Comments on: Thriving in the Military http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/ Where Martha Meets Real Life Thu, 17 May 2012 01:53:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mrs. R http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-669 Mrs. R Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:07:36 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-669 Thank you so much for this list of ideas! My husband is in the National Guard and will be deploying soon, and we will be using the extra money to pay down debt. I will be living extreme frugality while he serves overseas so we can hopefully have all our debt paid off when he comes home. I'm glad you mentioned the savings program. I'll definitely keep that in mind during the next deployment. Thank you so much for this list of ideas! My husband is in the National Guard and will be deploying soon, and we will be using the extra money to pay down debt. I will be living extreme frugality while he serves overseas so we can hopefully have all our debt paid off when he comes home. I’m glad you mentioned the savings program. I’ll definitely keep that in mind during the next deployment.

]]> By: Jennifer http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-668 Jennifer Sun, 18 May 2008 18:57:55 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-668 I am not military, but wanted to say what a great list of different ways to save. I am not military, but wanted to say what a great list of different ways to save.

]]> By: Shannon http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-667 Shannon Sat, 17 May 2008 04:54:08 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-667 You sound so much like us it's scary!! My husband hits 21 years in July and worked himself up through the ranks. He is not a CW3 and when we married he was an E4. Talk about a huge difference between then and now. I was an accountant so was making more money then him but we started a family right away and and we knew that I would be staying home to raise the family. Boy was it hard for a few years. We also used WIC and I believe it saved us, that and the fact that we lived near my parents so we ate there a couple times a week. :) Living on one income (military) can be done we are living proof of it. We feel like we are rich now. :) We also took full advantage of the COLA we received when we were stationed in Germany. We were there for 3 1/2 years and that is where we paid off all our debt and vowed never to do that again. Of course he's been deployed more times then I can count on one hand. His last deployment we were able to take advantage of the savings program. That is a wonderful benefit for deployed soldiers. One fairly unknown fact about the program also is you can leave the money in there for 90 days after you return from your deployment. Who couldn't use 3 more months of interest. Thanks for your article. It's nice to know we're not the only family thriving in the military. You sound so much like us it’s scary!! My husband hits 21 years in July and worked himself up through the ranks. He is not a CW3 and when we married he was an E4. Talk about a huge difference between then and now. I was an accountant so was making more money then him but we started a family right away and and we knew that I would be staying home to raise the family. Boy was it hard for a few years. We also used WIC and I believe it saved us, that and the fact that we lived near my parents so we ate there a couple times a week. :) Living on one income (military) can be done we are living proof of it. We feel like we are rich now. :) We also took full advantage of the COLA we received when we were stationed in Germany. We were there for 3 1/2 years and that is where we paid off all our debt and vowed never to do that again. Of course he’s been deployed more times then I can count on one hand. His last deployment we were able to take advantage of the savings program. That is a wonderful benefit for deployed soldiers. One fairly unknown fact about the program also is you can leave the money in there for 90 days after you return from your deployment. Who couldn’t use 3 more months of interest.

Thanks for your article. It’s nice to know we’re not the only family thriving in the military.

]]> By: Nancy http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-666 Nancy Fri, 16 May 2008 02:28:40 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-666 A couple of other ideas: If your base has Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, you can have your income tax returns prepared for free. The volunteers are very well trained. (I've been one.) Alternatively, learn to do your own taxes. Especially if you have no big deductions (mortgage interest, for ex.) or unusual income (rental property, for ex.), doing your taxes is not hard. You don't need to spend money on tax preparation when the military provides a way to have your return prepared free of charge. Meet other spouses. It can be hard, with jobs and young children consuming much of everyone's time, but try to do it anyway. Say hi to the moms at soccer practice. Introduce yourself on the playground or at the base pool. Join a club or take a class on post. Why? Because military folks network better than any other group of people I know. They keep track of who's where, know what is good and bad about your next duty station, and have already found out who the best pediatrician on post is. If you meet them, they can share this information with you. Don't forget to pass along the favors you've received and the information you're given. It may seem strange to think that some day you'll be the oldest spouse on the block, but it will happen, and you'll have a chance to help a nervous young bride at her first-ever duty station. Whether you call it Titus 2, the Golden Rule, or just plain good will, please keep the military tradition going...you can't return every favor, but you can pass each one along to someone who needs your help. Great post, Toni! A couple of other ideas:

If your base has Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, you can have your income tax returns prepared for free. The volunteers are very well trained. (I’ve been one.) Alternatively, learn to do your own taxes. Especially if you have no big deductions (mortgage interest, for ex.) or unusual income (rental property, for ex.), doing your taxes is not hard. You don’t need to spend money on tax preparation when the military provides a way to have your return prepared free of charge.

Meet other spouses. It can be hard, with jobs and young children consuming much of everyone’s time, but try to do it anyway. Say hi to the moms at soccer practice. Introduce yourself on the playground or at the base pool. Join a club or take a class on post. Why? Because military folks network better than any other group of people I know. They keep track of who’s where, know what is good and bad about your next duty station, and have already found out who the best pediatrician on post is. If you meet them, they can share this information with you.

Don’t forget to pass along the favors you’ve received and the information you’re given. It may seem strange to think that some day you’ll be the oldest spouse on the block, but it will happen, and you’ll have a chance to help a nervous young bride at her first-ever duty station. Whether you call it Titus 2, the Golden Rule, or just plain good will, please keep the military tradition going…you can’t return every favor, but you can pass each one along to someone who needs your help.

Great post, Toni!

]]> By: Amy http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-665 Amy Fri, 16 May 2008 02:07:30 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-665 We are not a military family, but a family of 5 choosing to thrive on one meager teacher's salary while I stay home to train up our children. I found your blog through another homemaking blog, and I check in every day. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all you do as a military wife and mother. It can't be easy, and I'm certain it is a thankless job sometimes. We are not a military family, but a family of 5 choosing to thrive on one meager teacher’s salary while I stay home to train up our children. I found your blog through another homemaking blog, and I check in every day. I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all you do as a military wife and mother. It can’t be easy, and I’m certain it is a thankless job sometimes.

]]> By: Alisha http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-664 Alisha Fri, 16 May 2008 01:49:18 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-664 Thanks for posting this. Those are some really great ideas! :) Thanks for posting this. Those are some really great ideas! :)

]]> By: michelle waters http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-663 michelle waters Fri, 16 May 2008 01:47:13 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-663 We're not a military family but I so appreciate all the ways you help and minister to all families, especially military ones. We are so grateful and blessed to have such fine men and women serving our country, and sacrificing so much to do so. Thank you! We’re not a military family but I so appreciate all the ways you help and minister to all families, especially military ones. We are so grateful and blessed to have such fine men and women serving our country, and sacrificing so much to do so. Thank you!

]]> By: candace http://thehappyhousewife.com/real-life/thriving-in-the-military/#comment-662 candace Fri, 16 May 2008 00:46:55 +0000 http://thehappyhousewife.com/?p=672#comment-662 Thanks, Toni. Lots of great info:) Thanks, Toni. Lots of great info:)

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