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Military Spouses Unaware of MyCAA Scholarship Program

08/24/2015 By Rachel Tringali Marston

Earlier this year, the RAND Corporation, a research group, released a study that military spouses are NOT using scholarship programs that are aimed to help assist the community with college.

Particularly, a majority of military spouses didn’t know about the MyCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Account) Program.

As military spouses, we experience multiple moves, deployments, TDYs and any other unexpected surprises that come our way. Because separation often times keeps military spouses busy holding down the fort, college might take a backseat.

Military Spouses Unaware of MyCAA Scholarship Program

MyCAA was created so that military spouses can pursue a meaningful education and attain portable careers.

Also, college is pretty dang expensive and scholarships are critical to help with tuition. I speak for myself when I say I wouldn’t have been able to finish my college education without scholarship programs. Last school year, the College Board reported that the average cost of tuition for state residents is more than $9,000 and almost $23,000 for out-of-state residents. In addition, if you wanted to attend a private university, tuition is more than $30,000.

Tuition is really intimidating and might have hindered a lot of spouses from attaining their bachelor’s degrees. But, just like the RAND study exposed, military spouses don’t know what’s out there. It’s important to share the message and pass along the details of MyCAA.

MyCAA was created for military spouses by the DoD, so they can pursue a meaningful education and attain portable careers. The goal of MyCAA is to work with a spouse’s military lifestyle and to ease the financial burden of a college, but less than 1/5 of eligible military spouses use MyCAA. MyCAA provides payment for obtaining appropriate licensing or certificates needed for certain jobs.

To be eligible for MyCAA, military spouses need to be married to active duty service members (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) at the following pay grades: E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2.

Guard and Reserve spouses can use MyCAA if they start and complete their classes while their service member has Title 10 orders.

The RAND study highlights that one of the main causes for not using the MyCAA program is because a lot of military spouses think they don’t qualify or are time limited. It also found that newer military spouses didn’t know MyCAA existed.

Related: 10 Employment Programs to Help Military Spouses Find Jobs

Military OneSource counselors are available to military spouses that have questions or need guidance with MyCAA. It doesn’t hurt to reach out to someone, especially if you’re thinking about a career change or continuing your education.

Even if you aren’t eligible for MyCAA, there are so many other military spouses out there that would benefit from this amazing program, so be sure you keep it in mind for others.

Have you used the MyCAA scholarship? Why or why not?

Parents Should Be Ashamed of Facebook Parenting Shaming

08/21/2015 By Julie Provost

Recently I have heard about some military spouses posting photos of other people’s children on their base’s military spouse Facebook pages. They are doing this because these children are misbehaving.

The children are doing things such as throwing trash in the park, picking on other kids or doing something else the poster feels isn’t right. I am not saying that what the kids are doing is OK, behaving that way clearly isn’t, but posting what they are doing on Facebook isn’t a good thing to do either.

Posting photos of other people’s kids on Facebook when your intent is to shame them is not OK.

Facebook Parenting Shaming Is Not OK

What are we teaching our kids and teens when we take part in Facebook shaming too?

Doing so is judgmental and you never really know the story behind why a kid is doing what they are doing. The better thing to do would be to notify the kid’s parent and leave things at that.

I know my kids do not behave 100 percent of the time at 100 percent of the places we go. No one has kids that do. I have carried a screaming child out of the PX more times than I would like to admit. Those moments happen.

We as parents do the best we can do to train our children. Sometimes they act out anyway. We can take those experiences to teach our children that we do not act that way.

If my son was throwing trash on the ground, it would be a good chance to teach him about why we don’t do such a thing. His photo does not need to appear on Facebook in order to get that message across to him.

I am glad that there was not Facebook when I was growing up. As an adult I can step away from the drama but our kids are growing up in a time where anything can be captured on camera and shared with others.

What are we teaching our kids and teens when we take part  in Facebook shaming too?

Doing so teaches them that posting like that is OK. Posting those photos is telling them that it is fine to single someone out on a bad day and make that bad day last forever.

We need to step away from posting shameful photos on Facebook. Whether a kid is doing something they shouldn’t or an adult isn’t dressed the way we think they should be, posting about it on Facebook is being a bully. We want to be the people who our kids look up to and learn from. We as adults should know better and do better.

How do you handle kids who aren’t behaving in base housing? Do you talk to them? Do you talk to their parents? Or do you post your complaint about their behavior on a Facebook military spouse page?

Years ago, public shaming might have meant standing on a street corner holding a sign. The kid who stole a candy bar might be made to stand in front of the store. Yes, people saw the child and he learned his lesson, but then the whole thing was over.

His face was not shared all over Facebook. He was not turned into a meme about good parenting. He was not shamed like that for years and years by strangers.

We really need to think about what social media can do to kids. We don’t want to make things worse than they are by taking part in the Facebook shaming.

When we see parenting shaming being done, we need to speak up so that the posting will stop. That makes for a better world both on Facebook and off.

What do you think of parenting shaming on Facebook?

Search Charity Navigator Before Donating Through the CFC

08/19/2015 By Michelle Volkmann

My elderly neighbor handed me the solicitation paperwork she received in her mailbox and asked me

Is this a legit veterans organization?

My neighbor wants to donate her money to a veterans organization and she gets many requests through the mail for her donations. But she is worried that this organization might be a scam and frankly, she should be concerned. These scams target senior citizens and the donation paperwork often looks very similar to legit nonprofit organizations.

Did I know if this nonprofit organization was telling the truth? No, but I used the website Charity Navigator to find out.

Search Charity Navigator Before Donating Through the CFC

The Charity Navigator takes the confusion out of the donation selection process. Use it before making a donation through the Combined Federal Campaign.

Charity Navigator is a nonprofit organization that aims to give donors information so that they can make informed giving decisions. It’s an independent charity evaluator and the best way to research thousands of charities easily.

“By guiding intelligent giving, we aim to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace, in which givers and the charities they support work in tandem to overcome our nation’s and the world’s most persistent challenges,” according to Charity Navigator’s mission statement.

Charity Navigator has a comprehensive search tool and rating system. Charity Navigator also has interesting Top Ten Lists (10 Charities Worth Watching and 10 Charities in Deep Financial Trouble) that are worth browsing along with a specific Support Out Troops page.

The Support Out Troops page cautions donors “to look carefully before choosing one of these charities to support as not all operate with equal efficiency.”

“Donors can be confident that contributions made to the higher rated charities will be spent efficiently as these charities have low overhead and fundraising costs enabling them to use more of their resources in carrying out their mission.

“On the other hand, the low rated charities do not operate efficiently. Much of the money donors give to those organizations ends up in the hands of for-profit fundraisers, not the brave women and men of the United States’ military and their families,” said the Charity Navigator’s Support Out Troops page.

Search Charity Navigator Before Donating Through the CFC

That’s the reason why I search Charity Navigator before making a donation through the Combined Federal Campaign.

I want my donation to go to help veterans, not toward a 6-figure salary for a nonprofit’s CEO. I always look very closely at the percentage reported for the organizations’ program expenses (percent of the charity’s total expenses spent on the programs and services it delivers) within the financial performance metrics provided by Charity Navigator.

My goal is to donate to a nonprofit that is 90 percent or higher in that category. That’s my personal benchmark. You can pick your own.

I also use Charity Navigator to take the confusion out of the Combined Federal Campaign. The Combined Federal Campaign, available to federal employees and service members, is the largest workplace giving campaign.

It’s a convenient way to donate money to your favorite charity. The CFC takes place once a year. It’s not required that service members donate money to a nonprofit organization, but the CFC gives everyone the option and opportunity to make a donation.

The CFC has thousands of charities in its system and sometimes I have difficulty deciding which to give my money to. The Charity Navigator takes the confusion out of the donation selection process and allows me to make an informed donation.

Want to research your favorite charities? Visit Charity Navigator today.

How to Request Specialty Items at Your Commissary

08/17/2015 By Rachel Tringali Marston

I’m going to let you in on a little known detail about the commissary.

Did you know that we can request specialty items?

If your favorite brand or grocery item isn’t found at your location, you are encouraged to request it and there are a couple ways to do so.

Where do you begin?

You can start with picking up a “Your Action Line” customer form available inside the commissary. It’s typically found at the front, most likely where customer service is located. Utilize this form to list your specialty items and return it to the commissary. Another way to leisurely request your specialty items is to submit your request via the Customer Contact Form online.

Commissary stock is done by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) Sales Directorate. The Sales Directorate is in charge of the different contracts that are filtered out to your commissary location. Therefore, your request for specialty items, whether filled out online or submitted in store will get sent to DeCA headquarters. Also, the Sales Directorate researches and listens to the community to determine the best products for a particular location.

There is another avenue that can help you receive a specific product at your commissary and that’s working directly with your commissary management. DeCA suggests that you request a meeting with a manager during a shopping trip or you can call your commissary’s management team. Find the contact info for your location by using this link. By establishing a relationship with commissary management on the specialty items you need, it will allow them to relay the request to the Sales Directorate straight.

Whatever method you decide to use, be sure you have the specific Universal Product Code (UPC) of each product.

That’s the unique information typically located under the bar code that would identify your specialty items for the Sales Directorate to possibly work with distribution channels to acquire your requested goods. I would be as detailed as possible in explaining the product like other known names, description, etc. It’s helpful to work with commissary management personally because they can walk you through the process and might be able to offer you any insight in the process.

For commissary customers that are overseas, it’s more of a challenge due to international shipping and the fact that goods need to be in DeCA’s Catalog Master File before it can be added to OCONUS commissaries. since it takes much longer because of rules and regulations that are in place, the product’s shelf life and packing makes it difficult as well, so that’s a huge factor to consider if you are overseas requesting specialty items.

Have you requested a specific product at your commissary? What was your experience with it?

When the Time Comes to Pick Our Forever Home

08/14/2015 By Michelle Volkmann

My forever home. For years, I never said those words aloud. I occasionally thought them when unpacking 300 boxes in a new-to-us rental with its oddly shaped kitchen and drab white walls.

My forever home will definitely have a basement. It will have an attic and a screen door. My forever home will be painted bright colors. My forever home must have a large backyard with a healthy lawn for the dog that I promised my daughters we can have in our forever home.

But lately, I’ve been thinking in more concrete terms about the location of our forever home. Maybe it’s because my husband has made it over the hump of 10 years of military service and we are committed emotionally and financially to his military retirement at the 20 year mark.

Maybe it’s because my parents, sisters, in-laws and hometown friends are asking, “Where are you planning to live once you aren’t in the Navy anymore?”

Right now, the Navy decides where we live and we love that we don’t need to make this decision. Truthfully we haven’t decided where we want to live when the time comes to make this decision.

  • Will our forever home be in his home state?
  • Or in a former duty station that we fell in love with 7 years ago?
  • Or will we make our forever home in a city that we’ve only visited?
When We Pick Our Forever Home

How will you decide where you will live once your service member is no longer in the military?

Here are 3 factors that I’m considering when thinking about the location of my family’s forever home.

Job Opportunities. The No. 1 thing we are taking into consideration when deciding where to live after military life is job growth. We are currently researching cities and states where there may be potential jobs for my husband and I. So articles like this one, 2015’s Best & Worst States for Military Retirees tend to catch our eyes. This study ranked North Dakota as the No. 1 state for job opportunities for veterans. It ranked Maryland as the worst state for job opportunities for veterans.

Military Installation Amenities. The transition from military to civilian life is a challenge for anyone, but for me, I think the biggest change would be not living on base anymore. I can’t imagine not shopping at the commissary or working out at the base fitness center. Personally, these military installation amenities are perks that I’m not willing to give up once my husband retires from military service. For that reason, I would prefer it if my forever home is located in a military town. Then I can continue to buy our Sunday steaks at the commissary and daughter’s running shoes at the PX. Plus it would be really awesome to take advantage of Space-A travel with my husband when we have the time to travel.

Community Involvement. As a military spouse, I am accustomed to a life of insta-friends. I know my neighbors’ names, along with the names of their children and their dogs. Every 2 years, I put down roots in a new community and find ways to volunteer both inside and outside the gate. For my forever home, I want to live in a neighborhood where I can ask my neighbor for a cup of sugar. I want to be friends with the people who live down the street. I want my forever home city to have nonprofit organizations that I’m passionate about and want to dedicate time to volunteering with this organization.

Right now, my sister is trying to convince me to live down the street from her and my best friend wants me to live around the corner from her house. But I’m not ready to make a commitment about the location of our forever house. Not yet at least.

I prefer to dream about it. I’ll make that decision with my husband when the time comes…about 5 minutes after his military retirement ceremony.

How will you decide where you will live once your service member is no longer in the military? Will your forever home be located near your family? Near a military base? What factors should you take into consideration when deciding where to live after military life?

Case Lot Sales at the Commissary!

08/13/2015 By Military Shoppers

Stock up on products and SAVINGS at DeCA’s customer appreciation case lot sale!

What is a case lot sale?

Case lot sales at the commissary are sales that offer deep discounts on large quantities of various products.  Basically, you buy in bulk and save BIG.  When shopping the case lot sales, don’t forget to stock up on products with a longer shelf life, non-perishables and household products! For those items that you think might not last long enough for your family to use entirely, consider shopping with a fellow milspouse or military friend and splitting the cost.  It’s a great way to save and ensure that nothing goes to waste.

What will you find at your commissaries case lot sale?

There’s no definitive answer pertaining to exactly what your commissary will offer.  So go and find out!

You can find a list of the categories offered here.

“We choose the items from the list that we think will sell well at our stores,” said Mark Crump, the store manager at the Little Creek commissary. “These are not items that have been sitting in our warehouse.”

Will it be crowded?

Umm, absolutely.  DeCA’s customer appreciation case lot sales are an optimal time for saving, and in the military we know that every penny counts, so definitely expect a crowd.

Oh, and to really maximize your savings don’t forget your coupons and your Commissary Rewards Card!

A

  • Aberdeen PG: September 4-6
  • Air Force Academy: September 18-19
  • Albany MCLB: September 3-5
  • Altus AFB: August 28-30
  • Anchorage Area: September 17-20
  • Andrews AFB: August 20-22
  • Annapolis NSA: September 11-13
  • Arnold AFB: September 3-5

B

  • Bangor ANGB: September 17-18
  • Bangor NBK: September 17-19
  • Barksdale AFB: September 18-20
  • Barstow MCLB: September 2-5
  • Beale AFB: September 1-3
  • Bolling AFB: August 28-29
  • Bremerton NBK: August 21-23
  • Bridgeport MCMWTC: September 18-19
  • Buckley AFB: August 27-29

C

  • Camp Lejeune MCB: September 3-5
  • Camp Merrill: September 18-19
  • Camp Pendleton MCB: September 10-13
  • Cannon AFB: August 25-27
  • Carlisle Barracks: August 20-23
  • Charleston AFB: September 2-4
  • Charleston NWS: September 15-17
  • Cherry Point MCAS: September 15-17
  • China Lake NAWS: September 2-4
  • Columbus AFB: September 25-27
  • Corpus Christi NAS: September 4-6
  • Crane NSWC: August 28-29

D

  • Dahlgren NSF: September 17-19
  • Davis-Monthan AFB: September 3-5
  • Dover AFB: September 4-5
  • Dugway PG: September 10-12
  • Dyess AFB: September 15-20

E

  • Edwards AFB: August 27-29
  • Eglin AFB: September 11-13
  • Eielson AFB: September 18-20
  • El Centro NAF: September 28-30
  • Ellsworth AFB: August 28-30

F

  • F. E. Warren AFB: September 18-19
  • Fairchild AFB: September 17-19
  • Fallon NAS: September 15-16
  • Forest Glen (formerly Walter Reed): September 4-6
  • Fort Belvoir: August 27-29
  • Fort Benning: September 17-19
  • Fort Bliss: August 20-22
  • Fort Bragg North: September 18-19
  • Fort Bragg South: September 3-5
  • Fort Buchanan: September 18-20
  • Fort Campbell: September 25-26
  • Fort Carson: September 18-19
  • Fort Detrick: September 10-12
  • Fort Drum: September 15-16
  • Fort Eustis: Waiver – not participating
  • Fort Gordon: September 3-5
  • Fort Greely: August 28-29
  • Fort Hamilton: September 4-6
  • Fort Hood – Clear Creek: August 27-29
  • Fort Hood – Warrior Way: September 4-6
  • Fort Huachuca: September 18-20
  • Fort Hunter Liggett: September 17-19
  • Fort Irwin: August 28-30
  • Fort Jackson: September 3-5
  • Fort Knox: August 28-29
  • Fort Leavenworth: September 18-19
  • Fort Lee: September 11-13
  • Fort Leonard Wood: September 18-19
  • Fort Lewis: September 1-5
  • Fort McCoy: September 11-12
  • Fort Meade: September 3-6
  • Fort Myer: September 10-12
  • Fort Polk: September 4-6
  • Fort Riley: September 18-19
  • Fort Rucker: September 17-19
  • Fort Sam Houston: September 11-13
  • Fort Sill: September 3-5
  • Fort Stewart: September 2-4
  • Fort Wainwright: August 28-30
  • Fort Worth: August 27-29

G

  • Goodfellow AFB: August 28-30
  • Grand Forks AFB: September 17-19
  • Great Lakes NS: September 4-6
  • Gulfport NCBC: September 4-6
  • Gunter AFB: September 24-26

H

  • Hanscom AFB: September 4-6
  • Harrison Village: September 4-6
  • Hickam AFB: August 20-23
  • Hill AFB: September 17-19
  • Holloman AFB: September 4-6
  • Hunter AAF: September 11-13
  • Hurlburt Field: September 24-26

I

  • Imperial Beach: September 18-20

J

  • Jacksonville NAS: September 17-19

K

  • Kaneohe Bay MCBH: August 28-30
  • Keesler AFB: September 25-27
  • Key West NAS: September 4-5
  • Kings Bay NSB: September 4-6
  • Kingsville NAS: September 11-12
  • Kirtland AFB: August 28-30
  • Kodiak: September 11-12

L

  • Lackland AFB: Waiver Renovation
  • Lakehurst NAES: September 10-12
  • Langley AFB: September 3-5
  • Laughlin AFB: September 4-6
  • Lemoore NAS: September 11-12
  • Little Creek Navphibase: September 3-5
  • Little Rock AFB: August 27-29
  • Los Angeles AFB: September 3-6
  • Luke AFB: September 10-13

M

  • MacDill AFB: September 17-20
  • Malmstrom AFB: September 17-19
  • March ARB: September 17-20
  • Maxwell AFB: August 13-15
  • Mayport NS: September 18-20
  • McChord AFB: September 17-20
  • McClellan: September 3-5
  • McConnell AFB: September 25-27
  • McGuire AFB: September 17-20
  • Memphis NSA: September 18-19
  • Meridian NAS: September 15-16
  • Minot AFB: September 15-17
  • Miramar MCAS: September 4-6
  • Mitchel Field: September 3-5
  • Moffett Field: September 25-27
  • Moody AFB: September 1-3
  • Mountain Home AFB: September 16-18

N

  • Nellis AFB: September 17-20
  • New London (Groton): August 28-29
  • New Orleans NSA: September 18-20
  • New River MCAS: August 17-19
  • Newport NS: September 4-6
  • Norfolk NAVSTA: August 14-16
  • North Island NAS: September 3-6

O

  • Oceana NAS: September 25-28
  • Offutt AFB: September 11-12
  • Ord Community: September 17-20

P

  • Parris Island MCRD: September 3-5
  • Patch Barracks: August 31 – September 3
  • Patrick AFB: September 3-6
  • Patuxent River NAS: August 28-31
  • Pearl Harbor: September 18-20
  • Pensacola NAS: September 17-19
  • Peterson AFB: September 4-6
  • Picatinny Arsenal: September 18-19
  • Pittsburgh Area: August 20-21
  • Port Hueneme: August 29 – September 1
  • Portsmouth NNSY: September 1-3
  • Portsmouth NSY: September 17-19

Q

  • Quantico MCB: August 26-27

R

  • Randolph AFB: September 25-27
  • Redstone Arsenal: September 24-26
  • Richards-Gebaur: September 18-19
  • Robins AFB: September 3-5
  • Rock Island Arsenal: September 18-19

S

  • San Diego NB: September 17-19
  • San Onofre: September 17-19
  • Saratoga Springs: September 3-5
  • Schofield Barracks: August 31 – September 3
  • Scott AFB: September 10-12
  • Selfridge ANG BASE: September 18-20
  • Seymour Johnson AFB: September 16-19
  • Shaw AFB: September 17-19
  • Sheppard AFB: August 28-30
  • Smokey Point: September 24-27

T

  • Tinker AFB: August 28-30
  • Tobyhanna: August 7-8
  • Travis AFB: August 28-30
  • Twentynine Palms MCAGCC: September 1-3
  • Tyndall AFB: August 20-22

V

  • Vance AFB: August 21-23
  • Vandenberg AFB: August 28-31

W

  • West Point: September 18-20
  • Whidbey Island NAS: September 18-20
  • White Sands: September 17-20
  • Whiteman AFB: August 29-30
  • Whiting Field NAS: September 3-5
  • Wright-Patterson AFB: August 27-29

Y

  • Yuma MCAS: September 17-19
  • Yuma PG: September 3-5

*Per DeCA:

Always check with your commissary for date changes or cancellations before you go. Case lot sales may be cancelled due to weather or other events beyond our control.

Commissaries are not responsible for early sell out of items during case lot sales due to high customer volume or limited product availability.

When Unexpected Military Duty Cancels Your Date Night

08/12/2015 By Rachel Tringali Marston

Let me set the stage.

It’s date night. You and your spouse made amazing plans for a night on the town or a relaxing evening in with a delicious dinner on the table. As you’re getting ready and preparing for your wonderful date night, the phone rings. Your spouse answers it and he gives you “the look.”

If you’ve been married to a military member long enough, you know what “the look” means. It means that they have unwelcomed and unplanned news to share. It might also mean they have to cut date night short and go.

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or it’s a “just because” date night, when duty calls for your service member, you realize that their military job takes precedence.

Even though you know that his military duty outweighs your date night, it’s still difficult to brush off the disappointment. For me, the disappointment doesn’t settle in until they walk out the door. My hearts sinks after the hug and door closes in front of me. Then, cue the violins.

Despite feeling extremely bummed about the situation, military spouses need to stay positive and move forward. It’s scientifically proven that maintaining a positive attitude is an overall benefit to our health, so keeping your head high and spirits up! It will all work out and you’ll be better for it in the end.

Feeling Disappointed that His Military Duty Canceled Your Date Night?

Here are 5 tips for ways to stay positive and reduce your disappointment.

When Unexpected Military Duty Cancels Your Date Night

Even though you know that his military duty outweighs your date night, it’s still difficult to brush off the disappointment.

1. Full steam ahead on your plans: If you had dinner reservations or wanted to see a movie, still go out and do it! You’d be surprised how much fun it can be to enjoy the company of strangers or be on your own for once. I used to have so much anxiety being by myself (even when I was living on my own, I had roommates that I went out with!), but I realized that the same excitement can be had with the same plans you made with your spouse.

2. Or call a pal: It is natural to think of a close friend when you feel bummed about your date night getting canceled. Why not give your friend a ring to see if they are open for the evening or weekend? So what if you have a romantic date planned? I’m almost positive that you will appreciate the time you’re sharing with a friend.

3. Take me time: I hardly ever get the opportunity to pamper myself! So, I particularly go out of my way to squeeze in a mani-pedi if my husband has to run out the door for a military assignment. For the late evenings, I’ll run a warm bath. When I was new at our current duty station, I utilized our time apart to dine at nice restaurants with a book to read alone. Honestly, solo dining was scary at first, especially in a brand-new location, but it was actually peaceful to sit there and enjoy a meal alone.

4. Adopt a new skill or start an activity: I have a special hobby that I partake in when my husband has to go away. During our time together, I collect mementos from our adventures. From park maps to concert programs, I keep all the loose items in a box. When he goes away, I break it open and piece together our duty station scrapbook. It gives me the opportunity to reflect on all the fun things we’ve done and keeps my mind occupied on happy thoughts.

Related: 9 Low-Cost Date Night Activities to Ignite Your Love

If you’re a reader, you can spend time re-reading your favorite book or watch your all-time favorite movie, again. There are so many different things you can do that fills time and are easy to pick up at any moment.

5. Practice positive mantras: I find comfort in keeping my mind as ease and understand that I should expect the unexpected with military life. It was difficult to let go, especially when I was used to being in complete control. Life should be enjoyed at every possible moment and remember your spouse isn’t at fault for their departure. There are so many mantras out there! Find one that spurs positive thoughts for you and practice saying it.

What tips do you have for handling the disappointment when your service member cancels your date night plans?

Commissary Rewards Card Helps Military Families Save Money

08/10/2015 By Michelle Volkmann

I’m always on the hunt for ways to save money when grocery shopping for my family. The desire to spend less and get a bargain is the reason that I shop at my military commissary.

When I want to shave a little more money off my grocery bill, I use my commissary rewards card. I use it every time I shop at my commissary as a convenient way to save money without the hassle of clipping paper coupons.

What is the Commissary Rewards Card?

Commissary Rewards Card Helps Military Families Save Money

How much money have you saved with your commissary rewards card this year?

The commissary rewards card program has been available in all commissaries since August 2012. Its main purpose is to give commissary patrons a hassle-free way to redeem coupons electronically. It’s an e-coupon program specifically for the commissary and can only be used at the commissary.

If you don’t already have a commissary rewards card, ask your cashier for one the next time you’re buying groceries. Then go online to register it. After creating your account, download the commissary rewards application for iPhone or Android. For busy moms, the free mobile app is key to getting the most out of your commissary rewards card.

Next comes the fun part: loading your coupons on your commissary rewards card.

Once your card is registered, you can log in and digitally clip the coupons easily. I usually start by comparing available e-coupons with my shopping list.

For example, Barilla angel hair pasta is my go-to family-friendly meal on hectic nights. Right now, there’s a coupon to save $1 on any 4 boxes of Barilla pasta. I’ll digitally clip that coupon. Then it’s ready for my next trip to the commissary. When commissary cashier scans my ID card, I also hand her my commissary rewards card. You want the cashier to scan the commissary rewards card before any groceries.

As a discount double check, I use the commissary rewards app on shopping day. Before getting in line, I’ll pull up the app and double check the items in my grocery cart with the current e-coupons. (This is why I’m super excited about DeCA’s plan to improve the Wi-Fi inside their stores.)

Let’s face, I don’t always stick to my grocery list. But by using my commissary rewards card, I don’t feel so guilty about my impulsive purchase of Chex Mix. I saved $0.50 with my commissary rewards card.

Keep in mind that these digital coupons have expiration dates just like paper coupons. If you have an e-coupon on your card and a paper coupon, you can’t use both because it’s against DeCA’s double coupon policy.

The system is set up to accept the commissary rewards card coupon first so if you have a paper coupon that expires earlier and you want to use that one, don’t use your card on that commissary trip. Save it for your next trip.

Or you can buy enough to cover both items. For example if I have a Barilla paper coupon and an e-coupon, I buy 8 boxes of pasta. That’s enough to fulfill the requirements for both coupons.

DeCA said that “new digital coupons are posted two to three times weekly,” so be sure to log in regularly so that you don’t miss any savings. I also recommend subscribing to the commissary rewards card email alert. These emails remind you when new coupons are available.

Curious about your savings with your commissary rewards card? Look at the bottom of your receipt. Your total savings is printed there.

Do you have a commissary rewards card? How much money have you saved with it?

Enter to Win with Our Summer Vacation Photo Contest

08/07/2015 By Julie Provost

Summer is almost over! Did you get a chance to go on a fun summer vacation? Did you spend time with family or take your kids to a fun place like Disney World? There are so many great places you could have gone this summer and I am sure you took a lot of photos while you were there.

Here at Military Shoppers we are going to have a Summer Vacation Photo Contest!

We want to see where you went and how you spent your summer. We want to see families having fun together. We want you to submit your favorite snapshots for our Summer Vacation Photo Contest.

With military families, taking a vacation together is a very special type of thing. Summer vacations can’t always happen because some summers, a family member is deployed, away at training or just unable to take that time off of work to go anywhere. Sometimes our service members have to skip the summer fun.

The summer vacations we have been able to go on throughout the years have been so special to us. Going to see new places, our family back home or just relaxing somewhere together. To be able to get away together from the everyday is so nice. We love having a lot of photos that we can look back on in the years to come. I also enjoy scrapbooking our adventures so I have a fun way to look back at the places we went.

Pictures are the best way to remember your memories.

If you didn’t go anywhere this summer but did have a fun day trip, use those photos too. Staycations can be just as fun and you get to spend the night in your own bed. Explore your own part of the world to learn more about where you live and what you have nearby.

Do you have any fun summer vacation photos that you want to use for our summer vacation photo contest?

Enter to Win with MilitaryShoppers' Summer Vacation Photo Contest

Do you have a favorite summer vacation photo? Enter your snapshot in MilitaryShoppers’ Summer Vacation Photo Contest today.

Here is everything you need to know about MilitaryShoppers’ Summer Vacation Photo Contest.

Summer Vacation Photo Contest submissions need to include:

  • Name of person submitting photo
  • Installation
  • Branch of service

Summer Vacation Photo Contest Rules:

  • Pictures must be received by August 31, 2015.
  • Winner will be selected at random.
  • Entrants must be registered with MilitaryShoppers.com and have checked the box in their profile saying “yes, I would like to receive emails of offers, savings and contests for the military community.”
  • Winner will be posted to MilitaryShoppers Facebook page, MilitaryShoppers blog and MilitaryShoppers.com.
  • One photo per entrant for the Summer Vacation Photo Contest.
  • Multiple entrants will not be accepted.
  • Photo must be submitted by entrant who possesses a valid military ID card (Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree, Reserve, Guard or family member of the aforementioned categories).
  • Entrant (not those within the photo) must be 18 years of age or older.
  • The Summer Vacation Photo Contest winner will be notified by e-mail.
  • No purchase necessary to win.

Enter to win MilitaryShoppers’ Summer Vacation Photo Contest today.

Back to School Commissary Specials on Sale in August

08/03/2015 By Julie Provost

August is here. School is starting back for a lot of people and summer is wrapping up. Might be time to host a back-to-school barbecue or get started on your kid’s lunches.

When we think about going back to school, we need to think about breakfast. Luckily the commissary has a few foods we can stock up on to eat in the morning.

If your house is like our house, school mornings can be quite busy and having quick meal choices before they go off to school is a plus.

Fiber One cereals are on sale for just $2.49. If your kids are older, they can even pour their own bowl making life a little easier for you in the mornings. This is a great item to stock up on.

You can also find the Pillsbury Toaster Scrambles and Toaster Strudel are on sale for $1.50 for a 4 or 6 pack. Click here a $0.50 coupon for Pillsbury Toaster Scrambles and Toaster Strudel. These can be something you can make and even take in the car with you. I am not a big fan of breakfast but foods I can stick in the toaster and then grab and good work best for me.

You can also find Nature’s Valley granola bars on sale which are good in the mornings but also a nice choice for lunches. You can download a $0.75 coupon for Nature Valley’s granola bars for extra savings.

Our house is really into yogurt, at any time of the day. Yoplait happens to be on sale, $0.50 for a 6-oz container. Don’t forget to combine this savings with a $1-off-of-10 coupon. Stock up on these to have a snack available for after school or something to eat in the morning with your coffee.

Speaking of coffee, you can also find International Delight Iced Coffee drinks on sale for $2.89. Pick up a few of these to have on hand for your early mornings or even afternoon pick-me-ups.

Moving on to lunch and dinner, some nights you don’t want to cook a huge meal. Especially with fall sports starting up. You also don’t want to depend on your local fast food restaurants. You can find a good deal on Wishbone dressings in August. They are on sale 2 for $3. You can stock up for the next few months. Buy a few different types of dressings and each member of your family can customise their salad their way. You could also plan to make salad in a jar to take to work with you.

You can also find Horizon Organic Classic Mac for just $0.99. I know my youngest son is a huge fan of that meal so I will probably go and stock up on a few of those for him. You can add the food to your list of easy meals to make when you have a busy evening with helping the kids with homework and getting used to the new school year.

If you are planning on one last neighborhood barbecue before Labor Day, pick up some discounted chips. Family-sized Lay’s chips for just $2 and Party size Ruffles and Tostitos for $2.98. You can also add some of the Dunkin Hines Perfect Size Chocolate Cake and Frosting mix. Make a yummy dessert for your guests to enjoy.

We can’t forget about our furry friends. Some Purina items (cat litter, dog and cat food and treats) are on sale until August 15. I know my Hound Dog will love the doggy treats they have.

When you go to the commissary, don’t forget your digital coupons. You will be able to save even more when you use them on products at the store.

Want to know the weekly manager’s specials? Sign up for MilitaryShoppers’ newsletter.

For ALL of the items found in our Commissary Specials Flyer, click here.

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