Not Having to Pay Cause of Triple A
I started driving in 2002. Well, I drove tractors before that, but that’s beside the point. I got my driver’s license in October of 2002. In September of 2003 I went to college, and soon after I received in my Christmas stocking a little gold card that fit in my wallet. “AAA North Penn” was stamped on top of it. Yes, I was 18 and my family put me on their family Triple A (AAA) plan.
Needless to say, I’ve used Triple A for a myriad of reasons since then and saved an immense amount of cash. Today, I’m going to share some of those ways… some of which you knew, others which you probably had no idea.
Towing. I had a 1996 Pontiac Grand Am that was notorious for breaking down. Three friends and I drove to Virginia Beach for a week. We got there fine, but getting back was a different story. 103 miles from home, the car died. We sat on the side of the highway, called Triple A… and found out that my gold card gave me 100 miles of towing for free. They got us a truck that towed us the rest of the way home, and we only had to spend $30 (including tip). Thank you, Triple A, for saving me a couple hundred dollars.
Travel. The standard things that everyone thinks of when they think of Triple A are towing and travel, since it’s the American Automobile Association. If you’re traveling somewhere, consider getting the guidebook you can get from your local Triple A store for that region for free once a year. They have coupons, hotel recommendations, a list of where you can get restaurants, and more. You can also get maps, discounted tickets, and more. The best deal I’ve ever gotten was two hotel rooms for 5 days for around $400 total.
Meds. Yes, Triple A offers a prescription discount card that you can print out and show to your local pharmacy. Not all pharmacies accept it, but most chain ones do. I save around $15 a month on medications because of it.
Insurance. This I didn’t realize until a couple of weeks ago, and I got a quote from them, since it’s almost time for me to renew my car insurance. Now, it wasn’t better than what I already pay, but for some people, it may be. They also offer home, disaster, life, and renter’s insurance. Pretty good deals to check out if you ask me.
Bail. No, I never used this, and I never will. But, if you read the back of the Triple A card, this statement is written: “This card can be accepted as an arrest or bail bond up to $1,000 or $5,000 respectively, for motor vehicle violations with exceptions as detailed in the Guide to Member Services.” Needless to say, I looked up this guide and checked it out. It includes being arrested for auto accidents and that’s pretty much it. Your Triple A card does not cover you if you do something really dumb, like get a DUI.
The longer I have AAA membership, the more I realize it has been totally worth it. Maybe you should consider it too. Until tomorrow, spend smart, save smart!
