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Save Money This Summer with These Military Discounts

05/22/2015 By Kimber Green

What are your favorite military discounts to use on your summer vacation?

Summer is almost here and that means vacation time is quickly approaching. Save money, time and frustration by planning ahead and taking advantage of military discounts on summer fun. You’ll be able to make the most of your summer with these great military discounts.

Here are a few military discounts you don’t want to miss this summer.

Adventure Island Tampa: Free tickets are available for active duty military and their families; veterans get half off tickets as well.
Aquatica San Diego: Active duty military families receive free tickets and veterans get half off tickets.
Busch Gardens: Active duty service members and up to 3 dependents get complimentary admission once a year. You’ll need to fill out a form online and bring it to the ticket counter with your military ID to get your actual pass. Don’t wait in line at the gate like I did only to find out you have to go back to the ticket counter!
SeaWorld: Free tickets are available to active duty service members and their families. Veterans get a 50% discount.
Sesame Park Place: All active duty military families can get free tickets and veterans receive a 50% discount.
Have you taken your family to Disney yet?
Walt Disney World Resort: Disney is currently offering 3-day military park hopper tickets for $132. See your base ticketing office for details.
Blue Star Theatres: Military families and veterans can enjoy free admission to over 100 theatres around the country.
Water Country USA: Free admission is available for active duty military, reservists and National Guard as well as 3 direct dependents.
Cedar Point: Enjoy $21 off regular admission for all active duty, veterans and their families.
Colonial Williamsburg: Admission is free for military families May 22-25, 2015. Visit your MWR/ITT office to purchase discounted admission tickets the rest of the year.
Colonial Williamsburg is a great to visit. It’s educational and fun.
Dollywood: Active duty, reservists, veterans and their families receive a 30% discount on one day admission. These tickets cannot be pre-purchased and can only be purchased at the front gate of Dollywood or Dollywood’s Splash Country.
King’s Dominion: Free admission is offered May 23-25 and July 4-5 for all active duty and retired military. Active duty and veterans are eligible for discounted tickets, up to 6 with each ID, at the gate throughout the year.
King’s Island: Free admission for military personnel May 22-25 and July 3-5. Active duty military receive discounts for themselves and up to 6 others by showing their ID at the gate throughout the year.
Lego Land: Active duty military get a free one day pass and friends and family receive a discount on admission at the gate.
Six Flags: Most military bases offer discounted admission tickets. Check with your MWR/ITT office.
Universal Studios: On-site hotel vacation packages and discounts on admission tickets are available for military families. Contact your MWR/ITT for details.
Great Wolf Lodge: All active duty service members receive 20% discount and free admission to the water park with their stay.
Museums: Many museums across America including: Museum of Modern Art in New York, the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, the Southwest Florida Military Museum in Cape Coral and the USS Midway Museum in San Diego offer free entrance or discounts for military families.
Movie Theaters: Many theaters offer military discounts, usually the same price as a senior or student ticket. You’ll need to use the actual ticket counter to get them and to show your ID.
Summer Camp for Children: Many camps across the country are free or discounted for military dependents, particularly if one of the parents is deployed. Check with your local camps.
Major League Baseball: The league offers discounted tickets to many games and each team also has a specific military appreciation day. Check with your favorite team for details.

There are so many fun, exciting and educational things to do with your family this summer and saving money while having fun is always a bonus. If you didn’t see a particular theme park listed here that you are planning a trip to this year, call ahead or check their website for military discounts. Many businesses around the country offer some type of military discount; all you have to do is ask.

What are your favorite military discounts? Tell us in the comments section.

10 Military Discounts for Winter Vacation

10/31/2014 By Rachel Tringali Marston

Summer isn’t the only time to travel! Lots of families opt to plan their vacations during the winter months to save money. Select destinations and resorts offer off-peak prices that are perfect for any wallet. A winter vacation is also a nice change of pace when the temperature drops.

Military families should consider off-season vacationing too. In addition to possible reduced prices, there are significant discounts out there for families to utilize. Not to mention that the holidays might mean the opportunity for military members to take block leave, so it’s easier for families to vacation. My husband and I are vacationing a week before Christmas during his block leave.

Here is a list of 10 destinations and travel companies that offer discounts for military families.

Cruising the Caribbean

1. Royal Caribbean: My husband and I are using the military rate to cruise with Royal Caribbean for the second time. Cruising is a great way to travel and see multiple locations all at once. There are so many different departure ports that you can either drive or easily fly to one. For example, we’re going to drive from my hometown in Texas to sail out of Galveston. We already intended to fly from our duty station to my hometown, so it’s not too much trouble to travel to a departure port.

2. Carnival: There are other cruise lines that offer a military discount. Carnival also has wonderful deals with similar departure ports for families. Don’t forget your passport for cruising the Caribbean. Get started on the process now, if you are planning a trip to the tropics this holiday season.

Resorts and Destinations

3. LEGOLAND: There is so much more than Legos at LEGOLAND! Military families can play, stay and enjoy more than 50 rides and attractions at both the California and Florida locations.

4. Busch Gardens and Sea World: Sea World Parks and Entertainment has a military discount program called Waves of Honor. All Sea World Parks, including Busch Gardens and Sesame Place, have special veteran and active duty rates.

5. Gaylord Marriott Resorts: Marriott Hotels offer a military rate at all of their locations, but 2 resorts also offer military discounted tickets for Christmas shows. The Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville is hosting “A Country Christmas” with ICE! ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. The Gaylord National Resort, a resort in National Harbor, Maryland, has the show “Christmas on the Potomac” with ICE! featuring Frosty the Snowman. This show takes families on the journey of the beloved snowy character.

6. Disney: We can’t leave out Disney Resorts! Both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort offer the Armed Forces Salute program that discounts park entry for military members and their families. There are also special rates for select resorts in the Orlando area that you don’t want to miss. No matter how old you are, Disney guarantees a great time.

7. Las Vegas: The City of Lights is filled with resorts that offer military discounts. The Tropicana Hotel has their “Hero Rate” program and mentions other discounts available in the area, including restaurants. Another resort group that advertises a military program is the MGM Grand. If you’re interested in another hotel, see if they have a military rate. Las Vegas is a military friendly city with discounts for several live shows too, just search around.

8. Puerto Rico: No need for a passport to this tropical location. Fort Buchanan, a U.S. Army Garrison, is just 7 miles away from San Juan. Military families can utilize the MWR for local discounts and deals. Major hotel chains are in the area, so check out the Double Tree by Hilton San Juan, San Juan Marriott Resort or Hyatt Hacienda Del Mar.

Interested in staying in a winter wonderland? Try a ski vacation.

9. Winter Park Resorts: West of Denver, Winter Park Resort is a winter getaway that sells military discounts for lift passes and discount lodging. If you’re stationed in the area, there are season passes available too.

10. Snowshoe Mountain: For those that are on the East Coast, Snowshoe Mountain has military packages for discounted lift tickets and lodging this season. Snowshoe is located at the highest point of the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia.

If you don’t see a destination that interests you above, do some research on your area of choice to see if there are any discounts or reduced rates for military. Most likely, you’ll find something that you can use.

What’s your favorite military travel discount to use during the holiday season?

10 Inspirations for a Military Fall Photo Session

10/17/2014 By Kimber Green

Autumn is a photogenic season. The vibrant reds, oranges and yellows of the changing leaves transforms any military post from blah to beautiful. Perhaps you’ve decided to take fall family photos but don’t want to go the usual sit on the front porch with a pumpkin and smile route.

Not sure how to start? Need inspiration? Looking for ideas? Try to take more creative family photos this autumn with 10 tips from a military spouse. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to capture beautiful moments. You don’t need to hire a professional photographer to take pictures of your family. Practice your photography skills and maybe this year you can save money by taking your own Christmas pictures.

Here are 10 ways to photograph the autumn season with your military family.

Choose a Memorable Place. Are you near the location your spouse proposed to you? If you are within driving distance of the place you took your wedding photos or newborn pictures, those could be great locations. Shooting in a previously used location can bring back great memories and show how your family has grown and changed since those original photos were taken.
Invite the Neighborhood. Fall photos don’t have to be specifically immediate family. Consider asking your friends if they would like to join the fun and capture some great moments too. It can be tough on friendships when the military requires you to move. Make it a priority to take pictures with your friends and your children’s friends at each military installation.
Use Photo Props. What sentiment are you trying to convey? Do you want specifically Halloween pictures or more autumn and harvest-type settings? If you choose to create your own photo set, think about potential props first. Are the supplies you want readily available or will you make them? Do you have the time and patience to make special backgrounds or should you simply make a quick trip to the local garden supply center or local farm stand?
Show Your Silly Face. Don’t be too serious. Let your kids have fun. Watch them as they throw leaves at each other or search for the perfect pumpkin. Great photography doesn’t have to be planned. The best pictures are those you never expected to get.
Snap It with Your Smartphone. You don’t have to have expensive camera equipment. Take pictures with your smartphone. You’ll be surprised how beautiful pictures can turn out these days with advanced technology.
Keep the Camouflage. If your spouse is deployed, take something special of theirs to the photo session so that they will be part of the family pictures. Many friends have used part of their spouse’s uniform: boots, dog tags or cover. You could even have your children or family pet dress in military style to portray the pride your family has in the military.
Stay on Post. Why not take some snapshots at your current military installation? It could be a park, a bridge, the lake or ocean, a forest or even a meadow. The photos don’t need to scream I’m on a military base, so don’t limit your thoughts to a picture in front of the base sign. There are beautiful locations just waiting to be discovered.
Showcase Your Family’s Personality. If you are a close affectionate family, let it show with hugs and kisses. If you spend your days giggling and having fun, let it shine through in the pictures. Think beyond the standard sit up straight and smile directly at the camera routine. Laugh, hug and throw leaves at each other. Be yourself.
Go Beyond Pumpkins. Yes, when most people think of taking fall photos they picture autumn leaves, pumpkins and haystacks. What about flannel lumberjacks shirts or football jerseys?
Let Your Kids Lead. Ask them for ideas. You don’t have to create some magical and amazing setting. Don’t over think it. Less is more. Go to a pumpkin patch and have fun or pick up a few fall items and decorate your home. Remember, this is supposed to be fun. You are capturing family moments not creating stress. Enjoy the fall season and enjoy your family.

What ideas do you have for military fall family photos?

Don’t forget to submit your Halloween photos to MilitaryShoppers’ Military Kid Photo Contest. You will be entered to win a $100 Toys R Us e-gift card.

Need Money for Food? You May Qualify for FSSA

08/25/2014 By Kimber Green

FSSA applicants must submit accurate paperwork annually.

The Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) is a financial support program that few active duty military families utilized or know about. This Department of Defense program is designed to help service members reach financial stability so that they will no longer be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , formerly known as food stamps.

Eligibility for FSSA is based on the family’s income and household size. There must be at least 1 dependent living in the home to qualify. If the household income is not 130% above the poverty line then the family may meet the requirements. There is an online worksheet that can be used to determine eligibility. Note that you do not have to qualify for or be utilizing SNAP at the time of application for FSSA.

In order to prove your income level the sponsor must provide a copy of his or her LES, pay stubs for other working family members, current bank statements and previous tax returns. To verify your household size you need the service member’s Page 2, a list of dependents as shown in DEERS and social security numbers. Once the application is completed online and the service member has their commanding officer sign off on it, the amount of FSSA will be determined and paid. This amount will be no more than $1,100 a month and therefore, there are other things to consider when accepting this financial support.

Enjoy family time and worry less about money.

While this allowance is non-taxable, it can change your eligibility for other financial support programs such as subsidized school lunches, WIC (Women, Infant and Children nutritional support program) as well as earned income tax credit.

The purpose behind FSSA is to provide military families with enough financial stability that they will no longer need SNAP specifically, but hopefully this will also help families alleviate the need for some of these other programs.

Each command is required to have a FSSA Coordinator so if you have questions or simply prefer filling out paperwork in person rather than using the online worksheet, they are available. You can also get detailed information on FSSA at the Fleet and Family Support Center, Army Community Services, or Marine Corps Community Services.

Re-certification must take place 30 days after a change in household income or family size as well as when there is a change of duty station. It may be more convenient to use the online worksheet if you find your family situation changing frequently. The loss or addition of a spouse’s job for example will change your income level as will advance in pay grade for the active duty member. At minimum, each year the family will need to be re-certified.

Payments will not automatically stop due to a change of duty station or situation; it is the member’s responsibility to inform the FSSA Coordinator of this change. A change of as small as $100 in income must be reported within 30 days. If this or any other change is found and not reported there are repercussions such as disciplinary action and wage garnishment.

A Department of Defense official recently said that 668 full-time active-duty members and activated guardsmen and reservists are receiving FSSA.

All of these facts are not meant to scare or deter military families from applying. The application process and re-certification are quite simple. This is simply an explanation of the program in detail so that families know about the program and how to apply for it.

How would you feel checking out at the commissary without your SNAP card? Relief? Less anxiety?

How do you feel about the FSSA program? Have you used it?

Bill Gives Veterans Using GI Bill In-State Tuition

08/13/2014 By Kimber Green

Bill approved by Congress provides in-state tuition for veterans.

All public universities will be required to offer veterans and their families in-state tuition regardless of their home of record.

Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed into law last week the Veterans Access, Choice And Accountability Act of 2014. This bill grants veterans and their families the right to in-state tuition at public colleges and universities regardless of where the service or family member is currently living. But only if, they are using GI Bill money.

The law goes into effect July 1, 2015.

Under the current law public schools are not mandated to offer in-state tuition if the veteran does not reside in the school’s state when classes begin. Currently, 24 states already have some form of a state residency waiver for veterans.

Other colleges require veterans to prove their intent on remaining in the state after their education is completed in order to receive in-state tuition. For example University of California, San Diego requires proof of your intent to become a California resident in order to receive in-state tuition. Not only do you need to prove your physical residence, but you must also “demonstrate your intention to make California your home by severing your residential ties with your former state of residence and establishing those ties with California.” You can prove your intent by acquiring a California driver’s license, opening a bank account or showing your housing contract.

Meeting these requirements, while tedious, is well worth it as the tuition difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition is staggering. The University of Alabama, for example, charges in-state students $9,200 in tuition and fees for the 2013-14 year, while the out-of-state students are assessed fees and tuition of $22,950.

Related: 3 Ways to Stretch Your Tuition Dollars

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition for veterans will all change in July 2015 when the new law goes into effect. All public schools will be required to bill veterans and their families at an in-state tuition rate. If the school does not comply, the VA has the right to disapprove their courses.

This bill will not change veterans and families status when applying for school loans and scholarships. The GI Bill is not considered Federal Financial Aid and thus federal loans are still an available option. There are 5 main loans and grants:

Stafford (subsidized)
Stafford (unsubsidized)
Perkins Loan
Pell Grant
Federal Student Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Eligibility for most federal student aid is based on financial need along with several other factors. It is well worth it to look into these options as well as scholarships. MyCAA is a tuition assistance for military spouses for example. It has limitations based on the active duty sponsor’s rank however. It is only open to “spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, O1-O2 including the spouses of activated Guard and Reserve members within those ranks.”

In-state tuition available for all veterans starting July 1, 2015.

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition for veterans will be irrelevant starting July 1, 2015.

There are many scholarship opportunities for military spouses. A second notable one is the National Military Family Association scholarship. This is open to all military spouses regardless of the veteran’s rank.

With the passing of this new bill, financial aid availability and scholarships, military families have more opportunities to make earning a college degree more of a possibility.

How will this bill affect your family? Will you be more likely to earn a college degree?

10 Ways to Spend Less on School Supplies

08/08/2014 By Julie Provost

10 Ways to Save Money When Buying School Supplies

The cost of school supplies can be shocking for military families, especially if they are buying for more than 1 child.

It’s August and school is due to start again. With a new school year brings the need to buy new school supplies. A lot of schools will provide the school supply list ahead of time. The supplies are based on grade level to make it easy for you to know what you need to buy for your student. The cost of school supplies can be shocking for military families, especially if they are buying for more than 1 child.

Here are 10 ways to save money when shopping for school supplies:

Compare prices. This might seem obvious but make sure you check and see which stores have the best prices. It might be worth your time to find the best deal.
Use coupons. Look and see if you can find any coupons for school supplies. This will save you a little bit of cash.
Tax free weekend. Some states will do this right before school starts. You can save money on taxes by shopping during this time.
Stock up year-round. If you can know what the school supplies are ahead of time, shop year-round for them when you spot a deal. Even if you don’t find a deal you will be able to spread what you need to spend over months instead of having to spend it all on a single shopping trip.
Check the dollar store. You should be able to get some of your supplies for a lot cheaper there.
Shop your home. You probably have at least some scissors, Kleenex and maybe even crayons sitting around your house that you can use for the following school year. When it comes to backpacks, don’t buy a new one unless it needs to be replaced.
Wait until school starts. This is a hard one for me. I want to be prepared but year after year the teacher requests something a little different from the general list that the school gives out. By doing this you will only buy what is needed and won’t waste money on something that isn’t required by the teacher.
Don’t go for the fancy stuff. While we were shopping I noticed a big difference in price from a regular blue notebook and one with a character on it. To save money it is best to stay away from trademarked items.
Register for contests. There will be school supply giveaways either locally or online. Enter as many as you can. You never know, you might just be the winner and won’t have to pay for anything this year.
Buy in bulk and split them up. Most likely some of your kids are going to require buying the same items. Check and see if buying a 6-pack of highlighters is cheaper and 2- or 3-packs. We have also done this with pencils and glue sticks.

10 Ways to Save Money When Shopping for Back to School

Buy school supply staples, like pencils and crayons, year-round to save money.

School supply shopping can be hard on your budget but hopefully this list will give you a few ideas to make it a little easier for you and your budget.

What are your tips for saving money when shopping for school supplies?

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