Are you a member of the American Automobile Association (also known as the AAA)? For a while, I was one of those people. However, that perk was far more sought after in the past, when travelers‘ checks were issued at no cost. Yes, that was a very long time ago.
Was it a mistake to cancel my membership? Let’s reevaluate if the perks of joining AAA are worth the price of membership. (As AAA is a consortium of independent clubs, membership and associated fees and offerings may vary depending on your location.)
Subscription fees:
Basic. Membership costs $76.20. There is a one-time enrollment charge of $15, plus $27 for each additional member of the same household.
Plus. The initial primary member payment is $113.
Premier. The primary subscriber’s annual fee is $148. Motorcycles, RVs, and trailers are covered under this premium coverage category.
Maps, travel planning tools, guidebooks, and four annual calls to roadside assistance are all included at no extra cost to members. Keep in mind that your membership is specific to you and not to the car you drive. In other words, if you’re in a car with someone who suddenly runs out of fuel, AAA will still dispatch somebody to assist you.
Keep in mind that prices might vary significantly from one region to the next. For example, AAA South’s annual membership fees are as follows: $66 for the Classic tier, $100 for the Plus tier, and $126 for the Premier tier. They are discounted for the first year, and adding additional family members costs between $30 and $65 annually.
Deals
Hotels, restaurants, car parts, and more all provide discounts to AAA members, which add up to an average annual savings of $101, according to the association. AAA members may save money at various establishments, including museums, restaurants, and stores.
For illustration purposes only:
- Discounts at Disney resorts, SeaWorld resorts, and Universal resorts
- Discounts at Six Flags
- The Hard Rock Café, the MacKenzie River Pizza Co., and other restaurants like it, as well as mom-and-pop operations with just one facility. Always inquire about the membership discount if you are currently a member
- In Big Sky, Montana, you may choose between national chains like Best Western and Hyatt or a unique boutique hotel like Buck’s T-4 Lodge
- If you subscribe to DirecTV, AAA will credit your account $10 monthly for twenty months. (Be sure that these discounts do not exclude you from qualifying for a more attractive offer for new clients.)
- Savings of up to 10% on some vehicle rentals
- Discounts at LensCrafters or Pearle Vision
- Lowered prices at retailers including Gap, Banana Republic, and Payless
This sounds promising. Don’t forget to check whether any other memberships you hold, such as the $16 annual AARP membership, entitle you to discounts. You may already have access to great bargains if you’ve signed up for newsletters from a company you visit or if you liked it on Facebook.
To determine if a AAA membership is worth the money, think carefully about your spending habits.
Roadside help
Among the many benefits AAA offers, roadside help is frequently considered the main incentive for new members. Towing is included in the service for up to seven miles for the Basic membership and up to 100 miles for the Plus and Premier memberships (plus one 200-mile tow).
In addition to providing jumpstarts, tire changes, gasoline deliveries (Plus and Premier members receive free fuel), and locksmith services, roadside assistance may also supply these for you at no extra cost. Bicyclists can get roadside help from AAA in select areas as well.
Now, compare it to the roadside assistance that I get with my auto insurance. It includes tire replacements, jump starts, gasoline, a locksmith, etc. It includes towing up to 150 miles (in Montana, my insurance carrier will also compensate for lengthier tows) and in addition to not counting as a claim on my insurance, receiving roadside help as often as needed is entirely free of charge.
For $4.30 per six months, I get access to everything above. Since my insurance is exclusive to my vehicle, it won’t assist if we’re in an accident in someone else’s vehicle.
See what coverages and limits are included in your auto insurance and how much they cost to compare with AAA. Additionally, verify if your credit card provides any sort of roadside help. Wireless service providers may also sell it for a nominal cost. Another possibility is that it came free with the purchase of your automobile.
Other financial services and insurance
Insuring yourself with AAA is an option. Additional financial options include a credit card, CDs, and an electronic savings account (a 0.7 percent APY). Could you tell me whether this is a reasonable price? If you’re looking for lower insurance premiums, AAA isn’t the only club in town that offers discounts to its members.
It would be best if you didn’t buy anything from a financial institution unless you’ve shopped around and compared the prices and conditions provided by at least three different institutions.
Travelers’ checks are no longer advertised by AAA, although the organization does provide a prepaid debit card and 75 various currencies. Free delivery is included for orders over USD 1,000 in another currency. As per my most recent count, you may purchase one thousand Euros for $1,427.14. On that date, one euro was equivalent to $1.31 in value. When I travel to the Eurozone, I’ll use my debit card at an ATM to withdraw euros at a better exchange rate.
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