Dear Readers: Do you ever ask a hotel, airline or restaurant if they offer discounts to seniors? You really should. You can also apply for an America the Beautiful Senior Pass. This particular card offers you access to federal recreation sites and covers entrance fees at national parks and wildlife refuges. It also covers standard amenities at national forests and grasslands. It’s $80 annually and also covers noncommercial vehicles with four adults. Children 15 and under usually enter free.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) also offers discount cards for prescription drugs. Many large and well-known pharmacies honor those discounts, but you must ask. Hotels and restaurants often provide discounts to seniors, ages 55-65. The age can vary from company to company, but most follow this age range. Again, you need to ask if they have senior discounts.

Companies offer these discounts to encourage seniors to do business with them. Seniors who are on a fixed income usually appreciate the money they’re able to save. So, go ahead and ask if they offer a discount and pocket those savings. — Heloise

HANDY HINTS

Dear Heloise: I’m losing my vision and cannot tell the difference between shampoo and conditioner when I rinse in the shower. So, I decided to put a large rubber band, like the ones that come on vegetables, around the shampoo bottle. Now I don’t accidentally use the wrong one.

I also have arthritis and had trouble opening bottles and jars. I found that a metal nutcracker works great to open small bottle tops. Also, a plumber’s wrench that has a hard handle with an adjustable rubber strap is perfect for opening large jar lids. — J.T., in Washington