Indeed, AARP does need members. They keep sending notices, including a renewal notice, to my address for my mother, who passed away over a year ago. They were repeatedly notified of her passing and asked to remove her name from their rosters.

They did send me a nice pamphlet on the grieving process, but that was followed by aforementioned renewal notice a couple months later.

I got one of those letters with a card included as well, right around the time I turned 35. The AARP has periodically sent me letters ever since then, noting that I have not applied for membership even though their records show that I am "eligible," i.e., 50 years old. I assume their confusion stems from the fact that some service somewhere has my correct name listed, with a previous address that I really did live at, but with an incorrect DOB that would make me about 15 years older than I really am. (I found the erroneous listing by searching for myself online.)

Heh. I got the same offer, although I'm slightly older (30 as of Saturday). I thought about joining and then claiming age discrimination when and if they rejected my application.

Of course, sharing the same name as my father who's over 50(I'm a Jr.), I assumed they got their info mixed up.

Yeah, I recently got an application for membership as well. I'm only 24 (though everyone thinks I act old for my age...maybe AARP knew that).

I received my very first personalized AARP invitation on my 25th birthday. Maybe they have a magic x2 multiplier just for them.

I get AARP mailings all the time. I probably said I was 200 in some survey at some point in time.

Adam needs to jump on that. The AARP has [political] powers far beyond imagination.

Just look at the picture above. Those oldsters are drunk with power.

I started getting them at 16. Haven't had one in quite awhile though (I'm 25 now).

the reason for these mailings is so AARP can continue to have a large membership and ensure they keep their lobbying power.

That's sort of like what happened to me yesterday. I was walking past a both for the American Association of University Women and the lady there kept trying to wave me over.

I'm a guy. I don't give a damn about the AAUW.

I love the "backwards NAMBLA" comment. Of the funny things I've seen on this site, that has to be tops. Props to Chris!

I too have been receiving AARP offers. I'm 21. Go figure :P

About 2 years ago I received a membership offer (I was 24). I figured it was worth the $12.50 to find out what would happen.

As it turns out, until you turn 50, you are a Junior member, which means you receive their monthly magazine, but that's it. You can't claim any membership benefits until you are 50.

Oh yeah, you also get the constant pestering letters asking you to rejoin.

I sent in the tip on this letter and what I have thought about doing was sending back their little form and telling them to screw off that I am not even 21 yet and that I better not see another one until I turn 50. :)

With all the baby boomers retiring, shouldn't the member lists of the AARP be overflowing?

I got one when I was 19. :P I was so unhappy that I called them and demanded they take me off the list. I haven't received anything since.

My wife and I get one every now and then. We are both 28

Well crap, I haven't received one and I'm 48.

Bastards... ; )

By the way, that picture... is that father/son, or May/December?

My membership is up in October and they started sending me renewal notices in May, including about 6 membership cards.

I'm 26 and I've been receiving them about once a month since I was 16. They even sent 'em to my mailing addresses while I was in the military.
Considering that my hair is mostly grey at 26 and I don't get along with people my own age, I wonder if they'd consider some kind of Junior+ membership, y'know half benefits or something.

@mwwilk: I've had the same experience with my father-in-law, who passed away several years ago. We contacted AARP via e-mail to cancel his membership, and they sent a notice saying they would just transfer the membership to his wife. I sent a message back saying they were divorced and to just cancel the account. They said they would, but continued to send letters and offers in his name. I began calling them to please request they stop sending us things, as it was upsetting to my husband and myself (especially the offers for life insurance), and each time they said they would cancel the account but never did. I have since come to realize that AARP is like the Hotel California: you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.

I've been getting them since I turned 30, they just go right into recycling. I assumed a friend of mine was being a wise-ass and signed me up.

I really don't like the AARP's lobbying...

its like a bunch of old fogeys desperately trying to cling to power.

It's kinda funny when I'm still being carded for buying wine and receiving solicitation from AARP at the same time.

Just for reference (since I never really read the stuff), do people pay money to belong? Are there worthwhile benefits?

My 21 year old brother has been getting AARP membership cards since he was 6. He has a pretty common name though.

Quite simple, they can't find enough seniors to help support their socialist agenda, so they have to get help wherever they can find it!

I started getting notices that I should join when I turned 25. No matter how many calls I made or notices I sent back, they would not take me off of their list. One nice letter on some Hello Kitty stationary with stickers all over the envelope and I have not heard from them since.

@Ihaveasmartpuppy: See @Comments are not enabled: comments on why they need members.

As far as benefits, its similar to any other professional organization: discounted life insurance, discount cards for stores, restaurants, etc.

This is nothing new. I'm 41, and AARP invited me to join about 10 years ago.

I am 32 and I got an AARP card at age 29. It's taped over the nameplate of my door at work.

@ARP: Yes, but I wonder what happens when an obvious non-senior citizen tries to collect on the benefits (eg. 10% off your purchases at Borders Books).

It's not like those old farts running the AARP know anything about using any of those fancy computers. I'm shocked they were able to get as far as sending any sort of letter.

My older brother started getting stuff from AARP, medical insurances, and even funeral homes around the age of 30. We figured that because he'd paid off his car, had no credit card debt, and had just finished paying off the mortgage he took over from my mother, he was believed to be a senior citizen by these companies' robots.

My fiance (age 33) has gotten at least two AARP invites. We figured this was because he has the same name as his dad... now I'm not so sure.

They haven't gotten to me yet, but reading this, I'll feel better if I receive one of their pointed reminders of mortality.

I got an honorary membership card when I was 17. Now I kind of wish I kept it. As it turns out, there was a man in the same state (albeit about 700 miles north) with the same first and last name as me. I didn't put it all together until I saw an obituary with my name on it 3-4 years later. (and FWIW, I do have a pretty rare last name. My family is one of 7 to carry it in the US)

@TPK: Socialist? If anything, AARP is a front/lobbying organization for the insurance industry. They've torpedoed several ideas for universal health care.

Just so you know, they ratified the current prescription drug plan will all of its flaws. Drug companies get a lot more money than they would if the plan had been written better.

AARP needs members? Aren't there like a billion boomers who either turned 50 or are about to?

@cwlodarczyk: I don't just make this stuff up, there's plenty of evidence for the Socialist agenda of the AARP.

Comparing Marlon Brando to the AARP for the win.

@Parapraxis:
It's better than being a petty young asshole like you!

Well, I got the invite at 48. It's one thing to get it at 24 when you can laugh it off. Getting it at 48 is depressing. They even had my name printed on the card. I refuse to be a card carrying old guy.

Unfortunately the mortality rate among AARP members is pretty high.

I've been getting them for quite some time. I broke down last month and paid $12.50 for a subscription. The site specifically asks for you birthday so we'll see if they still take my money when they do the math and figure I'm 34.

I find it funny that they keep after my wife's ex for the past 5 years, and they go after my wife, but I have yet to get anything from then, and I'm older than my wife. Then again, I have a feeling that my old apartment in Ohio is getting them by the scads, just like the ex gets them here.

Funny, I'm on some mailing list that must be for older retiree types or at least they got my name and my 69 yr old dads' DOB mixed up (the items usually increase around July, his B-day). I'm 38, but I'm always getting things in my name for reverse mortgages, AARP, and a TON of mailing for medicare supplement plans.

@dafountain: Yeah, but wouldn't it be GREAT to be able to retire at 50! How many member like that do they have.

Y'all realize that this is one of the biggest lobbyist groups in the US ([en.wikipedia.org])

I have been an AARP "associate member" since I was 30. I get to take advantage of AARP group discounts on auto insurance through my carrier (Citizens), discounts on home owners insurance and all sorts of spiffs. It's worth the money.

I received my first AARP invitation just shy of my 45th birthday - I wrote, "I do not qualify for any benefits as of yet - but thanks so much for making me feel old... schmucks" on it and returned it at their expense.

Haven't heard from them since (*crosses fingers*).