I love finding military discounts. My favorite military discount is the one you can get at Disneyland. I feel like you are able to save so much money! Many different places have military discounts, from home stores to your favorite restaurants.
But…
There are some things that you should know going in where military discounts are concerned. Different businesses offer different types of discounts and knowing what they are is important.
Not all businesses offer them to spouses
One thing you should know is that not all military discounts are for military spouses, but many of them are. This can get a bit confusing. And sometimes this depends on who is giving you the discount on that day.
Usually, they will state that they only give the discount to the service member in the fine print. Typically, free meals on veterans day are only for the veteran. If you present your dependent ID and they let you know that the discount is only for the service member or veteran, be polite with your response.
Not all businesses offer them to the national guard and the reserves
This can get a little frustrating. Not all businesses give a military discount to the national guard or the reserves. However, in my own experience, most of them do. Again, this is where you want to check the fine print.
I would encourage any business giving a military discount to include the national guard and the reserves too. This part of the military often gets overlooked, even though they are also putting on the uniform, deploying, and spending time away from their families. While I understand sometimes they can’t extend the discount to that many people, adding this part of the military would be a nice idea.
You might not be able to use them on everything
In most cases, there is something you won’t be able to use the military discount on. Usually, buying a gift card, or certain products. Make sure to double check if you are not sure. Sometimes, you can find out this information on their website or where they have the military discount posted.
You might be able to combine the military discount with another promotion
One reason you might not be able to use a discount is if you have a store coupon or if you want to use the discount for something that is on sale or clearance
You should check your options when you do have to decide to see what can get you a better deal. While 10% can be nice, a business might have a coupon that is for 20% off that would be a better deal. With the Southwest Airlines Military Rate, you can often find a better deal with their Wanna Get Away specials available to everyone.
Not all locations have the same discount
Another thing about military discounts to keep in mind is that different locations for the exact same business might offer something different. For example, here in the Fort Campbell area, Cracker Barrel does offer a military discount but it isn’t that way everywhere. When I lived in Lexington, they offered one at their Chick-Fil-A but the ones here in Clarksville don’t.
In some cases, it is hard to get a clear answer on what their discount is because they often are up to the management of that specific location. Asking is your best bet, because they know what they are going to do at your local location.
Sometimes the military discount isn’t advertised
While some businesses display that “10% off for service members” sign, others do not. Some places don’t even talk about the discount on their websites.
When in doubt, ask. That might be the only way to find out. And remember, just because the military discount isn’t listed, it doesn’t mean they don’t have one.
Where is your favorite place to get a military discount?
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