When youre' on the eve of retirement age or are actively starting to enter it, there are always lots of downsides. You get tired easily, you feel terrible if you don't eat the right things, and your hearing takes a nosedive. However, access to lucrative deals is definitely not something you'll be denied the older you get.

There are a long list of discounts and special perks available to older individuals at a variety of restaurants, stores, and entertainment locations. Here are a few you should be on the lookout for.

Sit-Down Restaurant Locations

While not all restaurants offer senior discounts, it's incredibly common for sit-down restaurants to try and attract an older clientele by discounting a small portion of the final bill. Large restaurant chains like Joe's Crab Shack, Outback Steakhouse, Denny's, and Bonefish Grill typically offer a 10% discount (15% in some cases) on food and non-alcoholic beverages if you present an AARP card, which can net you some pretty big savings over time.

Alternatively, some restaurants offer '55+' menus that typically contain items better suited for the dietary needs of older people and come with the added benefit of being modestly priced. The two most notable restaurants who offer these menus are Perkins and IHOP.

Phone Service Deals

Most likely due to the fact that older individuals use the internet much less often than those of younger generations, most of the major cell phone providers (Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T) allow people aged 55 and older to take advantage of special deals.

Verizon and T-Mobile offer unlimited plans, with Verizon's unlimited plan consisting of $60 a month for one line or $80 for two people. By comparison, T-Mobile provides much more flexibility with a series of tiered plans that start with $27.50 a month and can go upwards of $45 a month to receive maximum coverage, plus a slew of perks like a Netflix subscription.

By comparison, AT&T offerings are a lot more multifaceted. For individuals aged 65 or older, their 'Nation Plan' is available for budget-conscious consumers at the low price of $29.99. For people who haven't quite reached that age threshold, AT&T also offers a 10% discount on certain cell phone plans and 15% off of accessories with the presentation of an AARP card.

Drugstores

Drugstores are particularly keen on getting seniors and older people in general to shop at their stores. Understandably, large chains like Rite-Aid and Walgreens offer some absolutely superb discounts on many of their in-store items.

Rite-Aid has a program called Wellness65+ designed to help retire-aged customers navigate their stores services much easier. It's completely free and comes with a free pharmacist consultation. Financial benefits include 20% off of all purchases the first Wednesday of every month and comes with a point system that lets you buy items for free after a certain number of items are purchased.

Walgreens has a similar program called myWalgreens that offers 20% off of all purchases on the first Tuesday of every month as well as a percentage, instead of a point, system that comes with a mobile app and free curbside pickup.

Transportation

Some of the best senior discounts you're going to be able to get your hands on have to do with the transportation and, to some extent, the hospitality industry.

Assuming you meet the correct age threshold, most airlines provide you with a discount to head to certain destinations at certain times of the year. These benefits extend to some other transportation methods, like greyhound buses, and even Amtrak, which gives anyone 65 or older a 10% on most train rides.

For those interested in taking a more hands-on approach to travel, car rental companies are very interested in offering their customers aged 50 or older discounted rates. Of all rental companies, Hertz comes with the greatest benefit as you can save upwards of 20% on your rental bill, depending on a variety of factors.

For hotels, you can save anywhere from 5% to 15% on your stay, although most of these benefits are limited to AARP members.

Taking Advantage

Getting older and living on a retirement budget doesn't mean you can't enjoy things. Whether food, shopping, or travel is your thing, there's bound to be a way to maximize benefits while limiting costs.