About 15 years ago, I started receiving junk mail from AARP. I don't know why as I had just turned 50. I just threw it in the trash. Next month, same thing, same action. This continued for years, the only difference being the junk mail from AARP began coming sooner than every 30 days. Special envelopes, colored envelopes, special offers, discounts, free gifts if I just replied. I probably could have died and they'd still send the damned things (c/o the graveyard?).
When I moved to California, it didn't take long for them to find me. Faster than BMG and Capitol Records found their flaky paying customers in the 90's! The monthly letters started coming again, only to my place in Ventura. So I threw them away, just like in Ohio. I haven't replied to them, contacted them or returned any of their return envelopes. You know when you get junk e-mail and you click on the 'unsubscribe' at the bottom of the e-mail, hoping to stop them? We all know that's a mistake .... you have just validated your e-mail address. Sure, they unsubscribe you but then turn around and sell it to dozens of other junk e-mailers to use. That's always been my thought on notifying AARP to leave me alone. They'd find a way and double or triple their attempts to lure me into their gingerbread house of seniors.
When I turned 65, they doubled their efforts with twice as much junk mail. Now I get pre-printed membership cards for myself and Charlene, gift offers (oh, a free flashlight - be still my beating heart...). I opened the latest junk mail yesterday. Another pre-printed membership card, offer of a free travel bag. Travel bag, yea, right! A cheap canvas bag with giant AARP letters on it. I've always wanted to be the laughing stock of the senior set. No thanks!
I cannot imagine the number of trees they've killed trying to get me to join. As I was starting to pitch the mail in the trash, I held back. Let's see here, $16 a year, no more junk mail, dozens of trees saved. Hmmmm. What if....... Yes? No? What should I do? Crap, I feel like I'm trapped between a Rock and a Woody Allen Movie.......
Don't do it, Kelly. It's a trap. You think they will stop coming, but no. It still comes. And then you get the magazines you won't have time to read. When you look at the ads and articles, it only makes you think about how time is running out. Save your $16. Or at least be smarter than me. :)
ReplyDeleteDitto, toots. Ditto. Don't fall for it! The supplemental health care plan they offer is more than double the cost of Humana & Humana has much more benefits. Stay Away!
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