Seniors need to go out frequently for grocery shopping, hospital appointments, and other necessities. You cannot rely on family members or friends every time you go out.
A ride-sharing service, like Uber or Lyft, is a better choice than public transport or chasing a taxi down the road.
While Lyft and Uber have many benefits over traditional taxis or public transport, they can be expensive during peak hours and weekends.
This articles focuses on how to save money on Lyft rides using 6 proven ways.
6 Ways to Save Money on Lyft Rides
Does Lyft offer discounts for seniors? Unfortunately, there is no senior citizens discount on Lyft but there are different ways to save money on Lyft rides for seniors.
If you are looking for how to get cheaper lyft rides, here are 6 tips to save some cash on your next ride.
1. Use Lyft Pink
If you are a regular Lyft user with 2/3 rides per week, you can subscribe to the Lyft Pink program and get 5% off on all standard and XL rides.
Lyft Pink membership gets you access to the following member-exclusive benefits
- Free Priority Pickups: Members can enjoy a Priority Pickup for no additional charge. You can save time and avail a faster pickup by choosing the “Priority Pickup” when ordering a Lyft ride.
- 5% off on all Standard and XL rides
- Relaxed ride cancellations
Lyft Pink membership costs you $9.99/month or $99/year. You can pause or cancel your Lyft Pink subscription anytime.
To cancel the membership, open the Lyft app and tap on the Menu icon (top left corner). Tap on the Lyft Pink option and choose Manage Plan > Cancel Plan.
You can continue using the members’ benefits till the next billing cycle.
2. Use Lyft Shared Rides
Lyft shared rides enable 2 people (along the same route) to share a ride to their destination. You will always pay less for a shared ride than a standard Lyft ride.
You can save on rides by strategizing with friends. Meet up at a friend’s place to get picked up together or pick up your friend on the way.
You can check out the Cities page to know if shared rides are available in your region.
To see a shared ride estimate
- Open the Lyft app and tap Shared
- Provide the pickup and drop-off locations
- You will receive a guaranteed price for the shared ride and an estimate of the ride cost
You will pay the shared ride estimate that you are shown in the app, even if you are not matched with other riders along the way.
3. Avoid Peak Hours
Avoid the peak hours (7-9 AM and 5-7 PM). The prices of rides go up in peak hours or on holidays as many people are trying to book a Lyft ride at the same time and demand is high.
One way to get discounted Lyft rides for seniors is by avoiding
- Morning commute hours
- Evening commute hours
- After special events like concerts
- Friday and Saturday nights
Avoiding these busy times can lead to lower prices as ride costs fluctuate based on demand.
4. Reserve Rides in Advance
You can reserve Lyft rides ahead of time to avoid real-time pricing surges. If you know you will need a Lyft ride on a certain date and time, plan in advance.
To schedule a ride in advance in the Lyft app
- Open the Lyft app on your phone. Tap on Where are you going? option and provide your destination
- Next, tap on the Calendar icon to schedule the pick up date and time
Tap on Schedule pickup time and the ride is now scheduled. You will receive a reminder before the pickup time. If your Lyft app does not have the Calendar icon, the schedule ride option may not be available in your area.
You can also save on your rides when you have a flexible pickup time. A flexible pickup window allows Lyft to optimize routes for you for a greater saving.
You get a private and direct ride to your destination for less.
5. Use Promos & Coupons
Keep an eye on promos and coupons on Lyft’s website and the Notifications tab in your Lyft app. Lyft is offering 3 different promos to new riders at the time of writing this article.
To check the active promos in your Lyft app, open the app and tap on ‘Rewards’ in the main menu. The Reward tap will show the value of promos, expiration date, and ride limits.
You need to add a promo code before taking a ride. To add a promo code to your account, open the Lyft app and tap on Rewards. Next, tap on Add promo code and enter the code.
The available promos are applied automatically to your rides. You can choose to use a specific promo at the start or end of a ride.
- Request a ride in the Lyft app by providing the destination
- Tap the Payments methods above the Select Lyft option
- You have a list of options to choose between available promo codes and other payment methods.
Check your email or the Notifications tab in the Lyft app for promo offers.
Know more about Lyft’s promotions and ride discounts
6. Senior Citizens Discount for Grocery Rides
The Lyft Up program offers discounted Lyft rides for seniors to grocery stores, work, or medical appointments.
Lyft Grocery Access Program gets you discounted rides to and from participating farmers’ markets and grocery stores.
Unfortunately, Lyft does not offer senior citizen discounts but you can get discounted Lyft rides for seniors using the above tips.
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- Requesting Uber rides without a smartphone
- 4 Ways to get Lyft for seniors without a smartphone