If life begins at 40 then that makes 60 a pretty good age to live it all up. Believe it or not, senior citizens have all the perks. Here are just a few of them.

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The Senior Citizen ID

The first thing a normal person does when he or she becomes a senior citizen is to apply for and get that coveted Senior Citizen ID that becomes the gateway to automatic (almost, anyway) 20% discounts on many goods and services. More if the 12% VAT is added back and deducted from the cost of a purchase. Unfortunately, many establishments violate the letter and spirit of the law by not giving the full discount or by giving much less than what the law stipulates.

7

Shorter Queues

Every now and then, while queuing for a service, like in a bank, all it takes is for an alert staffer to point a senior citizen towards a window set aside for us oldies, which means a shorter queue and waiting time than for others not age-challenged.

6

Number-Coding Exemptions

Certain cities that have very strict number-coding rules for motor vehicles provide a special-colored card for their senior citizens that automatically exempts them from this rule. This is true especially in the most difficult of cities to penetrate because they do not have any window times for cars during the day.

5

Train Rides That are Little More Comfortable

The MRT/LRT urban rail transit systems have special cars upfront that are only for women and also for senior citizens and the handicapped. Needless to say, these cars are a boon especially during rush hours when the trains are packed full of people. The special cars are probably also exempt from sexual predators who make it a habit to grope women in tight situations, or those shady characters who prey on hapless passengers. Best of all, more seats are available for aging people like us seniors, something that is appreciated given our tired bodies and fragile bones.

4

First Dibs!

When I was a young kid, no one would be allowed to sit down at table until grandpa would do so. He also got the choicest parts from all the food present. As the youngest at the table, my grandparents allowed me to have second choice. But this custom of waiting for the elders to make the first move and to have the rest wait for them is something that seems to have gone out of the window in terms of customs and traditions. I, for one, would like to see this custom make a comeback, especially since I am not the senior person in my family!

3

Good Seats at Events

Some establishments give senior citizens priority seating and even in obtaining hard-to-get items like tickets for concerts or sports events.

2

Self-Respect

In most situations, elder persons in general get a lot of respect from others. This is comforting to aging seniors, because most of us are retired and probably waning in terms of earning capability. Thus, self-respect is a much treasured commodity for aging individuals.

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Grandchildren

Senior citizens are usually also grandparents. This is the sweetest part of becoming a senior—acting the role of doting grandparent and spoiling the grandkids rotten.