When I signed up for AARP it was out of curiousity. I thought I would learn more about helping my aging parents. Unfortunately I didn't realize I would receive more mail from that one organization than I did from any of the other non-profit organizations. I toss the AARP information without opening.

Before my parents died they often feared they didn't have enough health insurance. They had more than enough but I can't help thinking the mailings they got from AARP added to their fear.

There's the AARP life insurance program from New York Life, the AARP lifetime income program through New York Life, the AARP long term care insurance, AARP medicare supplement plans through United Health Care Insurance Company, AARP auto insurance program from The Hartford,  AARP rewards Visa platinum credit cards issue by Chase Bank USA (the only credit cards endorsed by AARP) and on and on and on.

I understand that AARP would say these programs are "benefits" of membership. But I wonder. The April 2010 AARP Bulletin had an above-the-fold headline, SCAM ALERT: Crooks in the Mailbox. Imagine this: there are more than 40 million members of AARP ages 50 and older; that's 40 million come-ons. What I do know is it's too much to deal with no matter how old you are.

Have you had any experiences with AARP you'd like to share?