Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

15 Military Discounts for a Great School Year

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The back-to-school ritual of buying school supplies, backpacks, lunch boxes, sneakers and clothing can take a bite out of your budget. I know I had sticker shock when buying school supplies for my 2 children. The total cost was insane.

And we still needed to buy new tennis shoes for both of them. I pray that they don’t grow out of their shoes before Halloween.

Military Discounts for a Great School Year

We’ve compiled a list of military discounts to help your child have a great school year.

The costs of getting your kids back to school is no joke. Once school starts, the expenses don’t end. There are still the after-school activities and possibly hiring a tutor to help get your student through chemistry or French.

You can reduce these growing expenses by shopping at stores that offer a military discount. We’ve compiled a list of military discounts to help your child have a great school year.

15 Military Discounts for a Great School Year

Dressing for Success

Old Navy. If you are looking to buy school uniforms (or comfortable school clothes) for your military child, be sure to stop by Old Navy and take advantage of their 10% military discount. This offer is valid for active duty, retired, reserve and military spouses. You must present your military ID card at the time of purchase at the store. This discount is not available for online purchases.

Nike. Nike offers a 10% military discount on Nike.com as well as at Nike, Converse and Hurley stores.

Foot Locker. Foot Locker offers a 20% military discount.

Finish Line. Finish Line has a 20% military discount.

Payless. This shoe store offers a 10% military discount.

Stride Rite. If you have preschoolers, don’t forget to ask about Stride Rite’s 10% military discount.

Adidas Shoes. Adidas Shoes offers a 10% military discount.

Under Armour. Under Armour offers a 10% discount to active duty and veterans on their website and in all Under Armour stores. Online purchases are verified through ID.ME.

Abercrombie & Fitch. The military discount at this store may be 10% or 15%, depending on the location.

Aeropostale. This clothing store offers a military discount of either 10% or 20% depending on the location.

American Eagle Outfitters. American Eagle Outfitters has a 10% to 15% military discount that is available, at the manager’s discretion.

Claire’s. They have a 20% military discount on accessories and jewelry.

Kohl’s. Kohl’s offers a 15% military discount at select stores nationwide.

Gap. The Gap offers a 10% discount on the first of every month. It is available in store only.

When Your Child Needs Help on His Homework

Tutor.com. Active duty service members and their dependents (grades K-12) can receive free tutoring and homework help through Tutor.com. Tutor.com says that “Students can get personalized help in 40 Math, Science, Social Studies, English and World Language subjects, including Algebra, Statistics, Biology, Essay Writing, Spanish, German and French.”

Tutors are also available to help students prepare for the SAT and ACT.

Students can connect with tutors online through their smart phones and tablets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is available every day except on January 1, Thanksgiving and December 25.

This free service is funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) MWR Library Program, the DoD Navy General Library Program, the DoD Voluntary Education Program and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.

Hire a military spouse. Let’s say your wife is the math whiz in your house, but she’s away for training when your teenager is asking you questions about his geometry homework. Consider hiring a military spouse to temporarily or occasionally tutor your child.

Many military spouses have degrees in education and because of various circumstances they aren’t working full-time. They may be interested in spending 5 hours a week teaching your military child. This can be an affordable option for face-to-face tutoring for military families.

Preparing for College Testing

eKnowledge. Is your military child dreading the ACT or SAT test? Consider enrolling her in eKnowledge’s SAT and ACT College Test Preparation Programs. This interactive, multimedia and online course is available to military dependents for free.

When You’re Feeling the Pinch of Private Tuition

Many private schools offer a military discount, but you need to ask for it. Before you pay the enrollment fees, be sure to speak with a school administrator. Parents should be ready to explain their situation (active duty family, one income) and then ask directly if there’s a possibility of a discount.

Did we miss any great military discounts for this list? Please tell us in the comments section.

I Can’t Believe I Love Living on Base

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I never wanted to live in on-base housing. I always said I wouldn’t do it. Our family would always rent a house off-post.

My reasons for not wanting to live there were simple. I believed that everyone needs a transition between work and home and a daily commute provides that. I believed that if we lived on base, my husband would always feel like he’s being watched by other sailors. I thought that by living off post we would be more involved in our city and become close friends with our civilian neighbors.

I was wrong.

Two years ago, we had a quick PCS (less than 2 weeks) to get from California to Mississippi. We moved during the winter break, so that our daughter could start at her new school on the first day of the second semester. This PCS was further complicated when my husband told me that he would be leaving for a 6-month deployment less than 10 days after our household goods were delivered.

There wasn’t time to look for a rental home. There wasn’t time to compare school districts. There wasn’t time to review local crime data.

There simply wasn’t time.

So out of necessity, we decided to live on base.

It was one of the best decisions that I ever made.

I Can’t Believe I Love Living on Base

What do you love about living in base housing?

3 Reasons Why I Love Living on Base

Convenience

The convenience of living on base and having everything I need nearby was a lifesaver during deployment.

Besides my daughter’s elementary school and our public library, everything else is found on post. I enrolled my youngest at the on-post Child Development Center, which is located less than 2 miles from my house, and it was a perfect fit for her. She adored her caregivers and made friends quickly.

I feel blessed that there’s a fitness center with a pool, an NEX, commissary, gas station, post office, movie theater, chapel, youth center and 3-mile loop for biking or walking at my current duty station.

Did I mention that I can run to the commissary and be back to my house in less than 17 minutes?

I spend less time in my car and less money on gas because I live on base.

Community

On the first day in our new neighborhood, a neighbor delivered homemade muffins, coffee and orange juice. Children were stopping by to introduce themselves and invite my kids to play with them. Military spouses were giving me their phone numbers and telling me “if you need anything, just text me.”

This tight-knit community is what surprised me the most about living on base. I felt welcomed. I felt included. I felt like this was where I was meant to be living.

And during those tough days, like when I woke up with the stomach flu on Mother’s Day, my community took care of me and my children.

When my car’s oil change took longer than expected, my community picked up my daughter at the bus stop.

When my daughters grew out of their toddler dress-up clothes, we gave them to a princess-loving 4-year-old who lives around the corner.

When I made a huge pot of soup that my children refused to eat, I shared it with a family of 6 down the street.

That’s community. I wouldn’t have survived through 2 deployments without it.

Peace of Mind

I feel safe and my children feel safe on base. I feel like my house is safe, even when I’m not there.

During the summers I take my children to visit their grandparents for 6 to 8 weeks. We spend that time catching up with their relatives and enjoying small town life. I’m 3 states away from my house, but I’m not worried.

My peace of mind is worth it to live on base.

In my opinion, living in base housing is like living in a gated community without paying the prices that come with a gated community.

I’m loving my on-base neighborhood so much that I don’t think I’ll ever live off-post again.

Do you live on base and love it? What do you love about living in base housing? Tell us in the comments section.

4 Tips for Booking a Room at Military Lodging

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It’s one of the best parts about being stationed on Okinawa. The Okuma Recreation Facility is a family recreation paradise operated by the military on the north side of the island. This hidden gem has bike paths, glass-bottom boat tours, golf and kayaking. With cabins located on the beach, I knew that I wanted to stay at Okuma at least once during the 3 years we were stationed on Okinawa.

4 Tips for Booking a Room at Military Lodging

At Okuma Recreation Facility, there are beach cottages, private cabanas and log cabins available for those who want to stay for a weekend or longer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Megan Angel/Released)

But booking a cabin at Okuma wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be.

First I had to track down the reservation phone number. Next I had to find out how far in advance a guest can make a reservation. Then I needed to make a reservation for the type of room my service member was eligible to stay at.

I had 3 false starts before finally succeeding at making a lodging reservation for us.

These obstacles are not uncommon when it comes to booking a room at military lodging. A friend of mine was complaining just last week saying “Why is it so hard to book a room at military lodging?” She wanted to stay in Pensacola, Fl., during a cross-country PCS road trip.

4 Tips for Booking a Room at Military Lodging

The Hale Koa Armed Forces Recreation Center as seen from Kalia Road, Waikiki, Hawaii. (U.S. Army photo by Bill Bradner)

We know that there are some awesome military lodging locations. But making a reservation can be such a pain in the butt. What’s the best way to do it?

Here are 4 tips for booking a room at military lodging.

Find out how far in advance you can make a reservation and memorize their cancellation policy. OK, you don’t have to memorize their cancellation policy. But you want to be familiar with it and clearly understand it.

Some military lodging facilities will allow guests to book a year in advance. So if you want to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Tokyo on Dec. 31, 2017, you needed to book your room at the New Sanno Hotel on Dec. 31, 2016.

Other military-owned facilities allow guests to make reservations 180 days in advance. There isn’t 1 cancellation policy for all DoD lodging. It varies by location, so make sure you understand it when planning your vacation.

In general, reservations can be made months in advance. I recommend making your reservation as far in advance as possible.

Wait, back to the cancellation policy. Here’s why that is important.

Book ahead as long as you understand the cancellation policy because it may not be the same as a civilian hotel’s cancellation policy.

For example, when we booked our Disney vacation and planned to stay at Shades of Green, we were told that room cancellations, without a fee, must be done 30 days in advance. I put that information in my iPhone calendar and then at 31 days until our family vacation, I double-checked with my husband that our vacation was still a go.

This means, yes, his leave was approved. Yes, he would back from his deployment in time to drive to Orlando with us. No, we didn’t want to stay at a different resort.

Use the phone number. In my experience, the best way to make a reservation with military lodging is over the phone. Hands down. It’s the way to go. That way, you can find out if you’re eligible to stay at this military lodge (more on that later), what their cancellation policy is, what type of room you’re getting, what amenities that room has (coffee maker, mini fridge) and what you are paying for this room. Typically, room rates are based on pay grade.

Plus when you are on the phone and the dates you want a room aren’t available, you can find out if you can be put on a waiting list. Some military lodging has waiting lists for guests.

Understand who is eligible to stay where. Not all military lodging is open to everyone. When you are researching a particular location, make sure you understand if you are eligible to stay there or not.

Some facilities are available to active duty and retired service members, National Guard members and Reservists, and DoD and nonappropriated funding government employees and their immediate family members. Some facilities like the Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco and Hale Koa in Hawaii are open to all veterans, regardless of length of service.

I should also mention that service members traveling on orders always have first priority for military lodging. I’ve never lost a room due to service members who needed it, but I could have. I recommend booking a back-up hotel, a civilian one with a no-fee 24-hour cancellation policy.

Look to other military families for information about military lodging. As you can see, it isn’t impossible to book at room at an inexpensive military resort. But it can be frustrating if you don’t understand the reservation policies.

When you’re looking for information, ask questions on your local military spouse Facebook groups. Once you figure out the secrets of booking a room, share your knowledge with other military families. It’s the best kind of paying it forward, in my opinion.

Have you had success booking a room at military lodging? What tips would you offer to make this process easier to understand?

Halo Top Ice Cream Comes to Commissaries

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Halo Top Creamery. All opinions are 100% mine.

The timing could not be better for ice cream.

Halo Top ice cream, a low-calorie, high-protein and low-sugar ice cream, is available at commissaries at military bases throughout the country – perfect for the summer. Halo Top is made using only the best, all-natural ingredients so that it tastes like regular ice cream. Unlike regular ice cream, you can eat an entire pint and not feel guilty.

Hold up…did you say healthy ice cream?

Everything we know about ice cream up until this point tells us that the words “healthy” and “ice cream” don’t go together. But it’s time to change your ice cream assumptions.

Halo Top prides itself on producing a healthy ice cream that tastes creamy and delicious like the real deal without all the sugar, calories and carbs. It’s a healthy ice cream that actually tastes like ice cream.

Sound too good to be true? Don’t take my word for it.

Stop by your commissary to pick up a pint of Halo Top ice cream.* Or two. Or three. With 17 flavors, including Red Velvet, Peanut Butter Cup and Birthday Cake, there’s a favorite flavor for everyone in your family.

Halo Top Ice Cream Golden Seal Sweepstakes

And while you’re sampling all 17 flavors of Halo Top ice cream, you may find yourself leaving your commissary with more than ice cream during the month of June.

To celebrate their 5-year anniversary, 5 lucky pints of Halo Top ice cream were sealed in gold. Not real gold, of course, but the prizes associated with these 5 pints is like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The Golden Seal, which can be found underneath the pint seal, has a prize list that includes: a 4-day vacation for 2 to Maui, $5,000 gift card for groceries and a Make-A-Wish sponsorship which will allow winners to grant wishes for children in their local communities.

Not a winner? Halo Top reminds ice cream lovers that there’s a silver lining, or in this case, a gold lining, in their Golden Seal Sweepstakes. Anyone with a losing seal can be entered to win a VIP package of all Halo Top pints by simply snapping a selfie with the seal. Don’t forget to use #HaloTopGoldenSeal when sharing your selfie to be entered to win.

Five additional grand prize winners showcasing their selfies could potentially win a year’s supply of Halo Top and a Halo Top branded mini freezer. Yes, a year’s supply of Halo Top ice cream!

Visit your commissary and dig into a pint of Halo Top ice cream today!

*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Visit halotop.com/goldenseal for complete rules.

Military Discounts for Your Disney Vacation

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When considering a Disney vacation, I thought about the amusing rides, the smiling family photo with Mickey and an epic family vacation that we would talk about for years.

During my husband’s deployment, we decided we may want to go to DisneyWorld to celebrate his homecoming. The key word in that sentence is “may.” Before making our final decision, my husband and I discussed a lot of options for a family Disney vacation:

  • Is now the right time to take the girls? Are they still too young?
  • Which resort should we stay at? Should we stay off-property to save money?
  • Which ticket package is best for us? Is a 4-day ticket enough time to see all 4 parks at Walt Disney World?
  • Why are we driving to Orlando to walk around the park when we can hop on a cruise and relax for 5 days?
  • Is an epic Disney vacation a terrible way to reunite our family after months apart? Or is it the bonding experience that we need?

In the end we decided that yes, we definitely wanted to surprise our daughters with a family vacation to DisneyWorld in early February.

Now came the really hard part: Budgeting for our family vacation.

Luckily for us and for you too, Disney offers fantastic military discounts that help reduce the cost of visiting these theme parks.

Here are the details on military discounts that you don’t want to miss when planning your Disney vacation.

Military Discounts for Your Disney Vacation

Many hotels near DisneyWorld and Disneyland offer significant military discounts (up to 40%) so always ask for one when making your reservation.

Specially Priced Tickets

When planning a Disney vacation, military families need to take advantage of specially priced tickets available to them. Each year Disney announces its military discounts on tickets for that year.

For 2017, a Disney 5-Day Military Promotional Ticket is $224 and a Disney 4-Day Military Promotional Ticket is $209 for DisneyWorld. The Park Hopper option is available for an additional cost. You can also add the Water Park Fun & More Option to your ticket.

If you live in California and plan to visit Disneyland, there are also discounted tickets available. A 3-Day Park Hopper Tickets is $156 and a 4-Day is $181.

Note: These tickets are nonrefundable and can’t be transferred.

These tickets must be purchased before December 19 at your military installation’s ticket office, commonly referred to as ITT. You can’t purchase more than 6 tickets at this discounted price.

This military discount is available to active-duty service members, National Guard, Reservists, Coast Guard, military spouses and retired service members. Be prepared to show your military ID card when purchasing these tickets.

Military Discounts on Hotels

Since it was our first Disney vacation, we decided to book a hotel at Shades of Green, the military resort near DisneyWorld. I’m really happy with our decision. The hotel is conveniently located near the parks and there was a bus shuttle to take us to the parks each morning.

I highly recommend making your reservations early, since Shades of Green can fill up quickly. Be prepared to submit your military ID card information when making your reservation.

Many hotels near DisneyWorld and Disneyland offer significant military discounts (up to 40%) so always ask for one when making your reservation.

Military Discount on Memory Maker, Disney’s Photo Package

When I first saw the price of Disney’s Memory Maker, I said, “No way. We’ll take our own photos. Thank you very much.” But then a friend told me that there’s a military discount on the photo pass.

For $84 plus tax, service members can purchase a DisneyWorld’s Memory Maker. The price is $49 plus tax at Disneyland.

This military discount on the photo package is only available at the Guest Relations office at the parks. The website said that there may be a 3-day delay between the date of purchase and activation, but we didn’t find that information to be accurate. We purchased our Memory Maker the night we arrived in Orlando and we were using it at Magic Kingdom the next morning. I hope that works for all military families.

Military Discounts for Your Disney Vacation

Did you know there’s a military discount on Disney’s photo service? Visit Guest Relations at any park for more information.

Because of this military discount, we decided to purchase the Memory Maker. With this pre-paid photo package we got photos of us on a few rides, including my favorite Tower of Terror and fantastic family photos with the Disney characters.

Planning a Disney vacation is a lot of work. But by spending some time researching military discounts, you can save money on tickets and hotels. That gives you more money to spend on souvenirs because everyone knows you can’t have too much Disney stuff.

Are you always on the hunt for military discounts? Sign up for the MilitaryShoppers’ newsletter today.

Don’t Let Things Go Unsaid, Tell Your Story with bucketnote

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I was staring into my husband’s eyes the night before he left for a 7-month deployment.

He had already kissed our children good night and goodbye. His bags were packed and piled by the front door. The only thing left to do was wait.

Wait for the moment when he left at 3 a.m.

Wait for the text message saying he landed safely in Guam.

Wait for the recorded message announcing the time and date for his homecoming flight.

In between those moments of goodbye and welcome home, I spent a lot of time thinking. I reflected on our past. I dreamed about our future. I worried that there were important unsaid things between us that needed to be said.

For service members and their spouses, mortality may be something that we think about every day. Not just during deployments. Not just during training missions. It’s something that’s always in the “what-if” part of our minds.

The creators of the app, bucketnote, understand our need to be prepared for the “what-ifs” of military life. They also understand that the important things shouldn’t go unsaid.

What is bucketnote?

bucketnote “is the app that lets you archive your thoughts, special messages, family traditions and stories to share with your loved ones when you’re gone.” It’s a digital journal for today’s modern age.

Notes can be photos, videos, voice memos or written thoughts. You can record your favorite family stories. These notes are then edited by you. You are the only one who has access to your notes. You decide who you want to share these notes with and when you want the notes shared.

The developers of bucketnote reassure users that this app is 100% secure. They say “Rest easy knowing your most treasured photos, messages and instructions are protected by our software and will only be delivered to your designated recipients when it’s time.”

Tell Your Story with bucketnote

Bucketnote is available to all military for the next 30 days for free on iOS and $.99 on Android devices. Download the app today.

 

There’s also an add-on feature, bucketcapsule, which allows you to create a message  which can be delivered well into the future after you’re gone…like for a granddaughter’s 18th birthday or on the birth of your grandchild’s first child. bucketcapsules can be a special message or piece of advice that you want her to have on that day. This note can be a video of you singing “happy birthday” or saying “I love you” or a piece of motherly advice to a new mother – anything at all!

What can I do with bucketnote?

Say you have a spark of inspiration while grocery shopping, you can create your note on your smartphone while waiting in line at the commissary. Later you can revise and edit this note on your tablet. You may want to add a photo or a video to this note. You can easily do that with a few taps on your tablet.

Then you can take a deep breath and be at peace knowing that this note will be delivered to your loved one when you’re gone.

Other features of bucketnote include:

  • Enjoy a seamless experience on every device
  • Complete privacy – notes are completely private until they are ready to be shared
  • Many formats to choose from – text, image, audio and video
  • Cool add-on feature like bucketcapsule that lets you pick a date in the future to send a message for a big event, wedding day, graduation or any special date to you
  • Convenient, easy and secure

No one wants to think about passing away. No one wants to think about the sorrow that our spouses and children will feel at the time of our deaths.

But in those moments, our notes of love, support and faith can guide them through this tough time. Reading your words, listening to the sound of your voice and watching your smile will mean everything to them in that moment.

Leave them a bucketnote today.

bucketnote is available to all military for the next 30 days for free on iOS and $.99 on Android devices. Download it today.

*This post is a sponsored post for bucketnote.

Shoppers Enjoy New Jacksonville Commissary

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Wider aisles.

A larger selection of organic produce.

Skylights that provide natural lighting.

Commissary patrons are enjoying their new 64,000-square-foot commissary at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fl. The $36 million facility is twice as large as the older commissary, which means that the aisles are wider and there is more space for specialty products.

The store features “extensive produce, meat, frozen, chilled and grocery departments, an international deli-bakery, a sushi-to-go station, prepared rotisserie chicken and a customer service kiosk with 2 check-outs,” according to a DeCA press release about the Feb. 2 grand opening.

The Jacksonville commissary includes 18 regular checkouts and 8 self-checkouts and a stock assortment of 18,000 line items. Outside there’s a covered drive through area for patrons using Click2Go, DeCA’s online grocery shopping service. Click2Go is currently available at only 3 commissaries.

DeCA Director and CEO Joseph H. Jeu said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony that the goal of the project was to construct a commissary where patrons enjoy their shopping experience.

Here are 3 features that commissary patrons are enjoying at their new commissary at NAS Jacksonville, Fl.

The Jacksonville commissary is the first commissary to have a Living Well Corner.

During his speech at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, DeCA Director Jeu highlighted the features of this new commissary, including its Living Well Corner.

The Living Well Corner, located in the front of the store, features more than 1,500 organic and natural-labeled products. These items include both frozen and fresh products. For shoppers looking for non-GMO, free-range, gluten-free and no-added hormone products, the Living Well Corner offers the products they want at affordable commissary prices.

Cmdr. Billy Bushman, noted that thanks to the commissary’s Living Well Center his wife would have more choices when it came to choosing gluten-free breads, according to a DeCA press release.

“My wife would shop this,” Bushman said. “I’m excited that the choices for gluten-free options have been expanded. This means more options for my wife.”

Commissary shoppers have repeatedly requested more organic and gluten-free options at their commissaries. The new Jacksonville commissary’s expanded selection shows that DeCA officials are listening to their requests and building facilities that appeal to this demographic.

Commissary surcharges financed the construction of the new Jacksonville commissary.

Commissary shoppers often question that 5 percent surcharge found at the bottom of their receipt. The 5 percent surcharge, which has stayed at 5 percent since 1983, is not a tax. The surcharge is a standard rate that every commissary shopper pays and the funds generated through this surcharge pay for facility maintenance and construction.

Commissary surcharges paid for the construction of this $36 million facility. According to the JAX Air News, “shoppers spent nearly $61.5 million at the NAS Jax Commissary in 2016 which includes a 5 percent surcharge.”

The Jacksonville commissary was built to LEED Silver standards.

Facilities on military bases are now built to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. The Jacksonville commissary features 154 skylights and light sensors that will reduce energy consumption at the facility. The facility’s energy-saving features qualified it for a LEED Silver rating.

Jacksonville’s old commissary will be demolished  and turned into a parking lot later this spring. Once completed, this parking lot will have more than 500 spots for Navy Exchange and commissary patrons.

The Jacksonville commissary isn’t the only new commissary opening to shoppers in 2017. DeCA announced that the grand opening celebration for the $38 million Fort Belvoir commissary will be on March 30.

Have you shopped at the new Jacksonville commissary? What did you think of it? Share your opinions in the comments section.

Don’t Fall for a Military Coupon Scam

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Commissary shoppers love to save money using military coupons. You can find military coupons at your commissary. I like to look for those free flyers just inside the front door or ask my commissary bagger to tuck one into my groceries, when she has them.

As we’ve said before the best military coupons are the ones that you don’t clip. There are plenty of military coupons online, ready for commissary shoppers.

But for every military coupon that you find online there may be a fake coupon looking to leer you in.

Fake coupons are on the rise. Smart commissary shoppers need to know how to spot a fake military coupon. Here are 3 things you need to know when trying to figure if your military coupon is real or fake.

No Expiration Date

Every coupon, digital or paper, will have an expiration date. There are no exceptions to this rule. If you e-clip a coupon that doesn’t have an expiration date, it’s a fake. Don’t try to use it at your commissary.

Pro-tip: Always look for an expiration date before printing out a coupon.

Photocopied Coupons

These fake military coupons are easy to spot. If a coupon has been photocopied, it is no longer valid. You can’t photocopy a coupon for your mother, sister and your five closest friends and expect them to be able to use it. Photocopying a coupon is against coupon rules.

Pro-tip: Only print military coupons from authorized coupon distributors like Coupons.com.

Too Good to Be True Coupons

Let’s say you’re scrolling on Facebook and you see a “too good to be true” military coupon in your newsfeed. Since you are tempted, you click on this coupon and it brings you to different website, one that requires that you put in your credit card information in order to receive this offer.

Don’t do it.

This website is a scam trying to steal your personal information. Never give you Social Security number, bank information or credit card number to redeem a coupon.

What’s an example of this type of fake coupon?

Late last year, the grocery store Kroger warned its shoppers about a fake coupon claiming to offer a “FREE $60 Kroger Coupon” with a $70 minimum purchase. It said the expiration date was 12/31/2016.

Kroger posted a photo of the fake coupon on its Facebook page with this message.

 “Fake coupon alert! There’s currently an unauthorized ‘FREE $60 Kroger Coupon’ offer floating around. It’s not real! We don’t recommend engaging with the site(s) that offer links to the coupon, or providing them with any personal information. Our team is actively working with Facebook and domain service providers to address the concern.”

Similar fake coupons have been circulating for Kohl’s, Disneyland and Food Lion.

Here’s another scenario that has been happening a lot with fake online coupons. Again you see that “amazing deal” while scrolling on social media. But this time when you click on the link for more details or to redeem the offer, you download malware on your computer.

The Coupon Information Center has a database of fake coupons. You can search for a specific coupon on this website or review the list. I recommend reviewing this list if you’re an active digital coupon user.

Pro-tip: To test a coupon, do a Google search with the coupon’s offer and the word “scam” or “fraud” in the search bar.

You don’t have to worry about printing a fake military coupon when you use coupons from Coupons.com.

Military Savings for Tax Time

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Military couples don’t have to spend money on tax preparation software. There are plenty of free and discounted options available for service members, military spouses and retirees.

Here is a list of military savings for tax time.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program

Have you heard of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program? This program operates free tax preparation centers at military installations around the world. The VITA offices are open to active duty service members, including National Guard and Reserves, military dependents and retirees.

Since the Armed Forces Tax Council partners with the IRS for this program, volunteers received IRS certified training. They are ready  to help military families with tax preparation and answer common tax questions at these centers.

VITA is a great option for young service members who need help filing their taxes.

If you are planning to e-file your taxes at a VITA office, bring the following documents to your appointment:

  • Valid photo identification
  • Social Security cards for you, your spouse and dependents.
  • Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents
  • Your wage and earning forms, such as Forms W-2, W-2G, and 1099-R.
  • Interest and dividend statements (Forms 1099).
  • A copy of your last year’s federal and state tax returns, if available.
  • Routing and account numbers for direct deposit of your tax refund.
  • Total amount you paid for day care and the day care provider’s identifying number. This is usually an Employer Identification Number or Social Security number.
  • Other relevant information about your income and expenses.

If you are married and filing a joint return, both of you need to sign the return.

What if my service member is on deployment?

If your service member is on deployment, you have a few options. If there’s a VITA site at their location, they can e-file their taxes there.

If you, as the military spouse, plan to file a joint return, bring a valid power of attorney when doing your taxes. The IRS recommends using Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative when completing your taxes.

If your service member is in a combat zone, the military spouse can file a joint return with “a signed statement explaining that the other spouse is in a combat zone and unable to sign,” according to the IRS.

Click here to see the list of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance offices around the world.

“MilTax” Software Available Through Military OneSource

If you feel confident that you can complete your taxes online, consider e-filing using Military OneSource’s free filing service, MilTax. This service allows military members to complete and electronically file federal and up to 3 state tax returns, according to Military OneSource.

If you have questions about this tax service or about your own tax returns, please call 1-800-342-9647 and ask to speak with a Military OneSource tax counselor. Trained tax counselors are available 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., EST. For online assistance with questions about deductions, exemptions and filing deadlines, send inquiries to TaxQuestions@militaryonesource.com.

This service is available to active duty, National Guard and Reserve, and spouses. Users must create a free account with Military OneService before taking advantage of this military savings.

TurboTax Military Edition Software

Active duty and reservists, who are USAA members, can get TurboTax Deluxe Online Federal for free. All USAA members can save up to $20 on TurboTax federal products.

Visit USAA’s website for more information the TurboTax Military Edition Software.

Did we miss any other tax preparation services that offer military savings? Tell us about it in the comments section.

3 Commissary Myths that Need to Be Busted

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For the past 2 years, there’s been a lot of talk about possible changes to the commissaries. The talk has come from all directions. There was talk about possible changes from Congress. There was talk about possible changes from the consultants hired by the Defense Commissary Agency. There was talk about possible changes from commissary employees and shoppers.

Now commissary shoppers may be asking themselves which (if any) of these commissary changes are happening. Here’s a little hint: only 1 of the proposals is scheduled to happen in 2017.

What about the other possible changes? For now, these recommendations move to the land of myths and rumors.

Here are 3 myths that you may hear commissary shoppers talking about.

Commissary myth #1: DeCA is merging with the military exchanges.

If you thought this was happening, it was because the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission presented a proposal with 15 recommendations to modernize the commissaries. One of those recommendations was a proposal to combine the commissary and exchange systems into a single defense resale organization. This proposal was intended to reduce the overhead costs of operating the commissaries and exchanges separately.

When MilitaryShoppers wrote about this proposal nearly 2 years ago, readers said that this proposal was a terrible idea. Repeatedly, readers wrote this comment:

“Do not combine. We would lose our privileges.”

For now, the commissary and exchange are not combining.

The statement that DeCA is merging with the exchanges is a myth, according to DeCA officials. They also said

“DeCA leadership continues to explore different levels of cooperation with the military exchanges. To the extent the Defense Department plans to implement any of those options in future, DeCA is committed to ensuring that employees are well-informed and equipped with information to understand any potential impacts.”

Commissary myth #2: DeCA is exploring a privatization pilot program.

Privatization is happening, right? Wrong, according to DeCA officials.

“Upcoming pilot programs will not be exploring potential privatization (i.e., a private sector company taking over DeCA operations). Privatization was not a part of the changes proposed in the 2016 NDAA and is not planned for DeCA at this time.”

The proposal to privatize the commissaries was discussed repeatedly over the course of the last 2 years. At one point, several large unnamed retailers were approaching DeCA and expressing their interests in running the commissaries.

Like the recommendation to merge the commissaries with the exchanges this idea was met with many vocal opponents. They argued that privatization is not the answer to Congress’s budget concerns. Skeptics argued that privatization wouldn’t save the taxpayers money and would lead to price increases for commissary patrons.

Privatization is off the table. For now.

Commissary myth #3: DeCA’s mission is changing.

“DeCA’s mission has always been to offer the right products at the right prices as a critical benefit to its patrons,” DeCA said on its website.

One proposal, a private label brand, is happening and DeCA is confident that is program will “offer more flexibility in how DeCA delivers that benefit, and positions the agency to be more cost-effective, efficient and better able to protect the benefit for future generations of patrons.”

Congress wants DeCA to be cost-effective and efficient. Veterans want to keep this military benefit without increasing the prices or surcharge. Military families want groceries at a competitive price compared with civilian grocery stores.

We all want the same things for our commissaries. Will the private label brand be enough to save the commissary benefit without raising prices or reducing the benefit?

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Are you hearing any other rumors about changes to your commissary? Tell us in the comments section.