Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

9 Military Discounts for Those Who Love to Craft

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Are you a crafty military spouse on the hunt for great military discounts? We are too and that’s why we’re sharing our favorite craft stores to shop at and which ones have military discounts.

DIY Military Spouses Can Score a Military Discount at These 9 Stores

Michaels

Simply present your military ID card at checkout and the clerk will give you a 15% military discount.

Previously, there was a special day of the week that this military discount was eligible to be used, however; they have recently changed it to a daily discount.

AC Moore

AC Moore has a 15% military discount. It is available every day and can be used on regular priced items as well as discounted items. Be ready to show your ID card at the register to receive this military discount.

A fantastic addition is that you can use their item discount coupons along with the military discount for an even better savings.

Lastly, AC Moore has a rewards program. Ask your cashier for a rewards card at the checkout. Scan it each time you shop at AC Moore and you will receive a certificate for money toward your future purchases.

9 Military Discounts for Those Who Love to Craft

Do you ask for a military discount when buying craft supplies?

Jo-Ann

Service members and their family members that have a military ID card can receive a 10% military discount that can be applied to regular, sale and clearance items. Some things are excluded from using a military discount such as classes, magazines and cutting machines.

Yankee Candle

Some crafters use candles in their projects. Yankee Candle offers a 10% discount to all active and retired service members. A military ID card is required to make the purchase in person. You can also use the military discount for purchases made online.

Overstock

Overstock does not have a specific military discount. They do however provide free Club O membership for military personnel.

With that, military spouses can get 5% reward dollars every time they make a purchase and enjoy free shipping as well as extra reward dollars. Overstock has many items for crafty military spouses. You can order cutting machines, sewing machines, scrapbooking items and more.

Lowe’s Home Improvement

It might surprise some military spouses to see Lowe’s on the list for craft supply stores. Though it is not your typical craft store, there are so many possibilities here.

Working on a craft project that requires wood? They’ll cut it down to size for you.

The super store has many items that can be used for craft projects. They have friendly staff that can take you right to the item you’re looking for as well.

They’ll even give you a 10% military discount when you check out.

Home Depot

Home Depot offers a 10% military discount. You’d be surprised how many things you can make out of non-traditional craft items here.

Home Depot even has a section of their site dedicated to craft ideas and products to use to make them if you need some ideas.

Old Time Pottery

Old Time Pottery has a vast selection of items that appeal to creative military spouses. Their prices are very low and they even offer a 10% military discount.

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams offers a 15% military discount on paints, stains and painting supplies. There are endless possibilities for crafters here.

Feeling inspired? Head out to one of these stores and get creative. Make sure you take a picture of your project to share with us.

Do you love to take photos? Enter your favorite picture in this month’s photo contest with MilitaryShoppers. Click here to enter to win.

Tips for Teaching Your Kids While Shopping at the Commissary

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After school, the race is on! Will you be able to get everything in and get your groceries before bedtime?

When you follow a few pro tips at the commissary, you can build a little bit of learning into your shopping trip. Best of all? You can work on skills for all ages and stages!

How to Make Grocery Shopping at Your Commissary a Fun and Educational Experience for Your Child

When Your Child Is a Toddler

Children at this age are learning so much about their world. Everything is new, fun and exciting.

Color hunt: Challenge your child to find certain colors in each aisle, sort of like I Spy. Say: “I’m looking for something yellow.” Then, work together to find it.

The produce aisle is a great place to play this game. Let your child pick their favorite color, then find fruit and veggies to match. Select a few colors to build a produce rainbow that’s 100% good enough to eat.

Old MacDonald: There are many cartoon characters and pictures all over the grocery store. Work together to build a farm or zoo, full of fun animals. Challenge your child to make the sound of each animal you find.

Fruity shapes: In the produce aisle, use the time to teach your child shapes. Look for circles (oranges, tomatoes, blueberries), triangles (carrots), ovals (lemons, avocados, potatoes), squares (boxes of salad greens) and any other shape you can think of.

When Your Child Is in Preschool

At this age, children are learning numbers, patterns, letters and may even be starting to understand early reading skills.

Commissary navigators: Have your child sing out the aisle number and then tell you what is located there. For example: “Aisle 5 has cereal and breakfast things.” Challenge your child to remember what was in other aisles, the order you went in or which aisle you started in. This helps build number sequencing, memory skills and navigational techniques.

Little chef: Let your child pick a dish to make and help her find a recipe at home. Something simple, like salads, sandwiches or tacos, works well.

Together, make a visual list of the items she needs. Then let your child choose the ingredients at the commissary. As she goes through the store, have her write down which aisle she found each item in.

At home, work together to assemble her dish. This builds healthy eating habits, sequencing skills, memory and early reading abilities.

On the prowl: Play the alphabet game! As you walk through the store, ask your child to find things. For older children, you could ask them to actually get items you need off the shelves. All preschoolers can be on the look out for shapes, colors, letters and numbers.

To up the ante, make an erasable checklist with all the letters of the alphabet, the core (rainbow) colors, basic shapes and number 0-9. As your child finds each thing, he can mark it. If he can find everything, reward him with a healthy treat.

When Your Child Is in the Primary Grades (K-2)

Children in these grades are learning sight words and basic addition and subtraction.

Let’s make 10: Adding to 10 is a core skill in the early grades. This game works well with individual produce, like apples, or anything you buy multiples of, like yogurt.

Say:

“Let’s make 10! I put 4 in the cart. How many more do we need to get to 10?”

Then help your child (carefully) add the item to the cart, counting until you reach 10 (or any other target number). This builds numeracy skills and helps to move math out of the classroom.

Word search: Bring your child’s sight word list to the store. Slip it into a protector sheet so that he can mark off words and letters.

As you go through the aisles, have him look for the letters in each word, one word at a time. As he gets better at reading, have him try to find whole words on packaging and signs. This boosts all literacy skills.

Meal prep: Work with your child to plan a whole meal. Something simple, like a picnic lunch or pasta with sauce, would be perfect. Write a list with all the ingredients. Use a quick picture for any new words. Then work together to find all the items. This builds literacy, sequencing and organizational skills.

Which is less: Pick 2 similar items with different prices. A good example would be a box of cereal that costs $2.50 and one that costs $3.50. Point to the dollar amount ($2 and $3). Ask your child: “Which is less?” If she needs help, hold up your fingers or ask her to hold up hers. You could also ask: “Would you rather have 2 cookies or 3 cookies?” This activity boosts number skills, like comparing and sequencing, as well as logical thinking.

When Your Child Is an Upper Elementary (3-6) Student

Students in these grades have mastered essential reading and math skills. They can move on to bigger things!

Pound for pound: In the produce section, have your child use the scale to weigh your produce for the week. After weighing, ask your child to estimate or actually calculate how much each type of produce will cost.

This activity reinforces weights and measures, as well as building addition, estimation and multiplication skills.

How much left: Give your child a lunch or snack “budget.” Tell them that this amount has to see her through the whole week for lunches at school or snacks everywhere.

For the first few weeks, assist them in making smart choices. Show her how to deduct purchased items from her starting budget.

Then, let her fly free! This gives children the opportunity to make smart food choices and feel more in control of their environment. Plus, she is learning good budgeting techniques and how to balance accounts.

If you feel extra generous, let her know that any “extra” can go into a savings account or be used for a special purchase.

Read the store: Hand your child the list. Walking together, he should read the list to you, then locate the item on the shelf and read you the label. For items that are similar, he should read the whole label to check that it’s what you want. Once you have confirmed the selection, it goes into the cart. This builds skills with unfamiliar words, teaches teamwork and boosts organizational skills.

When Your Child Is a Middle and High School Student

These children can read independently and are moving on to harder math concepts. High school students will soon be spreading their wings in the real world! Now is the time to reinforce smart shopping habits and budgeting skills.

Solo act: Give your child a budget and a list that covers several meals throughout the week. You could make her responsible for finding all the ingredients for dinners, for example, and she has to keep costs at or under $45. Then let her go. You continue shopping with your list as usual. Then meet up right before the registers to confirm final purchases. Let your child check out on her own too. This builds independence, problem-solving, math and budgeting skills.

Meal planner: As children get older, they also need to boost their life skills. Cooking is essential to surviving in the real world, and now is a great age to teach it.

Make your child responsible for meal planning. Start with one meal per week and increase the load from there. Give him a budget. Invite him to use coupons, get a shopping club card and use your cookbooks.

Then he needs to shop for the ingredients while staying under budget. Finally, he should cook and serve the meal. Doing this will give him a better understanding of food prices, budgeting, cooking for a crowd and reading recipes.

How do you build teachable moments into your commissary trips? Tell us your best strategies in the comments!

Commissary to Expand Online Ordering Program…Soon

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Picture this. You’ve just returned from a much-needed (and well-deserved) vacation. The fridge is bare. The pantry is nothing but dusty, empty shelves. You’ve got enough laundry to clothe a small village, a stack of mail the size of the Chrysler building and all you can think is, ” I need a vacation from my vacation.”

As you sit trying to muster up the energy to take care of your suitcase, you glance over at the kitchen and your oldest is standing in front of the refrigerator, doors open, eyeballing a stick of butter. Your spouse is rummaging through kitchen cabinets, mumbling something under his breath about starvation. After several unsuccessful deep drawer raids, he turns, holding up a packet of soy sauce and a bag of crushed cracker bits before declaring the obvious.

“We need to go to the commissary.”

And while a trip to the commissary promises everything you need to keep your family fed, the thought of navigating the aisles and elbowing for position in line sounds about as much fun as a root canal.

If only the commissary offered the option to shop online.

If only you could let your fingers do the walking and send in a list of your must-haves for the week.

If only someone would gather all of the things you need, bag ’em up and have them waiting for you when you got there.

Does such a magical service exist? Could “going to the commissary” ever really be as easy as pulling up to the curb and popping the trunk?

Commissary to Expand Online Ordering Program

There aren’t definitive start dates for the online ordering program expansion yet, but the idea already has lots of people looking forward to the option.

If DeCA follows through on plans to expand their curbside pick-up services, you might just be in luck.

Currently, the commissary curbside pick-up program, called Click2Go, is only offered at 3 stateside commissaries. But, as part of DeCA’s continuing efforts to keep the commissary system operational and moving toward sustainability, this convenient service may be coming to a commissary near you soon.

Folks at Fort Lee, Offutt Air Force Base and Travis Air Force Base already know the ins and outs of the Click2Go program. Launched in 2013, the original pilot program was only supposed to last for one year. But due in large part to the astounding positive reception, the program was extended at those 3 locations indefinitely.

Initially intended to help encourage shoppers under 35 to use the commissary more often, the program saw success with older shoppers as well, proving convenience really doesn’t have an age limit. Almost all products available in the commissary are available on Click2Go, including items from health and beauty, deli, freezer and meat/seafood departments.

Currently, the program charges no fees, has no minimum purchase requirement and no tip is required for Click2Go employees.

Can you use coupons? You bet. Payment is tendered at pick-up so you can take advantage of both coupons and sale prices.

Better yet, you can shop 24 hours a day and pick from a list of available pick-up times most convenient for you. You can even place an order up to 6 days in advance.

There are no definitive dates on the expansion and there is already talk of charging a small fee for the service (much like at grocery chains across the country), but the idea already has lots of people looking forward to the option.

Just think, in the near future, instead of trying to figure out how to make a meal out of ketchup, stale corn flakes and pickles, you can use that 2-hour layover to place an order, and just swing by the commissary on your way home.

What do you think of DeCA’s plan to expand the online ordering program at the commissaries? Would you use it?

4 Tips for Booking a Room at Military Lodging

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

4 Tips for Booking a Room at Military Lodging

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

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

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

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

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

4 Tips for Booking a Room at Military Lodging

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Military Discounts for Your Military Wedding

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It was the perfect date followed by the perfect proposal. Or maybe it was a casual conversation that revealed you both couldn’t imagine a life without the other.

Whatever the circumstances, congratulations on your engagement! Now all that’s left to be done is pick a date, plan the wedding, go on your honeymoon and live happily ever after.

Did you know the average wedding in the United States costs about $30,000?

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kind of cash just sitting around waiting to be spent. What I do have, however, is a list of great military discounts for your wedding that can help you drop the cost while still having an amazing day.

Military Discounts for Your Military Wedding

Save money on your military wedding with these military discounts on everything from your engagement ring to your ceremony venue.

Military Discounts for Your Wedding

The Ring

Diamonds or gems, simple or ornate, an engagement ring and wedding bands can take a healthy chunk of your budget. Stretch your dollars while still finding the perfect ring by checking out these fine retailers:

The Dress

Wedding dresses don’t come cheap, but these retailers offer discounts to military brides.

In addition to military discounts, many national and local retailers regularly offer free or deeply discounted dresses to military brides.

Do a Google search for “free military bride wedding dress” and visit any interesting links. If you’re planning on a long engagement, set up a Google alert for the search so any new opportunities land right in your inbox. (Thanks to NextGen MilSpouse for this great tip!)

The Tux

The bride isn’t the only one who gets to dress to the nines at their wedding. Check out these discounts on both purchase and rentals of tuxedos for the big day.

The Venue

Many national hotel chains offer military discounts, so don’t be afraid to ask if they will extend that discount to their ballrooms and entertainment areas.

Destination wedding venues often offer military discounts. Check out this great list of wedding venues complied by MOAA. Each one offers a great military discount on wedding packages.

 The Honeymoon

  • Consider a cruise for your honeymoon and check out this list of cruise lines that offer military discounts
  • Sandals Resorts offer a 10% military discount
  • Environmentally conscious? Travel to Sri Lanka and take a private conservation tour, take a private cruise on a chartered yacht or learn to cook in Italy. Check out this great list of once-in-a-lifetime travel adventures perfect for a honeymoon — and all complete with military discount.

Other Ways to Save on Your Military Wedding

No matter the expense, it never hurts to ask for a military discount. Even 5% or 10% can really add up when your florist, cake baker, make-up artist, hairstylist, and photographer all offer you a special rate on your special day.

Search for Veteran or Military Spouse Vendors

Be it caterers, photographers, DJs or officiants, one great way to land a fabulous price is to look for service providers who are military spouses or veterans. Find veteran- and military spouse-owned business in your area by searching the Veteran Owned Business Directory. Many offer military discounts.

Get Married on Post

If you live close enough to an installation with a chapel big enough for your event, consider getting married on post. Typically, use of the on-post chapel is free and chaplains marry couples as part of their military duties. Some installations also have community centers or consolidated clubs capable of hosting wedding receptions.

Never miss a military discount. Sign up for the MilitaryShoppers’ newsletter today.

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

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Ahhhhhhh, summer! A time to kick back, relax and go insane when your children say, for the millionth time:

“I’m bored.”

Instead of listening to them complain about their free time, send your military kids to camp this summer. And do it on the cheap at these free or discounted summer camps.

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

Has your child attended any of these camps for military kids?

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

Operation Purple Camp

These are special camps just for military kids. They are held in a variety of locations around the country throughout the summer. Different camps run at different times and spots go quickly.

If you want to get your child into an Operation Purple Camp this summer, the time to act is now! Be sure to read the FAQs about who is eligible and the application process. While applicants are accepted mostly on a first-come, first-served basis, priority goes to kids with a parent deployed within the last year.

Armed Services YMCA

The Armed Services YMCA is a great resource for military families year-round, but it’s especially awesome in the summer. Through Operation Outdoors, the Armed Services YMCA helps to get military children enrolled in summer camps across the country.

To find out more about camp opportunities near you, contact your local ASYMCA branch.

American Wanderer Summer Camp

This camp is a super deluxe all-inclusive way to explore National Parks across the United States. Campers ages 11-17 can travel in “cabins on wheel” to different sites throughout each one-week session.

Military discounts and scholarships are available.

Camp Corral

This is a summer camp that is open to all military children, with priority given to the kids of wounded, injured, ill or fallen service members. With locations from California to Florida, Camp Corral can reach a great number of military children and families. Spots are limited, so be sure to register your child early.

Military Teen Adventure Camps

For teens ages 14-18, the typical summer camp experience might start to get old. That’s where these adventure camps come into play. With locations in several states around the country, military children can enjoy exciting new experiences with their peers.

These camps aren’t limited to the summer either. There are camping opportunities throughout the year! Find out more about the camps by location or date.

Camp Yellow Ribbon

Military children go through a lot. This Wisconsin camp, hosted by Easter Seals, aims to help ease that burden. Camp Yellow Ribbon is open to all military children! Find out more or register today.

Channel 3 Kids Camp

This is a camp just for military kids in Connecticut! Celebrate America and being a military child, over the week of July 4th at this camp. This camp has been around for several years and is part of Operation Purple!

Semper Fi Fund Kids Camps

These camps go beyond the summer by pairing high-school-aged military kids with younger children. They develop the bond during a summer session. Then they continue to connect throughout the school year in a mentor/mentee relationship.

The Semper Fi Fund Kids Camps are designed to help military kids learn coping skills and develop lifelong bonds to support each other. For more information, contact SffKidsCamp@semperfifund.org.

Ask for a Military Discount at Your Local Summer Camps

If your child isn’t attending one of these military child-specific summer camps, there are other options. Reach out to programs where you live and ask about military discounts. Some programs might not advertise their military deals or may offer them on a by-request basis.

Has your child attended any of these camps for military kids? Would you recommend them? Why or why not? Did we miss a great camp? Tell us in the comments!

Don’t Miss the Spring Case Lot Sale at Your Commissary

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It’s that time of year again when the Defense Commissary Agency’s spring Customer Appreciation Case Lot Sale starts at commissaries stateside.

Have you shopped at a case lot sale? May is a great time to stock up on household items you use often.

You’ll find plenty of great deals at the commissary case lot sale to help you fill up your pantry without emptying your wallet.

Case lot sale dates are different for each commissary so be sure to check with the commissary website to see when your local commissary will be having their case lot sale.

Weather can cause the date to change. Call your commissary to confirm the case lot sale is still on schedule if weather in the area has not been good.

Not all commissaries will be having a case lot sale in May. A few had their case lot sales in April.

Eight stateside commissaries will not be participating at all including: Los Angeles AFB, Luke AFB, Davis-Monthan AFB, Patch Barracks, Fort Gordon, Robins AFB, Fort Huachuca and Hurlburt Field.

Military installations that have a case lot sale are only stateside. Overseas commissaries may have sidewalk sales or other promotions that are similar.

What will you find at a case lot sale?

A case lot sale is much like shopping at the big box stores, without the membership fee. They are usually set up under tents in the commissary parking lot. Some of the items you’ll find include:

  • Baby products: diapers, wipes, soap and lotion
  • Paper products: toilet paper, paper towels, napkins
  • Cleaning supplies: laundry detergent, dryer sheets, cleaning wipes and household cleaning products
  • Food storage: sandwich bags, storage bags and freezer bags
  • Pet supplies: dry and wet dog and cat food and dog and cat treats
  • Snacks: bulk chips, cereal, popcorn, crackers, pastries and fruit snacks
  • Canned goods: canned vegetables, canned fruit and fruit cups
  • International food: Hispanic, Asian and Italian food
  • Beverages: bottled water, soda, flavored water, sports drinks and juice

How to prepare for a case lot sale

A successful shopping trip to the commissary case lot sale is one where you buy only items that you will use. Don’t get carried away buying things you won’t use just because they are on sale.

Follow these 8 tips to ensure that you are a smart shopper at your case lot sale.

  1. Inventory your pantry to see how much you already have.
  2. Check the amount of space available to store items.
  3. Empty your vehicle so there is space to bring new products home.
  4. Make a list of things you would like to stock up on.
  5. Look for coupons. Yes, you can use coupons. See what is offered on the commissary rewards card and digitally clip the coupons. You can find out more about the commissary rewards card here.
  6. Eat before you go to the case lot sale so you aren’t tempted to buy extra things just because you are hungry.
  7. Look at expiration dates on items before you put them in your shopping cart. Can you use that entire product before it expires?
  8. Take another military spouse or service member with you. If you aren’t able to use all of a product before it expires, consider splitting the products between each other.

Case lot sales are a busy time for commissaries. Make sure you have plenty of time to shop. You can find products on average 50% off.

It is a great time to stock up on items you will use. Make sure to check the dates of your local commissary case lot sale and make plans to attend.

Do you know when your commissary is having its case lot sale? Click here for the list of dates.

The Hidden Costs of Your PCS

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Money. You need it, often we feel we don’t have enough of it, and it requires almost constant management. Stir in a PCS and relocation and you’ve got the recipe for some of the unique challenges only members of our community will understand. But like many other things, a shared commiseration gives us the opportunity to share and learn from each other.

Having been through more PCSes than I can count on 2 hands, I’ve learned the best tool we have at our disposal is pre-planning. Good old Uncle Sam pays the movers to come and box everything up and move it, but there are lots of hidden costs that can put a strain on a family budget. Here are 3 hidden costs and strategies for overcoming them.

THE PROBLEM: EVERYDAY HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES

You can’t move liquids (with the rare exception), chemicals, and open food items. This often means that just before a PCS, we’re tossing all kinds of cleaning supplies and emptying the refrigerator of things like ketchup, mustard and salad dressings.

Talk about feeling like you are literally throwing money in the garbage.

And once we arrive, those items must be replaced in a hurry.

SOLUTION: Plan ahead if you can. If you know you are due for a PCS, even if you don’t have orders, try to anticipate. Plan meals that will use up the last of that bottle of ranch dressing and buy smaller bottles of household cleaners. Yes, it might cost a little bit more than buying the family size, but in the end, you won’t end up having to throw away half a bottle.

Once you arrive, try to shop sales and buy in bulk to lower costs. Also consider easing into replacement items. A solid multi-purpose cleaner can hold you over for a few months to help spread out costs and a little meal planning helps to do the same for those refrigerator staples.

Also, as you get ready to PCS, consider selling items you don’t need or want. Use that extra money to help offset some of these hidden relocation costs.

THE PROBLEM: HOME SALE/RENTAL DEPOSIT

You’ve got to put a down payment or deposit down on your new home, but you haven’t closed on a sale or received your last deposit back.

SOLUTION: This one is a little trickier, but again, the key is to plan ahead if you can. Anticipate the overlap in timing by putting a little money in your savings account each month leading up to a PCS. It is much better to have extra money saved then to be caught between paychecks without the funds you need.

You may want to consider taking a pay advance to help cover those large ticket costs, just make sure you plan your follow-on budget appropriately until the advance is paid back.

THE PROBLEM: THE FURNITURE DOESN’T FIT

You did the research, waited for a sale, and landed the perfect couch or set of curtains. Enter a set of PCS orders and a new temporary home. And of course, nothing fits in your new house.

Solution: We learned this lesson the hard way, so my advice? Buy modular furniture as much as possible.

That doesn’t mean you have to buy cheap, just buy smart. Also, before you pack up all that furniture, take some good measurements. Then when you are checking out potential new digs, take some quick measurements to see if what you have will work.

I’m not saying to pick a house to fit your furniture, but if what you have won’t work at all (ask me about the on-post house that wouldn’t allow for us to get a queen-sized bed upstairs!), the cost of replacing furniture might be worth some consideration.

Don’t be afraid to check out consignment and thrift stores, especially those around military housing areas. You’re not the only one struggling to make that new house feel like a home and chances are you can secure some gently used pieces at a killer price.

What other PCS costs have you experienced? What tips can you offer to help offset those relocation costs?

8 Financial Stressors Military Couples Face and How to Overcome Them

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There are many things that set military couples apart from civilians, but financial stressors we all share. Sure military families have different financial stressors than civilian families, but they are there nonetheless.

Here are 8 financial stressors military families face and how to overcome them.

8 Financial Stressors Military Couples Face and How to Overcome Them

Not Agreeing on How to Handle Finances

Most couples are made up of one spender and one saver. This can be great as the saver can keep the spender in check and the spender can get the saver to live a little. When a couple can’t decide together how best to handle money, financial stressors occur.

To overcome this, sit down and talk to each other. Set aside time when children are not around and there are no interruptions so that you can have a serious financial discussion. Don’t leave the table until a decision has been made.

Not Communicating

Communication is key in a healthy relationship. If you are not being honest with yourself or your spouse about spending, more financial stressors will occur.

Do you hide shopping bags in your car until your spouse isn’t home so they don’t see how much shopping you’ve done?

Ask yourself why you feel the need to do so. Did you spend more than you should of? Are you worried they will be upset with you for this?

Not Creating a Budget

Forget financial stressors, money-conscious couples that set budgets have less stress. Knowing how much money is coming in and going out will bring relief.

Knowing that you have enough money to pay all the bills by allocating money each month will set fears aside. As a couple, decide how much money you want to save and how much you’re comfortable spending each month.

Putting Off Saving for Retirement

When you’re young and facing bills, saving for retirement might be the last thing on your mind. Savvy savers know that saving now for retirement can alleviate financial stressors. You can contact a financial planner, attend a saving for retirement seminar or do your own research.

The sooner you start saving for retirement, the better off you’ll be when the time comes.

Not Having an Emergency Savings

It is recommended to have an emergency fund with the greater of either 2 weeks’ worth of pay or $1,000. You can use an emergency fund calculator to determine the right amount that your family should save. When an unexpected event occurs that brings in a large bill, financial stressors arise. Help lower the stress by having a plan already in place.

Taking on More Debt Than You Can Handle

You and your spouse need to be realistic on what you can afford. Keeping up with the Joneses is what gets military families into trouble.

If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it.

Just because your neighbor has a new car or put in a pool does not mean that you need to do the same thing.

How many financial stressors do you need in your life?

Is trying to keep up with the social status of your neighbors or friends worth the burden?

Be realistic with your wallet. If you can’t afford the payments on a new car, maybe you don’t need such an expensive one.

Struggling with Finances on Your Own During a Deployment

When your spouse is deployed and you are unable to communicate immediately or even frequently, financial decisions are often made on your own.

It can be extremely frustrating when financial stressors arise during a deployment. You don’t have your significant other to help you make a decision and are forced to deal with it on your own.

Setting time aside before your spouse deploys to discuss what to do in this instance can help significantly.

Not Expecting a Baby to Change Your Finances Dramatically

If you don’t have children yet, you might not understand this but it is true. Children are expensive. The more you have, the more it will cost you. Having a child unexpectedly can create financial stressors if you aren’t prepared. Not everyone gets the opportunity to plan ahead for a growing family, but if you are able to plan financially for your little one, life will be a little easier.

Which of these financial stressors is your military family facing? How are you planning to overcome them?

16 Military Discounts for Fitness Enthusiasts

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Military discounts are abundant at restaurants and retail stores, but when it comes to fitness products and gyms, they are scarce.

Service members and their families are some of the most active individuals and make up a huge shopping network, yet the discounts aren’t there. We’ve done the research and put together this list to help you find gyms and fitness products that offer a military discount.

16 Military Discounts for Fitness Enthusiasts

Rogue Fitness: Rogue Fitness is a popular site to purchase fitness equipment. They have everything from CrossFit gear to dumb bells to apparel. Their staff includes many current and former service members and their spouses. They ship to APO/FPO addresses.

The Exchange: You don’t need to search for a military discount, just shop at your local Exchange for great savings. Remember that they price match so visit customer service if you find a better deal on the same product they sell.

Gold’s Gym: Gold’s Gym offers a great military discount on enrollment plus 20% off dues.

YMCA: The Y has a program where some locations provide free membership for military spouses while their service member is deployed. Some of those locations also offer respite care.

24 Hour Fitness: G.I. Jobs magazine ranked 24 Hour Fitness as a top military friendly employer. They employ many military spouses as well. They offer a military discount on membership and will freeze your account for you if you receive orders that would place you more than 25 miles away from one of their fitness centers.

ACE: Ready to take your fitness to the next level? ACE offers personal trainer and group fitness instructor certifications.

IHRSA: IHRSA created the Joining Forces Network. This brings gyms across America together to provide free memberships to families of deployed Reservists and National Guard members.

Christian Fitness Factory: A 10% military discount is always available to active and retired military on fitness equipment.

Go Ruck: Founded by former Special Ops soldiers, this company creates and sells tactical fitness gear. They offer a 25% military discount.

Foot Locker: Foot Locker offers a 20% military discount with military ID.

Champs Sports: Champs gives military members a 20% military discount with a military ID.

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

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

Again Faster Equipment: They have a 7% military discount on fitness equipment.

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

Military Cyclist: Military Cyclist offers special pricing for military families. Why look for a new bike shop every time you PCS, when you can get a military discount online? Military Cyclist is owned by a military family and was designed specifically for service members and their families.

These are a few great military discounts available on fitness equipment, gear and gym memberships. Don’t forget about the fitness center at your military installation while searching for the right gym. Most bases have a gym where family members can work out for free. Sign up for a class and give it a try before paying for a gym membership.

Have you ever thought about making a career out of your love for fitness? Having a portable career as a military spouse is important. Many spouses earn fitness certifications and personal trainer certifications that allow them to find jobs anywhere a PCS move might take them. There are programs to earn these certifications where the cost is covered by MYCAA for spouses. If you are interested in taking your fitness enthusiasm to the next level, visit the gym at your local base. Many staff members are military spouses. You can talk to them about certification and job potential.

Are you a fitness enthusiast? Which of these military discounts have you used in the past? Which ones surprised you?