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5 Things Military Spouses Can Do To Make Some Extra Money

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5 Things Military Spouses Can Do To Make Some Extra Money

One question military spouses often have is how to make some extra money. Sometimes that military paycheck just isn’t big enough, or something the spouse is in-between careers, or unable to work a full-time job.

If you ask this question in a military spouse Facebook group you are bound to get plenty of MLM/Direct Sales ideas. While these can work for some people, I don’t want to talk about those money-making opportunities in this post.

I wanted to bring up a few ideas I have either personal experience with or have friends who have used these methods to make some money. They won’t all work for everyone. For example, you will never catch me wanting to drive for Uber. Nope. I hate driving and would not be able to do that job, but I do know about freelance writing.

So, if you are looking for ways to make some extra money, here are 5 ideas that might just work for you:

Uber/Lyft

Do you like to drive? Don’t mind taking people places? If so, you might want to check out driving for Uber or Lyft. While both companies are a rideshare service, they can be a little different in how they work.

Basically, you would apply to drive for them, some drivers do both. Then, when you are approved and up and running, you would turn the app on when you wanted to work and pick up people using the service and take them where they want to go. You would need to have a reliable vehicle and keep it clean and in good shape.

Door Dash

If you don’t mind driving but don’t want to take people places, Door Dash can be a good option. You would pick up people’s food and restaurant orders and deliver them. Some orders would already be called in and you would just pick them up and others you would need to place the order yourself. Grubhub, BitSquad, and UberEats are similar companies.

Substitute Teaching

Do you have a degree? Do you love children? Always wanted to be a teacher but don’t want to do so full-time? You might consider becoming a substitute teacher.

How much you make will depend on where you live and your educational background. Check with your local school district to see what your options are. The best part is, if you have school-age children, you would work when they are in school too.

Freelance Writing

I accepted my first freelance writing job about 7 years ago and been moving forward ever since. I love the flexibility of my job. There are so many options out there too.

Want to get started with freelance writing yourself? Your first step would be to make sure you have your own blog or website to show your own work. You want people to be able to see what you have written.

You can find jobs by pitching to websites that pay writers, finding jobs through networking, or applying for jobs on websites and jobs boards such as Problogger, All Freelance Writing, or even LinkedIn Jobs.

Babysitting

So many military spouses are looking for babysitters. Some may just want someone so they can run to the Commissary by themselves during a deployment. Others might need someone more long term.

You can also look into becoming an FCC provider through your military installation. If you go this route you will be vetted and will need to comply with the regulations. Keep in mind that if you live on a military installation you will be limited in the number of hours you can babysit without becoming an FCC provider.

Have you used anything of these methods to make extra money? What has worked for you?

Your Military Spouse Journey

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Your Military Spouse Journey

You can’t believe it is happening. Your spouse joined the Army. This is going to be their career. So many people have told you how scary military life is going to be, but all you can think about is that he is finally living his dream and that you want to be there with him as he moves forward with this career change.

You wonder about what this means for you. You wonder how about your life will change. You wonder how the next few years will be.

Your spouse gets their orders, overseas, how did we get so lucky? What will living overseas really be like? Will I enjoy living there as much as I think I will?

Finally, the day arrives, you say goodbye, you are not sure how you are going to make it through these months apart. You hope you will only be apart a month or two. So many worries going through your head.

How will you solo parent your toddler? Right now that seems impossible. How will you be both mom and dad to him? When you depended on your husband for so much ever since your son was born.

And time passes, and you think you have this military thing figured out. But deep down you know there is so much ahead for you. For both of you.

And more time passes, and he is still over there in Germany and you are still in the US waiting with your young son. And you have to wait some more, Christmas comes and goes and you are still waiting. Waiting on what? Paperwork of course.

And your birthday passes, and Easter is right around the corner. You start to feel like you might never join him. And then, you hear the news, everything has been approved and it is your time to go. The paperwork has finally be done, and you are approved to actually live with your spouse again.

After all that waiting and now all of a sudden you find yourself on an airplane, headed for your future, whatever that might be. What will it be like to be a military spouse? What will it be like to go through a deployment? So many questions go through your mind.

But then, your PCS is over, you have unpacked and are trying to find your way in a new community. You are trying to figure out where you belong. You always wanted to be a SAHM, and now, here you are.

And then the deployment orders come. You knew they would. You knew that is apart of the deal. But you are not ready, how could you be? How could you truly ever be ready to send your spouse to war?

You make friends, other military spouses who get it. You know you can get through this deployment together. You know you can handle whatever comes your way.

But you are pregnant again, and he might miss the birth. They told you they will send him back, but will they? Can a family member come out to help? Can you really give birth without your husband by your side?

And they don’t send him home in time, just three days too late. But you handle it, your mom was able to be there with you, and get your through. You conquered yet another scary thing. One of many that comes with military life.

He comes home for R&R. To be with you, your toddler and your new baby. You have an amazing time. But of course, the time flies by. Why can’t the deployment do the same?

He says goodbye, he goes back to Iraq, where he has been. Only a few more months, you can do this. You have done a few months before. One last kiss, one last hug.

And then months go by, but the end isn’t in sight like you thought it would be. Extensions are happening, the Surge, this will be a longer deployment than you first thought.

He won’t be back when you thought he would be. He will miss more birthdays. He will miss more milestones. Will your boys even remember him?

But eventually, after all this waiting, he is home, in your arms. Just in time. In time for another birthday, in time for Christmas, in time to enjoy life.

You are so thankful. He made it home. Not everyone did. You know this all too well.

And so life goes on, and you enjoy your time together. You move somewhere new, your boys get a little older, and you make new friends. And now, 365 days later, you are doing this deployment thing all again.

Saying goodbye, hoping and praying he returns. Being a solo parent. Depending on friends. Taking the deployment day by day.

And so your military life journey goes. From deployment to PCS. From making friends to saying goodbye to them. To the frustrations, to the moments you never would have had if he had never joined.

You married a soldier. A man who serves. He is willing to put on the uniform, to say goodbye to everyone he loves, to put himself in harm’s way.

And all these years later, you can’t believe what you have gone through. You can only look back and remember what you have learned. Through every deployment, every time apart.

And you hope that in the future, you can be just as strong. That you can help others get through their own military journeys through your words. That you can make a difference in the world and can be there for your boys, for your husband and everything that comes your way.

This is my military spouse journey, which may be a bit different than yours. Maybe you haven’t been through a deployment yet, maybe you have never been overseas. Maybe you kick solo parenting in the butt, and maybe solo parenting is the hardest thing you have ever had to do.

When your spouse joins the military, or when you marry them if they are already in, you are crossing over to a different type of life. You will experience things you never would have otherwise, both good and bad. You will learn from what you go through, and figure out ways to help others that come after you.

As a military spouse, you are a part of history. A part of the many men and women who have come before you and who will come after you. A part of something that can sometimes be hard to describe to other people.

While wars might look different, while times will change, one thing is always true…the military spouse life is a journey. One to love at times, one to hate at times, and one to embrace, with everything you’ve got.

When You Miss Them

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When You Miss Them

When you miss them, your heart can feel like it will never be the same.

When you miss them, you feel that deployment ache, and know that no matter what, a part of that ache will be there until they return home.

When you miss them, you have to find ways to make it through, to live your life, even with your hurting heart.

As a military spouse, deployments will come. There is nothing we can really do about that. Some deployments will come more often than others, there will definitely be seasons, and you will figure out how to navigate them the best way you know how.

When you miss them, you figure out who your true friends are, and help each other through.

When you miss them, you figure out what works for your family during a deployment, and what doesn’t.

When you miss them, you find a deeper love, that you might have missed had they never gone away.

As any seasoned military spouse knows, each deployment can be so different. Each deployment can come with its own challenges. And just because you have been through a deployment before it doesn’t mean you know what is ahead or what the next deployment will be like.

When you miss them, your heart skips a beat when you see them come online for a quick chat.

When you miss them, it can be difficult to see other couples, but you try to keep in mind that yours will be home with you soon.

When you miss them, you remember all the time they were home and promise yourself you will never take that time for granted again.

Any marriage is going to go through challenges. For the military spouse, these challenges can seem huge when their spouse is literally living on the other side of the world. Keep in mind that deployments are temporary and do what you can to stay connected over the miles.

When you miss them, each day down is another day closer to their return.

When you miss them, each day down means you are getting through the deployment, one day at a time.

When you miss them, you will figure out how to deal with the time they are away, and make it to the finish line.

When you first start a deployment, you will probably start missing your spouse as soon as you say goodbye. This is normal. You will feel like everything has changed, and it has. You will wonder how you will get through this time apart.

But, somehow you will be able to do just that. You will be able to take your deployment and get through it day by day. You will always miss them, that won’t go away, but you will find ways to cope with the distance until they return.

Who are You Rooting for in the MVC Choice Awards?

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Excited to have this guest post from PCSGrades!!!

Who are You Rooting for in the MVC Choice Awards?

I am a bit of a sucker for a contest. My competitive side just can’t stay away from entering the fray. It doesn’t matter if it is a sporting event or an awards show. I am there, front and center, rooting or voting on my favorites. 

If it’s a sporting event and my favorite team isn’t playing, I’ll pick a team to root for anyway. Maybe it is the underdog team or the team that has never won the Super Bowl or the World Series. Sometimes I’m just rooting against a rival team. 

I love watching the Academy Awards with friends and entering the pool for picking winners in a long list of categories. As a reporter, I used to cover the Miss America Pageant. The Reporter’s Pool for picking the winner was always a lot of fun! Miss Congeniality was always the tie-breaker!

Long Time Coming

So, when I first heard about the Military & Veteran Community Choice Awards, I was excited! But the more I learned about it, the more I realized how long overdue these awards are.

The entertainment industry has the People’s Choice Awards and now the Mil-Vet community has the MVC Choice Awards! The great thing about it is the nominees don’t come from a marketing firm. There is no senior leadership influence, no media company buys, just the opinions of those we trust the most…our fellow service members, veterans, and military spouses. 

The Popular Vote!

There are plenty of awards within our community but none that come directly from us. Many times, awards are decided by a small group of panelist and unfortunately, sometimes the popular vote isn’t all that popular.

I’ve seen awards where you look at the nominees and think, “My favorite isn’t even listed.” The nice thing about the MVC Choice Awards is you can nominate any company or organization of your choice. 

Another plus is the data collected through votes in the “PCS & Relocations” category will be made available on-demand, year-round, through PCSgrades for anybody researching their next PCS. This is a great help to movers gathering information and resources as they head to a new Duty Station.

MVC Choice Awards and Working Together 

Full disclosure here, I’m very proud that the company I work for, PCSgrades, is one of the five “Hosting Partner” organizations which also includes: Task & Purpose, GovX, the Military Influencer Conference, and Blue Star Families.

As a military spouse, I am very grateful this group saw a need to join forces and provide a grassroots level program to recognize and celebrate those brands who provide outstanding service to our community. 

Who is Your Top Choice?

So, who do you think will win the “Military Spouse or Veteran Owned Business” award? The “Social Media Influencer” is another category that I think will be super competitive. And the “Places to Live” award will also be interesting. Who hasn’t seen those informal polls on Facebook asking “What is your favorite Duty Station?” I’m guessing maybe Hawaii or Colorado Springs will top the list.

Unfortunately, the awards presentation won’t be televised, so no opportunity for a watch party. But I am looking forward the banquet where the top winners will be announced at the Military Influencer Conference in the fall.

I’ll be that person polling my table, asking “Who do you think will win?”

Carla Olivo is an award-winning career journalist and proud Military Spouse. She currently serves as the Director of Strategic Communications for PCSgrades, a review website exclusive to the Military and Veteran Community.

Get an Extra Boost this Military Spouse Appreciation Month!

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Get an Extra Boost this Military Spouse Appreciation Month!

This is a sponsored post by AAFMAA!

Charlene G Wilde, Assistant Secretary of AAFMAA

As MilSpouses, our lives are truly a combination of adventure, uncertainty, service, sacrifice, and many other things in between. And let’s face it, the truth is sometimes being a military family is downright challenging. Whether it’s working to juggle your kids solo — when just surviving a trip to the grocery store can feel like climbing Mount Everest — to feeling the pressure of having to take care of the household operations while your servicemember is away, there aren’t many dull moments (or any maybe in your case!)

First off — if any of the above speaks to part of your life and experience as a MilSpouse so far, you’re not alone. I’m right there with you. With that in mind, I wanted to share an opportunity that could give you and your family an extra financial boost. Your servicemember spouse may be able to qualify for a benefit of AAFMAA Membership called the CAP Loan.

AAFMAA’s CAP Loan is an easy, smart, and affordable way to get some additional cash. It’s open to ranks E-5 to O4 and you get $5,000 at just 1.5% APR with five years to repay. The best part? There’s no credit check, no fees, no prepayment penalties, and you can use the money for whatever you need — whether it is to tackle projects around the house, take a family trip, or something just for you.

As a member of the AAFMAA team and a MilSpouse myself, I can tell you this is a great opportunity to take control and move toward the financial empowerment we all want. Your military lifestyle and your unique needs as a military family are important. You deserve the expertise and understanding of a not-for-profit organization that has been exclusively serving the military community with smart, secure financial solutions for over 140 years. Helping MilSpouses like you achieve a secure, confident financial future for your military family is our only mission.

On Military Spouse Appreciation Day and every day, at AAFMAA, we are here to help you breathe a little easier through your day-to-day life. We stand together as MilSpouses and military families, and AAFMAA is right beside us.

Interested in the CAP Loan? Learn more on our website at www.aafmaa.com/cap or call us at (800) 991-0268 with your servicemember spouse to start their application for AAFMAA’s $5,000 CAP Loan today.

How AAFMAA Can Help Military Spouses Financially

5 Military Spouse Friends You Need When You First PCS

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5 Military Spouse Friends You Need When You First PCS

When I first moved to Fort Campbell, I made friends with someone who grew up in the Clarksville area. While I didn’t go into the PCS with that goal, I just wanted to make friends, I realized how helpful that really was.

She told me about a lot of the great places to take kids, where to get a nice meal and other things about the area I might not have been able to figure out on my own, at least not for a while.

Most military spouses want to make friends when they PCS, but doing so isn’t always easy. Sometimes you can go months and months without finding anyone to connect with. That being said, if you can, look for these types of friends, because if you can find them, that will make your PCS, and your experiences at your next duty station a little bit easier.

The Friend Who Grew Up There

Finding someone who grew up in the area is such a smart idea. They can tell you about the city, where to go, where not to go, etc. They can introduce you to their friends, and help you get to know your new city, which is important. Having a local connection will also help you get to know your local civilian community.

The Friend Who Is More Outgoing Than You

One of the best things that can happen to an introverted military spouse is making friends with an extroverted military spouse. That person can be your connection to so many other people.

She will invite you on play dates, and introduce you to her neighbors. She is connected and can help you step out of your shell and get to know more people without having to do it 100% yourself.

The Friend Who Knows Post

You will also want to meet someone that knows post or base, really really well. They will know when all the kid’s activities are, they will know which CDC Hourly care center to use, and will help you get connected to some of the programs they offer, such as MOPS and PWOC.

Moving to a new installation can be so overwhelming but finding a friend that knows the place will go a long way, whether you live on or off post.

The Friend Who Has Kids The Same Age As Your Kids

If you have kids, finding friends who have kids the same age as you is such a wonderful thing. Even better when all your kids get along. You can get the kids together, while you guys hang out.

If your spouses are both deployed, have a sleepover, or even take a trip together. There are so many ways to connect when you are in the same stage of life as someone and your kids all get along.

The Friend Who Just Moved There Too

Finding friends who are also new to your duty station can be a good idea too. Why? Because you guys can learn about the place together.

There is something comforting about knowing you are not the only one who gets lost on the way to the commissary or who can’t figure out when Gate 5 is actually open.

Being a military spouse can mean moving every few years. When you move, you have to make new friends. And if you aren’t doing the moving, your friends probably are.

Here are some other blog posts about friendships and making friends during military life:

When An Introverted Military Spouse Needs To Make Friends

The Six Degrees of Separation of Military Spouse Friendships

5 Myths About Military Spouse Friendships

Finding Meaningful Friendships In Military Spouse Life

How To Make Friends When Your Kids Are All In School

The Military Spouse’s Guide to Making Friends in a Social Media World

9 Reasons Why PCSing Can Be Amazing, in GIFs

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9 Reasons Why PCSing Can Be Amazing, in GIFs

Are you moving this summer? Summer is PCS season and so many military families will be going to a new duty station in the next few months. Some military families will be excited to PCS, and others, not as much.

PCSing can be such an amazing thing. Moving is a fresh start, and while super stressful, can be an exciting part of military life. When I talk to military spouses who have been doing this forever, they have such a fantastic list of places their family has called home.

In case you are feeling down about your future PCS, or maybe you just want a laugh, here are 9 reasons why PCSing can be amazing…in GIFs.

You get to have a new, or at least new to you house

Maybe it isn’t everything you ever dreamed of, but you will be able to make a home somewhere new, and sometimes that is refreshing. Even if it does look like a pineapple.

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Find new friends!

I know how hard saying goodbye to your friend circle is and doing so if never easy. But after a PCS, you have a chance to make new friends. Some of them will be in your life forever, and if you are struggling with friends at your current duty station, you can look forward to starting over somewhere new.

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You can get away from all the annoying bugs your current duty station has

Some duty stations get the nastiest bugs, others? Not so much.

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You love the snow and are excited about being in a place that gets some

But be careful, I heard that Colorado just got a bunch at the end of May. Be careful what you wish for.

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You hate the cold and now you won’t even need to own a coat

But even in Hawaii, you might want a sweatshirt, or so I have heard.

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You want a big reason to get rid of all the stuff you said you would get rid of years ago

Does it give you joy? No really? Does it?

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You need some space from your family who happens to only live two hours away

At first, being two hours away sounded lovely, until that meant you were required to go to every single family function. You love your family but you really want some space.

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You want to see the world and you figure that Germany is the perfect place to start

From Germany you can see most of Europe, and then beyond. It will be fabulous…hopefully…you do have two babies.

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You are finally going to be at the same duty station as your best friend

Finally! The PCS gods looked your way and you and your BFF will have the time of your lives, even if your spouses do have to deploy.

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This post contains affiliate links!

There’s a great resource in our community that can be helpful in this process. Our friends at  and HomeScout have partnered together to allow for an easier experience. 💁‍♀️

Through PCSgrades, you can read reviews by our fellow military families for both on and off base neighborhoods, see photos and interactive maps of those areas along with school ratings. 🏫

Once you find a neighborhood you like, you can search for properties in that area using HomeScout which uses active MLS listings, the exact same data used by realtors. Throw in the cash rebates military families can receive through realtors found on PCSgrades and some great mortgage discounts…and it’s a win-win. 🤩


Please click here to get started—>>>

How To Celebrate Military Spouses

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How To Celebrate Military Spouses

This is a sponsored post for T-Mobile with Sofluential Media!

How To Celebrate Military Spouses

Today is Military Spouse Appreciation Day! A day to celebrate military spouses and all they do for their service members and military communities.

On this day, you might see fun memes, hear about discounts and freebies, and learn how to connect with other military spouses.

The question I have to ask myself is, what is a good way to celebrate military spouses? What can communities or businesses do? What can make today a good one for military spouses?

How To Celebrate Military Spouses

Here are some ideas:

Offer fun events

What better way to spend the week than hanging out with your friends and other military spouses. Whether it is a lunch, dinner, or a spa day, these events can be a fun way to recognize military spouses and give them a few hours to relax. Just a fun event to say, “thank you” for all you do.  

Recognize their sacrifice

I think recognizing the sacrifice of a military spouse is so important. No, military spouses don’t sacrifice in the same way their service members do, but there are things that can be difficult about this life. From saying goodbye to their spouse for months at a time, to having to leave home and live across the country, military life isn’t always easy but can make for a unique yet wonderful life.

Support military spouses in their own career paths

One of the biggest struggles during military life beyond deployments and PCS’ing is finding your own career path as a military spouse. Military life doesn’t make this easy. What I love to see is companies going out of their way to help with this. T-Mobile is one of those companies.

Through hiring commitments, career programs, employee network groups, and the T-Mobile ONE for military rate plan, the Un-carrier is committed to supporting military and their families every single day.

Take a look at the below for more information about the T-Mobile ONE for Military plan – the best discount in wireless for military and their families:

  • With the plan, you can receive 20% off your first line and half off up to five additional voice lines for this T-Mobile military discount. That means you pay $55 for that first line with AutoPay instead of the regular $70. $25 off your second line, and $10 off your 3rd through 6th lines.
  • T-Mobile ONE Military includes everything in T-Mobile ONE at no extra cost. This includes unlimited talk, text and data, taxes and fees included, free stuff and discounts every week with T-Mobile Tuesdays, a free hour of Gogo Wifi when traveling domestically and unlimited texting and data in over 210+ global destinations.
  • T-Mobile ONE Military is available for the military and their families to include active duty military, reserves, national guard, veterans, and Gold Star families, plus the small businesses they own with up to 12 voice lines.
How To Celebrate Military Spouses

But it is so important for companies to show support for their military spouse employees as well, in addition to their customers. Military spouses have a harder time landing jobs and growing their own careers, especially with having to move often, making the unemployment rate for military spouses 4 times the national average. In addition to that, many military spouses who are employed have jobs that don’t match their higher skill, education or prior salary levels. But, T-Mobile is addressing these issues head on:

  • If a military spouse employee needs to PCS, T-Mobile has a formal process for military spouses to request a transfer to another retail store within 50 miles of their new location. They do their best to make a transfer possible for all employees because it is simply the right thing to do. .
  • T-Mobile has been named a Top Military Friendly Employer by Military Friendly® for 12 straight years.
  • They have a commitment to hire 10,000 veterans and their spouses by 2023. Find out more in this video!

I hope you can feel celebrated this Military Spouse Appreciation Day! Thank you for standing by your service member, and making our military community an amazing one.