Cameron Huddleston
Everything seems to be more expensive. Food, healthcare, housing and more. And the numbers prove it. For the past 12 months ending September 2025, overall inflation rose 3.0%, based on the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) data. Food is up 3.1%, housing is up 3.6%, healthcare is up 3.3% and used vehicles rose a whopping 5.1%.
While these individual single-digit increases may seem small, they add up significantly over a year, making a real impact on your budget — especially if you are retired and living on a fixed income.
Thankfully, some things in life are still free — and we all know, it doesn't get much better than "free." Sure, senior discounts, on everything from going to the movies to riding the bus, are ripe for the taking. But there are also plenty of freebies out there for those who have cast off the shackles of everyday work.
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We gathered a collection of the 12 best freebies for retirees. Bear in mind, some are strictly for those of a certain age, retired or not. Others are fit for retirees, and others of any age.
Check out our 12 favorite retirement-friendly freebies.
1. Free prescription drugs
Tap into the RxAssist database to find free or low-cost medications from the patient assistance programs of pharmaceutical manufacturers. Not all drugs are included here. Some that are included have eligibility requirements, such as income limits, and usually require that the applicant have no prescription insurance.
Also, some supermarket chains, including Meijer, Publix, Kroger, Family Fare, Sam’s Club, and more, offer select medications for free. Blink Health offers more than 55 medications on its site that are well below standard pharmacy costs — and shipping is always free to all 50 states. Keep in mind that some of these chains require a membership (Sam's Club and Kroger), and you will need a prescription from your doctor.
2. Free college tuition
If you're still dreaming about going back to school, it's never too late to make that happen. Some states require state-supported colleges and universities to waive tuition for older residents, as long as there’s space available in the class. One example: Kentucky. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville are among 23 Kentucky colleges and universities that waive tuition for all residents 65 or older. Virginia does, too, for residents 60 and over.
Note: Some tuition-waiver programs allow credit to be earned for the course; others only allow the course to be audited.
Read: Free (or Cheap) College for Seniors and Retirees in All 50 States
3. Free services from Medicare
Yes, it's true, you pay a Medicare premium each month, an annual deductible, and possibly a copay for doctor visits and prescription drugs. However, Medicare also offers many services with no out-of-pocket costs. In fact, there are about 18 of them.
From free yearly wellness visits and seasonal vaccines to colorectal screenings and yearly mammograms, if you're on Medicare and not taking advantage of these free services, you're missing out. Some freebies might not be available with Medicare Advantage, and there could be limitations on how often you can take advantage of a free service.
4. Free eye care
EyeCare America, which is a public service program of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, provides free eye exams and up to one year of care for any disease diagnosed during the exam.
This free service is available to anyone aged 65 or older who does not have private insurance and has not visited an eye doctor in at least three years. You must fill out a short survey to see if you qualify for the program. Visit EyeCareAmerica for program guidelines.
5. Free entry to National Parks
Now you can take in the sights without paying a dime at some of our nation's most scenic National Parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway. Plus, on several days throughout the year, seniors can get in free to all National Parks that usually charge admission.
Several state park systems — among them Maryland, New Hampshire, New York and Texas — also offer older adults free admission or free annual passes. (Some passes require a small processing fee.)
And, don't forget about the Senior Pass, available for admission to all National Parks. It's not free, but well worth the cost. The Senior Lifetime Pass is valid for your lifetime and costs $80. The Senior Annual Pass is valid for one year and costs $20.
6. Free e-books, audiobooks and music
Project Gutenberg and the University of Pennsylvania’s Online Books Page let you legally download thousands of books that have expired copyrights, including War and Peace, Moby Dick and Little Women. And you won't pay a dime to do so.
If you'd rather listen than read, the Libby app lets you access thousands of audiobooks free from your local library. You can sign up even if you don't have a current library card. Or, check out titles from Digitalbook and Loyal Books.
More into music? Check out music streaming services, such as Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Spotify. All three offer some variation of a free subscription.
7. Free credit reports
Nothing is worse than waking up only to find out someone has charged something on your credit card, or worse yet, your identity has been stolen. More than half of all consumers feel they are more of a target of fraud than one year ago, according to the most recent report from Experian. Unfortunately, seniors are often the target for most types of fraud.
Fortunately, all three credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — offer free credit reports to consumers each week at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Check for errors or signs of fraudulent activity, such as the presence of a credit card or loan that you never opened or a collection account for a debt that you don’t owe.
8. Free perks from credit cards
Speaking of credit cards, about 88% of Americans aged 65 and older own at least one credit card, and nearly half of Americans ages 50-plus carry over credit card debt from month to month. If that's you, you may as well take advantage of some free benefits for carrying around all that plastic.
For example, many of the best travel credit cards come with free rental-car insurance, and some will cover the cost of your vacation if you have to cancel your trip or even reimburse you for luggage that is lost, stolen, or damaged during flights purchased with eligible cards.
Other credit card perks include free extended warranties, free cell-phone replacement and free museum admission. Contact your card issuer to find out what perks you qualify for.
9. Free calls to the grandkids
In 2025, the average cell phone plan in the U.S. cost about $141 per month, based on factors like carrier, plan type, and additional features. So, why would you want to pay more when calling your grandkids, family, or friends?
To limit your landline costs or avoid using precious minutes on your mobile phone plan, try using a free calling service such as Teams, Viber, or FaceTime.
All three allow you to make free calls to other users of these same services, and all can be installed on mobile phones and computers.
10. Free coffee
Getting your coffee fix every morning is important to your overall well-being (at least for many of us), and there are plenty of places to enjoy it, besides your own home. In some cases, thanks to loyalty programs, your morning cup of coffee could be free.
Peet’s Coffee has a rewards program called Peetnik Rewards, which operates on a points system and allows you to exchange points for free beverages. Starbucks offers a similar program. Dunkin’ Rewards is another great option to get your caffeine (and food) fix. While with each of these programs you'll have to pay to play, the points add up, equaling free coffee down the road. Besides, it's free to sign up.
11. Free gym memberships
Staying in shape is one way to live better and longer. In fact, even if you’re over 65, staying active can add over five years to your life, according to a 2025 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The study found that if everyone over age 40 moved like the most active seniors — brisk walks, gardening, dancing or light strength training — average life expectancy could increase by 5.3 years.
That would mean more healthy, independent years to enjoy the grandkids, travel, go back to school, or take up a new hobby. But some gym memberships are costly. Thankfully for you, many fitness centers offer discounted or free memberships through health insurers for people age 65 and older. Many Medicare Advantage plans offer a membership called SilverSneakers (run by Tivity Health) that gives eligible seniors access to thousands of gym and fitness center locations nationwide — for free.
12. Free financial advice and retirement planning
We don't like to boast, but here at Kiplinger.com and on our social media platforms you can find actionable, straightforward financial and retirement guidance to keep more of your hard earned cash in your pockets. Learn how to cut your tax bill, maximize returns on your investments, save more for retirement, stop insurance leaks, get the best banking and credit deals, and so much more.
Sign up for our free e-newsletters to get our best tips delivered straight to your email every week. You can also follow Kiplinger on Twitter , TikTok and Facebook.
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