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What Veterans Need to Know About Predatory Debt Collection

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It’s not a secret that military families tend to be mobile. We move more often than the general population (I cringe every time I’m asked to list my mailing addresses from the past 10 years). We may buy a car in Georgia, a house in Virginia and work in California.

This mobile lifestyle combined with a steady paycheck is why military service members, their spouses and veterans are frequent targets of predatory debt collection.

What Veterans Need to Know About Predatory Debt Collection

Service members need to know that predatory debt collection is against the law.

When I use the term, predatory debt collection, I’m not talking about legitimate student loans that you refuse to pay each month. When I use the term, predatory debt collection, I am referring to cases where the service member already paid the loan or never took a loan out in the first place.

For example, let’s say the service member went to a payday loan or payday advance for a short-term unsecured loan. This soldier, Marine or sailor needed fast cash and they needed it that day. So they decided to use this service. Then, according to the loan’s agreement, they repaid the loan and its interest.

Then 6 months later, this service member gets a phone call in the middle of the night saying he still owes money on the loan. The bill collector doesn’t provide any information about the source of the debt, how old it was and whether it was paid or not. By this time, the service member may be stationed in a different state or serving on a deployment. In that case, the spouse is contacted and left wondering “do we owe money on that loan?” The debt collector threats to contact the service member’s commanding officer. The debt collector mentions that the unpaid debt will result in the loss of a security clearance. This scenario is the type of situation discussed during Senate hearings on predatory debt collection.

This is abusive, aggressive or predatory debt collection. And predatory debt collection is against the law.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) “prohibits debt collectors from using abusive, unfair, or deceptive practices.” Under the FDCPA, a “debt collector is someone who regularly collects debts owed to others. This includes collection agencies, lawyers who collect debts on a regular basis, and companies that buy delinquent debts and then try to collect them,” according to the National Association of Consumer Advocates.  The FDCPA applies to personal and household debt. This means it applies to your mortgage, your car loan and your credit card.

Senators have discussed cases of predatory debt collection that include lenders sending illegal foreclosure notices, overcharges on their mortgages and notices that credit cards weren’t properly canceled. Congress is working to strengthen the laws regarding abusive debt collection, but until then service members, veterans and their families need to be aware of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Here are 3 things you need to know about predatory debt collection.

Don’t Talk. Ask for a Written Notice. A debt collector must send a written “validation notice” telling you how much money you owe within 5 days after first contacting you. In this written notice, you will find the name of the creditor and how to dispute the debt if you don’t think you owe the money.

Don’t Ignore It. Dispute It. These phone calls and notices can be annoying and inconvenient. If you know that you don’t owe any money to this debt collector, don’t ignore it. Send the debt collector a letter stating that you don’t owe this money and request that they stop contacting you. You must send this letter within 30 days after receiving the validation notice mentioned above. Keep a copy of your letter.

Don’t Be Afraid to Report Abuses. If you believe that a debt collector is targeting you and your spouse, report the problem to your state Attorney General’s office and the Federal Trade Commission. Be prepared to give them a copy of your dispute letter and documentation about any phone calls.

Unfortunately service members often are pressured with predatory debt collection. But knowing the law and your rights can prevent you from becoming a victim of predatory debt collection. Take time to study the law so you aren’t caught off-guard when predatory debt collectors call you.

Want more information about predatory debt collection, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website.

The Ideal Surrogate, the Military Wife

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The Ideal Surrogate, the Military Wife

Did you know that officially, Tricare does not cover surrogacy?

Twenty percent of the 1,000 babies born each year via surrogate in America are carried by military wives, or some say. There is no official data, though you’ll see this number over and over again in so many sources, as surrogacy is highly unregulated. In fact, there is no federal law governing it.

State laws vary on surrogacy and in New York for example, it is illegal and any parties to a surrogacy arrangement can be fined up to $10,000. For a lawyer or agency, if they are caught a second time it is a felony. Other states, such as New Mexico don’t have a law at all. Tennessee, on the other hand, has a statute that expressly authorizes the surrogate birth process.

This makes surrogacy a bit complicated for some hopeful would-be parents. Finding the ideal surrogate in the right location can be a challenge. This is where military spouses come in. For some, they are seen as the ideal candidate. According to multiple agencies, military spouses make up 15 to 20 percent of their surrogates.

Military spouses are considered the ideal surrogates for many reasons.

Doctor examining a pregnant woman

What’s your opinion on military wives being surrogates?

Military spouses are generally independent and self-sufficient from years of being part of the military lifestyle. Their spouses are away a lot and so they must learn to overcome and do things on their own. They are mentally able to handle situations in a strong responsible way. Giving up a baby you’ve carried for 40 weeks is hugely emotional and some feel that military wives are more emotionally equipped.

The Ideal Surrogate, the Military Wife

How do you feel about military wives being surrogates?

Having a sense of duty and a desire to help is something strongly felt within the military community. Many surrogates state that their desire to help another couple have a family is their driving factor. Many people have the assumption that women become surrogates for the money, but looking at surveys and community boards, it is clear that most of them say the No. 1 reason they choose to do this is because they truly want to help another family.

The money however is also a driving factor. Service members do not, in general, make a lot of money. Surrogates are compensated between $25,000 and $50,000, with an average closer to $35,000. This is a substantial amount of money, especially for lower ranked enlisted who don’t earn much.

Health insurance, Tricare, is one reason agencies particularly like military spouses. Tricare pays for all of the doctor appointments, pre-natal care and deliveries. That is a huge savings for potential parents, as purchasing health insurance for the surrogate could cost them up to an additional $25,000 on top of the average $100,000 cost of having a baby though a surrogate via an agency. There is huge controversy in using Tricare however.

Officially, Tricare does not cover surrogacy. Doctors aren’t likely to specifically ask if you are having the baby for yourself. If Tricare becomes aware of this however, they have the right to recoup the cost, which they have done. The Chief of Public Affairs though has said,

We have 9.5 million beneficiaries and our beneficiaries will have roughly 2,100 birthday every week. We have to be focused on making sure everybody gets their care. We can’t be a big police force.

People have very strong opinions of those that take advantage of this loophole. Some don’t see a problem with it at all. Tricare is a benefit they are entitled to as part of a military family. It is their body and their right to do with it as they please.

Others say they are abusing the system. They are using taxpayers’ money to have babies for other people, possibly for would-be parents in other countries. I’m not quite sure how I feel yet even after all this time researching surrogacy in the military.

What’s your opinion on military wives being surrogates?

Your Guide to Digital Coupons

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We all know that coupons can save us money at the commissary. However, sometimes finding those coupons can be quite the challenge, from having to get the Sunday newspaper to finding the coupons you want to use. You also have to buy the paper and that might not be in the budget.

That is why digital coupons can be a lot easier. You can find sites that work best for you, only clip the coupons you will use, print and take to the store. They are a lot easier to manage.

Your Guide to Digital Coupons

Are you looking for printable coupons?

Coupons.com is the first place I like to go to get digital coupons. They have an easy to navigate website and you can find the coupons you want to use. You will need to go through their list of coupons and digitally “clip” them and print out the ones that you want. They update with new coupons on the 1st of every month so it’s a good idea to get in the habit of going to the site on the 1st and getting your coupons for the month.

There are a few other sites you will want to go to on a regular basis to find coupons to use at the commissary:

SmartSource Online Coupons

CoolSavings

Coupon Cabin 

Coupon Mom

You should be going to your favorite products pages too, a lot of times you can get digital coupons that way. Sometimes they have them on their website and other times they might want you to sign up for their newsletter or like their Facebook page.

Make sure to do your research on the sales going on at the commissary and matching them up to your coupons. You will save more money if you use your coupons on sale items. I like to get into the weekly habit of doing this based on what is on sale and what coupons I have. If you take the time to do this, you can really increase your savings.

I like to go to Southern Savers to get my commissary match-ups done each week. This blogger makes finding the match-ups easy because all you have to do is click on the link to the commissary and find out what is on sale that you can match with your digital coupons. You can also find some printable coupons on her site.

You will want to have a good way of keeping your coupons organized. If you don’t do this you will be more likely to forget your coupons and not find the ones you need for the products you plan to get. Once I started organizing my coupons I was able to always remember to bring them and no longer left them at home when I would head to the store.

One option is to buy a binder, some baseball card holders and make categories for the types of items you buy. You can break the sections down to be specific or keep things more general such as “breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.” I like to have them more specific than that because I find it is much easier to look through my coupons before my shopping trip. If you don’t want to use a big binder, you can find or make a small coupon wallet that will fit into your purse.

Are you looking for printable coupons? Check out the coupons.com for valuable coupons to help your family save money on your grocery bill.

5 Things You Should Always Label with a ‘Do Not Pack’ Sign

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You are getting ready to PCS! You are trying to get everything ready for the movers to come and pack up your home.

The only thing is, you don’t want the movers to pack everything. There are certain items you will need to label with a “Do Not Pack” sign.

What type of items should you place a “Do Not Pack” sign on? Items that you will either need to carry with you as you travel or that you really don’t want to find a week or even sometimes months later at your new duty station.

5 Things You Should Always Label With A "Do Not Pack" Sign During a PCS

What items do you label as “Do Not Pack” during a PCS?

5 Things You Should Always Label with a “Do Not Pack” Sign During a PCS

1. Stuff for the Kids. You want to make sure you save enough for them to do when the house is empty or you are in a hotel. For us, that was a backpack full of their favorite toys, a laptop and some DVDs.

When we moved from Germany back to the United States we had to stay in our house in Germany for a few days after they packed up all of our things. Life was easier when we had a few items for my boys to do while we waited.

2. Important Paperwork. You will want to carry your most important paperwork with you, especially what you might need for the move. We bought a folder to keep everything with us at all times. I have heard stories of passports being packed as well as other important papers and sometimes it’s close to impossible to get the paperwork back in time if you need it to move.

3. Trash. Before we ever went through a PCS, I was warned to make sure you put a “Do Not Pack” sign on the trash. Otherwise, the movers might pack the trash and we would find it later.

In our case, that would have been months later since we were going overseas. I don’t even want to think about what a banana peel would smell like after weeks in a box heading over to Germany to join us.

Make sure they can’t pack the trash. You will be glad you did.

4. Cleaning Supplies. You will need to clean your house or apartment after your items leave and before you turn in your key. You don’t want to have to rebuy a broom or other supplies you might need. You want to make sure you go through everything ahead of time. If you have a cheap vacuum you don’t mind donating after you are done, keep that out too. Otherwise you will want them to pack the vacuum and you will need to borrow one if you need to clean your carpet after the movers have left.

5. Important Items. This one applies if you can take your important items with you in your own car.

For me, it would be my scrapbooks and my journals. I would feel a lot more comfortable with them in the car with us instead of with the movers. When we went overseas I did not have that option and luckily nothing happened to them but if I was going to move within the United States, I would want them with me.

Your important items might be something you just can’t ever replace or something that is very special to you. Make sure they don’t pack them if you can take them with you another way and want to keep them a little safer.

What items do you label as “Do Not Pack” during a PCS? What’s the worst thing that has been packed by mistake?

 

End of the Deployment? 5 Tips for a Military Homecoming

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Even though you never thought the day would come, the end of the deployment is almost here. Your spouse is coming home and it is time to prepare for his or her homecoming.

You know there is a lot you need to do, but how do you get started? What if you miss something? Everything is going to be OK, I promise.

5 Tips for a Military Homecoming

What advice would you give to military spouses preparing for a homecoming?   Photo credit: Michaela Stuart Photography

Here are 5 things to think about when getting ready for a military homecoming.

1. Find an Welcome Home Outfit. You want to look good when your spouse sees you for the first time after months apart. Picking an outfit has always been one of my favorite things to do. Depending on the season, I have worn anything from a summer dress to a nice sweater and jeans. You want to be comfortable but it can be a lot of fun to pick out something new and a little more fancy than you would be used to. If you have friends who are also getting ready for homecoming, you can all shop together.

2. The Kids. If you have children you need to decide if you are going to have them at the homecoming with you. Keep in mind that you will be waiting for a few hours and if the flight gets in at 2 a.m. having someone come over to your house to watch the kids while they sleep might be a good idea. You could also have a night with your spouse before he or she sees your kids if you have a good babysitter to watch them. Every homecoming we have been to has had an area for the kids to play, which is nice and can keep them occupied during the wait.

5 Tips for a Military Homecoming

How do you prepare your kids for a military homecoming? Photo credit: Michaela Stuart Photography

3. Make Signs. Holding a sign when you see your spouse coming off the plane or into the building is a lot of fun. The FRGs I have been in usually have a day to get together and make signs. You can also make them at home with your kids or even have one made.

4. Clean the House and Car. You will want to spend some time getting the house and car cleaned. If it’s in your budget you can hire someone to clean the carpets too. Try not to stress about how clean the house is. Your spouse will be fine if your house does not pass the white glove test. However, coming home to a clean house when you have been away for a while is a great feeling so I always try to do a deep clean before my husband gets home.

5. Relax and Remember. It can be easy to lose your cool during this time. The weeks before homecoming can be very stressful. Remember that times and dates can change. They can do so by the hour, the day or even the week. I have heard of soldiers being delayed by 2 weeks or even longer. Try to stay calm and take everything day by day. Remember to relax when you can and still stay busy until the end. The last week will drag by and you might go crazy if you don’t have anything to do while you wait.

Homecoming can be one of the best days of your life. Try to remember that the details will all work out, no matter how crazy it gets. Prepare yourself for changes and look forward to good times together again.

What advice would you give to military spouses preparing for a homecoming?

 

Be Food Safe When Grilling This Summer

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Grilling dinner is a fast and easy way to get food on the table during the hot summer months. But while serving dinner, you want to take precautions to make sure that you aren’t accidentally serving a foodborne illness to your family members and friends.

The Be Food Safe program aims to prevent foodborne illnesses caused from improper food handling through an education and awareness campaign. The program was created through a collaboration of several government agencies–U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Foodborne illnesses such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria are all potential party crashers if people don’t pay heed to proper food handling,” said Chris Wicker, DeCA’s public health advisor in a Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) press release.

DeCA wants its patrons to know that these “potential party crashers” can be easily prevented with proper food safety. Remember those food safety rules from home economics class? Here’s a quick refresher.

5 Food Safety Tips You Need to Remember When Grilling This Summer

1. Start Clean. The first step in food safety is working with clean hands on a clean surface. Always wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (hum the Happy Birthday song in your head) before handling food. Always. The Be Food Safe program also recommends cleaning your grill before preparation. When was the last time you cleaned your grill?

2. Keep Marinating Meat in the Fridge. The Be Food Safe program advises that “any food that is marinating should be covered and kept in a refrigerator until ready to cook.” Don’t thaw meat on the kitchen counter. Another food safety no-no is reusing marinade containing raw meat.

3. Don’t Cut Corners When Cooking. Grilled meat must be thoroughly cooked before consuming. Don’t try to rush the process and don’t serve food that isn’t completely cooked. Unsure if your hamburgers are ready? Always use a meat thermometer and then compare the interior temperature reading with this handy dandy chart from FoodSafety.gov.

4. Eat Hot Off the Grill. Keep the food hot by wrapping it in aluminium foil and placing it in a insulated container. The goal is to eat food that is 140 degrees or warmer. Once the food is taken off the grill, be sure to eat it within 2 hours. The Be Food Safe program recommends that you eat hot take-out food within 2 hours of purchase.

5. Keep the Cold Side Dishes and Desserts Cool. Food safety isn’t only for the person manning the grill. Keep those chilly side dishes, such as potato salad and macaroni salad, cool. The Be Food Safe program says that these types of salads and certain desserts need a constant temperature at or below 40 degrees. Always put them on ice inside a cooler when traveling to a picnic and keep them in the cooler when you aren’t eating.

For more information on eating food outside or handling food safely outdoors, visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

Are you looking for recipes for grilled food? Search MilitaryShoppers’ recipes page.

New Army Uniforms Hit the Shelves This Month

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The Army officially launched the brand-new Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniforms on July 1.

The Army officially launched the brand-new Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniforms on July 1.

Are you looking forward to phasing into the OCP uniforms?

Select Military Clothing Sales stores currently have the new uniforms, including Fort Bragg, Fort Benning, Fort Hood, Fort Carson and a handful of other Army installations.

Since the new pattern has been on the shelves of the select clothing sales stores, soldiers have been purchasing the new uniform in record numbers. Military.com reports that stores received $1.4 million in the first day of sales!

Full distribution should roll out in the next 6 months. Military Times includes the different phases in their story on the subject here.

It’s projected by November all stores will have the Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms. Gear and accessories won’t be available till the current inventory is depleted, so keep an eye out for that announcement.

New soldiers entering the Army will be issued OCP uniforms starting January 1, 2016, and current soldiers can gradually transition into the OCP uniform. The Army plans to finish the transition period by October 1, 2019, so it will take about 4 years to get the whole force into Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms.

An important note: commanders cannot force soldiers to wear a full Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform until the transition is completed, so mismatched uniforms are allowed.

What does mismatched uniforms mean?

Soldiers can wear their sand-colored shirts and belts with the OCP instead of the tan shirt and belt that the uniform requires. In addition, the sand-colored boots can be worn till tan boots are purchased. It doesn’t work the other way around, so you can use the new shirts, belts and boots with ACUs. Detailed chart of the appropriate look of each uniform is outlined here.

The Army officially launched the brand-new Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniforms on July 1.

The aspect that several soldiers are looking forward to in the new change is the modifications in design. All the updates are said to be a result of soldier feedback, which is awesome to hear. My husband is tired of all the velcro in his ACUs and the new OCP uniform has less velcro!

Additional modifications are:

  • The upper sleeve pocket has a zipper and it will be longer by one inch.
  • The collar folds down easily.
  • Double fabric reinforcing the elbow and knee area.
  • Two pen pocket sleeves instead of three.
  • Drawstring at the waistband is removed.
  • Cargo and lower leg pocket only has a button close, which means hook-and-loop closures go away.

Good news for those that have been issued Mutli-Cams for deployment, the unit patches are said to be the exact same, so you can use those if need be.

Although Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform items are actually more expensive in the initial cost, it’s said to save the Army and soldier money over time.

Something that is still being discussed is having different variants of the OCP pattern in both desert or woodland colors.

Are you looking forward to phasing into the new Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms? Want to know more detailed information about the Army’s uniform change? Click here.

How to Hide Your Private Information Found Online

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In today’s world it seems like nothing is private anymore. Scrolling through a friend’s Facebook profile can tell you a lot about that person, probably more than he or she realizes. It tells you where they sleep, where they ate lunch and their children’s and mother-in-law’s birthdays.

Cybersecurity, while not a new concern, is a growing concern for many military families. In March, a “kill-list” was circulated by the self-described hacking division of the Islamic State group that included photos, names and addresses of 100 U.S. troops. That same month, several military spouses’ Twitter accounts were hacked and the Department of Defense asked military families around the world to be mindful of operational security.

Are you concerned about cybersecurity? Wondering what you can do to prevent your private information from being found online?

Marine Corps' Public People Search Database Removal Guide Helps Military Service Members and Spouses Hide Their Private Information

When was the last time you Googled your name? What private information was found in that search?

The Marine Corps’ cybersecurity division recently published a 11-page handbook, titled “Public People Search Database Removal Guide.” This handbook, available for download, describes methods “to get sensitive or personal information removed from easy access points online, including top search engine Google.”

This guide highlights 10 people search database websites, such as WhitePages and PeopleFinders. These database websites gather information from existing public records and are operated using “implicit consent, which means individuals have to explicitly opt out of each website in order to discontinue access to personal data from the online records.” For each database website, the handbook explains how to opt out and provides a link to these online requests.

The handbook also explains which websites require verification to remove the information from the database. In those circumstances, the service members are asked to upload a copy of a government-issued ID such as a driver’s license. Individuals are advised to black out the photo and ID number before submitting the ID copy to the website.

Related: Social Media Do’s and Don’ts for Military Families

The handbook also lists 5 tips for removing your information from the technology search giant, Google. It acknowledges that opting out of Google can be a challenging endeavor, but it isn’t impossible.

The Marine Corps’ guide recommends that service members refuse to take no for an answer and also that they be courteous when making their requests to remove their private information.

Be nice. They are not only busy, but they are under no obligation to help you. If they do help, it is really as a favor. No one will want to help you if you are a jerk, so be nice!

–Public People Search Database Removal Guide

Marine Corps' Public People Search Database Removal Guide Helps Military Service Members and Spouses Hide Their Private Information

Are you concerned about cybersecurity?

Here are 3 other things service members and their spouses should consider regarding cybersecurity:

1. Search Yourself. Is your home address or phone number available online? Not sure. Take the time to Google yourself. Look at the databases mentioned in the Public People Search Database Removal Guide and see what private information is available on you. Then take the steps to have your information removed from that website.

2. Pause Before Posting. Before posting on social media websites or submitting your address, take a moment to think about how that information could be used by others. Ask yourself, is this information that should stay private? What harm could come from this information floating around in the cyberworld?

Take time to think before posting because once it’s out there, it’s out there. Forever. Even if you delete it or edit the information, a digital copy is still online somewhere. The handbook calls this our digital tattoo.

3. Pay for Privacy. You may want to purchase help from a private company to “eliminate access” to your personal information. But beware. “The terms and conditions vary among different service providers and should be carefully examined and evaluated prior to any purchase or subscription to services,” the handbook said.

Want more information about removing your private information from public people searches? Download the Marine Corps’ “Public People Search Database Removal Guide”  today.

Deli, Bakery, Sushi Bar Back at Commissaries This Month

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Commissary bakeries, delis and sushi bars on U.S. installations that were closed over the last few months are finally reopening.

Nayyarsons Corporation held the contract for these, but DeCA (Defense Commissary Agency) canceled two contracts and did not renew one due to performance-related issues. Twenty-two commissaries were initially affected by this with another 22 shortly after that. Some bakeries, delis and sushi bars were temporarily closed while new contractors were sought.

Product shortages were one of the main issues DeCA repeatedly faced with Nayyarsons Corporation’s performance. The company was given a chance to rectify problems, but nothing it did resolved the shortcomings. DeCA operates a chain of commissaries around the world offering groceries to military service members, retirees and their families. The commissary is an important and valued benefit that many rely on. DeCA chose to end business with this company in order to find and maintain quality goods and services from a company it could rely on.

Military Deli and Bakery Services Inc. (MDBS) has been contracted to meet these needs. They already have contracts to manage the same sections in 72 commissaries. Most of those commissaries are on military installations out west, in North and South Carolina, Virginia, Texas and in Georgia. Military Deli and Bakery Services will now have contracts to cover 116 commissaries.

Since the end of February, most commissaries have only had limited deli-bakery functions. DeCA temporarily hired former employees of Nayyarsons Corporation as government employees in order to keep service going. Other patrons, such as those at Fort Carson, were surprised to find their deli closed.

After negotiations, a contract has been signed and families are once again seeing lights on behind the counters in commissaries across the country. DeCA expects sushi bars to be operating once again by the end of this month for those stores that previously had them.

Is your commissary on the list?

  • Alabama: Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base Annex, Maxwell Air Force Base*, Redstone Arsenal*, Fort Rucker*
  • Arkansas: Little Rock Air Force Base*
  • Colorado: Buckley Air Force Base*, Fort Carson*, Peterson Air Force Base*, U.S. Air Force Academy
  • Illinois: Scott Air Force Base*, Naval Station Great Lakes*
  • Indiana: Harrison Village
  • Kansas: McConnell Air Force Base*, Fort Leavenworth*, Fort Riley*
  • Kentucky: Fort Campbell*, Fort Knox*
  • Louisiana: Barksdale Air Force Base*, Naval AIr Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Fort Polk*
  • Michigan: Selfridge Air National Guard Base
  • Mississippi: Columbus Air Force Base*, Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport*, Keesler Air Force Base*
  • Missouri: Fort Leonard Wood*, Whiteman Air Force Base
  • Nebraska: Offutt Air Force Base*
  • New Mexico: Cannon Air Force Base, Holloman Air Force Base*, Kirtland Air Force Base*, White Sands Missile Range
  • North Dakota: Grand Forks Air Force Base*, Minot Air Force Base*
  • Ohio: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
  • Oklahoma: Altus Air Force Base, Fort Still*, Tinker Air Force Base*, Vance Air Force Base
  • Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Area
  • South Dakota: Ellsworth Air Force Base*
  • Tennessee: Naval Support Activity Mid-South (Memphis)*
  • Texas: Fort Bliss*, Sheppard Air Force Base*
  • Wyoming: FE Warren Air Force Base

* Locations with sushi bars

On July 1, 2015, American military commissaries celebrated their 148th anniversary. Shopping has changed dramatically in that time, but one thing has stayed the same, they still sell groceries at cost. DeCA wants to ensure the legacy continues and patrons will be able to purchase quality goods as one of the key benefits service members and families receive.

Hopefully, Military Deli and Bakery Services is the right company to help DeCA keep on track so that we can keep shopping.

Do you use the deli and bakery at your military commissary? How has your grocery shopping changed in recent months?

How to Save Money When Flying This Summer

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This country we call home is huge! From coast to coast, it’s more than 3,000 miles. That, of course, doesn’t cover any overseas travel that you desire to do. It takes hours and hours, just to drive hundreds of miles, so naturally flying becomes our main choice in travel to make the best use of our time.

With summer in full swing and our family’s schedule a little more open and available (for the most part!), we’re more inclined to use that time vacationing.

Searching for Cheaper Airfare? Here’s How to Save Money When Flying This Summer

Searching for Cheaper Airfare? Here's How to Save Money When Flying This Summer

If the online prices aren’t appealing to you, call the airlines directly and ask for a military discount.

Like several other military families, I try and fly back to my hometown of Austin, Texas, at least once a year outside of the holidays. Whether you are using your summer time off to go to grandma’s house or to explore a new location, it’s most likely it’s far enough away where you need to hop on a plane. My parents have also spent a lot of time in the air, especially my dad. He utilized frequent flyer miles with his job.

Plan Your Travel in Advance, Avoid Holiday Travel

I give credit to him because he’s the one that has shared tips and tricks for me to get the most bang for my buck when purchasing airline tickets, particularly back to my hometown.

The sooner you have dates locked down for travel is really the best time to buy, especially if it’s during a holiday. Aim to purchase airfare about 50 days out, if you can manage. And really, if you can help it, avoid the holidays (that means, no to a last-minute Labor Day weekend getaway) altogether!

Tuesdays Best Day to Buy, Best Day to Fly

But, we all know that military life can be a bit unpredictable, so it’s good to have a couple more things to consider before buying a plane ticket. There are times of the day and days of the week that yield cheaper prices for everyone. I typically purchase my plane tickets on the No. 1 buying day, which is Tuesday (according to Forbes and Business Insider).

In addition, the day you travel helps with ticket price. CNN says that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the ideal days to travel and to avoid Sundays and Fridays. I’ve come to realize that Saturdays and Mondays sometimes have pricier tickets, so I stay away from those days as well.

I use resources like Kayak.com to gauge the difference in prices between the airlines and it also shows the prices days before and after your requested travel day. I love the ability to compare airlines and days of the week.

If the prices you see online aren’t appealing to you, go straight to the airlines for special rates.

Luckily for the military community, several airlines offer a military discount.

United, Jet Blue, American Airlines (now includes US Airways), Southwest and Delta are the major airlines that advertise a discount for military members. Most require a phone call to receive the military rate as it’s not available to purchase online.

I typically write down what’s available online and then call to see if there is a substantial difference. Generally, the online rate might be cheaper, but that’s only based on my experiences.

For example, on my recent vacation to Seattle, I contacted Southwest airlines because the flight times and prices online were the cheapest. I called to speak to a representative about the military rate and Southwest’s “Wanna Get Away” rate was cheaper, so while I was on the phone with them, I made the online reservation.

Don’t Forget About Space-A Travel

Another great (and sometimes scary) way to save money is to use Space-A travel. I know, yikes! It’s a bit confusing and really, from what I know about it, you really should have a lot of wiggle room with your travel date, if you’re opting to use it.

My parents have used Space-A travel and I’ve participated as a military child. From what I remember, don’t forget to ask a lot of questions and I would suggest having your spouse talk through it with their command. Schedules can sometimes change, so there are a whole lot of things to consider when you decide to fly at the mercy of the military.

Are you planning to fly this summer? How do you save money on airfare during the peak travel season?