by admin -

Thriving in the Military

My husband has been in the military for 20 years. He has worked his way up through the ranks, but when we first got married we were a poor enlisted family that did not know how to work the military system to our advantage. Here are some tips I have learned over the years on how to make it on one income in the military. 

 

  • Use the military healthcare system. I realize there are many of you who have horror stories about military doctors. I have them myself, but I also have them about civilian ones as well. There are great military doctors, you just have to be picky. In the military health care system they should pay for everything including some OTC drugs.  If you use a military pharmacy you can even request children’s Tylenol, Ibuprofen (childrens & adult), Claritin, Zyrtec, Robitussin, etc.  
  • Sign up for WIC.  I know not everyone agrees with WIC but it is something that we used many years ago and it really helped us to make ends meet during that time period. This site will explain the WIC program http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/.  There is probably a WIC office on base.  
  • Deployment benefits. Deployments are never fun, but if your spouse deploys make the most of this time. First of all most of the current deployments create a situation where your income is now tax free. There are also various deployment pays that your spouse will receive that are non taxable. Use that money to pay down any debt, or if you are debt free beef up your savings. There is also a savings program that allows you to invest up to 10,000 a year with a guaranteed 10% return on the investment.
  • Speaking of savings we have had many times in our military life where our pay has been wrong. Once it was a several thousand dollar mistake. You need to have an emergency fund. Having money in the bank can help you through moves, deployments, and promotions which tend to be the time when your pay can be inaccurate. 
  • Make sure you use the military to cover all other work related expenses.  For example, if your spouse has to take a cab home from the airport after a TDY, the military will reimburse them for it.  
  • Save money on kids stuff by using  hand me downs, e-bay, thrift shops (including the base thrift shop), yard sales (especially this time of year.)  Go early for the good deals.  Craigslist is also a great resource.  
  • Talk to First Sergeant if AF or Chief if Navy about money/financial  planning.   
  • If Air Force, visit the Family Support Center.  I think they may have changed the name of this to Airman Readiness Center or something. There is a place called Airman’s Attic with all kinds of free stuff. Some with free things including diapers, formula and clothing.  
  • Whenever you move, even if you have the military hire movers, do a partial DITY move. You can usually make a few hundred dollars just by weighing your vehicle and filling out a few forms. 
  • Increase the number of exemptions for taxes.  This creates more money in your pocket each pay period.
  • If you can live on post, this is almost always a better deal than renting. Everything is covered in your BAH including utilities. 
  • Shop at the commissary. There has been a lot of debate about whether or not the commissary is cheaper, but I have friends who have made price books and they agree that the commissary is cheaper. 
  • Many bases offer services for family members of deployed service members. I know that where I live the Army subsidizes drop in child care as well as gives discounts on tons of programs if the parent is deployed. 
  • Become a resident of state you are stationed if there is no income tax.
  • Utilize your local library for entertainment. Books, CDs, movies and activities for preschoolers are all available at the library for free. 
  • This would be long term, but, your spouse should start on their bachelors degree if they don’t have one already. Apply to Officer Training School or even a ROTC program somewhere.  Let the military pay for it all.  Take advantage of all the tuition assistant programs available. My husband got his commission through the Navy. The Navy paid his salary for 3 years while he got his bachelor’s degree. He also got his masters degree paid for by the Navy, as well as numerous certificates and certifications. 

These are just a few ways to thrive on a military income. I hope to continue this series throughout the summer.  Thanks to my friends and military spouses Liz and Nancy for helping me come up with these suggestions. 

For more frugal tips stop by Crystal’s blog. 
by admin -

Commissary Shopping Tips

I received this email from a military spouse the other day…

I’m a new military wife (married last June), so I don’t even know what a case lot sale is. Can you please explain it to me?
We aren’t active duty right now, but I have a feeling we may be in the near future. The closest commissary to us is 40 minutes away (Carlisle Barracks in PA), and we probably wouldn’t go there except that my in-laws live in the same town as the commissary, so we attempt to pack a cooler or 2 and stock up when we can for the two of us. However, after that service charge is added and I tip the baggers, sometimes I feel like I haven’t really benefited by shopping there even after the “discount” deals I find! I’m definitely a coupon clipper and don’t care about brand names, but I still feel like after those extra costs and the price of gas, I can normally just shop at a local grocery store for the same $ or sometimes less. Maybe I’d see most cost saving if I were buying for a family instead of just the two of us. Any tips for commissary shopping?

First of all, a case lot sale is basically when the commissary sells items in Costco quantity at commissary prices. Commissaries usually have two or three case lot sales a year. The best deals sell out quickly at many stores so it is good to go the first day or two. You can also use coupons at a case lot sale, which will increase your savings. Much of the food at the case lot sale is prepared food, like canned fruits and veggies, boxed drinks, cereals, and snacks. They also have cleaning items and cleaning products for sale too. The thing to remember is that these are all sold in large quantities, you cannot separate them. You could go in with another military spouse to purchase the items.

As far as the surcharge, I think it depends on where you live, if this cuts into your savings. Certain states charge a sales tax on their food, so if you live in one of those states the surcharge probably doesn’t make a difference. I live in Maryland, which does not charge sales tax on food. The 5% charge may make a difference for someone who is driving an hour each way to the commissary and has to factor in the cost of fuel.

Tipping the baggers is a controversial topic, so I want to chose my words carefully. I always tip the baggers, but I do think it is hard to determine a fair amount. There are several factors to consider; weather, number of bags, distance to the vehicle. The more bags I have the higher the tip, but I have never tipped more than $5.

Now down to the really important stuff. Is the commissary really cheaper? I would have to say yes, item for item, pound for pound the commissary is cheaper. I only shop at other grocery stores when I am getting things for free, or close to free. There will be times when using double coupons and bogos, you will be able to beat the commissary’s price, but unless all your shopping, including meat and produce, is done that way you will save money overall at the commissary.

Here are some tips for getting the best deals at the commissary

Do not shop on a payday weekend. These are the busiest shopping days at the commissary. It is almost impossible to walk down the aisles, not to mention figure out coupons if you shop during this time.

Take advantage of the tear off coupons. These are the coupons that are attached to the shelves. Many times these coupons match up with items that are already on sale. Combining sales and coupons this way can almost get you items for free. For example, last month there were many rip off coupons in the taco aisle, and all the Old El Paso items were on sale. I bought 3 jars of salsa, 4 boxes of shells, 4 cans of refried beans and 2 seasoning canisters for $6.

Plan your menus around the Commissary sales. The Commissary rotates its sale items every two weeks, starting on Thursdays. I usually try to post the sales at the Grocery Gathering, but sometimes individual commissaries run their own specials so I don’t catch all the deals. You can look up your individual Commissary here.

If you live far from a Commissary, try making one bulk trip every 4 to 6 weeks. At one point we lived about an hour a way from the Commissary. I went every 4 weeks to purchase in bulk; milk, yogurt, formula, diapers, bread, cereal and meat. I would also pick up the groceries I needed for the week. As far as I know, stateside commissaries do not ration items so you can really stock up on things that are a great price.

The Commissary will save you more money if you live in a high cost of living area. I live in the D.C. metro area. There is no other store that can compete with the Commissary’s prices. I also found this to be the case when I lived in the Virginia Beach area. If you aren’t sure about your commissary savings try making a price book. This will help you to determine whether or not making an hour or so drive to the Commissary is worth your time and money.

What is your best Commissary shopping tip? Leave a comment and let us know.

The Happy Housewife