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7 Truths About Money and Military Life

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7 Truths About Money and Military Life

Having a career in the military can be a great way to provide for your family with a steady paycheck. In addition to basic pay, your service member will also receive BAH, BAS, and other special pays based on what they are doing during their military career. If they deploy, they might earn extra military pay, and when re-enlisting, they might earn a bonus.

Money can be a sticky subject but there are some things to be aware of when it comes to money and military life. Here are a few things to keep in mind whether you are new to military life or have been a military spouse for some time.

Usaa and NavyFed pay a day early

Both USAA and NavyFed will pay a day early. This can get a little confusing when the 1st or the 15th falls on the weekend or even a Monday. There always seems to be some questions about when you will actually be paid. Here is a list of 2019 USAA Paydays and 2019 NavyFed Paydays.

Raises might take time

Your spouse comes home and tells you they got a raise. You re-do the budget to reflect the raise, but then, the next time they get paid, you don’t see the extra money. Raises are not always going to happen in a timely manner. The good news is, they will receive back pay based on the date they did get the raise, once it goes into effect.

If the military screws up pay, you will have to pay it back

Is your spouse still getting extra deployment pay after they get home? Does it seem like you are getting extra BAH? If you notice anything like that, please know that eventually, the military will figure it out, even if you don’t tell them.

And when they do, they will take that money back quickly. If you or your spouse notice an issue, your service member should talk to Finance, and make sure not to spend any of that extra money or you will find yourself in trouble when the military takes it back.

Saving money is always a good idea

Savings during military life is always a good idea. You never know when you might need that extra cushion. A PCS might cost you more than you think, military pay could get messed up and your spouse might end up with a less than normal paycheck, or you might need to take an emergency trip back home.

Setting up automatic savings is easy. You can usually do so with your bank. Even if you can only save $20 extra dollars a month, that can add up. Take a look at your budget and figure out where you can start saving.

You 100% need a budget

If you don’t already have a budget, start today. Having a budget is going to help you stay on top of your money. You need to take a look at all the income you and your spouse are bringing in and where all of your money goes.

Keeping a budget will also help you stay on track at the grocery store, what you spend on fun, and for clothing and other items your family needs. USAA has free budgeting tools and Mint has some free budget templates you can use.

Moving back to the US can shock your budget

If you have been stationed overseas, and move back to the US, you can be in for some sticker shock. There are a lot of expenses that can come up when you move back to the states from overseas.

You might end up living in a hotel longer than you thought you would, and could be tempted by all the stores and restaurants you have been without during your time in another country. Be smart with that and try not to go too crazy when you first move back. You will also be losing COLA, which you might have gotten used to receiving each month so make plans to redo your budget, even before you arrive back in the states.

Use a bonus wisely

During your service member’s time in the military, they might be able to earn a bonus. If they do, you are going to want to make sure to use that bonus wisely. Think about what would be best for your family.

You can use a bonus to pay off debt, put towards a new home, take a trip, save for retirement, or pad your savings. While spending a bonus upgrading all your electronics or buying a brand new car can be tempting, make sure to make wise choices with any extra money that comes into your home.


It’s November! Let’s Go To Outback!

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It's November! Let's Go To Outback!

This is a sponsored post! 

It’s November! Let’s Go To Outback!

One of my favorite places to go out to eat is Outback Steakhouse. I love their steaks, the atmosphere, and the Bloomin’ Onion. I discovered this amazing restaurant in college and have been a fan ever since. If you want to take me out to dinner, taking me to Outback will make me very happy.

Veterans Day Special

With Veterans Day coming up this week, Outback would be an excellent place to go. They will be thanking Veterans this year with a free Bloomin’ Onion and a beverage on Veterans Day, November 11th.

It's November! Let's Go To Outback!

November Specials

In addition to Veterans Day, they will also be offering another special from November 12th-November 16th. Military members will be able to receive 20% off of their check. This would be the perfect time to take the family out to dinner.

More Specials

And for the rest of the November, starting on November 17th, all Military, Fire, and Police Heroes will receive 10% off of their checks.

It's November! Let's Go To Outback!

Operation Homefront

Outback Steakhouse is also partnering with Operation Homefront, which is a non-profit whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families. They will be launching the “At Outback, We Serve Those Who Serve” year-long campaign.

Starting on November 8th until January 2, 2018, Outback customers will be able to demonstrate their support for the military and military families through their purchases when they eat at Outback.

  • For every purchase of a Foster’s Lager Big Bloke, MillerCoors will donate $1 to Operation Homefront.
  • For every purchase of Outback’s New Patriotic Punch, Outback will donate $1 to Operation Homefront.
  • Customers can also add $1 to their checks which will be donated directly to Operation Homefront.
  • Customers’ donation of $5 or more will be used to purchase Outback gift cards that will be shared with military families by Operation Homefront.

As you can see there are quite a few reasons to go to Outback in November, or even later this year. Plan a date night, take the kids out for lunch, or enjoy a family dinner and help give back to those who serve.

Favorite Military Discounts That Military Spouses Love

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Favorite Military Discounts That Military Spouses Love

Military discounts are the best! Whether it is 10% off at your favorite restaurant or a buy one get one free pass at a local establishment. There are such a variety of military discounts out there, and not all of them apply nationwide.

Some military discounts are more popular than others but they are a way for military families to save money, even if it is just a few dollars. When businesses offer these discounts, they are saying thank you to the military community and their kindness is very much appreciated.

Here are some favorite military discounts that military spouses love:

Shoes

What growing military family doesn’t need shoes? The good news is quite a few stores offer a military discount on shoes. Payless and Rack Room Shoes offer you 10% off, and the Foot Locker offers you 20%.

Blue Star Museums

A collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and Museums Across America has created Blue Star Museums. They offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families to include the National Guard and the Reserves. This offer is from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and you can see a list of participating museums here.

Home Depot and Lowes

Need to work on a home project? Spouse deployed and you want to paint that room you keep putting off. Home Depot and Lowe’s will offer 10% off at their stores.

Disney

Disney is one of the best discounts you can find. They offer the Armed Forces Salute at both Disneyland and Disney World. You will be able to save a lot of money this way. There are also select military discounts at hotels near the parks that would be worth checking out.

Sea World/Busch Gardens

You can get in on the Waves of Honor discount at Sea World’s nationwide, Busch Gardens, and Sesame Place. Each service member can receive one free ticket as well as three other free tickets for their dependents. Visit the Sea World page for more information on this military discount. This discount is valid for Active duty, National Guard, and the Reserves.

Michael’s and Joann’s

Into crafting? Want to buy some decorations for the upcoming fall and winter seasons? Check out Michael’s, who offer 15% off and Joann’s who offer 10% off.

National Parks

You can get a National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass just by showing your ID at your local National Park. The pass is good for a year.

Old Navy/The Gap

Your local Old Navy and The Gap should have a military discount too. Usually, it is about 10%. Some places offer the discount every day, others every Monday or a few times a month. Make sure to ask when you are at your local store to find out what they offer.

Hotels

Finding a discount on a hotel for your vacation can save you some money. Check out Marriot, Embassy Suites, Choice Hotels, or anywhere you plan on staying to see if they offer a discount too.

Your favorite restaurants

Restaurants are a bit tricky as they can depend on the management at the specific locations. Most restaurants that offer a military discount give you 10-20% off depending on their discount. Make sure to ask before you pay if you are unsure about their discount or have heard that they have one.

This post does contain affiliate links!

Veterans Advantage 

Veterans Advantage, Inc.
By signing up with Veterans Advantage, you can gain access to even more military discounts. With Veterans Advantage you can find discounts from name-brand companies such as Target, 1-800-Flowers, Adobe, Wendy’s, Regal, and more.

What are your favorite military discounts? Which ones do you use all the time?

We Went to Knott’s Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

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We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military DiscountWe Went to Knott’s Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

Growing up in Southern California, Knott’s Berry Farm was a huge part of my childhood. I have so many fun memories of that place too. Like Disneyland, my mom would take us there during our school breaks, for birthdays, or really whenever she found a good deal. We even went there for our 4th-grade field trip to learn about the history of the area and the gold rush.

When we were in California this past July we decided to plan a family trip to Knott’s Berry Farm. My mom, dad, brother, and boys would all be going, and we planned to meet up with my best friend and her kids who live in the area.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

Where to get your Knott’s Berry Farm military discount

I knew Knott’s Berry Farm had a military discount. We have always been able to use one since my husband joined and the amount of the discount has been different every time. This trip, I went to my local MWR Leisure Travel Services to buy my tickets here at Fort Campbell.

I was able to purchase tickets for my boys and me as well as my mom. When I bought them I didn’t know my dad and brother were going to come too. I paid $40 for each ticket. Regular price is $75.00 for adults and $45.oo for adults, although sometimes they do have sales on their prices.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

If you go to the gate to buy your tickets with the military discount, they will be $48. If you buy them online through Knott’s Berry Farm, they would be $43. On the website they state that the service member has to be there to get that discount, that wasn’t the case when I bought my tickets at MWR.

So if you are planning a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm and you can easily go to an MWR to get your tickets, that would be your best bet. They also have had months where they offer free admission for the military, but that will depend on the year. Last year it was a few weeks in November and then again in December.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

If you have never been to Knott’s, know that it is a different place from Disneyland.

Knott’s doesn’t have all the magic that Disney has, but really, who does? But Knott’s can make for a fun day just the same.

My favorite ride is the Timber Mountain Log Ride. My kids were trying to say they copied Splash Mountain but the log ride has been around since 1969 and I have been riding it for as long as I can remember. When Splash Mountain was built, I remember thinking how great it was that Disneyland would now have a log ride too.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

There are more roller coaster rides at Knott’s and some parts of the park have a very Six Flags feel to it. There is Camp Snoopy for the little kids and quite a few shows to take in. They also have a water park now that would be an extra ticket. I have never been but heard that park is quite fun too.

We Went to Knott's Berry Farm and Got a Military Discount

Ghost Town is a lot of fun, and we always tend to go there first. They have people dressed up and in character from that time period. Don’t miss talking to the man in jail and visit the old school house.

Food at Knott’s Berry Farm

I have never been too thrilled with the food choices at Knott’s, although I do love their ice cream. We ended up eating lunch at Johnny Rocket’s which cost more than a regular Johnny Rocket’s but felt like we were getting better food than we would at some of the other places in the park. There is also a TGI Friday’s outside the gate that we have been to before.

If you have the time and the money, eating at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Resturant can be a good choice. This is right outside the gate. You can also get a meal from there at the Chicken-To-Go place next door.

Shopping

There are also quite a few fun shops to look at inside the park as well as outside the gate. Make time for those to buy a survivor or to just look at what they have to offer.

If you are trying to decide if you should go to Knott’s Berry Farm, think about what your kids like to do. If you have smaller children your day could be spent in Camp Snoopy and watching some of the shows. If you have older children, you can do more of the big rides and roller coasters.

Have you ever been to Knott’s Berry Farm?

 

 

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

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We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces SaluteWe Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

I love Disneyland. I have been over 100 times. I had a pass from the time I was ten until I was eighteen year’s old. Disneyland is one of my favorite places.

I was able to go with my best friend back in February. It was a random, last minute visit and I am so glad we did it. I thought that would be my only 2017 Disneyland experience, but I was wrong.

I was planning a trip out to California with my boys when my husband mentioned that I should take them to Disneyland. My six-year-old hadn’t ever been, and it was time. I realized we could use the Disney Armed Forces Salute to buy a three-day pass.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

I started doing my research and found out all about the discount. And man, the discount was a good one. We could get a three-day park hopper pass for just $156. I paid over $100 for my one day pass back in February. I also found out I could buy a ticket for my mom. My brother was going to come to, but he had an annual pass.

On July 11th, we headed to my favorite place to start our Disneyland adventure. Being the nervous person I am, I was a bit anxious about buying the tickets. I was told that at Disneyland, you should just buy them at the park (this is different from Disney World.) I had my ID, and when I got to the window, that is what I did.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

I paid $780 total for five of the three-day tickets. I could have gotten six if I needed to. I did not need my husband (the service member) with me. We are also a National Guard family and still qualify for this discount.

Once we got the tickets, we headed into the park. At the gate, they needed to see my military ID one more time, and then they took photos of all of us. After that, no one needed to be with me to use their ticket. My mom only spent two days with us and will use her other day another time with my brother.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

Day one, we went to Disneyland. We spent the whole day there. We figured out Fast Passes, which had just switched to a new type of system. We rode a bunch of rides like Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, the Matterhorn, and Pirates of the Carribean.  And although my son with Asperger’s got pretty worn out by the end (he had a melt down on Main Street,)  overall the day was good.

Day two, we started off at California Adventure. I ended up running into an online friend that day. I knew we were both going to be at Disneyland and just by chance we ran into one another. We met online back in 2001 and had never met in person, so that was fun.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

We did the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride, which was pretty amazing but came close to making me sick. We had an ice cream break at Ghiradelli’s, yum. Cars Land was amazing, and we got to see the Pixar parade.

After dinner, we went back over to Disneyland for the Main Street Electrical Parade. I love that parade and so glad they brought it back and that I got to watch it twice this year. Pete’s Dragon is my favorite float.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

Day three, we started off at Disneyland again riding a lot of the rides we did the first day. In the afternoon we went back over to California Adventure for more Ghiradelli’s and some rides. Then we ended our day.

This trip to Disneyland was different from any other trip I had taken there. For one thing, we had a lot more time. Usually, we just go for one day. For another, my six-year-old wasn’t a huge fan of the rides like his brothers were.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces SaluteLuckily we had Grandma and my brother there to be with him some of the day. It was busy, being July, and hot. Usually, we do not go in the summertime.

I am not sure when we will go again. It depends on when we will be in Southern California again, if there is an Armed Forces Salute, and what we can afford to do.

We Went to Disneyland Using the Armed Forces Salute

We are all excited about Galaxy’s Edge: Star Wars Land that will open in 2019, so thinking 2020 could be an excellent year for another big trip. But we will see. I was thrilled to be able to share my love with my boys this summer 🙂

Have you used the Disneyland or Disney World Armed Services Salute discount?

Pay Down Debt After Active Duty Life

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Pay Down Debt After Active Duty Life

I am working with Credit Karma® to bring you this #Sponsored Post.

Pay Down Debt After Active Duty Life

In June of 2014, my husband went from active duty Army to the National Guard. This was a big step for us. This meant that he would no longer be bringing home his paycheck on the 1st and 15th of the month. This meant that we would pay more for insurance and we would no longer receive BAH. This also meant finding a new job and taking a pay cut.

Getting out of the military is no easy task.

Finding a new career and a new purpose can take a lot of time. This is exactly how things have been for us. Trying different jobs and trying to figure out what works. This is all a process and I know things don’t happen overnight but being patient is difficult.

During the last few years, we have had to make some hard choices when it comes to spending our money. We want to eventually be out of debt and we want to be able to give our children a good childhood. The balance of that while trying to find a new job can be difficult.

One of the best ways to get out of debt is to know what your financial situation is. Knowing how much debt you have, how much each of the payments is and when they are due is important. Tracking your credit health will help you know where you are and how far you are from where you want to be financially.

We want to get out of debt so we can eventually make a move back to the West Coast to be closer to family. This will require a lot of work but I know we can eventually get there.

Using an app like Credit Karma® is going to help us get there. We can use this app to track how we are doing and follow-up on our debts and credit health.

has a few tools that make doing this pretty easy.

After setting up an account you should be able to see what is called your VantageScore 3.0. This is what you can track over time as your credit improves. Using this score you can see that you are improving.

is a great app for military families, no matter what stage of life you are in. I know this app will help us in our after Army/ Guard life and it can also help families as they go through other changes during their military careers.

Did you know that 20% of Active Duty families have over $10,000 of credit card debt? This means that so many would benefit from a tool that can help them track their debt and get back on track.

Here are some other features of Credit Karma that will help you track your financial health:

Credit Factors

In this section, you can check on how well you are doing with your credit card utilization. This is how much credit you are using vs how much credit you have access to. If your balances are too close to your limit, you are going to have a higher percentage. You can also track your payment history, any derogatory marks, age of accounts, total accounts and hard inquiries.

Credit Score Simulator

is such a helpful tool. You can plug in different numbers to find out what your score would be when you have less debt. This is an encouraging tool to use as you work towards your goal.

Direct Dispute™ 

If you ever see anything wrong on your credit report you can use this tool to dispute the mistake.  This tool will notify a credit bureau of the errors. As many as 1 out of 4 credit reports can contain errors. If you are one of them you want to fix it as soon as possible.

Credit Karma will provide access to your credit reports from two major bureaus. They will update every week as well. This credit monitoring can help families catch fraud early as well as understand where they are financially at any time. And best of all, Credit Karma is free.

I plan to use to help track how we are doing as we work on our debt and work towards our future goals.

You know what can help with debt reduction? Winning a giveaway 🙂 I will be giving away a $50 Visa Gift Card to one of my readers. Just enter the giveaway below…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now, go check out the and see how you can start tracking your own credit to get you to your financial goals.

Shopping For Toys With Groupon Coupons

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*This is a sponsored post. I wanted to promote this topic with my readers. All opinions are my own. 

Shopping For Toys With Groupon Coupons

Shopping For Toys With Groupon Coupons

The holidays are coming, Christmas and Hanukkah will be here before we know it. I am already trying to figure out our budget and what we will be getting the boys. My three are pretty into Legos and Minecraft these days. My 5-year-old is also a huge Power Rangers fan. I have been asking my three boys for their Christmas lists so I have an idea of what they are most interested in.

I like to find deals on the toys we get our boys whether it is for their birthday or Christmas. I never want to pay full price unless I can’t find a deal. We also like to buy toys from Toys R Us. I find that they do have a lot of the toys we are looking for. I have recently found out about Groupon Coupons. You can use them to get special deals from places like Toys R Us. How great is that?

Right now you can get a $10 gift card to Toys R Us when you spend $75 or more between 12/1/15-12/24/15 by going through Groupon Coupons. That extra $10 can make a difference in your holiday budget.

You can also head on over and check out some of the deals of the week. Some are online and others are in-store only.

For example:
Lego Dimensions“Free $10 gift card when you buy any regular-priced LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack and any LEGO Dimensions Team, Level or Fun pack“

 

Lego Dimensions

“2 for $24 ALL LEGO Dimensions Fun Packs reg $16.99 ea.“

Discount toys for Christmas

“

“20% off ALL Star Wars 3.75″ figures & vehicles“

You can check out the rest of the deals on the Groupon Coupons Toys R Us page or take a look around at other Groupon Coupon pages if you are looking for other types of gifts. They can change often so make sure to check back throughout the next few weeks to find the deals that can help you save some money this holiday season.

I plan to keep checking to see what deals they have and if I can save money on toys I was planning on getting my boys anyway.

Have you started your holiday shopping yet???

 

 

 

 

Saving Money at Publix

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Saving Money at Publix

Every since we moved back to the states I have been a little conflicted about which grocery store was cheaper. I had essentially three main options. Kroger, Walmart and the Commissary.  I came to the conclusion that certain products were cheaper in certain stores.  A lot of people swear by the Commissary but since it takes me about 15-20 minutes to get there and most of the time that I am already on post, I don’t always have the time to go there.  Plus, I want to avoid the Commissary on payday.

We use to live right by a Walmart so we went there all the time. I really like being able to shop about 5-10 minutes from my house. We moved and then Kroger became the closest place to shop. I still went to the Commissary sometimes but not regularly.

Then Publix opened 5 minutes from my house. When I first went I was pretty impressed with the look and the feel but since I had no idea what I was doing I spent way too much. For the most part, their regular prices are more expensive than other stores. But then I went to a coupon class at my church and then one at MOPS and I decided I want to get back into couponing.

For the last month or so I have been going to Publix for my big shopping and I have been saving money.

The big thing is matching sales with coupons. I go to www.southernsavers.com for this although there are many other blogs who post the match-ups. I just go through her Publix list and write down anything we need that is on sale. She will tell you where to get the coupons. Either from the paper, the printable ones or the Publix coupons. I would say over half of what I buy each week is on sale with a coupon. For an example for how this works I can tell you about a deal I got last week.

Betty Crocker Mashed Potatoes. They are listed at $1.89 at Publix. I have seen them for $.99 at Kroger and the Commissary.  At first glance, it isn’t a deal to get them at Publix. But they are Buy One, Get One free right now so you will be paying $.94 a box. Another great thing is if you only want one box, you will get it for half-off. You do not need to buy two of them if you don’t want to. I had a coupon for $.50 off 2. Since Publix will double any coupons $.50 or lower than I got a $1.00 off for two. So I paid $.89 for TWO boxes or about $.44 a box. The coupons will double automatically too. You don’t have to say anything.

Every week Publix has a bunch of products that are Buy One, Get One free.

Another great thing about Publix is that they take coupons from Kroger. This is based on where you live so if you have a local Publix ask them. Some Publix stores will take Target too but ours won’t because our Target does not have a grocery. This even includes the coupons Kroger sends you for $5 off a $50 purchase or anything like that.

Publix is also really good about the printable coupons. If your ink isn’t quite right and they won’t scan, they will enter them in manually. Other stores are more picky about it.

They also will let you use a store coupon plus a manufacturer’s  coupon.

I have only been at this for about a month but I am learning that organization is the key to making this work. I spend about an hour a week making my list and sorting through my coupons. I also find that sometimes a deal with a coupon isn’t as good as another brand. I also don’t want to buy things just because they are on sale. I only want to buy what we need. I have heard that most sales come back around ever 6-8 weeks to I try to keep that in mind when it comes to buy more than one of something.

I am not sure if I will buy the paper every single week.  I get a lot of my coupons online.  If you have Swagbucks you can print from there and then when you use them you get 10 points for every coupon.  Just an extra added bonus to using the coupon.

Not everyone likes Publix or even lives close enough to one to make it work but I do and I really enjoy shopping there. I still go to Kroger, Walmart and the Commissary for certain things but I think I will do all my big shopping there.

Do you use coupons when you shop?