Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Best Winter Care Package Items

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If you have a loved one overseas, you know how important unique care packages can be. Now that we are into the winter months, they might be craving something extra special from home. It is best to send healthy foods in your food care packages so that your service member can keep up their strength and be in the best health they can be.

Sending a care package soon? Check out some of these ideas to answer the question, “what food can I put into care packages?”

• A Larabar from General Mills might be a good idea. You can find them in 16 different flavors, all of which are gluten, dairy and soy free. Each bar is made up of fruits, nuts and spices. If you think they would prefer a more traditional granola bar you can include some Nature Valley bars which are also made by General Mills.

• You can also include some protein powder in the package. This would make for a healthy drink and you can purchase it is different flavors. Find out what your service member would enjoy.

• Teas can be a fun addition to the care package. Your best bet is to send in packets that can be added to water. That way, they can easily make their tea while overseas. You can add a variety of flavors for your loved one to enjoy.

Remember when packaging everything up to make sure it is sealed well. A vacuum seal will ensure that the food stays fresh. Don’t forget to include a personal item such as a nice letter or a picture drawn by the kids. Just little reminders from home can help with the homesickness. Have your children help you pack it and even let them decorate the inside of the box. They can color or add stickers to make it look festive.

Whatever care package ideas you use, your service member will be greatly appreciated. Men and Women serving overseas greatly enjoy those packages sent from home.

Are You Ready To File Your 2013 Taxes?

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Monopoly Income Tax image by Stockmonkeys.com via CC by 2.0.

Monopoly Income Tax by Stockmonkeys.com via CC by 2.0.

Military families all around eagerly wait for this time of year… tax time! As soon as the announcement is published saying W-2s are available, MyPay is a buzz with pulling and printing the valuable form so taxes can be completed and refunds can be processed. Many milspouses already have an estimate of what their refund amount may be due to tax credits and deductions, like the child tax credit.

I’ve talked to couples who already have their taxes filed and refund in their account before I even have all of my documentation in hand to go get my taxes prepared! There is just something about the possibility of receiving a lump sum of money, which is larger than any paycheck we may see, coming into our bank account that can make us all a little giddy.

Now, let’s take a deep breath, get over the fact we’re receiving a large chunk of money, and try and think responsibly about what to do with the cash.

Just Say No… To Rapid Refunds

You managed to make it a whole year without this money; you can wait another couple of weeks to receive your refund. Luckily refund anticipation loans (RALs) have been phased out and are hard to find. Many of the banks that would back these loans so a taxpayer could walk out the door with money in hand have now stopped participating in these loans.

Why? Because they were essentially conducting predatory lending. The taxpayer would wind up paying at least 50% interest plus fees to receive the refund they were owed upfront, and the company preparing the tax return would be paid back when the actual refund was received.

Now, there are new products out there to try and get you to pay for the money you should be receiving for free!

Some popular tax filing franchises have products that seem fast and convenient but will keep you from receiving the full amount of your tax refund. There is a rapid anticipation check (RAC) product and Instant Cash Advance product. Both charge fees that can total in upwards of $100 and only shorten your refund wait time by about a week or so. You can also “conveniently” pay the fee to prepare your taxes out of your RAC.

Remember, taxes can be done on your installation at no cost. If you are not near an installation, you can contact Military OneSource to locate a preparer near you, and there is also the VITA program available at your local United Way (income restrictions apply).

Most importantly, direct deposit of your refund into your bank account is free! FREE! We love free!

Looking for tax-time resources for military families? Check out our Tax Time Toolkit for Military Families!

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s spend that money responsibly!

3 Ways to Make The Most of Your Tax Refund

1. Build Up Your Emergency Savings With Your Refund

Throughout the year when money is tight, saving money is difficult and it is highly possible that if you have a savings, you dipped into it. Time to either replace the savings you spent or start saving! If there is one thing we know for sure, emergencies happen. By tucking away your refund in a savings account you’ll be better prepared.

2. Put Your Tax Refund To Work by Paying Down Debt.

While it’s not a very fun option, it can certainly save you money in the long run; especially if your credit card or loan has a high interest rate! Getting ahead of your debt now to pay off amounts early can free up money each month for you to decide how to spend it rather than sending money to a credit card.

3. Invest Your Refund in Your Retirement

With the military downsizing continuing and talks of military retirement benefits being altered, the idea of retiring comfortably after 20 years of service is no longer guaranteed. By opening a retirement account, you are taking the first step in ensuring that you will be able to retire with peace of mind. If you already have a retirement account, adding to it can only help that bottom line come retirement time!

The good news is we are being more responsible with our tax refunds. If that itch to spend just has to be scratched, try taking about 10% of your refund to just blow on whatever you feel like. Don’t blow your refund on meals out and unplanned shopping! Make your money work for you!

 Originally posted on NextGenMilSpouse.com

Geico Special Offers

Commissary Deals for December 2013

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Check out the Commissary’s Joy to the World Sale for for December 1st thru December 31st (excluding Manager Specials).  Prices on this page may not be available in all commissaries or the product may not be available, especially in Alaska, Hawaii or Overseas locations.

CS_Dec13_Web-1

[button link=”http://www.militaryshoppers.com/onsalethisweek/index.php?20131205″ color=”red”]Click here to view the full Joy To The World Sale Flyer[/button]

[button link=”http://www.militaryshoppers.com/onsalethisweek/deca/CS_Dec13_Web.pdf” color=”blue” window=”new”]Click here to download the PDF Version of the Joy to the World Sale![/button]

[button link=”http://get.adobe.com/reader/” size=”small” color=”silver”]Click here to download the latest Adobe Reader[/button]

Military Coupons

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New!

Military Shoppers brings you an entirely new page dedicated to compiling our favorite brands military coupons all in one place!

Check out the military coupons below and click to print.  Use these coupons at your local commissary and don’t forget to use your commissary rewards card to maximize savings.

Commissary Savings

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The military community is always in need of a good military discount. Commissary savings are a huge factor when it comes to military discounts. With military benefits being revoked each year, commissary savings are a much needed privilege among the military community. The commissary sells products to authorized military patrons at cost plus 5% and accepts applicable commissary and manufacturer coupons, providing the military community additional commissary savings. When shopping the commissary, commissary shoppers can expect to save an average of 30% on their purchases compared to commercial prices. The commissary also offers customer appreciation case lot sales throughout the year. These are special sales that offer discounts on large quantities of product. The commissary savings at case lot sales are unmatched. In addition to the already low pricing at the commissary, Military Shoppers commissary specials flyer presents commissary patrons with additional commissary savings on selected items available only in the commissary for a limited time. The extra special low commissary prices can easily be found in the commissary specials flyer. The commissary specials flyer with additional commissary savings can be seen online, on facebook , on pinterest or delivered directly to your inbox by signing up. Sign up for free and take advantage of the commissary savings available today! Don’t forget your commissary coupons for additional commissary savings. Commissary coupons are accepted and allow military shoppers to maximize commissary savings. If you haven’t started following MilitaryShoppers yet, do it now for all of your commissary savings needs.

Many commissary patrons do not realize that there are many ways to maximize commissary savings. Did you know that the commissary accepts military coupons? Military coupons including printable electronic coupons, manufacturer coupons and commissary exclusive coupons will help to increase your total commissary savings. The commissary also offers a free commissary rewards card. This is an electronic method for storing coupons that are loaded onto the card and allow for more commissary savings. The commissary rewards card is an additional military benefit available to the military community that many military patrons are not aware of. MilitaryShoppers also prints and distributes a Commissary Specials flyer each month that highlights additional commissary savings. Commissary Specials is available in select military baseThe commissary also features customer appreciation case lot sales that offer additional commissary savings on bulk items. Commissary patrons can save an average of 30% in commissary savings in comparison to commercial grocery stores.