What is so special about 55?

[Woody14]

I have crossed this magic threshold just over a year ago and trying to figure out what is so special about 55?

In the part of Canada I am from (British Columbia) we don't have any benefits until 65.  

So I am curious

[shippmates]

You maybe able to get a discount on select cruises.  If you come to the US some restaurants give you a discount or they have a senior menu with smaller portions.

 

[Woody14]

3 hours ago, shippmates said:

You maybe able to get a discount on select cruises.  If you come to the US some restaurants give you a discount or they have a senior menu with smaller portions.

 

Gotta love that

[azalice]

In the US you can buy a home in an over 55 community, something we did years ago. So we are in a community that allows a certain percentage to be under 55 years old (about 20%) but otherwise one person must be 55 years old and no family member can be younger than 19.

[iancal]

From my perspective.....it is a more desirable age than my 70.

 

 

[lenquixote66]

On 4/25/2022 at 4:56 PM, iancal said:

From my perspective.....it is a more desirable age than my 70.

 

 

70 is a more desirable age than my 70 plus

[ditmar2007]

On 4/20/2022 at 11:24 PM, Woody14 said:

I have crossed this magic threshold just over a year ago and trying to figure out what is so special about 55?

In the part of Canada I am from (British Columbia) we don't have any benefits until 65.  

So I am curious

The kids are grown, the dog is dead, and you don't give a f#ck.

Life is good past 55.

[arpie05]

I concur - what is the deal with 55+ and not 50+  I have friends in their late 40s that have grandkids which isn't unusual if you had a child in your early 20s and so did that child...  I'm counting down my days to full retirement - days before 53! (ie Next year)

[SireDoime]

Meh! I have to wait until 65 or 67 before I can get full retirement! I want my full benefits at 55!

[Lois R]

I don't remember why being 55 is so special.😲.........64 here and I suppose that is better than the alternative.😉 and I retired at  61.

[Mum2Mercury]

Why do companies give discounts?  It's not to be nice -- it's to get people to come in and spend money.  Most 55 year olds are at the peak of their earning potential.  Then when they're older, they're already "hooked" on your product. 

 

Makes sense to me.

[iancal]

We just finished up a month of travel in Portugal.  Mostly by rail.  Discount for seniors is 50 percent.

[btc1951]

As a 71 year old woman, I would welcome a 70+ category.

[lenquixote66]

On 6/27/2022 at 4:50 PM, btc1951 said:

As a 71 year old woman, I would welcome a 70+ category.

Start a thread

[Dthomas1]

I was able to retire at 55 so it was special to me!

[btc1951]

On 6/26/2022 at 11:00 AM, iancal said:

We just finished up a month of travel in Portugal.  Mostly by rail.  Discount for seniors is 50 percent.

50% discount on rail travel in Portrugal?

[iancal]

1 hour ago, btc1951 said:

50% discount on rail travel in Portrugal?

No idea what the seniors age is in Portugal.  We are 70 and 68 respectively so we were not really concerned about the qualifying age is.

 

In addition to seniors rates, they also have promo fares.  So, the seniors fare from Lisbon to Portimao in the south (algarve) was 12.50 e.   Our promo fare, available for anyone, was 12.05e.   

Edited July 14, 2022 by iancal

[Rottn]

On 4/20/2022 at 5:24 PM, Woody14 said:

I have crossed this magic threshold just over a year ago and trying to figure out what is so special about 55?

In the part of Canada I am from (British Columbia) we don't have any benefits until 65.  

So I am curious

I'm in Ontario (Canada) and I'm 56.  Some stores allow "senior discounts" at age 55 on certain days of the week, such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, my local grocery store, etc.  I also qualify for "senior discount" at most hotels when we travel.  

I'll take what I can get!  HA!  😂

[aml3679]

You can live in a 55+ communities

You can get discounts on cruises etc.

[shorne]

On 7/15/2022 at 8:26 PM, Rottn said:

I'm in Ontario (Canada) and I'm 56.  Some stores allow "senior discounts" at age 55 on certain days of the week, such as Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, my local grocery store, etc.

 

People almost invariably underestimate my age by 15 years or more: I just look quite young (even though I have my suits made in the style of the 1930s). One fine day, however, the clerk at a Rexall asked me whether I qualified for the senior discount. I asked about the qualifying age and reported with regret that I fell just a couple of years short. I was astonished, however, to have aged more than 15 years in a single day.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 7/14/2022 at 5:19 PM, Dthomas1 said:

I was able to retire at 55 so it was special to me!

I'm the same, though I'm substitute teaching three days a week (no lessons to plan, no papers to grade, no meetings to attend ... but I get the good part of working with students).  I'm quite happy at this level of employment ... I have lots of flexibility, and the bit of extra money keeps me from dipping into my savings too young.  I think I'll continue at this rate until I hit 62 and can collect SS (again, trying to prevent myself from using my savings too young).  

3 hours ago, shorne said:

... (even though I have my suits made in the style of the 1930s) ...

I think placing yourself "outside of fashion" makes it harder for others to gauge your age.  

3 hours ago, shorne said:

... I was astonished, however, to have aged more than 15 years in a single day.

Eh, any individual might judge you "up or down".  I've had students say things to me over the years like, "You're just having your first kid?  As old as you are?"  I was 26, which I felt was very average for a first child.  And, "You're about 70, right?"  I was in my 40s.  Kids.  High schoolers -- you can't take them seriously.  

[BamaVol]

Our fourth and youngest moved out the year I turned 55.  Definitely a new chapter in my life.

[lenquixote66]

I retired at 55,found myself bored and got a job in a totally different industry.I worked till age 61 and retired again.

[TTEllis]

55 is the new 25, I turned 60 last year, 60 is the new 30. It's good to be old!!

 

[Geezer Cruiser]

On 4/20/2022 at 5:24 PM, Woody14 said:

I have crossed this magic threshold just over a year ago and trying to figure out what is so special about 55?

In the part of Canada I am from (British Columbia) we don't have any benefits until 65.  

So I am curious

Senior rates in various situations can be fluid. Some folks can receive a full pension by then, so it's not an unrealistic minimum number.