it, eventually causing serious structural damage you may not see until it becomes costly to fix.
12. Grab drain clogs. Before you spend money on liquid drain cleaner or a plumber, try removing a clog in a sink, toilet or tub with a flexible grabber claw. You can find this inexpensive tool at hardware stores, Walmart or Amazon, and you’ll want to have one on hand before you need it.
13. Clean your microwave regularly. Food bits left in the microwave will create hot spots the next time you use it, which can damage the interior. So wipe up any spills as soon as they happen.
14. Go to seed(s). Seed packets cost a fraction of what you’d pay for small starter plants. To succeed with seeds, you don’t have to purchase expensive seed-starting trays. A good soil mix in yogurt cups with some holes punched in the bottom for drainage works just as well.
15. Bulk up. For larger projects, purchase supplies like soil, mulch and gravel in bulk from landscape supply shops rather than hardware stores or big-box retailers. In addition to getting a better price on the supplies, landscape supply shops will often charge a flat fee for delivery (or offer free delivery), while purchasing the same amount from a store might require high delivery fees or multiple trips.
16. Think small. Trees in small pots tend to be less expensive, establish faster and sometimes outgrow larger purchased trees. “They need a little extra watering and maybe a fence to protect them from critters for the first few years, but the savings and faster establishment are worth it,” says Eric North, an urban forester and certified arborist with the Arbor Day Foundation.
Car care and driving
17. Look beyond interstate exits to save on gas. Stations at exits typically charge 10 to 30 cents more per gallon. Free phone apps such as GasBuddy, GasGuru or AAA, along with your GPS, make it simple to find and compare prices. A recent example in New York: Regular was $4.89 at a Shell at an Interstate 84 exit and $4.49 at a Sunoco just 3 miles off the next exit.
18. Change cabin and engine air filters yourself. For most cars, changing these filters takes 10 minutes and requires no tools — with free instructions available on YouTube. For example, both filters for numerous Toyota models are $25 on Amazon. Depending on your car model, expect to pay a shop anywhere from $160 to $212 to replace both filters.
19. Remove roof racks. The aerodynamic drag from a roof rack can increase fuel costs by up to 25 percent. If, for example, you use 500 gallons of gas per year without a rack, you’ll need 625 gallons to travel the same distance with a rack. At $4.49 per gallon, that’s an extra $561 per year.
20. Sell a car. Retired couples often no longer need two cars. And if you are mostly using public transportation, you might not need a car at all. Even paid-off cars cost plenty in insurance, maintenance and sometimes storage. Plus, that car is depreciating even if you’re not putting miles on it.
21. Choose easy-rolling tires. Dubbed “low rolling resistance,” these tires are designed to lessen the friction when the tire meets the road. Consumer Reports tests found that the most roll-resistant tires will save about 14 gallons of gas over 12,000 miles compared with the least roll-resistant models. At $4.49 per gallon, that’s about $325 over the 62,000 miles that performance all-season tires might be expected to last.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Computer care
22. Keep your laptop cool. Place it on a hard, flat surface to keep its air vent clear. Propping it on a pillow or other soft object can cause overheating, which will shorten the computer’s life. If you don’t see a vent, don’t assume there isn’t one. MacBooks, for example, hide the vents in the screen hinge area.
23. Keep software lean. Uninstall programs you don’t use, and keep your operating system and drivers updated. A cluttered system can bog things down. Avoid having a huge amount of media (music, videos, photos) on your laptop. Better to use the cloud or get an external drive.
24. Keep up with updates. Installing software updates when they are available will enhance performance, protect against malware and data theft, fix bugs and increase stability. All of this helps extend the life of your machine.
Buy it used
25. Get pre-owned hand tools. Besides being less expensive, older hand tools are often better made than their modern counterparts. Sure, you may need to sharpen up that old plane, but you’ll have to do the same eventually if you buy a new one. Find tools at flea markets, yard sales and estate sales.
26. Shop sale days. Even thrift and consignment stores have sales and loyalty programs. Check your local Goodwill, Salvation Army or other thrift shop. They typically have weekly 50 percent off sales. The Salvation Army has regular sale days for older adults and members of the military. Consignment shops may offer sales during holidays or as items near the end of their consignment period. Ask the sales team about policies.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Personal finance
27. Ask to waive late fees. If you see a late fee on your credit card bill, call the company and ask for a waiver. It is very likely you can work it out and get that removed from your bill. A Wallet Hub survey found that nearly 90 percent of people who asked for a waiver were granted one.
28. No spend January. One in 4 Americans have participated in this movement, including 12 percent this year, according to a NerdWallet survey. The idea is to pause all discretionary spending, such as meals out, movie tickets and online shopping, and pay only for necessities such as food and electricity. The financial reset can open your eyes to where your money is actually going and help you make spending decisions more deliberately so you can reach your financial goals. Plus, it’ll help you pay off your holiday bills.
Dental care
29. Ask for a dental care discount. Some dentists offer free or low-cost care on certain days. Go to FindADentist.ada.org to find a list of dentists near you whom you can call to ask about rates and discounts.
30. Use Federally Qualified Health Centers. These provide dental care regardless of your ability to pay. Services are on a sliding scale based on your income. Go to FindAHealthCenter.hrsa.gov for a FQHC near you.
31. Visit a dental school. At most dental schools, students work on patients as part of their training. A licensed dentist supervises the work, and it costs significantly less than at a dentist’s office. Search “dental schools near me” online and give them a call.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Travel
32. Do the math on airport parking. Daily economy parking costs an average of $16.44 across major airports, according to a LendingTree analysis, but that rate can more than double at airports in high-cost cities like New York, San Diego and Seattle. For longer trips, it may be more cost-effective to take a taxi or rideshare to the airport.
33. Swap homes. If you live in or near a tourist destination, you can eliminate your accommodation costs by temporarily trading lodging with someone who lives where you want to go. Or earn points as a host that you can use to stay in someone else’s home later on. Platforms like HomeExchange (annual membership fee: $235) and HomeLink (annual fee: $125), can help you facilitate such arrangements.
34. Stay outside the city. The small towns outside many European cities typically have lower-priced bars, restaurants and hotels, and — thanks to fewer tourists — may offer a more authentic travel experience. They also often have well-run, user-friendly transit systems that make it easy to get to the city center so you can see the sights.
35. Learn the tipping culture when abroad. While it’s standard to add 15 to 20 percent to your restaurant bills in the U.S. to tip servers, expectations in other countries are often lower. In Portugal, 10 percent is considered generous, and tipping is generally considered inappropriate in Japan. “Don’t leave 20 percent,” says Brent Petersen, who runs the blog and podcast Destination Eat Drink. “That’s just money that you could be spending on something else. And it’s not necessary.”
36. Get a senior discount on train tickets. Rail travel providers often offer discounts to older adults, with deals varying by company. Amtrak offers 10 percent off to people 65-plus on most rail fares, but you can get 10 percent off a Eurail Pass in Europe starting at 60. Make sure you have a passport with you to verify your age.
37. Travel abroad in late August. One of the most popular months for Americans to travel internationally is June. Move your trip to late August or the beginning of September and you may save more than $300 on round-trip airfare to Europe or more than $500 to Asia.
38. Check baggage requirements, even for carry-ons, and pack accordingly. The introduction of basic economy seats has muddied the waters when comparing airfare prices and baggage costs. Before you book (and again before you fly), check the baggage limits for each specific flight, including for carry-ons. For example, for most trips, basic economy passengers on United Airlines are allowed only one personal item that fits under the seat. You’ll get charged a $75 fee if you arrive at the gate with a carry-on suitcase intended for an overhead bin. Leave behind that second sweater or extra jacket.
AARP Member Benefits
39. Restaurant discounts. Up to 15 percent off at Cicis Pizza, Denny’s, Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill, plus your favorite local spots.
40. Car rentals. Up to 35 percent off base rates when you choose Pay Now at reservation, or up to 30 percent off with Pay Later at the pickup counter, plus other benefits at Avis and Budget.
41. Consumer Cellular. Savings on monthly wireless service plans, accessories and smartwatch data plans.
42. Vision discounts. Exclusive savings on eyewear at Target Optical, LensCrafters and Visionworks.
43. AARP Online Therapy by BetterHelp. Savings of 30 percent on your first month of a self-pay subscription to BetterHelp, an online therapy platform, with the option to use qualified insurance coverage where available. Plus, you can get three months of the Better Sleep app at no extra cost.
44. Flowers and gifts. Twenty-five percent off site-wide and 30 percent off select items from FTD and Proflowers.
45. Fuel savings. Members save on fuel at Exxon, Mobil and Shell stations, plus they can get extra rewards and savings on convenience store purchases and car washes at Exxon and Mobil.
46. Holland America Line. Up to $200 onboard credit on select cruises.
47. Home internet service. Members get $10 off per month on Tracfone Home Internet Service, and an extra $10 off per month when they enroll in auto-refill.
48. Hotel discounts. Members save up to 20 percent on stays at brands like Choice Hotels and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, plus discounts when booking through the AARP Travel Center Powered by Expedia.
Utilities and energy
49. Double-check your electricity bill. Nearly 1 in 4 Americans have found a pricing error on their electricity bill, according to one study. Reviewing your bill each month, even if you’ve opted to pay it automatically, will allow you to quickly spot and correct potentially costly mistakes.
50. Wrap your water heater pipes. Especially in cold basements or crawl spaces, you can lose a lot of heat as water travels the few feet between your water heater and the wall. Wrapping those pipes in insulation may let you lower the water heater thermostat settings and get water to your faucets faster, saving both water and energy.
51. Prepay for your electricity. Prepaid electricity plans often come with apps or text alerts that show you how much you’re consuming daily and notifications when you’re near your account balance. That can prompt consumers to change their habits to lower electricity use by around 10 percent, says David Conn, vice president of business development and policy at Exceleron.
52. Cool down your laundry setting. About 90 percent of the energy your washing machine uses goes toward heating the water, but hot water is unnecessary when using most modern laundry detergents. Save even more water and electricity by running full loads rather than multiple small ones.
53. Upgrade your showerhead. Swapping an old showerhead for a model with a WaterSense label can save the average family 2,700 gallons of water per year and 11 days of electricity. That translates to $70 in water and energy costs per year. Want to save more? Shave a few minutes off your shower time.
54. Leverage your window coverings. Drapes and blinds are more than decor. In the winter, open your south- and west-facing curtains to let the sun in. In the summer, keep blinds closed on hot afternoons to block the heat. Doing both may cut your energy bills $50 to $150 a year.
55. Dump the basement refrigerator if it’s not essential, especially if it’s an older model. You may not realize that older units are extremely inefficient and can suck up $10 to $15 worth of electricity a month.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Get it free
56. Swap with your neighbor. Join sites like the FreeCycle Network, Trash Nothing or the Buy Nothing Project and their affiliated Facebook sites to connect with locals looking to offload items to those willing to come pick them up. The most popular items in Buy Nothing communities are housewares, furniture, baby products and clothing, but a recent search also showed listings for everything from snow tires to an upright piano.
57. Join sample websites. Sign up for sites like FreeSamples.org, I Love Free Things and Freebies2Deals to get email newsletters about opportunities to receive free product samples in the mail or coupons for free items from stores. Recent offers at FreeSamples.org included a free box of Breathe Right nasal strips, a free HDMI extender for Roku owners and Vichy moisturizer.
58. Cheap (or free) grub. Check the calendar at NationalToday.com for a list of “national holidays” celebrating everything from National Watermelon Day (August 3) to National Weiner Schnitzel Day (September 9). Then see whether local restaurants or chains are hosting related giveaways. In February, Chipotle offered a free side of chips and queso blanco with orders in celebration of National Tortilla Chip Day, and last November, members of White Castle’s customer loyalty program received coupons for a free Double Cheese Slider with the purchase of one in honor of National Fast Food Day.
59. Free trees. Join the Arbor Day Foundation (with a minimum $20 annual donation) and the organization will send you a welcome gift of 10 trees to plant. You can choose from several types of trees local to your area, and you’ll receive them at the right time for planting.
60. Score gift cards with purchases. Especially around winter holidays, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, many retailers and restaurants offer free bonus gift cards when you spend a certain amount. Last December, Applebee’s offered two free $10 gift cards with the purchase of a $50 gift card, and Ace Hardware rewards club members could get a $10 gift card with the purchase of a $50 gift card. But keep in mind that, unlike traditional gift cards, promotional gift cards may have expiration dates and restrictions on their use, says budget consultant Andrea Woroch.
61. Take the grandkids to dinner. Look for restaurants that have “Kids eat free” promotions to save on dining with your little ones. Moe’s Southwest Grill* gives rewards members one free Kids Meal once a week with a purchase of an adult entrée, and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings lets kids eat free every Monday with a $10 purchase. Download the Kids Eat Free app to find local eateries offering such deals.
Online deals
62. Maximize your cash back. Some credit cards, retailers and shopping platforms like Rakuten or Swagbucks pay you a percentage of your purchases in cash-back rewards. Before making a purchase, check CashBack Monitor to see which portal offers the most valuable cash-back deal.
63. Let technology comparison shop for you. Sites like Google Shopping and Price.com make it easy to quickly contrast prices across multiple retailers to make sure you’re getting the best price. Be sure to factor in total costs, including shipping, taxes and any discounts or cash back you might get through your loyalty memberships when deciding where and when to make an online purchase.
64. Don’t buy things just to get free shipping. More than 80 percent of consumers will add items to their cart to qualify for free shipping from online retailers. But that can result in a higher total cost than simply paying for shipping, and it can lead to overspending, especially if you’re buying unnecessary items.
65. Abandon your cart. Make sure you’ve logged in to a retail site. Then fill your cart, close your browser and wait. Retailers often send a follow-up email to customers who’ve ditched their carts, and a third of those emails include a discount offer.
66. Become more social. Many retailers and brands share exclusive, follower-only discounts, early access to flash sales and flash coupon codes on social media. “They show loyalty to their followers in many ways by giving them special promos and information,” says Jeanette Pavini, a savings expert and the author of The Joy of Saving.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Pet care
67. Think outside the pet store. Off-price stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Big Lots! and Ollie’s Bargain Outlet often sell name-brand pet toys, treats and supplies such as leashes and beds for significantly less than traditional pet stores. “I’m always pleasantly surprised at the pricing and the quality you can find,” says Lorraine Rhoads, senior director of health and safety at dog day care company Dogtopia.
68. Make a habit of vet visits. Scheduled preventive visits usually cost significantly less than treating disease and illness. A study published in 2023 showed that pets who get regular veterinary checkups were 30 percent less likely to develop chronic diseases, and vaccinated pets were 40 percent less likely to contract transmissible diseases.
69. Buy pet insurance before your first vet visit. If you’re planning to purchase pet insurance, get the policy before you bring your new pet to the veterinarian for the first time, says Scott Taylor, president of Spot Pet Insurance. Otherwise, any chronic conditions discovered at the appointment would be considered preexisting and ineligible for coverage under your policy.
70. Take advantage of telehealth. A growing number of veterinarians now offer telehealth services, and you can also access virtual care through stand-alone apps or your pet insurance policy. The prices for such visits vary, but they can be a cost-effective option for nonemergency issues.
71. Skip the premium food. Don’t get lured in by marketing from trendy, overpriced pet foods. “Store brands can be fine, as long as they follow AAFCO [Association of American Feed Control Officials] guidelines, and assuming your pet doesn’t have any sort of underlying medical problems where they may need a food that’s more special, with certain ingredients,” says Dr. Brian Collins, veterinarian with the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center.
Insurance
72. Consider dropping collision insurance. If your older car is paid off, it’s probably not worth paying collision insurance on it, even if it still runs great. Check the Kelley Blue Book or go to CarFax to find out what your car is worth. Then subtract your deductible: If your car is damaged, that’s the maximum the insurance company will pay. If it’s less than 10 times your annual collision insurance bill, drop that coverage and start saving up for an eventual replacement.
73. Raise your deductible. You can lower your monthly premium by increasing the amount you agree to pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. Upping the deductible from $200 to $1,000, say, can save you 40 percent off your monthly premium, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Make sure you have enough in savings to fund that higher deductible, though, if need be.
74. Pay per mile. If you no longer commute or take big road trips, consider switching to a policy where you pay a low monthly base rate plus a fee per mile that you drive. This type of plan is increasingly available from local and national insurers, as well as niche players such as Mile Auto.
75. Research rates before buying. Look into what you’ll pay for insurance before you buy a house or car. Don’t count on new policies running in line with what you’ve paid in the past. Consider switching to another model that costs less to insure. A Subaru Outback or Honda Fit, for example, costs $250 to $300 less a year to insure than the national average, according to Insurify.
76. Avoid redundant rental car insurance. Many credit cards include some type of rental car coverage as a perk. Before heading to the rental counter, review all your credit card benefits to see what, if any, protection is included. Charge the rental bill to the card for the coverage to apply.
77. Improve your credit history. In most states, your credit history can have an enormous impact on what you’re charged for home insurance. You will pay an average of $2,000 more a year in premiums with a low credit score (roughly a 630 FICO) versus someone with great credit. Even an average 740 FICO score instead of a high score of 820 will cost you $790 more annually. Work to improve your credit history by paying bills on time and using less than 30 percent of the credit you have available.
Entertainment
78. Service hop, patiently. Streaming service customers commonly jump between providers, bingeing their favorite shows and then promptly canceling. So providers have started trickling out show episodes, such as one a week. Confirm all episodes of your preferred shows are available before you sign up, so you’re not paying while you wait. The apps Reelgood and JustWatch keep tabs on what’s streaming when across the various providers.
79. Consider new bundles. More providers are teaming up to offer multiple services at a lower cost than subscribing to them individually. For example, save more than 40 percent by bundling Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max ($20 with ads, $33 without) instead of signing up for each of them.
80. Add family and friends, legitimately. Some providers have cracked down on sharing passwords. But they now allow you to add people you don’t live with to your account for a lower price than if you each had accounts. You’ll have your own passwords.
81. Watch ads. More providers are giving you the option of watching ads to save about $5 to $10 a month. Before downgrading your plan to include ads, make sure you’ll have access to all the same content you prefer. The ad-supported tier occasionally leaves out some content.
82. Browse the freebies. Pluto TV, Roku and Tubi have free shows and movies available. Prime Video and YouTube offer some free content to nonsubscribers on their websites. And when you buy a television, manufacturers such as Samsung and LG usually give customers free content built in.
83. Use your phone plan for free streaming. Mobile providers such as T-Mobile and Verizon may offer discounted or free streaming services in their plans. Verizon had a Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ bundle for $10 less per month for qualifying customers. Certain T-Mobile plans have included access to Netflix. If the perks have expiration dates, add them to your calendar.
84. Reap some rocking credit card rewards. Video and music services have become popular reward categories on credit cards. Your card may offer a credit toward a certain service or discounts and freebies. Maybe you can earn extra points or cash back on streaming costs. Regularly check out your credit card website for deals, which constantly change.
85. Reconsider cable. If you’re frustrated with the rising costs and complexity of à la carte streaming, revisit your cable company. Providers like Spectrum and Xfinity have new competitive packages that look very different from a few years ago.
86. Enroll in cinema subscriptions. Avid moviegoers who plan to see films regularly can save by signing up for a subscription to movie theater chains. Perks can include a free ticket or two a month and perhaps even discounted concessions.
87. Get early access to concert tickets. Buying tickets during presales can cost much less than buying them on secondary marketplaces after they’ve been released to the public and sold out. To find presales, check your credit card benefits online or join your favorite performers’ email lists or fan clubs. Or wait until closer to the show. Prices often drop as the show date nears, especially if the resale market is glutted.
Ryan Snook (Source: Sophia Moten)
Smartphones
88. Ditch unlimited data. Most consumers primarily use Wi-Fi, not cellular data, for their routine cellphone activities. So you may be paying for something you don’t need. Look at your last monthly phone bill to see how much data you actually used. If you’re regularly connected to Wi-Fi and use 20GB or less of data per month, the comparison website WhistleOut recommends downgrading to a lower-tier plan. You can save substantially — an average of $400 a year, and even more on family plans.
89. Embrace small providers. You may not realize that small providers, like US Mobile, Visible, Mint Mobile and Consumer Cellular*, rent access to the networks of the big three carriers (Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile) yet can cost you significantly less. According to WhistleOut data, you could save as much as $385 per year on a single line, or $720 for a family of four, by switching to one of these lesser-known mobile providers.
90. Pay up front. Snag a discount by paying for a full year or six months of mobile service at a time. Depending on your plan, you may save $25 to over $200 annually. With some carriers, you can ask for a discount on your current plan, or you may need to move to a specific prepaid plan.
91. Share a plan. Team up with family, friends, neighbors or coworkers on a single plan with multiple lines, and everyone saves. You don’t need to live in the same house. Some plans even allow each line to be on a different tier, depending on individual data needs. Handling the bill can sometimes cause tension, though, so create a payment strategy in advance. AT&T has a feature that allows each party to pay their share of the bill.
Health care
92. Save on Medicare Part D. If you’re healthy and don’t take any medications, consider one of the prescription drug plans with the cheapest monthly premiums. If your health status changes, you can switch during the next open enrollment period to a pricier plan with more coverage.
93. Check your prescription drug formulary each year. If you take medications, always look at your plan’s list of covered drugs during open enrollment. Too often, people stick with the same plan year after year without realizing their prescriptions are moving to a higher tier and will cost much more in the coming year, missing out on a chance to switch and save.
94. Know your options if your Medicare Advantage plan is going to end… Some insurers are pulling back on private Advantage plans. If yours ends, you may have a special opportunity for a guaranteed Medigap supplemental plan, without worrying about medical underwriting. Just show the Medigap plan your Advantage cancellation letter.
95. … or removes perks. If your Advantage plan strips away extras, including a free gym membership, don’t run out and sign up for a pricey workout facility. Your AARP membership offers fitness options. Senior centers, community centers, YMCAs and other local organizations also have discounted exercise programs.
Savings aids
96. Stop losing money to long-forgotten recurring payments. Remembering every subscription or monthly service you’re paying for these days feels mentally overwhelming. Apps such as Rocket Money and Bobby do the hard work for you. The Rocket Money algorithm identifies recurring bills you may have forgotten about, or rarely use and can live without. Premium versions will even cancel subscriptions or negotiate bills for you.
97. Ask for sample scripts. You may have heard it’s possible to negotiate certain bills, such as your internet or cable, but are unsure what to say to the customer service rep. Ask an AI tool for sample scripts to give you ideas before making those calls, and take away what you think is best from each.
98. Know when to buy. Price-tracking tools such as Camelcamelcamel pull tons of historical data to help you determine the best time to buy. Websites such as Google Travel and apps like Hopper offer similar tools for flights or hotels.
99. Use AI as a planning tool. It can take hours to find thoughtful gifts and plan vacations and meals — especially while sticking to a price limit. Try asking an AI tool to, say, recommend a birthday present for under $50 for a friend with a special hobby. Or plan an inexpensive vacation itinerary. Or serve up some budget-friendly dinner ideas.
*Moe’s and Consumer Cellular pay royalties to AARP for the use of its intellectual property.
AARP’s saving guru Lisa Lee Freeman shares her best tips
As AARP’s Live Well for Less columnist, I’ve been writing about ways to save for more than six years. This year, AI is the biggest, flashiest news in retail, but old-fashioned, hands-on bargain hunting is still one of the best ways to wring the most out of every dollar. Here are 10 tips that blend the old and new.
1. Shop smarter with a chatbot. Want to know the cheapest flight to Rome from New York on your birthday? Or the best price on a top-rated coffee maker? ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Perplexity and other AI chatbots make it fast and easy to track down deals and gather all kinds of other shopping intel. Chatbots are even starting to offer instant checkout. But before you buy, I recommend asking the same question to at least two to three, especially when you’re making a big purchase, plus do a Google search to get the best results.
2. Buy even cheaper store brands. More consumers are shopping at the fast-growing discount grocery chains Aldi and Lidl, according to Placer.ai, and it’s no wonder. Their house brands can save you 50 percent or more over national brands and 20 percent or more over private-label products at the supermarket, according to a price check I did last year. They may not taste the same as brand-name items, but they’re worth a try — you can return what you don’t like.
3. Be open to open-box merch. If you’re in the market for appliances and electronics, look for local outlets that sell open-box and returned merchandise run by retailers such as Lowe’s and Best Buy. For small appliances and other home goods, check out bin stores, which sell overstock and returned merchandise from Amazon, Home Depot, Macy’s and other major retailers. You can also find plenty of open-box merch on major retail sites — just be sure to read product descriptions carefully since you can’t inspect items in person.
4. Go treasure hunting. If you love flea markets, broaden your vintage-shopping horizons at local estate sales (check sites like EstateSales.net and EstateSales.org) and at stores like Junkluggers’ Remix Markets, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores and architectural salvage shops.
5. Try extreme thrifting. Thrift stores like Goodwill have super-low prices, but to hit rock bottom, head for Goodwill Outlets (GWOutletStoreLocator.com). I found tables, couches, cabinets and chairs for $5 to $10 and mountains of clothing and home goods for under $2 a pound.
6. Layer savings. Stack deals by looking for manufacturer coupons and then matching them with sales at local retailers and paying with a cash-back credit card. Add another layer of savings with cash-back apps like Ibotta and Rakuten. Then knock down your bill even more with loyalty program perks such as CVS ExtraBucks Rewards and Walgreens Cash, as well as bonus coupons on register receipts and store apps.
7. Be careful with coupons. Coupons can save you lots of money, especially if you’re stacking them with other discounts, but not if they’re tempting you to buy stuff you don’t need. (Guilty as charged!) According to Nick Kolenda, a marketing consultant specializing in the psychology of pricing, coupons shift your attention to the amount you’re saving from the amount you’re spending. So next time you’re using a coupon, calculate the total price of the item and then decide if the deal is worth it!
8. Avoid counterfeit rip-offs. Many retailers sell their own offerings alongside products hawked by no-name vendors in vast and growing online marketplaces. Sticking with items sold and shipped by the retailer hosting the site (Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy, for example) is your safest bet, especially when it comes to things that could be a safety risk, such as electronics with lithium-ion batteries, baby gear, cosmetics and vitamins. If you buy from an unfamiliar seller, carefully check user reviews and return policies. Also, avoid sellers advertising on social media sites that direct you to websites with no contact information.
9. Take a shot. Visual search is one of my favorite ways to find things I want for less. Tap the camera icon in the Google, eBay or Amazon app and take a picture of whatever product you want to buy (in a store or anywhere), and up will pop listings. A new twist on the strategy: You can use AI chatbot apps or sites the same way. I attached a shot of my worn-out teakettle to a Gemini search and asked where I could buy a new one for the lowest price. It identified the product, listed my options and even recommended super-cheap open-box and refurbished options.
10. Join the club. Amazon Prime, Walmart+ and Target Circle 360 cost $100 or more a year, but they can save you a bundle on groceries alone if you regularly rely on home delivery. These paid retail membership programs also have an increasing roster of other money-saving perks, such as discounts on gas and free tire repairs (Walmart) and free streaming services (Amazon and Walmart), music, books (Amazon) and more (Target’s monthly freebies).
Professionals interviewed for help compiling this story:
- Ammy Archer, research lead at WhistleOut, a cellphone and internet comparison site
- Dean Budnick, editor in chief of Relix magazine
- Vinnie Campo, cofounder and CEO of Haven Energy
- Liesl Clark, founder of the Buy Nothing Project
- Esther Cohn, vice president of communications, Flashfood
- Dr. Brian Collins, veterinarian with the Cornell Richard P. Riney Canine Health Center
- David Conn, vice president of business development and policy at Exceleron
- Mike Crossen, automotive technician at Consumer Reports
- Nicholas De Leon, senior home and tech writer at Consumer Reports
- Raymond A. Garcia, communications specialist at the American Library Association
- Joanne Giardini-Russell, founder of Giardini Medicare
- Natalia Hancock, culinary nutritionist
- Jeff Herman, editor in chief of LawnStarter
- Paul Hope, home and do-it-yourself editor at Consumer Reports
- Francis Lam, host of The Splendid Table on public radio
- Courtney Lindwall, home and technology reporter at Consumer Reports
- Chip Lupo, writer and analyst for WalletHub
- Lisa Niver, author of Brave-ish: One Breakup, Six Continents, and Feeling Fearless After 50
- Eric North, urban forestry program manager with the Arbor Day Foundation
- Jeanette Pavini, savings expert and author of The Joy of Saving
- Brent Petersen, host of the blog and podcast Destination Eat Drink
- Vishwas Prabhakara, founder and CEO of the handyman service HoneyHomes.com
- Jillian Pregiato, owner of Reclaimed, a consignment shop in Warwick, New York
- Mike Quincy, automotive content writer at Consumer Reports
- Julie Ramhold, senior editor at DealNews
- Lorraine Rhoads, senior director of health and safety at Dogtopia
- Ted Rossman, principal analyst at Bankrate
- Ashley Schuering, food blogger
- Dave Stout, computer repair and technology professional
- Julia Taliesin, economic analyst at Insurify and licensed insurance agent
- Scott Taylor, president of Spot Pet Insurance
- Dave Whitinger, executive director of the National Gardening Association
- Jim Willcox, senior electronics editor at Consumer Reports
- Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association
- Andrea Woroch, consumer savings expert
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