Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

30 Military-Friendly Wineries and Breweries You’ll Want to Sample

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May is National Wine Month. What better way to celebrate National Wine Month than with a tasting at a military-friendly winery?

There are more than 8,700 wineries in the United States. Many wineries offer military discounts on tastings or free tastings to veterans and military spouses. Here is a list of military-friendly wineries in Napa and Sonoma.

15 Napa Wineries that Offer a Military Discount

Start your wine tour at the oldest winery in Napa Valley, Charles Krug. It also happens to be the first tasting room in California. At Charles Krug you can enjoy a five glass wine tasting. It’s usually $20, but the fee is waived for active duty service members.

Robert Mondavi has made Napa Valley what it is today. Enjoy a military discount and great wines at Robert Mondavi.

Hall Winery generally has a $40 tasting fee, but it is free for service members. Service members can enjoy a free glass of wine as well.

Domaine Carneros has a military discount on tastings as well as 10% off merchandise.

V. Sattui Winery has delicious wines as well as a military discount.

Grgich Hills Estate offers free wine tastings to service members.

Domaine Chandon has a 20% military discount.

Mumm Napa not only offers service members a free tour and wine tasting, but they also have a military discount of 30% off purchases.

Rombauer Vineyards offers free wine tastings to service members.

Raymond Vineyards offers a 10% military discount.

Peju offers free wine tastings for service members.

Beaulieu Vineyard provides free wine tastings to military service members.

Beringer Vineyards has a program where service members can enjoy a free glass of wine.

Cakebread offers free wine tastings to service members.

Monticello Vineyards may be a small family-owned and -operated winery, but they really know what they are doing. Enjoy a free wine tasting with their friendly staff.

7 Sonoma County Wineries That Have a Military Discount

There are more than 425 wineries in Sonoma. Here are seven military-friendly ones not to be missed.

Murphey Goode offers free wine tastings to veterans. I love that they support Operation Homefront, which is a nonprofit charity that gives assistance to service members. Murphey Goode donates 50 cents from each bottle of their Homefront Red Blend to the organization. While that doesn’t sound like a lot per bottle, it has generated over $300,000 a year.

At Francis Ford Coppola Winery you’ll enjoy a free wine tasting as well as a 10% military discount.

Adastra offers free wine tasting to military couples.

Alexander Valley Vineyards provides a free reserve tasting for service members.

Highway 12 Vineyards and Winery provides free wine tastings.

One last winery to mention in California is Tackitt Family Vineyards in Paso Robles. It is dear to my heart. They produce a collection of wines labeled EOD Cellars. The owner is a Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) veteran. My husband is an EOD Tech. A portion of the profits from these wines goes to the EOD Warrior Foundation, which supports wounded EOD techs.

8 Military-Friendly Breweries Owned by Veterans

There are also veteran-owned breweries. The eight below are ones not to be missed if you are in their area.

Honor Brewing Company is operated by an Army veteran, a Gold Star son and one other partner. Their tasting room opens this year.

Heritage Brewing Company has its own nonprofit that supports veterans. A portion of their proceeds go toward it.

Full Tilt Brewing in Baltimore, Md., is run by a veteran and a former DoD worker.

Young Veterans Brewing Company, owned by two Army veterans, is in Virginia Beach. You can visit their taproom and take a tour there.

Veterans United Craft Brewery in Jacksonville, Fl., is owned by a former Naval flight officer.

Railhouse Brewery is owned by Army, Navy and Air Force veterans. You can visit their taproom in North Carolina.

Red Leg Brewing Company in Colorado Springs has a wonderful taproom.

Fair Winds Brewing Company is one of the top 50 fastest growing breweries in America. You can visit their taproom in Fairfax, Va.

With all of these military-friendly wineries and breweries, you’re sure to have a good time supporting veterans and businesses that support our military community.

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Military Discounts for Your Child’s Birthday Party

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Have you started planning your child’s birthday party? Hosting a birthday party can be expensive, as I’m sure you’ve already discovered. Military discounts are so helpful when buying party supplies or booking a birthday party location.

Here is a list of military discounts to help you make your child’s next birthday party not only memorable, but also affordable.

Party Supply Stores

If you plan on decorating for the birthday party, you’ll want to stock up on supplies. There are many retailers to consider purchasing your supplies from. Try a local party supply store to help out a small business if you can. Ask them if they offer a military discount. Many small businesses like to give back to the military community.

If that isn’t an option, try a national chain such as Party City. They offer a 10% military discount on all items bought in store. If you see something on their website but it isn’t available in store, they can order it for you and have it sent to your house without paying for shipping.

If you are shopping for birthday party supplies online, try Shindigz. They have a 20% discount for military families. They also offer free shipping for purchases over $49.

Whole Sale Party Supplies has a 10% military discount and they provide free shipping with purchases of $39 or more.

Craft Stores

Perhaps you are a “Pinterest parent” and are planning on making the birthday party decorations. That can add up quickly, not only with your time but also with your budget.

I attempted to be a Pinterest mom for my son’s birthday last year just 2 weeks after having our daughter. It was probably a crazy idea to do so much at that point but I’m glad I did. I’m also glad that so many of the craft stores offer military discounts to make it more affordable to be creative.

Michaels has a 15% military discount that you can combine with their coupons. There is almost always a 40% off one regular priced item coupon and if not, they accept competitors’ coupons.

AC Moore also has a military discount. Their discount is also 15%. I shop here often as their prices tend to be lower and you can combine the military discount with other coupons and also gain points toward rewards certificates. You will find plenty of birthday party supplies and craft items at AC Moore.

Jo-Ann is another place you can try if you don’t find what you’re looking for at the other two places. They tend to have higher prices and offer a 10% military discount but if you want fabric, Jo-Ann is the place to go.

Birthday Party Locations

Making birthday party decorations or even buying them to host a party might not be your idea of a fun birthday party. In that case, try having your child’s birthday party at a fun location.

Chuck E. Cheese is always a popular option. They have military discount packages such as the Alpha package and Beta package. These include pizza, drinks and tokens. The best part of having your child’s birthday party here is that you don’t have to entertain kids and you don’t have to clean up.

Other locations that you might want to consider include: the zoo or aquarium, a gym or sports complex, a bounce house or trampoline world or perhaps a fun zone or sky zone. All of these in the D.C. area that I contacted offer military discounts so some in your city may offer a discount for your child’s birthday party as well.

Theme Parks

A popular birthday party idea is to take a few close friends to a theme park. Pretty much all of them offer a military discount. Great Wolf Lodge for example offers up to a 30% discount and is an extremely popular place for young children to have fun.

Busch Gardens, which is also connected to Sea World and Water Country USA, offers free entry and discounted packages to military families. By going on your free pass day, paying for birthday party guests will be more affordable.

Check with your ITT office for discounted tickets to other theme parks such as Six Flags. If you want to think a little outside the box, Medieval Times is something completely different. They have special packages that are available at MWR/ITT offices as well.

There are so many great places that offer military discounts that you can use for your child’s next birthday party. All you have to do is ask.

What are your favorite military discounts for your child’s birthday party? Tell us in the comments section.

17 Greenhouses and Garden Centers That Offer Military Discounts

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The first day of spring is March 20, and that means it’s time to get your gardening on!

There is nothing quite like the feel of warm soil on your hands. Add some quality seeds, some sun, a little water, and in just a few short months you have the freshest produce or most beautiful flowers you can imagine. And nothing quite beats the feeling you get when you can go out into your own backyard and fill a vase or basket with something you’ve grown.

Even if you have a small space, as long as you have a sunny spot, you can grow something. You can even grow fruit trees! Last year, we made the big investment and built a large raised bed garden. We planted all kinds of things: tomatoes, peppers, three different types of squash. Then there was eggplant, strawberries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, lettuce, carrots and tomatillos. We had cucumbers for days and we don’t have time for me to list all of the herbs, just know that there were 6 types of basil.

To say that we may have gone overboard in our first year is probably an understatement. But it’s almost time to start planting again, and while we have pared down our harvest list, what hasn’t changed is our love of a good bargain.

Seeds aren’t expensive, per say, but when you add in all of the other things you need like potting soil, plant food, insecticide, watering cans, soaker hoses and plant supports, it can really start to add up. Knowing where you can snag a military discount is a gardener’s secret weapon.

Home Depot & Lowe’s

Both of these home and garden stores offer a 10% discount to all active duty military and veterans. You need to register in order to receive the discount, but it’s easy, and it’s a solid 10% off on everything you buy. And depending on the sale, it is often on top of sale prices.

I love Home Depot and Lowe’s for things like soil (watch for the sales!), seed starters, and materials for building trellises or vining frames. We even bought the cinder blocks we used to build our raised beds there, at a discount of course! They also offer a variety of easy to grow plants already started for you. Their selection of plants is a little limited, but you can start a pretty decent garden from what they have to offer.

Meadow Farms

Do you live in Maryland, Virginia or West Virginia? Meadow Farms has an amazing array of plants, including fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. If you’re not up for sprouting from seed, they are a great place to “stock” your garden and Meadow Farms offers a military discount.

I scoured the net to find other garden centers that offer discounts. Here’s what I found:

Live in New York?

Check out the daily discount offered by Hewitts.

Stationed in Ohio?

Get 10% off every Wednesday at Pettiti.

Snag 10% off waterscape plants and materials from Hoffmans.

Boyerts offers 10% off any one item every Wednesday.

Have PCS orders to southern California?

Get 10% off every Wednesday at Armstrong Garden Centers.

Live in the middle of the United States?

Orshlen offers 5% off every Tuesday.

Stationed in northern Maryland?

Homestead Gardens offers 10% off every Thursday.

Live in Oregon?

Wilco Farm Stores offers 10% off every day.

For military families stationed in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee:

You can save 10% at Marvin’s every day.

At participating Southern States Cooperative locations, you can get a 10% discount every Tuesday.

Need grow lights?

Want to do a little hydroponic gardening? HTGSupply offers a 10% military discount for veterans. You need to register for a veteran account with HTGSupply to receive the discount.

Live in Arizona?

Summer Winds Nursery offers a 10% discount on any one item every day.

Do you have a large yard?

John Deere offers a military discount for all current and former service members.

Live in Washington?

Jason’s Greenhouse offers a 10% discount.

Logee’s offers a 10% military discount.

Are you thinking about planting a garden this spring? Check out this article, “How to Plant a Victorious Deployment Garden.”

Military Discounts for Hitting the Slopes

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You know, it wasn’t all that long ago that backyard barbecues, cold beer, and hours of gloriously warm sunshine were the order of the day. While I know those days will be upon us soon enough, I suppose the only thing we can do while we wait, is enjoy all the splendor that winter has to offer.

Military Discounts When You Are Skiing

Do you enjoy skiing or snowboarding? Don’t forget to ask for a military discount when buying your lift ticket or renting equipment.

US News and World Report recently put out their list of the top 10 places to hit the slopes. Most of the snow-covered destinations on the list come as no surprise to avid and beginner skiers alike.

But what you may not know is almost all of them are home to amazing resorts that offer military discounts!

Whether you like the exhilaration of a black diamond downhill run, the challenge of a cross-country trek, or a mug of hot chocolate by the fire, you can get your winter on and save a little money with these military discounts.

Military Discounts for Hitting the Slopes

Breckenridge, CO

Located a little over an hour outside of Denver, Breckenridge offers a quaint small town, nearly 200 ski trails and thousands of acres of skiing paradise.

Breckenridge Ski Resort offers a fantastic 30% military discount on daily lift tickets. The discount is offered to active duty personnel and their dependents. Lift tickets cannot be purchased in advance or online. You should be prepared to show your military ID card when you purchase your lift ticket at the ski resort. Get all the details, including current slope conditions by visiting them online.

Park City, UT

A quick drive from Salt Lake City, Park City is home to the Sundance Film Festival and some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the country.

Park City offers military discounts on daily lift tickets to active duty service members, their dependents, and retirees and their dependents.

This is one of the few ski resorts to offer a military discount to retirees.

Save even more by purchasing your lift tickets through ITT at Hall Air Force Base. Military-discounted lift ticket prices are $98 for adults and $61 for children.

Lake Tahoe, CA

Situated on the California/Nevada border, this all-season vacation jewel offers stellar slope action and an outstanding array of restaurants, shopping, and bustling night life options.

Black Diamond, located in Incline Village, offers great options for all ski levels at a great discount. For active duty personnel, lift tickets midweek and during non-peak weeks are free, and just $64 otherwise. Military dependents and retirees are offered the $64 rate at all times.

Steamboat Springs, CO

Nestled in Colorado’s Yampa Valley, Steamboat Springs is nicknamed Ski Town, USA, and is as famous for its hot springs as it is for its skiing.

It has some of the best military discounts around! They generously offer a standing 20% discount for all military personnel on daily lift tickets, ski and snowboard lessons and rentals, plus a special rate on a 3-day pass. Find out more about these great discounts here.

Aspen, CO

Snowmass offers 4 mountains to choose from, and since the first park was opened in 1946, it has had a special relationship with active duty veterans and retirees. They offer an amazing season pass rate, plus special events and programs for disabled veterans. Get the details here.

Telluride, CO

Colorado has no shortage of great skiing, but Telluride has a character all its own. With dramatic drops and an average of 300 inches of snow each year, it’s the perfect place to explore a Rocky Mountain slope or two.

Plus, you can score an awesome multi-day rate. At just $75 for the first day and a 30% discount on additional days, Telluride offers fantastic skiing at a fabulous price.

Did we miss any ski resorts that offer a military discount? Please tell us in the comments section so that we can add them to this comprehensive list.

Military Discounts to Use When Visiting State Parks

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When most of us think about the great outdoors, we immediately think of camping, hiking, hunting and maybe even whitewater rafting.

One of the best places to do all of these great outdoorsy things is at national parks, but what if you don’t want to trek all the way to a national park? While places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone are worth the hike, chances are you don’t have to take a road trip to explore all of the wonders that mother nature has to offer.

Your next great camping trip might just be up the road at any one of the more than 10,000 state parks.

Every state in the union, from Florida to Alaska and Maine to Hawaii has their fair share of gorgeous state parks. Encompassing more than 18 million acres, state parks have something to offer everyone. Whether you’re a ski fanatic, a hobby fisherman or just want to find a quiet place to commune with nature, chances there’s a state park that offers the perfect day off.

And many state parks offer military and veteran discounts.

Most state parks offer day and annual passes, as well as licenses for fishing, hunting and boating. Some require special passes depending on the activities you plan on engaging in at the park (i.e., primitive camping or RV stays).

And almost every park we researched offered a free annual pass for wounded warrior residents of the state, though the percentage of disability required for the annual pass varied by state.

Military Discounts to Use When Visiting State Parks

Did you know that West Virginia state parks offer a 10% military discount? Plan your next hiking adventure at Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia.

For the rest of us, active duty and veterans, the military discounts vary by state and often are offered at each individual park and for limited time periods or only to residents of that state. When in doubt, contact the individual park.

Here are 4 states we found that offer discounts at their state parks:

Georgia State Parks

Georgia offers dozens of state parks, including Fort Yargo, with its 260-acre lake, multiple RV sites and even lakefront yurts for a little weekend glamping. Active duty and retired military — who are Georgia residents — are entitled to a 25% discount on the daily or annual parks pass. A current military or retiree ID must be shown at time of purchase.

Florida State Parks

With over 150 state parks to choose from, if you crave the sun, you’ll find it here. Florida’s state parks include miles of beaches and all kinds of interesting trails including the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad trail, with options for hiking, biking and even horseback riding. Active duty military, National Guard and reservists and retirees can received a 25% discount on all Florida state park entrance fees.

However the passes cannot be purchased online.

Maryland State Parks

Maryland culture has long revolved around the water. Dozens of Maryland state parks offer the chance to experience a landscape rich with marine wildlife and ocean views, including Janes Island State Park where visitors can fish and crab to their heart’s content. With a valid military ID all Maryland state park daily fees are waived. Find out more about this park and many others at Maryland.gov.

West Virginia State Parks

With over 50 state parks, West Virginia is a camping and hunting enthusiast paradise. Included in its many offerings is Seneca State Forest, home to rivers, lakes, miles of trails and its famous 65-foot fire tower that offers an incredible bird’s-eye view of the lush forest and woodland.

Best of all, all West Virginia state parks and services offer active duty and veteran personnel a 10% discount.

Looking for another state or a specific state park? Find links to it all by visiting www.stateparks.org.

Have you sign up for Military Shoppers Travel and Rewards community? It’s a free way to save money on your next family vacation.

We Really Wish These Retailers Offered a Military Discount

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One perk of being part of the military community is getting a military discount. Sure it’s a small thing, but it goes a long way.

How many times have you asked for a military discount when you’ve been checking out at a retailer?

I love a great discount and I’m thankful that many establishments offer it. I don’t expect it and quite often I’m surprised by how many places do offer a military discount.

Michael’s use to only offer a military discount on Mondays, but in recent years this retailer has moved to offering it every day. Old Navy is now the same, offering a military discount every day of the week instead of just one. I would always end up there on the wrong day, so I am so glad they expanded the program.

We Really Wish These 20 Retailers Offered a Military Discount

Getting a military discount is wonderful, no matter where it is at.

There are plenty of retailers that offer a military discount, but there are many more that do not.

Here are 20 stores that we wish offered a military discount.

I did a bit of crowdsourcing and found that many military spouses said grocery stores. Everyone doesn’t live near a commissary so they don’t have the opportunity to save money that way. The closest commissary to me is 35 minutes away, which doesn’t seem far. It is however when you need to pop out for 1 or 2 things.

It would be nice if places such as Wegmans, Publix, Giant, Food Lion, Aldi and Winn-Dixie offered a military discount.

After grocery stores, the next most popular establishments military spouses wished offered a military discount were big box retailers such as Walmart and Target. Most of us spend plenty of time in these stores and spend countless dollars, whether on frivolous things or necessities. Imagine how much money we would save over the long run if a military discount was offered.

Along the same lines, many military families would benefit from a military discount at stores such as Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s. Now that’s where most of us leave our money behind. It would be nice if we left with more than just jumbo sized products. Having a military discount would allow us to go home with more money in our pockets too.

We would probably spend it on coffee though. You laugh, but it’s true. So many people stated that they wished Starbucks offered a military discount. I vote for that too.

I don’t want to know how much money I’ve spent on coffee. It was worth every penny though. Every move, every deployment, every time I’ve made friends with new military spouses coffee has been involved. It’s basically a lifeline.

Speaking of lifelines, Amazon is a real savior. How many times have you bought something on Amazon? Having Prime membership is worth the price, but it would be so much better with a military discount.

If students can get a discount and people on government assistance that have EBT cards can get a discount, then why can’t military families get one? It doesn’t seem like that should be out of the question. If they can extend a membership discount to certain groups, then they should consider extending it to the military community.

I suppose we can’t have it all, but we can dream. Some other retailers that were suggested to add a military discount include Best Buy, Walgreens, Hobby Lobby and Tractor Supply as well as many restaurants.

At some locations Best Buy offers a 10% military discount, but not all of the stores do. Walgreens is now a Tricare approved pharmacy so many military families will be visiting these stores. It would be great if they offered a military discount on products other than prescriptions.

While Best Buy and Walgreens are great, many families have taken to a more domestic approach to life, having chickens in particular, and would benefit from a discount at Tractor Supply. Tractor Supply offers a discount to farmers, but not to military families. They receive a lot of patronage from the military, so it would be nice to get something back.

It would also be fantastic if every restaurant offered a military discount. A lot of military spouses said they would really appreciate that. Restaurants such as Outback Steakhouse, Red Robin and some Hard Rock Cafes offer these discounts but it would be nice if all of them did.

Getting a military discount is wonderful, no matter where it is at. I never expect to get one and am always happy and surprised when one is offered. Some places only offer the discount to the active duty person so it’s really nice when it can be applied to all of us with a military ID card.

Did we miss your favorite retailer that you wished offered a military discount? Tell us in the comments section.

Spend Less on Your Family’s Must-Have Gifts with These Military Discounts

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‘Tis the season to give gifts. Showing your love and appreciation to friends and family with thoughtful presents is wonderful. Unfortunately, holiday giving can create a serious dent in your wallet.

Spend Less on Your Family's Must-Have Gifts with These Military Discounts

For many retailers, membership in either ID.me or Veterans Advantage is required to use discounts.

To save yourself a little money, grab your must-have gifts from stores that offer military discounts!

Stores Offering Military Discounts on the Must-Have Gifts This Holiday Season

Enroll in Military Discount Websites

Asking about a military discount at every store can take time. Scouring every online retailer’s website for military specials is overwhelming. Instead of wasting your time and gas on endless searches, enroll in ID.me. This is an all-in-one service for service members, first responders, teachers and students. With one log-in, you’ll have access to tons of great online discount opportunities. Best of all, ID.me is free.

Another one-stop-shop for military discounts is Veterans Advantage. This site has partnerships with many retailers and offers exclusive benefits for their members. It is free to join, but using many of the discounts requires a paid membership.

Note: For many retailers, membership in either ID.me or Veterans Advantage is required to use discounts.

Food and Flowers

Omaha Steaks: use your ID.me membership to verify your military status, then send steaks and tasty food to your friends at 10% off.

Hickory Farms: shipping to APO and FPO addresses is free, making it easier to send summer sausage to your family OCONUS.

1-800-Flowers: get your holiday bouquets at 20% off when you verify through ID.me.

1st in Flowers: claim 15% off your next floral arrangement when using the code USMILITARY

Godiva: gift luxury chocolate at 30% off through Veterans Advantage.

Clothes and Shoes

Nike: get your kids the must-have kicks for 10% off at official Nike stores, like Niketown and Nike outlets, when you show your military ID.

Old Navy: show your ID in store and save 10% off on cozy sweaters, fun PJs and brand new jeans when you shop in-store.

Professional Sports Shops: the MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA offer 10% to 15% off to military troops and veterans through ID.me.

Kohls: not every location offers a military discount, but it can pay to check with the on-duty manager just in case.

Babies and Kids

Disney: from holiday jammies to official merchandise, ID.me has several discount deals on sweet Disney merch.

Buy Buy Baby: splurge on the new baby in your life at a discount through ID.me.

The Children’s Place: stock up on essentials with a variety of discounts and deals when you verify online.

Crazy 8: let older kids show their personal style with discounts when you use ID.me.

HearthSong: use ID.me to get fun, classic toys for children for less.

Pottery Barn Kids: keep your child’s room functional and fashionable with 15% off in-store purchases.

DIY Gifts

Lowe’s: your resident fixer can get 10% off at Lowe’s when you also enroll in the MyLowe’s program.

Home Depot: from bathrooms to backyards, your home improvement projects can cost 10% less when you show ID at check-out.

Michaels: get art supplies and crafty things at a 15% discount when you show your ID in-store.

iRobot: using ID.me can help you save up to 15% on your next Roomba!

Jewelry

Helzberg Diamonds: put a little sparkle in your holiday season with 10% off jewelry.

Harris Jewelry: there are several tiers of specials and discounts when you purchase your special something through Harris.

Kranich’s: for those in the PA region, Kranich’s offers an unspecified military discount and promises exceptional customer service.

Zoara: military members can save 5% when you have an active U.S. military email address and use code USMILDISC.

Robbins Brothers: are you ready to pop the question? Save up to $400 when you purchase your engagement ring here.

Tiffany: don’t forget the croissants when you head to a U.S. store to pick out engagement or wedding bands at a 10% discount.

Tech and TV

Apple: Veterans Advantage members can take advantage of a 20% discount on select products.

Pro Sports Networks: get discount access to every game when use ID.me to sign-up for MLB, NFL, and NHL sports packages.

Travel and Experiences

Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards: this travel club is a free exclusive program designed to show appreciation to active duty, retired, Guard and Reserve. Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards lists special discounts that have been arranged exclusively for MilitaryShoppers members.

Sandals and Beaches: go all inclusive for winter break with a 10% discount at each of these sister resort chains. Bring the kids to Beaches or have an adults-only getaway at Sandals, all food, drink and many activities included.

Disney World and Disneyland: visit your favorite mouse at a discount when you use the Military Salute tickets. You can even score discounts on your hotel when you stay at Shades of Green or some on-property resorts.

Air Travel: members of Veterans Advantage can get deals on Southwest, United and JetBlue flights. For non-members or other airlines, it always pays to call a representative and ask about military discounts or perks. Often, military members or dependents will be allowed free checked bags and occasionally seat upgrades!

Cruises: hit the high seas with Carnival or Princess cruises at a discount! Other cruise lines, like Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, offer discounts through ID.me and Veterans Advantage. You can also call a travel agent or cruise line representative to find out more details and offers on any trip.

Bush Gardens and Sea World: get your thrills and say hello to a turtle for free when you use the Waves of Honor program at Bush Gardens, Sea World and other parks.

Never miss a military discount by signing up for the Military Shoppers newsletter. Click here to sign up today!

Military Shoppers Offers Free Money-Saving Travel Website to Its Members

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My family loves to travel together. But we have different things that we love to do during our family vacations.

Traveling for me means finding restaurants featuring delicious local cuisine. Traveling for my children means visiting a children’s museum or science center, jumping on the hotel beds and swimming in the hotel pool.

Traveling for my husband means a break from military life. When we’re on vacation, he isn’t thinking about work. He’s focused on spending quality time with his family, far, far away from his military base.

But as much as I love traveling, planning a weekend getaway isn’t easy.

In fact, planning a vacation stresses me out.

And there’s the dreaded family vacation budget to consider.

There are so many cities that I want to visit, but many times I find myself asking “can we afford this vacation?”

According to American Express, the average vacation expense per person in the United States is $1,145 or $4,580 for a family of four. That’s nearly $5,000 for 1 family vacation!

There has to be a better way. I don’t want to cancel our family vacation because of sticker shock.

Free Membership for Military Families in Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards

MilitaryShoppers.com, a community that delivers money-saving tips to military families, is expanding their services. Starting November 2017, MilitaryShoppers’ members are entitled to a free membership in Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards.

Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards lists special discounts that have been arranged exclusively for MilitaryShoppers members.

How does Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards work?

Hotels and resorts often have unsold room nights that they can’t offer to the general public at such low rates but they can do it as a special military discount through MilitaryShoppers Travel & Rewards.

These incredibly low rates are not available on any other travel booking website. Members are encouraged to compare the Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards discounted rates with other public websites and military travel “clubs.” Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards said “you’ll find these are the lowest hotel and resort rates available anywhere!”

Since the cost of our hotel room is the most expensive part of our family vacations, I’m excited to book a discounted rate for a quality hotel. Knowing that we’re saving money on our hotel room encourages me to plan more family vacations in the future.

Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards members have access to a wide range of benefits and services that are designed to save military families money. Members earn points that they can use for extra discounts and fun activities.

Every free blue membership is preloaded with $100 in points that members can use immediately.

What’s the cost to join Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards?

This money-saving travel website for members of the military community is free. Members won’t pay an annual membership fee or be required to buy anything.

Using Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards is similar to using a travel website to book your hotel room. It offers the same convenience, except with Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards members will book their hotel rooms at much lower rates.

How do I sign up?

Members can sign up for free access to their benefits online at MilitaryShoppersTravel.com.

If you are already a member of the MilitaryShoppers’ community, check your email. You automatically received access through that membership. In your email, it will explain how to log in to MilitaryShoppersTravel.com.

As I said earlier, I love traveling. I love the adventure of it. I love retelling the stories of our adventures to our neighbors, family members and friends. But most of all, I love traveling as a family. Family vacations are when memories are made.

The only thing I love more than a family vacation is a family vacation where we enjoy ourselves without spending all the money in our savings account.

You don’t have to choose between your family vacation and monthly budget. You can have both with Military Shoppers Travel & Rewards. Sign up today!

2017 Veterans Day Meal Freebies and Deals

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In honor of your sacrifice and commitment, several restaurants offer free or discounted meals for Veterans on select days throughout the week.  Click the restaurant name below for additional information from participating restaurants.

Applebees

Bob Evans

Boston Market

Buffalo Wild Wings

Chipotle

Denny’s

Dunkin Donuts

Red Lobster

Red Robin

Ruby Tuesday

Texas Roadhouse

*Always be sure to call ahead and check with your local restaurant to be sure they are participating.

 

Military Discounts on Everything You Need for Your Holiday Season

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but those bills sure do pile up fast! Instead of pinching pennies, use a military discount to keep your budget in check.

Military Discounts on Everything You Need for Your Holiday Season

Here’s a list of military deals and discounts available to service members, veterans and military families.

Note: many deals require that service members, veterans and their family members verify their military affiliation through a third-party site, like ID.me or Veterans Advantage.

Food for Your Table

Omaha Steaks: use ID.me to save 10% on great steaks, along with other meats and sides.

Shari’s Berries: add something sweet to the table, near or far, with a variety of discount deals.

Peapod: save a little on the essentials and get everything delivered to your door. Holiday shopping never went so smoothly!

Cracker Barrel: no discounts are advertised, but several sources do note that a discount may be offered at the manager’s discretion. It never hurts to flash your military ID.

Boston Market: if you are enrolled in Veterans Advantage, you are eligible for a 20% military discount. Show your membership card to claim your discount and add a rotisserie chicken to your holiday menu.

Local restaurants: check with local restaurants in your area to see whether they offer any special deals or discounts to active duty troops, veterans or their families.

Stock Up on Socks (and Other Things)

Old Navy: known for jeans, tees and cozy sweaters, Old Navy offers a 10% military discount. Now your family will look super sharp for the holidays.

Aeropostale: get 10% off your purchase in store. Your teens and tweens will love the casual and cool styles.

Carters: get free shipping automatically on orders over $50, including to APO/FPO addresses.

Columbia Sportswear: snag your favorite sports gear at a 10% discount when you verify with ID.me.

Kohls: some locations offer a 15% discount to service members, veterans and families when you present your valid ID. Not all stores are participating, but it always pays to check.

Nike: get 10% off at Nike-owned stores, like NikeTown and factory stores, when you present a valid military ID. Now you can get those new shoes a little bit cheaper.

Under Armour: whether you purchase online or in person, snag a 10% discount. If you are ordering online, verify your military status with ID.me.

Sperry: get a 15% discount on their classic boat shoes and other quality gear when you verify with ID.me.

Send Your Love

1-800-Flowers: if you’re far from home, show you care with flowers. Save 20% when you verify your military status through ID.me.

1st in Flowers: get 15% off flowers when you use the code USMilitary at checkout.

Hickory Farms: families living OCONUS should share this deal with their family back home. Shipping to APO/FPO addresses is free!

Make Holiday Magic

Michaels: if you like to DIY, do it for 15% less every day when you show your military ID at checkout.

Joann Fabrics: when you need to redo your curtains or craft a cute tree skirt, get 10% off at checkout when you show your ID.

Take a Trip

Beaches and Sandals: if you’d like to escape to somewhere warm and sunny, where everything is included, look at this resort company. Beaches is perfect for families with children while Sandals caters to adults-only. Make sure you get your 10% discount by calling an agent to book.

Amtrak: skip the drive and save 10% on train travel. With routes all over the United States there may be a train station close to your holiday destination.

Carnival Cruise: get special rates on select cruises in the Caribbean. Check the calendar to find the best prices on a variety of staterooms.

Princess Cruise: you’ll have a little extra money to spend on board when you use the Military Cruise Benefit Program. Contact the cruise line or your travel agent to learn more.

Disney Parks: save on multi-day park passes to Disneyland and Disney World with Disney’s Military Salute.

Hotel discounts: most major hotel chains offer discounted rates for military troops and veterans based on per diem. Not all hotels will offer discounted rates or the same discount percentage. Be sure to inquire at your preferred hotel for discounted rates and availability.

This list is just a small sampling of possible military deals and discounts available to troops, veterans and their families.

You can access more benefits by joining Veterans Advantage, although there is a fee associated with membership. There are many Veterans Advantage exclusive discounts and deals, which could help your membership fee pay for itself.

ID.me is a free program that helps retailers verify your military affiliation.

Are you a person who loves a military discount? Sign up for the Military Shoppers newsletter to have deals and savings delivered to your inbox.