Today’s question is from Nicole:
I’ve had a AAA membership for over six years now, and have needed their services a total of two times! I have not needed to call for the last four years since we got a new-to-us car.
Do you think the peace of mind is worth $140 per year to keep this membership?
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lyn says
We have AAA. It is worth it.I had a flat tire in the rain and i was pregnant and by myself. I called AAA and they were there within 30 minutes.We use it for hotel discounts,amusement park discounts, and certain restaurants will give a discount.
Jenel says
I use AAA for the discounts as much if not more so than for roadside (although I get my monies worth with that too!!).
The one I use the most and get the most value for is AAA offices have tickets for LOWES, Regal, and other movies. You can go and purchase a ticket for around 6.50 and use it at your local theater. Even if it is for a ‘no passes accepted movi’ ie new release, #D, imax etc. you would just give them the ticket and pay the difference. They come in packs of 5 or 6 so you are paying around 40.00 up front for the tickets. If you got them in the theater it would be closer to $60. Also the ticket bundles make great gifts! I always keep extra on hand to stick in a card.
Also, I have used discounts to local water parks, Six Flags etc. There are tons of discounts, and you can look them all up on the website 🙂
Kristie Speakman says
Maybe I missed it when I skimmed all the posts but some phone companies offer optional roadside plans. We have it through Verizon. It is $3 per month per line and they tow up to 10 miles if I am not mistaken. I have not used it so I can’t offer any review of the actual service but for us it is still cheaper than AAA.
Michele says
To clarify, each AAA office is independently operated which is why the pricing and benefits vary, as well as the rules about joining at the roadside and getting immediate service etc.
If you are only using AAA for roadside assistance, you are missing out on TONS of discounts! There are truly hundreds of stores, restaurants, websites, services and more that give AAA discounts. You should ask every time you pay for something!
Also, be careful of the roadside plans through auto insurance companies. A lot of them consider your roadside assistance calls as a CLAIM and will ding you for it later. So you can wind up paying a lot more in the long run. AAA also sells auto insurance (either their own or through Progressive, Geico, etc) AND you get a AAA member discount off the insurance premium!
I think if you really do some research into all the benefits AAA provides you would see that it’s a worthwhile investment since you’ll save money all year.
Lisa says
I haven’t read through all the previous comments, but AAA actually saved me money a few years ago. I received a speeding ticket where I would have had points on my license. I was caught in a speed trap and pulled over in a school zone. Ugh. My fines and court fee would have been over $250. After speaking to a friend, I found out that AAA will pay for an attorney. I paid an attorney $200 to represent me in court and received a check from AAA to cover $100 of that. So, I walked away with no points and no mark on my record for just $100 out of my pocket. I learned my lesson and drive the speed limit now!!! I know I won’t be that lucky next time.
Linda says
I had towing service on my car insurance policy. I used it once. I also filed a claim to have a cracked windshield repaired . I had never had an accident and then one day I did, and Geico dropped me. They considered me “high risk” because they said I “filed too many claims”. For the next three years I was “high risk”. Everywhere I went to get insurance the cost was between 2-3 times more than what I had been paying. I had only had one accident in my whole life and I was nearly 30 years old. The add on’s to car insurance sound great, but they aren’t always as wonderful as you might think. I don’t have AAA anymore, but after reading all of the post above, I think I might go get it again. I think it is a really good deal for the money if you take advantage of the discounts it affords.
teresa says
We have the AAA basic plan for my car and roadside assist through auto insurance for DH. He travels a good portion of the year (in a company car) and it costs us $10 for his truck. Since he is not driving it much – better than paying more for AAA.
I have the AAA for my car and although I have only used it 1 time in the past 4 years, it has been worth it. Flat tire, with a 3 yr old, on the busy part of the interstate. Not risking my life and limb to get out and change it myself in that case. I am not quick or proficient and I would probably be chasing lug nuts on the road 🙂
My mom has it and has used it for her car that wouldn’t start in cold weather, a flat tire and a tow – all within 10 months. In 15 years prior she didn’t use it at all. You just never know!
zoranian says
I agree that $140 seems excessive. Our plan is $84 for the basic AAA membership. I agree that if you are stuck in the middle of nowhere, locked out of your car or with a flat tire, or run out of gas, it’s very important to have AAA. You know that someone you trust will come out to fix the problem and you won’t have to worry about how much they charge.
Heather C says
We have AAA and have kept it, though downgraded our plan when we bought a newer car. If you go with another roadside assistance plan I suggest you google ratings for that plan. I say this because we once had a plan with our cell phone company. When we actually broke down during a trip and called they needed an address and would not send a tow truck out without one. We could hardly hear the rep. on the phone, either. We ended up getting a local business to help us find a tow truck, repair shop and car rental office. We signed up for AAA right after that and have been with them for ten years+ since. It was cheaper than buying a more reliable car and though we have not used them as often as I might have thought, when we have the service has been excellent.
Sandra says
I think of it as other insurance policies… you have home insurance, auto insurance and health insurance and you hope to never have to use those either. If you have an option such as through your insurance co. or ontar etc… and they are cheaper I would go for that too.
I also like that I call the phone# on the AAA card and they dispatch a tow truck to me, I don’t have to carry phone numbers with me (I do not have a smart phone). OH – here’s one more, when I needed a tow to a repair shop the AAA dispatch said “I see you have a 4 wheel drive, we’ll sent a flat bed tow”… OK I didn’t know why – but the driver said you can’t tow a 4 wheel drive by the front wheels – it needs to be carried. I had no idea. I
Remember that you may have an emergency fund which can cover the cost of the tow but you aren’t carrying that money on you, so how do you access it in the middle of nowhere, or in the middle of the night.
Mother Lydia says
PS I forgot. WE’ve actually used it 4 times in those three years. My husband spun out in an ice storm. Yes, it took some time for the tow truck to get there and get him out of the ditch. But the AAA guy came and we owed nothing.
stee says
We use AAA for so much more than roadside assistance. We use it for free passport photos, discounted movie tickets, discounts at The Gap, Reebok, Barnes & Noble, Williams Sonoma, and dozens of other stores, discounts on prescriptions, hotel/car rental discounts, the dry cleaners… We even saved 20% on our gym membership by showing the AAA card!
If you only think of your AAA card to tow or jump start your car, you definitely aren’t getting the most of your membership.
Michelle says
I’ve always wondered if AAA was worth the money so I did some digging and found that we get almost the same services with our AT&T roadside assistance for $2.99/mo and this is with 4 incidents per year and goes with the phone not the car. So we can use it on any of our vehicles as long as we have the phone with us. We also have roadside assistance with our USAA account that covers everything except a battery jump start. Then with my State Farm insurance, we’re covered when we need a rental for car repairs. We don’t get the discounts though which would be nice but all in all I think it’s worth taking a look at what you already have.
Erlys says
I definitely think it is worth the money, even if you do not use it every year. For me it gives peace of mind when I, or my daughter are on the road.
Carrie says
I just went through this decision last month. We haven’t used the service for like 5 years. But if I broke down in the middle of nowhere with 2 kids in the car I wouldn’t know what to do so I went with peace of mind.
Still, it does seem pricey when you never use it.
Jess says
FOR SURE! Not only are the roadside benefits amazing but you can show your card and save all over the world! We’ve saved on hotels, food, souvenirs (Hard Rock Cafe), admission fees, and online shopping. Their books and maps are awesome and we use them for every trip we go on. $140 is a lot…but we save at least that a year without even having to use the roadside assistance.
Debra C says
My stepdad swears by AAA. He had roadside assistance through his insurance so he thought everything was good. And then he got stuck in a snowdrift in a parking lot. Since he wasn’t within a certain number of feet from the road, they wouldn’t cover his tow. After that, he got AAA so he could get a tow no matter where his car is (or what car he’s in).
Allie says
I guess it depends on where you live and where you travel. We pay $142 per year for 2 cards since the Plus RV is the only membership available in our area. We do not have an RV but rented one for a two week trip in Alaska and the peace of mind was worth it even if we did not need it. Also, if you travel overseas, AAA partners can be used in amny other countries as well.
We have only ever used AAA for repairs once when driving a UHaul across country. The repairs could not be made in the middle of the night but AAA did find us a hotel and reimbursed the expense, which is something I did not see anyone else mention.
Laura says
I just rennewed my AAA membership–$58, which sounds like a bargain compared to other comments. I don’t always use the roadside assistance benefit, but it has been very reliable and efficient when I’ve needed it.
The different discounts are very nice, too, but I really appreciate the travel information and trip planning. It’s so convenient to set off on a trip armed with up-t0-date state and city maps, information-packed tour books and personalized strip maps showing the precise locations of things like gas stations and hotels along my route, as well as any road construction and detours. And it’s concvenient: one stop at the AAA website will get all the travel info/maps/routings you want delivered to your door.
Carol Pennington says
I buy used, take good care of my cars and drive them forever. AAA has saved me and driving members of my family more times than I can count. Regardless of the age of the car, you can have a problem and the cost of one tow could pay for the membership for a year. Also, I like knowing I can get my car to MY favorite mechanics (and not be taken advantage of elsewhere). I also love their prepaid debit card and the discounts available at merchants.
Susan Hines says
Check your insurance coverage. Mine offers roadside assistance so I don’t buy the AAA anymore.
melinda p says
I would say yes and that it has been worth the money spent. We have used our account for flat tires, dead batteries, locked doors with keys inside and tires. Our sons drove older cars when they were at home, so this was great for them. There were also instances that they were out with friends who had flat tires, ran out of gas or locked their keys in the car and they were able to call AAA for assistance. The Premier level gives you a rebate on your auto inspection.
In addition to trip maps and amusement park discounts we’ve used our account for discounted movie tickets (Lowe’s), hotel discounts, restaurant discounts and Payless Shoe store.
Rachael says
Over Christmas, my brother and I were driving across two states back home when my three year old threw up in the car. We stopped at a nearby gas station to finish cleaning up and then our battery went dead. We were in a city where we knew it would be difficult to get a hotel room and tow truck, plus it was New Years weekend. We don’t have AAA, but my brother does. Within twenty minutes, we had a tow truck, a mechanic who fixed the car the next morning, and a hotel room. We’ve been too frugal to get AAA, but after this experience (and thank goodness my brother had it), we feel it is worth the money.
Jessica says
I was in a similar situation. We were just under 100 miles from home with the young kids when our car was totaled in a parking lot by a flash flood (I kid you not). Not only were we 100 miles from home, and had our 2 young kids, everything in the car was ruined…diapers, snacks, spare clothes, etc. We couldn’t even wait in the car since it was full of water. AAA towed it all the way home and brought my husband home. (friends came for me and the kids) If we had been further away, they would have paid for a hotel room, luckily it did not come to that.
One thing I hate are unexpected expenses. (like having your car totaled by a flash flood on a sunny day in June :o) Emergency fund or not, I hate them. I can plan around the AAA expense. I can’t plan when I will pull onto the shoulder on the road to let police pass, and run over something sharp and get a flat on vacation.
Stacy says
Worth it for us. I drive A LOT and we have older cars. My parents bought me a AAA membership when I moved out and I have continued it every year. I’ve needed it at least once a year (flat tire, car stalled and wouldn’t start, etc). The account is with me only, not with DH since he is usually with me and I’m the one most likely to need it. It only costs us $55/year, so worth it.
Dorothy says
AAA has been a lifesaver for me. I have used them multiple times in the years I have had them. Without AAA I would have been in a lot of trouble. AAA has changed a flat tire for me, reparied a flat on my husbands car, replaced my battery (when it died in the middle of no where), pulled my car out of a snow drift, and brought me gas when I have run out. AAA is totally worth it for me!
Amber Barnum says
I had AAA for a few years, and never found it to be worth the cost. I have roadside assistance now, through my insurance, and it only costs a couple dollars a month!
Ilene says
For me, a AAA membership is much more than just the peace-of-mind car service.
I have my car and homeowner’s insurance through them. The savings are considerable over other companies, even with the annual charge. Every couple of years I check around with other companies and still find my AAA insurance to be much cheaper.
I take advantage of the Tour Books and maps. And I also use the AAA discount whenever available, including hotels. I’m quite satisfied with the value of the membership.
Janna says
We still use ours but I don’t have the elite membership or whatever it is called. I use the discounts and travel stuff mostly. They have helped me out numerous times when I have gotten a flat tire too. If there is a nail in the road, my tires attract it like a magnet!!
Marla says
If you don’t have the option for coverage with your car insurance, an alternative is the GM Motor club. I don’t think you need a GM car to be eligible and it provides unlimited service calls and towing with no mileage limits for only $59 year for any family member.
Jerilyn says
We have liberty mutual insurance (cheaper through our alumni association!) and it comes with 24 hour roadside assistance. We’ve never had to use it but I like knowing it’s there!
Sharon says
Wow, does your membership cost that much? Ours is $99 for the AAA plus membership. We always drive old cars and my husband is in a wheelchair, so it’s worth it to me to know if the car breaks down that we have someone to call and won’t have a huge towing bill. Years ago before internet and GPS we always made use of their other services too for trips like Triptiks. I don’t know if they even make them up anymore.
Nancy says
We have had AAA for 30+years. How many times towed more than 2 hours away….4. Number of times towed for mechanical reasons locally…too many to remember….at least 20 charge batteries. Several car breakdowns involving our teens. But the reason we stayed: I was with a friend and SHE was driving. After visiting another friend, we were putting things back into the car including baby when she hit lock on her key and then shut the key in the trunk with the baby inside. Our friend’s husband tried to get the door open of a very new car with no luck. Her hubby was out of town — so since I was stranded, too, I called AAA and explained. Because there was a baby involved they arrived within a few minutes. They got the car open and we got the key. No more tears. I went to pay and the driver said it was covered. What? I wasn’t the driver or car owner. But AAA will cover an emergency situation because YOU are covered no matter what car you are in or with whom. That is why it is worth it to us.
BRENNA says
We do not have AAA but instead have roadside assistance as an extra feature on our cell phone plan. It costs $2 a month. We can call for help with towing/locked keys even in another state.
Teresa says
AAA used to let a person buy it “on-the-fly”– meaning that if you are not a member you could purchase it on the spot when you need it. It would be a little more hassle but if you really need to save money and you’ve found you haven’t used it lately, then it’s probably worth doing (but check with AAA first, as they may not work this way anymore — and keep the service number in your wallet so you have it in hand when needed!) Or you could buy the service to cover just one family member, cutting your bill way down. When you need service, you just call the family member whose name the card is in and they can come out and meet the driver with you. You’d save a little that way too.
Tiffany says
We had AAA and it worked great when we needed it but I’ve also used two other similar programs that have worked great and cost less. AT&T had a roadside assistance package through your wireless phone that was an extra $3 or so per month. I used it 2 different times and it was awesome. The option we are using now is through our auto insurance. We pay an extra $3+ per month. We haven’t had to use the program so I can’t vouch for it but it’s definitely an option to look into.
Amber says
We have the upgraded membership (that covers more than 5 miles)…essential when you live 50 miles from town! We have used the tow coverage several times, but our biggest savings is on the auto and home insurance we purchase from AAA. They are WAY cheaper than any other company’s insurance that we found, so we save well over our membership fee every year just in insurance savings.
Stephanie says
I think this is really a simple math question. Calculate how much you spend in AAA premiums annually. Then estimate the cost you would have incurred for tows, etc. had you not had the service and paid out of pocket. Here’s an example:
Cost of AAA membership annually: $140
Avg cost for tows annually: $66.67 (assumed cost of 2 tows in 6 years of $400 divided by 6)
The actual costs do not justify the premiums. I wouldn’t even pay for AAA if I didn’t already have something similar with both my American Express card and my auto insurance provider.
Tracy @ usingtimewisely.com says
Check with your car insurance company! We carried AAA until we discovered that for $4 per year per vehicle we could have the same peace-of-mind without the steep price tag. Our car insurance company (State Farm) offers roadside assistance. If we need help, then we call a tow truck. We pay them. Then submit the receipt to State Farm agent, who immediately writes us a check.
Since cancelling our AAA membership, we continue to receive temporary AAA cards in the mail which I have used once.
Though AAA is great, consider asking your insurance agent about roadside assistance.
Suzanne says
Thank you for sharing this information! I feel like a dunce, but I looked at my car insurance premium and realized that I’ve already been paying $10 per year for the same Emergency Road Service that I’ve also been paying AAA for! You just saved me a ton of money. =)
Renee says
AAA saved our honeymoon. There wasn’t a thing wrong with our vehicle, but we were trying to drive the East Coast during the week of the sniper shootings in DC. We stopped into a AAA office, re-routed our driving plans, picked and reserved a new bed and breakfast, and got all the maps we needed (pre-GPS years).
We drive from the East Coast to the Midwest 1-2 times a year with small children, and when we’re at home, we drive at night in heavily deer populated areas. The last time I used it, 6 months ago, I got a flat…in the rain…with 2 hungry children…in a rough neighborhood… an hour from my husband’s office. They changed the flat, were extremely polite, explained what they were doing to my very curious 3 year-old, and got me home in time to still make a big deal date I had planned with my husband.
Anitra says
My parents never thought it was worth it, but they tended to keep their cars in really good condition, so it was worth it to them to pay out-of-pocket for a tow the few times they needed one.
My husband on the other hand, believes it is well worth it. Even though we do a lot of work on our cars by ourselves, we’ve needed to call AAA several times in the 6 years we’ve had the service – mostly to help with flat tires, amusingly enough, but also for a short-distance tow.
Early in our marriage, I got a flat tire at 9pm about 10 miles from home. It was winter, and I was still dressed in my nice work clothes. I started trying to work on the jack, etc. just as my dad taught me, but it was dark and cold, and I was getting frustrated. A cop pulled up, saw me working on it, and asked if he could help. After watching me struggle for a few minutes, he said “don’t you have AAA?” At which point, it hit me – why am I doing this myself, I can call AAA!!! They were definitely worth the price that year.
Kara says
Having AAA just saved me $50 on a radiator replacement. Plus, the service is covered by the AAA guarantee, so if anything goes wrong with the repair, AAA will take care of it. Considering that we put a lot of wear on our vehicles, the discount for car repairs alone makes up for the $84 annual fee.
Michelle says
We have AAA, but I’ll look into cancelling and seeing what is available through my insurance company for less money. That said however, if I take a trip I’ll probably get AAA. We took an interstate trip a couple of years ago and broke down on a very busy freeway with barely a shoulder, very scary with trucks speeding by at 80mph after dark. I was extremely grateful for AAA, and for the fact that they towed us home that last 90 miles cause they allowed us to upgrade and immediately use their 100 mile towing membership. I don’t know if I would wait until an emergency to try and get benefits cause the tow truck driver was surprised that AAA allowed us to use the benefit immediately.
Angela says
I have two teenage drivers. So…for us, AAA is well worth it. If there is a problem (keys locked in the car, out of gas, etc…more likely with a teenager!) I know they can get assistance without my husband having to take off work.
We only have 2 cars and many days I am at home while my children have “my car” at school. This saves me about a gallon of gas a day and about 1.5 hours of driving time. Being “stuck” at home I have time to do things like bake bread and make many of our foods from scratch. I estimate the money saved on gas and my time pays for the AAA membership!
Areka says
We have auto and home insurance through AAA, love the discounts and piece of mind if we break down!
Linda says
I have been a home owner for over 40 years.Many bad expierences from claims.AAA home owners was the first company that was easy to deal with and didnt try to cheat me , you never know how good a company is untill you have a claim and AAA is great in auto and home claims.
Aimes says
Another thing to consider is where you live. I mean aside from the weather issues. When we lived in LA, I wouldn’t be without AAA. You never know what will happen to you when you’re on the side of a road somewhere and there are a lot of tow trucks there so response time was quick, sometimes 20 min.
I now live outside Chattanooga, TN. Once when I called it took them two DAYS to get a tow out to me. Thankfully it was sitting in my driveway but still. It is often a matter of several hours at least because there are fewer trucks participating. (When I tried using the insurance provided tow they were worse, so take what you will from that.)
That said…. we broke down in the mountains in the middle of nowhere once. AAA didn’t cover the area so we were able to call the local tow guy and it all got resolved fairly quickly. We paid them then got $50 back from AAA for the tow.
We do use the discounts. I’ve never needed the bond but I know it is there and good to have. We usually save at least enough to make it worth the investment and they give us free travel books, too. We love road trips to see stuff off the beaten path and the AAA travel books are wonderful for that. We also drove coast-to-coast with a trip-tik and had a blast! It would have taken me weeks to plan that on my own and they did it in less than an hour.
Marie says
My husband and I were just talking about this because we have not had to use ours for roadside for many years. However, we decided to keep it just for the peace of mind. I travel a lot with the kids and we live in Canada where the winters can be brutal. There is a lot of peace of mind in having someone available to help. We do use the membership benefits for hotels, movie tickets etc so I am sure those savings have off set the fee a great deal.
Anna 2 says
Oh I am too much of a ditz to not have AAA! I lock my keys in the car too often. I have used their battery testing & replacement service twice in two years, as well. Used the tow service for a busted tire, as well. I don’t think we pay as much as $200, though, that seems high.
I love reading everyone’s responses; great question!!
Ginger M. says
It’s very much worth the peace of mind to me. My mother felt the same way and, as poor as we were growing up, we always had AAA. Over the years, I’ve used them when I’ve locked myself out of my car (twice!), when I went to start my car and my battery was as dead as a doorknob (as I’d left my lights on), and several times for tows. My membership is $65, plus there are all sorts of discounts available with AAA membership. I continue to renew year after year.
Janice says
I will always have a AAA membership. We have one card for me and one for my husband. We just have a basic membership and it is under $100, so maybe you could “downgrade” to save a little money. Our membership still covers towing, and assistance. Plus I frequently request free maps and guidebooks from them (they are sent to your home for free). I have only needed to call them about 3 or 4 times in the 12+ years that we have paid for a membership, but we travel A LOT. So the peace of mind is worth every penny. I also know that they are around the country. With the smaller groups, you might not have the extensive coverage and have to wait for hours. One time we were in the middle of nowhere in Alabama on a two lane road, and our transmission went out – completely stopped running with no warning at all. We were picked up, towed, driven with all our luggage and carseats to the nearest town with a rental company, and we were on our way in a couple of hours. It could have been a nightmare, but AAA saved us that day! There would have been no way that I would have had emergency numbers for towing or a car repair place – even if I had wanted to take the time to research before hand.
Denise says
AAA also offers prescription discounts at some pharmacies if you don’t have prescription insurance. We travel extensively for tennis tournaments so having it gives us a piece of mind. We also get discounts on hotels that gives us better rates than the group rate for the tournament.
Eric says
I strongly believe that the AAA membership is worth it. A hidden cost which you will incur using your automobile insurer’s included benefits is that it will show up as an insurance claim on your CLUE report (insurance equivelent of a credit report), which may increase your rates upon renewal.
AAA offers a discount for members on their insurance, which for our family is significantly less expensive in a combined renter’s, automobile, and umbrella liability package.
Another point is that the basic membership (and most other roadside assistance plan) will only tow to the nearest approved repair shop. If you are a savvy person and have a particular shop which you want to tow it to for service , then you will need to pay for the towing or get your repair done at the shop which they towed it to. In particular you may want to have the repair performed at home if you or your S.O. is a good mechanic. For this reason alone, I think the Plus/Premiere memberships are worth it. Note that you cannot buy the membership on the phone and get Plus/Premiere benefits until 3 days later.
I believe that the AAA policy on buying memberships over the phone depends upon the AAA club in your reigon, so YMMV on those who are attempting to sign up when needed.
Melissa says
I have basic and it covers towing up to 5miles to the destination of my choice. This came in handy more than once. It also however may be specific to the region.
Dani says
I just recently switched my car insurance to Progressive, and they charge something like $4 every 6 months for their roadside program. I was hemming and hawing over whether or not I needed it. I know $4 is cheap, but I’m currently trying to pay off my debt so every extra penny I have is going towards that. Well I asked my mom and she told me that my parents have it and I should get it. Not even a month after I signed up my car broke down and needed to be towed. I have never been so thankful to have that service. It definitely would have cost a lot more then $4 to tow it!!! Then come to find out my mom did not actually have the roadside service like she said. She added it on the day after my car was towed. My car is an 07, and I too thought that I wouldn’t need this service because I had yet to have any major issues with it. I say better safe then sorry. I maybe wouldn’t pay that much for AAA, but I would definitely check with your car insurance to see if they offer it.
Melissa says
I was recently debating this myself, since it was time to renew. My membership this year (for two members) was $101 – it has been increasing each year, as the discounts I got for signing up are dwindling. I was considering cancelling, and within just a few days of my membership expiring, I locked myself out of my car. I quickly called AAA and was in my car in about 15 minutes (at rush hour), so I decided that it’s worth it to have that peace of mind. For me it’s about budgeting an expense upfront and then not having to worry about the charges when something happens, because my income fluctuates throughout the year.
Lynn says
I think it depends on what you are using it for and when you say is it worth the “peace of mind” – it depends on your mind! Let’s face it, we all tend to have worry spots (different things we worry about our friends think may be silly, but they have their things they worry about!). If this is a “worry spot” of yours – then it is worth it to YOU. It only matters if something gives YOU peace of mind, not if it gives everyone else peace of mind. Would you worry if you didn’t have it?
Also, having worked for insurance companies, some have really great roadside assistance/towing and labor plans. It may be cheaper and if your goal is just to have something in case you get stranded in the car, this might be a good option.
If you do travel or use the plan for discounts, then don’t forget to calculate this extra “savings”. It may not be a savings for someone else, but if it represents a savings to you (you were going to buy X anyway, so you like your discount – not you are buying X because of the discount), then this might be a better option.
In regard to the fact that you can call a tow company directly from your cell phone instead of AAA, that is true. However, having been stranded with this philosophy, be sure to carry a few numbers of tow companies with you at all times in your wallet which hopefully won’t be locked in the car! I don’t have a smart phone and had to call 411 a few times to get different numbers. It is now worth to me to know I can call my insurance company, whose number I know by heart, and they will find a company for me. Also, remember many tow companies will require a credit card number or cash up front, so if you don’t have a credit card it could be a problem or if you don’t carry that amount of cash with you, that also could be an issue.
deborah says
AAA will also cover keys locked into your vehicle. I definitely think it’s worth it. We drive nice vehicles, but far from new. We’ve never owned a brand new vehicle and I doubt we ever will. We have used our AAA for towing on more than one occasion and had a vehicle unlocked once. Also, it covers you no matter what vehicle you’re in. I had my in-laws vehicle towed once when I was in it.
I think my membership is around $80, but can’t remember for sure. I do know if you have to be towed very far it soon adds up. My plan has the 100 mile towing service.
I also use my AAA membership at hotels and at the KS Cosmosphere. I wouldn’t buy it just for that, but saving a little here and there helps.
I have always felt like that calling AAA just once in a year, more than covers my membership. I’m glad if I don’t have to use it, but I’m still glad to have the coverage.
Amy says
HECK YA!!! This isn’t even a close call for me! First off, I don’t usue it THAT much, but when I do, I am thanking my unbelievably lucky stars that I have them!! I also don’t know why yours is $140 per year, our is only $50?? So maybe that’s why? But what I find the biggest reason is the discounts, the amount of money I save on hotels, rental cars, even restaurants, etc WAY more than adds up to the membership fee! So for me the road side service is almost an added benefit, I’d pretty much pay for for the discounts alone! I recently saved $300 dollars on our honeymoon, that paid our membership for 6 years! I also used their travel agent services for a group cruise, they handled all the bookings and payments, so I didn’t have to front everyone’s cruise cost on my card then hope everyone paid me back! Not a chance would I get rid of AAA!!
Wendy Jahns says
I share the membership fee with my best friend. She gets one card and can add another family member in her membership so she added me. I only pay $15 every 6 months. I highly recommend sharing benefits with friends and pay only 50% of membership costs.
Wendy Jahns says
I also do this in numerous things, for example: Aquarium Membership, Zoo membership, Children’s museum membership, netflix. This is my input to save $ on memberships. Bring your close friends and family altogether and share benefits and enjoy the discounts!
B. says
$150/year? I’m pretty sure my AAA coverage is less than that–more like $60-70? If you want to keep it, possibly consider downgrading whatever package you have.
I had this same dilemma a couple years ago. We needed extra money and I tried to cut where I could–including our AAA. I was uneasy about it because I know nothing about cars and if mine were to break down I’d be helpless and totally stressed. Well, we were fine for the first year, but that next year I kicked myself when the inevitable happened (I even have a “newish” car that is usually very reliable).
Like another reader said, all you have to do is keep your old AAA card and call them up when you need them. In my experience, all the discounts you get makes it worth it, plus it is much cheaper than hiring a regular tow truck.
Andrea says
A lot of great comments here, but remember that it is impossible to put a dollar value on peace of mind. Of course, you should try to get the best deal possible you can on coverage (whether through AAA or your insurance company), but if it makes you feel safer to have it, keep the coverage.
Melanie says
Sounds like you have Plus. I would drop to regular.
Jadzia @ Toddlerisms says
If you can’t get the same service cheaper through your auto insurance (check your policy; you might already have it!); if you have kids; if you drive at night–I would probably keep it.
Carrie says
We had it for 6 years before I discovered we could get the towing/out of gas delivery service through our insurance company for like $10 per year!
Stephanie says
I have to say that I have had AAA for over 20 years and alays find that I’m glad that I have it. From the time I was 16 and through college my dad paid for my membership as an Easter gift. Then my husband and I married and we usually use in more than the membership costs. Once for a 100 mile tow home and my husband locks his keys in his company truck all the time. We have used it for family and friends and twice I was stranded with 5 kids with a car that needed a new battery and they were able to fix it on the spot.We also have picked up maps and books when we travel and when the kids needed information about places for class projects. Plus the discounts on hotels and stores are great.
Monica says
The peace of mind!!! My car battery died while I was out shopping with my boys: it was very hot, they were hungry, one really needed his meds. AAA showed up within minutes with a new battery. Yes I paid extra for the battery; yes, that was probably more money than I would have paid if I bought it and installed it myself. But, it was definitely worth the money to have a new battery installed and be on my way. The boys hung out at the food court at Target while the car was fixed.
Heather says
AAA also offers insurance. We switched our home and car insurance to AAA years ago because it was cheaper than our previouse insurance company for the same coverage and we received the added benefits of towing and AAA travel discounts. In fact we are traveling to Disneyland this month and get free parking (normally $15 a day) at Disneyland from our AAA membership.
Sarah says
This is the third time I’ve tried to comment and none of them have posted. So many others have posted since, I won’t go into what I wanted to say extensively just this one thing:
Check your credit cards to see if any of them come with complimentary roadside assistance. Over the years, several of ours have.
melinda p says
I did see your 1st & 2nd post. Hit F3, then type your name.
peever says
It wouldn’t be worth it for us. I think most insurance companies offer services for cheaper rates anyway. I think it depends on a lot of things…
1. Do you have a newer, more reliable vehicle?
2. Do you have small kids with you most of the time?
3. Are you or your spouse handy enough to change a tire, etc.?
4. Do you have a cell phone?
5. Do you have a lot of friends or family nearby that could help you out?
6. Do you travel frequently?
7. Do you live in a remote or sketchy area?
8. Would you actually use the AAA discounts for things that you NEED?
Dee Wolters says
I have been a AAA member since I started driving many years ago. And add each of my kids when they get their license. It is just peace of mind. It is great to know that no matter where I am I call 1 number and they send someone good. This is especially important when traveling and I don’t know the area. They tow, change flats, jump, unlock doors, etc. 1 tow more than covers the cost. And with 5 drivers, I guess our chances of needing help are pretty high.
Anna says
It’s definitely useful for us, but we have an older car. Just a note – you can order AAA the day you use it, but it costs $30 extra if I remember correctly. Our AAA had expired (my mom used to get it for me every year and I hadn’t bothered to renew), and our car wouldn’t start due to some electrical issue. The tow was going to cost $75, so I figured it was a better deal to just pay the extra $30, renew the membership and get the AAA tow. We ended up needing it again a month or two later.
I haven’t tried using the card for deals, but it’s definitely something I should investigate more. 🙂
Cindy says
I guess that depends on where you live (lots of snow to get you stuck in the ditch?), how bad your habit is of locking the keys in the car, or running out of gas, or whatever. I’ve had my membership for 5 years. We’ve used it plenty, but our insurance actually covered quite a few of those things for years without our knowing it. Since the AAA membership covers lots of things our insurance didn’t, we saved a few dollars a month canceling the extra insurance coverage, so check your car insurance if you decide to go with AAA.
jonie says
since we are on AAA topic….can someone explain to me what does the advertisement mean when they say ” membership for life”?
Steph W says
We don’t have AAA but we did have a free trial of Onstar and likes the security of knowing it was there “just in case.” However, we couldn’t afford to renew at the time and are planning on doing it in the near future. We actually have “double coverage” roadside assistance and it is less than $7/ month total! Our car insurance (State Farm) has coverage that we pay almost nothing for. However, the one we use the most is Verizon Wireless roadside assistance. You are supposed to have your phone with you but if you don’t, they will let you just tell them your cell phone number and they send a person out to unlock, change tire, etc. and you pay nothing (or at least we haven’t had to pay yet.) We have it on both cars and it works even if you aren’t in your own car- we used our plan to unlock our friend’s car once because it works wherever you are with your phone. It is GREAT!
Tina says
When my daughter was just over a year old, I accidentally locked her in our van all buckled into her carseat. My purse, with the extra key was also locked in the vehicle! We called the police and they tried to break into our vehicle with no luck. A locksmith wouldn’t be available for over an hour. Luckily my neighbor had AAA and let us use it. Let me just say that we were SO BLESSED that day….AAA arrived promptly and easily opened the door without breaking a window (and a costly expense!). That was the day we decided to sign up with AAA and we have used them 2 times since and feel it is well worth the money.
Sarah says
The first year I had my driver’s license I used all six free tows that AAA provided. I had them come out a change a tire for me in the middle of nowhere in North Dakota in the winter (freezing cold and winds, not fun). Plus I was able to save my friend some money by having them unlock her car when she accidentally locked her keys in it. I haven’t needed it in over a year, but just knowing that it’s there is worth the peace of mind.
Dana says
I would say a HUGE YES to AAA as I save a ton of money using them for my auto and home insurance. It pays for the membership over and over.
Tracy says
I have AAA too and it has saved me many times. Not just for Auto services but on family vacations as well. One year I did not use it for any service calls but I used it to save on a hotel stay, the savings from my hotel paid for my membership 1 1/2 times. So I would say it is worth it.
I also work for an insurance agent and what many people don’t realize is that many companies will raise your insurance premiums if you need to use the roadside assistance program. One customers bill went up by $400 for the year for needing a tow one time and they had no other claims or accidents. So be careful and ask if your policy could go up if you use the service attached to your policy.
Greg Bondy says
Definitely worth the cost. We have five people on ours with AAA “Plus” (The Plus offers a longer tow for free) for less than $120.
To those who say their cheap add-on from their insurance company is the same thing; it isn’t. Look at the fine print.
We have at least three incidents per year and the discounts we receive pay for themselves. Heck, since we get 30% off Lenscrafters when we can’t wait for internet glasses (whole other story there), AAA membership pays for itself with one bill.
It’s coverage that covers everyone in my family 7x24x365 no matter what car they’re riding in, all for less than 33 cents a day. Chump change for the peace of mind.
Debbie says
Wonder why the price varies so much – I have the basic and it’s $90 for 1.
Jennifer C. says
We pay an extra $4 a year for towing on our car insurance through State Farm. We would have to pay for the towing and get reimbursed. In the age of cell phones, we figured if we’re traveling to out of state relatives or wherever, we can call and figure out what towtruck to call. We cancelled our AAA a few years back and figure the savings is worth a small amount of hassle.
Heather says
Geico has a very cheap roadside assistance program, as long as you carry comprehensive on at least one vehicle. It’s only about $1 a month. Totally worth it.
sarah says
I think we paid $65/year for me and my husband…check your coverage and make sure you are not paying for extra frills you don’t need. We had not had it in several years, but I wanted it for peace of mind. A few months after getting it again, I needed a jump start and was so glad I had AAA. Also, I would strongly recommend family plans to those who have driving kids. I had an older car when I was in college and was on my family plan…I think AAA lost $ on us b/c I needed it sooo much. It gave me and my parents peace of mind.
Teresa says
Saved 145.00 on Amtrak tickets this year alone with our AAA. My parents bought it for us for Christmas, they got it for less than $60.00 since they where already members. I think they give a discount if you sign up under a friend or family member. Well worth it if you travel like we do. Plus the SUV is 15 years old and has over 240,000 miles. With five kids I would hate to be stuck. Right before they bought it for us I has a blow out. It cost me $190.00.
Michele says
You can call up and get the membership on the spot if you sign up for a basic membership, but if you want the upgraded membership, there is a waiting period of 24+hrs. The basic membership does lockout service and gas delivery (you pay for the gas I believe), jumpstarts, spare tire put on and tow up to a few miles, then a per mile charge after that. The upgraded membership is a considerable towing distance. Because we spend our summer commuting from our cottage, it’s about 20+miles from there to our dealership so the basic membership wouldn’t cut it if I needed a tow from the cottage. I upgraded because of this alone, because anytime anything has ever happened to me in my car, my husband was either at work or in town (when i was at the cottage!).
So, if you live in an area where there are car repair shops/dealerships close by, you could always do the sign up over the phone for a basic membership if you needed a tow for a short distance, or jumpstart etc. I would not recommend that if you live in a rural area or travel in unfamiliar territory frequently.
Sarah says
We had it for 5 years but I really don’t think it’s worth it so we quite. We get reimbursed for 1 free tow/ year for each vehicle we have through our State Farm car insurance so why also pay for AAA? Didn’t make sense for us. My advice is to check with your car insurance first before renewing your AAA. 🙂
Sonya says
No way! Get towing and labor added to your auto insurance policy (we’ve done that with policies with USAA, Geico, and Allstate). It’s cheap (like $6/car for 6 months) and they’ll do lock outs, jumps, towing, etc. Call your insurance company and see what they offer and how much it costs.
Jen says
I personally am a AAA fan. To be honest, we haven’t used their services much in recent years because we have a great reliable car, maybe just for a couple flat tires. But in the past we had the premium member ship and there were several years where I think we called them at least 2-3 times a year, for flats, jumps, on-the-road breakdowns, a broken windshield that prevented driving, and keys locked in the car (oops!). The biggest one was when we were about 60 miles from home and broke down. With the premium membership we were able to get our car towed all the way home, which was such a lifesaver. I don’t remember now how much we pay now with our basic membership, but it’s not $140. I do know that using the tow service once pays for our membership, less if you take advantage of other discounts. You can definitely call a tow truck on your own for all those things, but if you’re out somewhere, especially on vacation, that means you have to somehow get the numbers of the local towing companies and possibly call more than one to get service, especially at night. (If you have a smartphone I suppose that’s a bit easier than it used to be.) With AAA you can call one number no matter where in the country you are. After I broke down in the middle of the night in a sketchy neighborhood, I also appreciated that the AAA drivers are generally polite and prompt. We also have our homeowners and car insurance through them, so we get a discount as AAA members (and we shopped around recently and AAA is giving us the best insurance rates by quite a bit). I usually forget about the discounts in stores and I don’t really shop at those stores much anyway, but I do use the discount at Lens Crafters. We don’t have vision insurance and I like the doctor at my local Lens Crafters, so the 10% savings helps. So we continue as members for the peace of mind and some of the perks.
That said, I think if you have a reliable car and don’t travel lots at night, by yourself, on road trips, etc. then stashing money in a special savings just for car emergencies would also work and probably be cheaper in the long run. The key is having that cash on hand though, because you never know when you might need it. If you have a car that’s prone to breaking down, though, AAA is usually worth the investment.
Miriam says
I agree with Kristen’s comment earlier. I know that a new(er) car, or good maintenance on a car doesn’t mean you won’t ever have a flat, or dead battery, or lock your keys in the car. Personally we do not have AAA or anything like it. We have cell phones and if we would ever need a tow (which we haven’t), in the almost 8 years we’ve been married it would not cost us $140×8 if I ended up needing a tow tomorrow. And – understanding that some people have disabilities and are unable to – I have never understood why you need AAA or a tow for a flat tire. Every car I know of is equipped with a spare, a jack and wrench. Maybe that’s just the country, farm-girl in me coming out 🙂
Miriam says
BTW, I’m not intending to be snarky or judgemental in my comment about changing your own flat. If you have spare $ lying around you can’t figure out what to do with and you want the convenience of AAA, go for it 🙂
Alaine says
The times I have used AAA for a tow were not because of flat tires, but because of other mechanical issues with my (older) car. If you drive old cars like I always have, it can help out a lot! I haven’t used it in years, but one year I called AAA for a tow 4 times, and two of those were over 50 miles. Oh, actually, I did use it this year! My sister got into a car accident while visiting me and her car was un-drivable. Her AAA membership had lapsed, but because I was there, we were able to have her car towed down to our family’s mechanic an hour away free of charge. I don’t know exactly how much my dad pays to have our family on the membership, but I want to say that under his membership it’s less than $100/year for me… so we definitely got our money’s worth this year!
Monica says
The spare tire in my Dodge Caravan is under the car, between the front seats. There is no way that I will crawl under my jacked up car to maneuver that tire out. The tow truck driver refuses to change that kind of tire if the vehicle is on the side of the road; it’s just not safe. If you’re in a parking lot he’ll do it there, winching the car up first.
Ann says
One of the nice things about AAA is that the ID card is also a bond card that can be used if you get a moving violation. That means the officer takes your bond card instead of your license when you get the ticket. It can take a little while to get your license back after a ticket, and my husband needs his license for rental cars when traveling for work. Often the insurance plans don’t offer this service, when you buy the coverage through them. My husband has only had 3 tickets in the 23 years we’ve been married, but each time he was able to use the AAA bond card.
Andrea says
This varies by state.
Beth says
We pay $3 per month to our insurance company for roadside assistance that is as good (or faster) than AAA’s. So unless you really like the maps (my father does) or the discounts, I’d say ditch it.
Also, ethically/politically, I am not interested in expanding our interstate system at the expense of other modes of transportation and AAA supports a huge lobbying group for interstates. I’d rather see trains, busses, and bikes be presented as the viable options they ought to be and funded accordingly, so I choose not to support AAA even though I cannot (yet) get rid of my car.
Rachel says
We have State Farm insurance and this is covered under our plan as “Emergency Road-side Assistance”. They cover the cost of towing to a repair shop or body shop. They also paid for someone to come and fix a flat for me at no extra cost to me (reimbursed me within a week) and it didn’t make our rates go up. We’ve used the towing several times and only once for the flat (which was even on a Saturday!). As far as locking your keys in your car, most cops carry a tool in their cars that can open car doors. We live in the Midwest, so they are usually happy to help!
As for the maps and trip planning aspect of AAA, we use maps.com (or something similar) to plan our our routes for us.
Renee says
Do you realize that if you hold a AAA card and are in another person’s vehicle that you can use your AAA card for a tow or tire change? They can also give you directions if you are lost anywhere in the U.S.! And if your teenagers are driving it is great peace of mind to know that they have all of that available to them whether they are driving or with a friend!
Renee says
I would strongly reccommend that you check your automotive insurance and see if you are already paying for a roadside assistance service. We had AAA until we realized that our USAA coverage covered tow and roadside assistance. I have had to use my insurance coverage several times and have been extreamly pleased with the service.
Jen says
I had a membership when I was in high school and college when my parents paid for it. after I graduated, my husband and I decided not to renew our memberships as we already had Roadside Assistance through our car insurance company. We pay something like a dollar a month and they have all the same services of AAA. No need to double dip!
kristin says
I would cancel it. I had AAA for many, many years and never used it. The year my husband deployed to Iraq, I called them 4 times to unlock my car. They cancelled me. Many insurance companies offer similar coverage. Allstate even says with their coverage you don’t have to pay until you need it. shop around.
Susan says
I learned that it was worth it when we had a flat tire on a rental car on a remote road , and AAA came to fix it!! (The coverage is good no matter what vehicle you are driving.) At first we called the rental car company, who said they were not responsible for roadside assistance. Glad we had AAA!
jos says
my husband has it i think it is great he comutes along way to work and we have towed his car three times this year….but we do not pay the extra 30 for me to be on it …if i need a tow he will just come and call them out but def worth it unless you have a new car
Dianna @ practicng frugal says
We drive older vehicles so the peace of mind is worth it to me.
I usually wait for the “we want you back” mail they send after your expiration. I just renewed our already expired membership for $54 for two vehicles. I did pass on the 2 months free for automatic re-billing of your credit card. The hotel discounts alone are worth it, not to mention all the other discounts you can get.
Diana says
What a GREAT question!!! I never really thought about it until I couldn’t afford the membership anymore. We live in Los Angeles and paid $70+ for our membership (2 users) and it was well worth it as we used it for ourselves more than once (locked out of cars…me, flat tires…me)…okay so I used it more than once…hahaha. But we also used it to help others out as well when they were stranded. Once we couldn’t afford it thank God we didn’t need it as we also bought a new-to-us car and also found that not only does Los Angeles provide roadside services (certain services free and only if you’re stranded on a freeway) but we also have free coverage under our auto insurance plan. God is good and we have faith he’ll always look after us so I’m comfortable without the added expense.
amy wilson says
No, it’s not worth it. Use an emergency savings fund. When we had it packaged with our insurance, it took an hour for their tow truck to arrive while we had to pass on ones local. Plus, if you use it and it’s tied to your insurance, it can make your premium go up.
Suzanne says
We have it and don’t use it often for car related problems, but as our cars get older (and we aren’t ready to sell yet), we have peace of mind that it’s in our back pocket.
I have used the discount for Banana Republic outlet and Payless often. I always forget I can use it at NY&Co! It doesn’t make me shop more often just because I get 15% off or whatever.
Movie tickets are also significantly cheaper…they are vouchers that never expire, so you can use them whenever. Unfortunately I don’t have an office near me to go pick them up.
I have noticed that booking a hotel or an Amtrak with AAA sometimes makes the price actually go up! It’s the weirdest thing. So make sure you keep an eye on that!
Karen says
Definitely inquire about your rate. I live in Seattle and with my car and my husband’s, we pay $88 for the year. I have used it for blown tires, dead battery, etc. The piece of mind of knowing that I have it is worth the expense.
Lynette says
We have had AAA for several years, but we originally got it because of their insurance. The auto insurance they offer will often beat that of other reputable companies, and in our case the difference between what we would pay somewhere else more than pays for the membership so it is like we are enjoying all the above mentioned benefits for free.
Angela S says
Our auto insurance has towing included and it’s about $4 a year. Check with your car insurance to see if that’s something they offer. That’s a lot cheaper than AAA. And, I’m with Kristen on the emergency fund. Oh, and I never let my gas get too low. That can save you a lot of money! 🙂
Jay says
We’ve used ours several times over the years – and my husband is a major fix-it-yourself car guy, but when your kids leave an interior light on overnight when you’re at a hotel far from home and your battery is dead or when your alternator goes out and the car needs towed in order to get anywhere, it’s great! We also use their maps, tourbooks, and discounts for hotels on a regular basis. I have significant allergies so I need a no pets, no smoking hotel and can’t do the Priceline thing.
Jen says
We have Liberty Mutual car insurance and they have a AAA type service that we have used several times and have been very pleased with.
Christine says
We have AAA and our teenage son has used it multiple times (locked his keys in his vehicle several times), got stuck and had to be towed.
April says
We don’t currently have AAA, but when we did have it we LOVED it. It was definitely worth the cost. Here a tow will cost you over $200 (even if it is just a couple miles). Lock your keys in your car or need a tire change, AAA is SO worth it.
The main reason we don’t currently have AAA is because we found out that our auto insurance includes a roadside assistance plan similar to AAA. It covers our vehicles that we have comprehensive coverage on. We will be purchasing AAA for our daughter who now has a car at college. Her college is over an hour away. Since she has an older car that is paid off (and is working on a new car fund), she only has liability coverage, so doesn’t have the roadside assistance plan. I believe it will cost about $65 for her annual AAA card.
Jennifer says
We had AAA when our cars were older. As we replaced them with newer cars we dropped AAA. then when I found I was frequently traveling around the state and out of state either by myself or with my dd only I wanted the peace of mind of having AAA again. We have never needed it, but I remember one time I needed it but didn’t have it and I won’t go there again.
So, how often are you by yourself or just with the kids? How far do you travel? Take those into consideration.
Shelah says
We were keeping AAA for years…just in case we were stranded and needed a tow. We found that our car insurance company has a program that offers the same service….since it is an add-on to our existing account, it is SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN AAA. So we let AAA go and have not regretted it.
(As for other discounts and services that AAA, we just never found a use for them.)
Marisa says
We also had it on our car insurance as well and it is much less expensive. That is definitely a good idea to look into.
Bethany says
Sometimes AAA membership isn’t even needed. Our regular insurance covers most of what AAA does anyway. There are some price perks at parks and such, but that’s not so big now with Groupon, ect…
Andrea says
Our insurance also includes towing, so having AAA seems unnecessary.
I have a low-cost membership to my alma mater’s alumni association. I get a lot of discounts through that and they are comparable to AAA.
Jessica Poston says
Personally, I think it’s a waste of money. I’ve never had it and never plan on getting it. That money really adds up! But I have no problem changing my own flat tire or walking to get gas if I run out somewhere..lol. Has happened on several occasions. Also depends on whether you have family and/or friends around that can come and help you if a problem should arise..
Roxanne M Jones says
I guess I’ll be the dissenting opinion.
Your options are not 1) AAA Annual Membership 2) Be stranded on the side of the highway in the middle of the night and walk 14 miles uphill for help.
You can call any tow company and pay out of pocket if you need assistance. You need a cell phone to call AAA if there is an emergency, so use that phone and call a tow company. They service non-AAA customers too. Unless you are driving a very old vehicle, I am not sure AAA is cheaper.
I can’t comment on the value of the discounts, since I have no experience with those.
Fun Momma says
Finally, someone who backed up my silent thoughts. 🙂
I used to have towing on insurance but cancelled it.
In 18 years of driving, I’ve only needed a tow in an out-of-the way place once (when 19 years old!).
Mother Lydia says
I needed a tow twice within 2 weeks of each other.
And my husband needed a tow on a trip to New Orleans where we knew NO ONE.
So far, out of three years of having AAA, its paid for itself two of those years monetarily, adn the third in peace of mind.
Angi @ schneiderpeeps says
We’ve never had AAA but we do have roadside assistance on our auto policy – I *think* it is only an extra $1 a month. We would probably not use the shopping or travel discounts but we might use the cell phone discount. I think you have to put pen to paper and list the amount of all the discounts you would realistically use and see if it is higher than the cost of the membership. If it’s only roadside assistance you can probably just add it to your auto insurance.
I think it’s interesting what an insurance and extended warrantee dependent culture we have become. I always try to remember that these companies stay in business because the vast majority of their customers never actually use the service they are paying for.
angie t. says
AAA is worth it for my family. This year I used the insurance brokerage and saved a bundle on my home and auto insurance. I made one phone call, and the agent shopped our policy to 30 different carriers and in one day, my premiums were cut in half with somewhat better coverage. The carrier we went with is a smaller national carrier that without AAA’s assistance, I would not have found and saved so much.
Another year, they saved us a bunch by offer significantly reduced rates to transfer and register our cars when we moved to a different state.
The AAA office located near our house so we use them to buy discount tickets to various local attractions. It only takes a minute and we save a few $. I have also used their discounts online where you just need to get the discount code from the website and make your purchase online.
We haven’t needed the membership for towing yet, but both of our cars have over 100K miles so we like to have it just in case. We have found that the other savings that we have gained has more than paid for itself.
Cindy VanProoyen says
Question about keeping AAA or not.
AAA can be used for more than auto purposes. My entire family just got new glasses…we do not have vision insurance…our AAA card got us 30% off our lenses and frames…..check into it!!! I learned this from the eye clinic we used…how cool is that!! so the 65.00 I spent for the basic membership saved us over $350.00 in a one time use.
angela says
I agree… we have rarely used the AAA service but with 4 littles ones, another on the way… no way do I wanna be stranded. I would def check on cheaper plan though… are you covering yourself and hubby? I guess my husband and I decided it was worth it for me since I usually have the kids but not for him alone. And then of course if he’s with me.. it still counts bc it’s for me wherever and whoever I’m with. Does that make sense? I too think I prob pay 50-60 something a year.
Megan says
My husband and I don’t have kids yet, but that’s what we do. I have the membership and he can “benefit” when we go on road trips together. We tend to do one big road trip a year to visit friends and family, so the $49.00 a year I pay is worth the piece of mind.
Rachel says
We just used our twice last week (flat tire and then the patch didn’t hold). We pay less than $140 and have used it several times while traveling and for the discounts.
If the budget allows, I would recommend it or a similar service to anyone.
Chris says
We dropped it last year at renewal when we had not used it for a few years. You can sign up during an incident, so just keep the 800 number in your phone and it’s just a couple of extra steps if you need to pick it up again. Assuming your cars are maintained, it would be a rare need.
Stephanie says
We have it and we use it for ourselves and our family. Using it when you shop for other things can easily pay for the membership. In fact, we just saved the cost of our membership when we saved 30% on a glasses purchase at lenscrafters last week!
Bethany D says
Def worth it! I don’t want to have to call around to different towing places at 10p with two kids in the car in the snow .. that is an extreme scenario and probably would **never** happen but i don’t even want to take the chance. It pays for itself every year even if you have an AARP emergency motorist number ..
Britney says
Never say never. 🙂 This happened to us on Christmas night last year, on the way home from my parents’ house…. in the dark, slid off a slick road to avoid a deer….with my 1.5 yr old and 3 mo. old girls in the car – at bedtime. So glad we had AAA then for sure. I suppose it depends on your circumstances. With kids, I think it’s definitely worth it.
Vanessa says
We never had AAA until a few years ago when my mom started buying it for us as a Christmas present. It does give me piece of mind when I am driving with our two small children in our 11-year old vehicle that has had some mechanical issues recently.
Heather says
We have the basic membership. My motivation for using it was that we were going on a long trip and I wanted peace of mind that we could get assistance if needed. Honestly, it only takes one time of using it to more than pay for itself. With that said, I live near family and don’t often drive too far away from home…so most of the time I can have someone rescue me at no cost. (Maybe a thank you meal 😉 )
I would check to see if there are any promotions or specials that you could get by working with someone in the local AAA office. Sometimes all it takes is asking.
Other readers brought up good points about the extra discounts – even for local businesses! That is a plus. You also can get maps and state books for travel or we have used them for our home education.
With that said, it is good to evaluate each expense to see if it is a good fit for your family. Sometimes you need to have the peace of mind and security of knowing help is available and that is worth the cost.
Karen says
I debate the same thing every year. I’m just afraid that the one time I ditch it, I’m going to need it. I only pay 87.00. I guess it varies from state to state. I try to make sure I buy movie tickets and get savings on other tickets to “make up” for buying it. I also make them map out trips for me just as a back up to a GPS.
Molly says
I would have to say yes. Inevitably, something will go wrong as soon as you get rid of it. We also pay bout $65 a year for ours, and we have used AAA 1-2 times a year ever since we first signed up with them. Either for a battery jump or a flat tire service or a tow. It’s so much cheaper to pay for this than having to pay for those other services! And the peace of mind is priceless.
Karen says
My husband commutes over 100 miles a day so he isn’t always in an area where he would know who to call. I hardly ever leave home with out two or three kids in the car, making getting stranded somewhere a huge problem. For these reasons we keep our AAA coverage. We probably average using it once a year, but for about the same cost as the tow truck/locksmith/whatever, it is worth the peace of mind not having to worry about who I should call and what to do if it’s after hours.
That said, we only pay $80 a year for coverage for both of us. If you are using the premium membership, maybe you could switch to basic for some savings. Making sure you are both on the same account will save money as well. Also, check your car insurance. If you are paying for roadside assistance or towing coverage you can have that dropped from your insurance if you want to just use AAA. We were paying $28 a year for that type of coverage through our insurance and we didn’t even know who to call to access it. Many museums also offer a AAA member discount.
Angi @ schneiderpeeps says
I think you have to put pen to paper and figure out if this indeed is a benefit to your family. We’ve never had AAA but we do have roadside assistance on our auto insurance (I *think* it’s a dollar extra a month). I know our family would not use the clothing discounts enough to justify the membership. However, we might use the cell phone discount, in that case the cost of the AAA membership might be worth it. You should probably list out all of the benefits you realistically think you will use and add them up. If they are more than the cost of the membership its a good deal, if not, you can probably just add roadside assistance to insurance.
It’s interesting how much of an insurance and extended warrantee culture we have become. I always try to remember that these companies stay in business because most of their members will never use their service or file a claim.
Jamie says
We pay $90 for our family coverage and I believe it is worth it. We just needed a tow, which would have been $75. It was the first time in 6 years that a tow was necessary, but it was nice. Otherwise, I know we make more than the $90 back in discounts. I got a very nice discount on contact lenses with my AAA card.
Mary S. says
I say it is worth it. You can get discounts on plenty of non-car related items (shopping, hotels etc). Our yearly cost is less than $140 and we have three drivers registered. AAA was super important to my parents when I first got my license and when I went to college. They knew that no matter where I was I could get help from a reliable source. They also knew that if I was in a friends car that broke down I could use my AAA card to get us help. It provides a lot of peace of mind.
Jessica @ The Abundant Wife says
By the way, I only paid $65 for my membership. Another time it was part of a package deal with my car insurance. Perhaps you can find a cheaper package? I wrote this article a while back on how we saved money on towing by going with AAA. 🙂
http://theabundantwife.com/how-to-get-a-good-deal-on-towing-your-car/
BethB says
I looked it up and ours was only $82 each of the past two years. Now I’m thinking we should do some digging and see if we can get a lower rate. 🙂
Emily @ Our Frugal Happy Life says
I think ours was right around $80 as well. I’ve never looked into it much…I wonder if we could get it cheaper? lol!
Amy f;) says
I use it for maps adn travel books…we go on trips with DH for work at least twice a year. We don’t have one of those GPS thingies so the maps have been a big help (and fun to incorporate into homeschool too).
My mom buys mine every year though.
I used roadside assistance like 8 times one year (it was a stressful year!!!) but now I hardly ever need the assistance (I think because I don’t drive as much now that I have three littles).
I never knew you could use it to get discounts as GAP outlet! Thanks for the tip! I use my card to get hotel and museum discounts though. I probably save at least $40/year just on those.
Sarah says
I just typed a long post and it mysteriously disappeared. I won’t re-type the whole thing but I would suggest checking your credit card benefits. Several of ours have come with complimentary roadside assistance.
Sarah says
I would suggest checking benefits on your credit cards, if you use them (of course, paying off the balance in full at the end of each month). Several of ours have come with complimentary roadside assistance. I would agree with the last poster regarding the tow company — and don’t rely on Googling with your cell phone to find one in an emergency. Look them up ahead of time, call them to see how they are during a phone call (if they seem competent) and then print a list with the names and numbers and keep a copy in the glovebox of each vehicle.
Wendy says
I have not needed their towing services for years but by being a AAA member, I was able to get discounts for train tickets and a rental car for an upcoming vacation. Their discount was better than any coupon and the savings right there paid for my membership and more. There is also peace of mind knowing that I have it when I am driving around.
Emily @ Our Frugal Happy Life says
yes – I got a discount on my Amtrak tickets too! I love taking the train, and when I’m alone, it’s cheaper for me to take the train home, rather than drive byself. The 10% discount just made it an even better deal! 🙂
Jessica @ The Abundant Wife says
If you don’t want to keep the coverage for 6 years, discontinue it for now but the keep the phone number on hand. The next time you need service, call them and sign up for coverage immediately over the phone with your credit card. In my experience, AAA is still cheaper than a tow, even for the first time. But if you wait to subscribe until you have a problem (maybe 3 years from now) at least you won’t have those payments in between! Anyhow, that’s just a suggestion. 🙂 We’ve had to renew our subscription (over the phone from a gas station) before when our coverage had lapsed and we didn’t realize it.
Mrs. R. says
That’s what my brilliant Husband said, too—-but it’s with our car (and all other) insurance carrier.
That is….we can sign up THE MINUTE WE NEED IT, and it’s effective immediately.
Rebecca says
I definitely agree with this! A few years ago my husband called me at midnight to say his car broke down on the expressway. I drove 45 minutes to get to him (after waking, bundling, and buckling my 3 kids into the car) all the while on the phone with AAA signing up for a membership. It only took about 15 minutes and we received the benefits right then. This is the only time in 5 years we used their services. Don’t spend the money until you need to 🙂
Kristen says
GREAT IDEA!! I never realized this. My husband used to have AAA before we got married. But, we buckled down and cut unnecessary expenses, so AAA was out. He always hangs on to the letters we get from them, hoping to sign back up, soon. He’ll be comforted to know he can do it at the last minute if something does goes drastically wrong.
amanda says
call me crazy but this seems like you are trying to beat the system. it seems just a tad bit unethical in my opinion.
Jen says
I wouldn’t say it’s unethical at all. The main reason people sign up for AAA is the towing services. There’s really not much else to the company! Of course, they hope you won’t need their services but if they didn’t follow through and provide them no one would ever join. And they’ll get the same money from you whether you signed up 6 months before a tow or 6 minutes before. If it was a problem, AAA wouldn’t let you use services for X amount of time after signing up.
Melissa says
Amanda – I confirmed with our AAA people that they didn’t need us to immediately renew if our budget was tight; they were fine with us letting the membership lapse, and then if something happened, we could call & immediately reinstate. The catch was that our membership would continue from the point of our lapse – that is, if we didn’t renew in July but then in November needed it & paid then, our membership would only last til July the next year, not til the next November. I don’t know if this was only true for one year, or only in our location, but the company had no problem with it.
MaryAnne says
I’m with you Amanda. Exactly what I was thinking. Also, yes you can use your membership for others if you were with them not to take advantage of a good thing. If more people would be honest prices would be lower. Call me crazy if you want. I would rather be crazy than dishonest. We have been AAA members for years and it is money well spent. We tried the coverage that had come free with one of our vehicles and yes the towing was free but it only would tow to dealership. We all know that will cost you more money than the tow.
Paula says
I hate to tell you this… but I did exactly that and when I needed to renew because hubby’s car wouldn’t even turn on because the battery was dead (at a gas station, no less!), they would NOT renew and immediately send help. I was soooooo mad. They wanted to take my money for a renewal, send someone of their choosing to help me, but I’d have to pay that service person myself… and then my coverage would start after this call.
Ummmm, no, that would defeat the purpose of paying you now, wouldn’t it? I argued with the service rep on the phone for 20 minutes about how insanely stupid that would be… but she wouldn’t budge. I even talked to a supervisor. Didn’t help.
Needless to say, I don’t have AAA coverage right now.
MScott says
That’s definitely interesting, because I was in the situation where we had let our membership lapse (kind of on accident) and then the car wouldn’t start. I called, paid to reinstate and they sent someone immediately.
Plus, my husband and I have AAA for our car insurance and renter’s insurance. It’s a requirement that you have the roadside policy with their car insurance; its just not built in.
Ellie W. says
Actually, with AAA you have to wait at least 2 weeks after signing up to use it to get a tow. It’s to prevent situations like this! 🙂 We used to have it, but because we live in the middle of nowhere we had to bump up to the “Premier” which was $120 instead of $52. With the basic coverage you only get a 3-mile tow. With the Premier you get a tow to anywhere within 100 miles. The basic was not even worth it for us, but the Premier was for a while. We don’t use it anymore since we have a more reliable car & coverage through Allstate. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Keiva says
Actually we considered this and then realized we were akrady paying like $2 a month through our car ins. (state farm) for the same exact service! When we realized this we saw the savings and stayed with what we have. We have yet to use the service but the piece of mind is worth the $24 if we do! And it would pay for itself the first time we used it! Check out if your ins. has anything like that it may save you!
Cheyenne says
Ditto! Most car insurance carriers have roadside assistance, towing, and rental cars. I’ve had 3 flat tires in the last 7 weeks (go figure) but was able to get them repaired & even replaced for a few dollars each time. I was able to use my insurance coverage to help, church friends to rescue us, and even nearby car shops who’ll put on the spare for free in most cases. In the spirit of frugality, I shopped around and purchased tires on sale, with an extended warranty covering HAZARDS from the location I bought them. They will repair flat tires for free and if the tire is damaged & can’t be repaired, they will honor the warranty and replace the tire for the cost of tax. Then I can get a new warranty plan for $20 on that tire. I replaced two tires on the exact same spot on my car in 3 weeks due to random nails in the road. Trump cards for Frugality: SAVE FIRST, SHOP DEALS & GET WARRANTIES.
Kristen says
I’m going to go against the grain here. If you are trying to pay off debt and “live off less than you make”, I firmly believe in using an emergency fund instead. All of the situations that have been described require a phone call to AAA, which could easily be made to a tow company instead. I find that when I pay for something to get discount (like a restaurant.com gift certificate or a AAA membership for a discount at GAP), I end up spending more than I would have if I had been frugal from the start.
If you have the money in your budget and are meeting your savings goals: go for it. It would be nice to have the security. I, personally, have never had AAA but have used their services many times because there always seems to be someone around who does have it. But again, I think paying off debt is more important and should always take the front seat to expenses like this.
jessica says
i agree wholeheartedly here… if you arent spending $$ on trips..ect due to paying things off i think you would be good to save the $$ and then later when all is payed off go ahead and resign up:)
Rhoda says
Calling a towing service can be brutal. My DH had to tow his car–less than 2 miles–$275 IN CASH right then and as it was after 6:00 PM not a bank was open. We bought AAA after that. We are doing what we can to be good stewards, but we learned our lesson the hard way. Having AAA has saved us money in the long run as in the past year we have had several flat tires and they always help out. On a trip we took, before AAA, we used a roadside assistance offered through the dealership we bought the car from. They will take you to the nearest dealer–which was in the opposite direction we were going. Turns out only 15 miles separated us from going home to Memphis, TN and ending up in St Louis, MO, where as stranded strangers they took advantage of us (plus the hotel bill we had to pay while the car was being fixed). AAA pays for itself if you only use it once. Peace of mind in the “off” time is well worth every penny. And knowing that when you do need the service you won’t be scammed or taken advantage of is a blessing.
Julie says
If you never take road trips of any distance, doing without AAA may not be a bad deal. But in our family’s case, we travel long distances every year to visit extended family. If we had car trouble en route, I’d have to rely on 411 to find a service station/tow company with no way of knowing if the people are reliable. We also relocate frequently with my husband’s job and face the same issues of finding reliable service providers. AAA screens their providers for me. The yearly fee is well worth the peace of mind. Additionally, with my membership, I can get things notarized for free, which we’ve had occasion to do nearly every year. And as others have mentioned here, there are so many other discounts to utilize.
Meredith says
Well, we canceled ours after having it several years and not using it and I kid you not, a month later, we needed it. We also use it for hotels, restaurants, etc, when we visit a beach town a few hours away. So I say keep it. If it were 40 a month, another story. 40 a year, splurge.
Joy says
My mom and I have it, and we definitely think it’s worth it. We’ve used it twice in the three years we’ve had it. And, since neither one of us know how to fix a car, it’s definitely worth it.
Plus, the discounts for museums, movie tickets, and hotels are a great perk as well!!
beth b says
Hmmm, I think our membership is less than that.
Unless you are in a situation where you really need that $150 for basic expenses I think it is worth it. Before I was married I had three flat tires in two months and it was a total pain because I didn’t have AAA. In the past five years or so we’ve had to use them several times, including towing our car out of our garage or parking slab, and I’m so glad we had that membership. It’s one of those things I’m willing to pay just for the peace of mind. Especially since we only have one car.
Alexis says
We have AAA (I think of it as roadside insurance – just like I haven’t made a claim on my auto or home insurance plans, this is for in case I do) But we only pay $84 per year, for a basic plan with 2 drivers / cars. I like AAA because it is for the user, regardless of the car they are driving, where as insurance plans cover the car, not the driver.
Case in point: two years ago I was helping my aunt pick up a car from my grandparents for my 16 year old cousin. The car did not work, and we were towing it from California to Arizona with her SUV. However, we COULD NOT get the straps hooked up right. They were twisted and goofy and we did not feel safe. But since it was about an uninsured, unusable car, no one would help….except my AAA plan. Even though neither car were mine, AAA was happy to help ME – their member – and sent out a driver to help us immediately. It took him less than 15 minutes to undo our errors and fix it properly. We never had a doubt that he hooked it up right, since he does that all day long on his truck, and it cost me nothing but my regular membership.
I also have roadside coverage thru my insurance company (Hartford), but they only cover MY CAR if there is an issue. Thats why your insurance car has your cars information on it. AAA has your information because they assist YOU. 🙂
Brit @MomAnswersWithBrit.com says
I definitely think it’s worth it! We have used our many times. We’ve had a few flat tires, needed a tow, and I have a bad habit of locking the keys in the car. 😉
Also, you can use it to help others! AAA they will provide any of the services on any vehicle. It doesn’t follow the vehicle, just the cardholder. We’ve had friends that needed a tow, and we were able to show up and help them!
Chris says
Just a heads up, not a good idea to use it for others unless you were actually riding in the car with them when it broke down. If they find out you’re “showing up” just to “help others” and weren’t actually riding in the car they can cancel you and refuse to pay the tow charges.
Siobhan says
Yes! Do you use it when you shop?
You can get 15% off every day at NY&Company plus 10% off at Gap Outlets and tons more with your card, use it for more than just breakdowns!
Siobhan says
Plus you can use it on your cell phone bill, at least with Tmobile you can get 15% off
Jessica says
Yes…there is an outlet mall where I live and a large majority of the stores offer a discount if you show your AA card!
jessica says
i was gonna say the same thing.. we buy it to get $$ off when we go to disney (once or twice a year) the savings we get from using our AAA card pays for itself..:)and about $15 more.. just an idea!
Wendy Jahns says
You can use it at Legoland, and some Zoos.
Pam@behealthybehappywellness says
Every outlet mall we’ve visited gives out a coupon book when we show our card at member services – it’s always our first stop and we always use a few of the discounts. I’d say we easily save the annual price by the end of the year.
Crystal L. says
The hotel I worked at in college offered 10% discounts to AAA members. Lots of hotels and resorts do.
Danielle says
You can also get a discount at target.com. $10 off $100 purchase. I have used that one twice already this year. I am a chronic user of AAA. I maxed out my 4 calls last year by locking my keys in my car 3 times and getting a flat tire once. It is definitely worth it for absent minded people like me!
Emily @ Our Frugal Happy Life says
We have a membership…we’ve used it once when my car wouldn’t start (frozen gas line in way below 0 temps!) and I’m sure it saved us money – because the guy was able to fix it in the parking lot (rather than calling for a tow, which it didn’t actually need).
However, we also use our AAA card for other discounts, like for hotels when we travel (infrequently).
I’m not sure if we “break even” each year…but I have to say that I appreciate the peace of mind, too!
Jodi says
You can get 10% off at Payless shoes, too.
Susan says
Check “roadside assistance plan” with insurance. I couldn’t think of the term earlier.
lee says
My MIL gets us AAA every year for a gift. We used it at least once a year for the first 5 years we were married. We have only needed it once the last 4 years. However being broken down 2 hours from home with no other help, the answer is kinda easy for me. However if you were to have a special account that has a savings for car emergencies you could get to easily and won’t use it for anything else than that would probably be a better route!
Also look at a different plan they have different price points.
Susan says
I’m a wheelchair user and I own a 10-year old van. It could be very dangerous for me to be stranded, so I do have a plan. However, it is through our insurance–Progressive and costs us nothing extra; you might check with them. I believe we also had a similar plan through Nationwide. We paid a small amount for someone to come out for a flat tire–very worth it!!
Brit @MomAnswersWithBrit.com says
I work in auto insurance at Farmers Insurance. Any policy with any company has roadside assistane coverage you can buy. However, it usually ends up being only a little less than AAA membership and it doesn’t offer as much. They usually will only tow your vehicle to the nearest shop, not 100 miles.
Lana says
We have this on our Allstate insurance too. No need to pay extra for something else.
Beth L. says
We have the Allstate plan too, and it’s great. Only pay if you need it, and only if the bill totals $100 or more. We cancelled our AAA membership and switched to Allstate 2 years ago. I’ve never regretted it. We don’t travel enough to make the travel discounts worth it, either.
Hanna says
We actually had this with Geico as well!!! We’ve never had AAA, but didn’t need it because everything is already included with our insurance!! We needed a tow truck and it was nice that we didn’t have to pay for it.
Emily says
Yes, it’s called Nationwide Roadside Assistance, and it’s wonderful. I had to use it last month when my son left a light on in my car that I didn’t know about. Came out the next morning to find a dead battery.
chelsea says
We have Amica and they offer this service as well. I think we pay a small fee for it, like $20 a year. Very worth it to me, and much cheaper than AAA that we used to have.
Crystal L. says
I’ve also only ever hd emergency service through insurance companies (first State Farm and now Progressive) and has never cost more than $2 extra a month. With state farm we’d have to pay for tow trucks and such out of pocket first, but could fax them to our rep ASAP and get a check fairly quickly.
Jeri Lou says
We have had State Farm for many years on both vehicles, but were cancelled one of them because of over use! Our agent was nice enough to cancel on my husband’s truck and not mine since I at the time had a little one in vehicle 95% of the time. I still have this service on my vehicle, but have been worried if the next time I have to use it will be the last. Our tow-truck driver (yes, we are on a first name basis and I got a Christmas card from him!) told us for $50 we could get AAA, but I’ve just not done it yet.
Kristie Speakman says
Be careful, I had coverage through State farm & used it…..then after several yeas of using it once or twice a year my agent bothers to tell me that each use is viewed as an “occurance” on your insurance and can rase your rates.
Laura says
We have onstar so we just renew that instead but I would say 100% yes. After getting a flat tire in the middle of nowhere with two kids in the car and having another car die on me in the middle of an intersection I would definitely recommend having AAA or Onstar. It is definitely worth it to me. Not to mention with AAA you can get maps and travel information.