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Living alone in retirement can bring both financial benefits — a lower overall footprint and reduced cost of living — and downsides, as you have to rely on a single income.
To make a solo retirement simpler, more cost efficient and even safer, consider signing up for the following subscriptions.
Prescription Delivery and Discount Programs
If your current pharmacy doesn’t already deliver or offer discounts, consider adding a program such as Amazon Pharmacy PillPack or GoodRx Gold. These services save you trips to the pharmacy (and gas money) while ensuring you don’t skip necessary medications. They may also offer discounts to keep your prescriptions affordable.
Grocery Delivery Memberships
While food delivery services like DoorDash and UberEats can add costly fees, memberships such as Instacart+ and Walmart+ can save retirees time and transportation costs. They also help avoid the exhaustion of in-store shopping and often include member-only discounts.
Senior Meal Delivery Services
Some meal delivery services cater specifically to seniors and may be worth the cost, such as Silver Cuisine and Factor Meals. Also look into local programs like Meals on Wheels or senior meals at community centers. If you don’t enjoy cooking for one, these options can reduce food waste and help you cut down on over-shopping.
Medical Alert Services
Living alone means no one may be around to help in a health crisis or after a fall. Subscriptions like Life Alert and Medical Guardian can prevent higher medical expenses down the road and give peace of mind to far-flung loved ones.
Home Security Monitoring
Whether you add a simple doorbell camera or invest in a system with direct alerts to law enforcement, such as Ring Protect or SimpliSafe, home security subscriptions can provide peace of mind and protection against theft or break-ins.
Credit Monitoring and Identity Protection
No matter how savvy you are at spotting scams, seniors are often targeted by fraudsters. Subscriptions to products that monitor your credit and offer other protection help safeguard personal data and protect against costly identity theft.
Ride-Share Memberships
If you can’t drive any longer, or prefer not to, ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft offer senior membership programs. Many cities and counties also provide senior mobility services, so check with your local municipality for additional options.
AARP Membership
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offers a wide variety of discounts and services to members, beginning as early as age 50. Covering areas from travel to insurance, this membership is a must-have for retirees living alone.