Mar 9, 2009 7:39 pm US/Eastern
Money-Saver Report: Membership Discounts & Perks
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
If you only look for coupons and store sales to save money, you could be spending too much. CBS 2 found secret deals and discounts in member clubs you may not even know you have.
Renee Young needed new glasses, but she couldn't see straight when it came to the cost. So the saleswoman at the shop stepped in and helped her out.
"She said, 'Are you a member of any type of discount club?' And I said, 'No.' And she said, 'Well, do you have a AAA card?' And I said, 'Yes.' And she said, 'You're entitled to a discount,'" says Young.
Young was treated to a 30 percent discount on everything from the frames to the lenses.
"I really only think of AAA when I need my car towed," she says.
But experts say it's important to know the perks of being a member of groups like AAA.
"All those types of groups have discounts that you can take advantage of," says Edgar Dworsky of Consumer World.
Consumer advocates say whether it's AAA or AARP, or even your alumni association, people often don't realize – or simply forget – membership usually carries extra perks.
"The discounts really are just far and wide," says Dworsky.
And you can find discounts on everything from hotel and rental car specials to discounts at major retail stores, to savings on electronics. It's not just organizations, either. Most major credit cards have various discount programs, and many workplaces offer corporate deals.
"It's really kind of a nice employee perk to get something back in addition to your employment and your health insurance," says Dworsky.
Jennifer Torrens regularly scours her company's Web site. Recently, she saved on theater tickets and a city tour. Torrens' employer uses a company called "Perkspot," which manages employee discount programs on behalf of more than 100 corporations nationwide.
"There are sometimes where I've bought something or used something and then remembered afterward, 'Oh, yeah, I could have got a discount on this.' I hate that feeling," says Torrens.
While there are hundreds of discounts available, Perkspot estimates only 25 to 35 percent of people actually take advantage of them.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
2009 Celebrity Deaths
Click to enlarge
Judge: Alleged Ft. Hood Killer Held Until Trial 1 hr 46 mins ago 
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments