Let's make a "deal" an Observation why we all love our "Discounts"

"Let's Make a Deal"

Monty Hall



Back in 2011 when my Faithful and Obedient Companion and I did a 2 month cross country trip across the USA we visited numerous National Parks.  It always amazed us to watch a parade of huge expensive Motorhomes, driven by wealthy retirees, using their lifetime National Park  "Senior Card" (which costs 10 bucks), to enter the Park for free.  Meanwhile those entering with a car full of kids, driving an old car, would be dropping 60 or 70 bucks to make a visit for just  the day.   It fondly reminded me of my wonderful Mother in Law who relished such "Senior Discounts" and always would add...I deserve it after all I am entitled .

Now don't get me wrong once we hit 65 we also purchased a 10 dollar lifetime pass, in my name.  A few months back I laughed when my Faithful and Obedient Companion, upon reading of a soon to be implemented 10 fold increase in such passes, suggested (tongue in cheek...I think) we get another one in her name as well before the increase, why ?  Well in case I died first and she could no longer use my card!

Somehow the "idea" that older people "need discounts" has become an integral part of our culture.  I guess we all have have been ingrained with this picture of poor seniors eating dog food or something and so we give discounts to those seniors who own $500,000 Motorhomes.

So just to write this blog I decided to "confirm" facts that most of us likely already "know"...how that image of "poor seniors" is really BS.

Here is a quick snapshot of median US wealth by household age,  and consider hat this does not even consider that younger households have more members.

Age 35 or younger: $11,100
Age 35-44: $59,800
Age 45-54: $124,200
Age 55-64: $187,300
Age 65-74: $224,100
Age 75 or older: $264,800

Here is average the stats based on "averages".
Age 35 or younger: $76,200
Age 35-44: $288,700
Age 45-54: $727,500
Age 55-64: $1.17 million
Age 65-74: $1.07 million
Age 75 or older: $1.07 million

So now about age discounts..I searched "Young People Discounts" and I only found a few results...mainly for college kids air fare and travel, and one for theater tickets. 

I then searched senior discounts and was flooded with results.  I will not even bother to copy and paste anything...my blog post would be page after page.  

OK so I state the obvious, charging people based on "age" in this country is a long standing marketing ploy which is not against the law.

So imagine my surprise when a few of my senior golfing friends raised a legal question (about age discrimination in pricing ) about this years Stowe Country Club pricing scheme:

My answer well of course it is.....so what?

Now I have no idea why from a financial standpoint the course would want to make long term members "miffed" by advertising such a pricing scheme but they did state this:

What’s New at Stowe Country Club for 2019?

One Club – All adult memberships will now have unrestricted access to any available tee times, up to 7 days in advance.

Next Generation – SCC is making a concerted effort to grow the game by attracting our next generation of Club members.  In addition to reducing our Under 20 pricing, we now have more affordable options for those under age 30 and 40.

Now everyone knows Golf is in trouble demographically, and I have no clue if this scheme helps stem that tide.  I also wonder how many members quit versus new ones that signed up and what the ultimate economic consequences are to SCC.  However, this is not a "private club" and is still in theory, a "Profit Center" at AIG.   I do know this to me seems a long term play to in fact grow the game, based purely on demographics.  The question long term is this.  When this crop of new members ages will they begin to look for  senior "discounts"or will they remember SCC as one of the few places that offered a youth discount when they needed it?  Only time will tell.

My Final "real" Observation is this:

Everybody wants a deal, but if history is any lesson what we  humans really hate to see is someone get a bargain that we cannot. It's just who we are. It's no wonder that our younger fellow citizens are likely to look for free stuff like "Health Care" when they see that the richer members of society are already getting their  "Health Care" via medicare on the cheap.  Be careful what you wish for because in total (as someone who is no socialist) there is no free lunch for any of us.

With that I bid you adieu