When my mom got her first -- senior MetroLink pass on NYC subways -- I asked if she felt weird. She laughed and said, "Are you kidding?"

A disabled friend, 67 and ten years older than I, prevailed upon me to go to the downtown Ross Dress for Less with her to pick up a few things.

I grabbed some fitted sheets - a pretty good deal - and she said that since I qualified for the senior discount I should ask for it.

The surly and disinterested counter people just rolled their eyes and didn't give it to me. Clearly they were not convinced; would not even look at my driver's license and I was too embarrassed to push it.

I haven't tried for the lower-level senior discounts on anything else since.

It occurs to me that someone could make some good coin setting up an informational bureau for new seniors . . . what world of goodies opens to up them at certain ages . . . how to deal with Medicare and Social Security . . . when they can access their retirement accounts and how to do so safely . . . when they can stop paying property taxes if they don't mind the home being seized when they finally die . . . when they qualify for senior low income housing and where these places are, etc., etc.

IMO nobody does this well at the moment.

Too bad the Apple store doesn't give one!!

Relax, kid, and rent (NFLX) "Young@Heart"( 2007):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1047007/

Then check out all the items you can purchase at the WHollywood Freddy's for 10% less grâce à your senior status (Tuesdays only through the close of the year).

Today, most Senior Citizen Centers welcome those who were born before 1960. Yep, 50 is your break today.

The greater numbers helps them with gaining state and federal grants. Just like special education programs in the schools, its all about more program directors and more money for them.

Is there a short bus with dark tinted windows in your future?

Tuesday is Senior Day at Ross, and Age 55 qualifies for 10% off. A lot of senior discounts start under age 65:

http://www.seniordiscounts.com/

I have no problem whipping out my ODL to take advantage of a senior discount. Once you hit 65, you qualify for TriMet honored citizen fare, just $25 for a monthly pass. I just had a new roof put on and my contractor offered a senior discount which saved me several hundred dollars over what my neighbors paid for the same work & product. Getting old sucks but I'll gladly accept any savings I can get!

Not quite 50, but my hair turned loose and gray at an early age. I accept any discount thrown my way, my wife on the other hand cringes every time it happens.

I always get the senior discount and then some when the associate who complimented me on my well mannered or fine looking grandchildren hears my kids call me "Dad".

Relax. You will learn to roll with it. See ya at Denny's!

Way out in front. Been doing 10% off where I can for well, since Columbus was a midshipman...

Remember the first time you realized the doctor/pilot/fill-in-the-blank-with-important-position was younger than you?

How about when you first noticed that EVERY player in the NBA was younger than you?

The kids telling YOU about new music...

Etc etc

Another website listing senior discounts, collected from readers' experiences and finds.

http://www.seasonedspender.com/index.pl

.

I like being able to buy off the senior menu at many restaurants as the portions are smaller, and of course cheaper. Although I don’t relish getting older, the big discount is coming up for me in three years. In Oregon if you have lived in the state for fifty consecutive years and reach the age of sixty five, you can get the pioneer fishing and hunting license for free.

Happened to me a few months ago. Totaled everything up and followed with " and with the senior discount . . . ". Stunned me just long enough to not complain. See, I'm only 44. Mom says I got my first gray hair at 13. I was offended at first, but then my wife said hey, why be offended? If they're gonna give you a discount, take it. Made sense to me. I don't have to wait another 10 years or so. Suddenly the early gray doesn't seem so bad.

So, what was it, Jack? The senior coffee at McDonalds :)

Worse -- a loaf of bread at the Orowheat outlet store.