You don't have to be anywhere near 65 to score 'senior' discounts

At least when it comes to senior discounts, the definition of "senior" has become, well, a gray area.

While Americans have traditionally considered seniors to be folks age 65 and older, many restaurants, retailers and other businesses now offer senior discounts to people as young as 50.

Case in point: Check out "8 Great Discounts That Begin at Age 62" and "6 Fabulous Ways to Save After You Turn 50." Even AARP is open to folks as young as 50.

A recent New York Times report notes that this trend benefits older Americans willing to use a growing breed of website and mobile apps devoted to detailing senior discounts:

"... for coupon-cutters of a certain age who have nothing against technology, the world can easily become a less expensive place."

The trouble with senior discounts available for various ages, though, is that people in their early 50s may not know that such discounts are available to them, or aren't used to asking businesses whether they offer one.

RELATED: Check out the average retirement age in every US state:

Additionally, even the oldest of seniors must remember to ask a business for its senior discount in order to receive it. As the NYT puts it, "After all, a Walgreens cashier can't be expected to automatically deduct the 20 percent senior discount the chain offers on certain Tuesdays."

Enter Sciddy, which the NYT says "may be the most ambitious [senior discount app] yet." It uses GPS technology to automatically remind users when a senior discount is available at a business — as soon as users walk into the business. Sciddy was developed as a website in 2011 and an app in 2016 to address the "out of sight, out of mind" nature of senior discounts.

The downsides include Sciddy's price — $7.99, according to NYT — and lackluster reviews in the App Store and Google Play.

Other apps cited by the NYT that detail senior discounts but lack a GPS reminder feature include Senior Discounts ($1.99) and Senior Savings ($0.99). Both are for Apple devices.

The AARP Member Advantages and AARP Now apps help you find AARP member discounts near you. Both are free and available for Apple and Android devices.

Other websites cited by the NYT that detail senior discounts are also free, such as The Senior List and Retired Brains.

You'll also find free information here at Money Talks News — including "10 Hotel Chains That Offer Discounted Rates to Retirees."

What's your favorite senior discount? Share with us by commenting below or over on our Facebook page.

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