With the arrival of our family’s Economic Impact Payment I reflected on how blessed military families are to have at least one income consistent during these trying times. We decided to spend a portion of our payment to help support our local economy and the small businesses we love. So many local small businesses are closed, have limited services or are operating with curbside delivery. Here are some suggestions of how you can help:

• Big Ticket Items – If you planned to purchase a new appliance or piece of furniture consider the local store rather than the big box chain. Local appliance stores may have slightly higher prices than the chains but they are still eligible for all the manufacturers sales and rebates. The customer service is more personalized. Often you are working with the owner or family member who really knows the products and can provide you with good recommendations of what will work for you.
• Military Spouse Business – Especially if they have a storefront. I have two friends that own local boutiques and although closed they offer online shopping and one even offers free local front porch delivery. If you know people in this situation, “like” and “share” their social media. Someone you know may need their products.
• Services – Buy gift certificates from your favorite hairdresser or barber to use when they can finally open again. Their businesses will thrive once this lifts, but they sure could use the money now. Another option is to buy some of the products sold in the salon if they offer curbside pick up or shipping options.
• Take Out – Step up your takeout orders to help local restaurants and their employees. Tip as if you were sitting in the restaurant to eat. Be generous. A $20 tip can buy quite a few groceries or fill a tank with gas (at corona pandemic prices).
• Farm Stands – As local produce starts to ripen, shop your local farm markets and stands. Many farmers are losing commercial contracts for food service as restaurants aren’t ordering. When you purchase produce at the farm 100% of the profit goes to the farmer. Especially this season it is so important to support our local farmers to help them get through these tough times.
• Teenagers and College Students – My son was laid off from his job serving food at an assisted living community so we have hired him to do some painting. Do you have any odd jobs or projects you can use help with? Take a break from yard work and hire a student to weed your yard. Struggling with setting up a website or learning social media, outsource to a teenager to help you get started or give you digital lessons.
• Shelters – Can use individually wrapped snacks to help serve food safely.
• Food Banks – Go through your pantry or look for items on sale to donate. I call to find out what they need the most of or just make a donation. Many banks buy in bulk and then breakdown into  family size portions.

Over the past 15 years fighting a war on two fronts our local communities are so generous supporting the military with donations, discounts, supporting welcome home parties etc and know we have the opportunity to give back and help them in their time of need. How are you supporting your local community?

By Marguerite Cleveland

This year after seeing so many of my friends’ cool planners with everything color coded with motivating stickers, I decided to take the plunge. This was after I got over the sticker shock with most being priced at the $50 mark. So, after looking at these for over two years to decide if the investment was worth it, I finally committed and bought two different ones, a content planner and a goal-oriented planner. There are tons of planners available on Amazon at more reasonable prices and many online planners but here is why I chose the more expensive option.

• Small Business – I am willing to pay more to support a small business especially woman owned. I was amazed at the ability of these ladies to develop a concept that works and bring a product to market.
• Training – When you purchase a small business planner these ladies are very savvy about planning especially if it is a niche planner such as a content planner. They developed something that works. Follow them on social media and their websites for useful tips and videos on how to use their products.
• Paper versus online – I am a paper gal. I like the feeling of writing a goal down in ink. When you commit to ink it is a more thoughtful process. And did I mention colorful pens and stickers? You just can’t get that satisfaction from an online planner. I also like the fact that you can have it in front of you as you work on your computer.

Some things to think about before you purchase one. For a content planner you want to purchase one that is focused on an online business whether it is for products or a blog. The planner should have a section that lists information you can use for planning your content such as a calendar listing all the fun days such as National Ice Cream Day or National Plan Your Vacation Day. This is very helpful planning content especially if you are short on ideas. It should have a section to track your statistics for social media. Goals are important so a section to list track goals weekly and monthly. Suggested themes for the month is also a useful planning tool. I also think stickers are an important motivator, so it is nice if that is included.

Goal Oriented Planners are also a useful tool to plan your year. You want one that gives you space to map out some ideas of things you want to do whether it is business or personal goals. You want instructions on how to come up with goals and break them down into long and short term. I also like the goal planner to be my daily planner with space for daily activities and a monthly layout as well.

One last thing you will want to purchased colored pens, pencils or markers to use with your new planner. You can use different colors for personal or business activities or for different members of your household.

 So, are expensive planners worth the cost? I think so if you are willing to use them. I find using something that’s nice often motivates me and this year these planners are going to help me stay organized and grow my business.

     Do you like to plan? What is your favorite planner?

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

W2s will soon be hitting MyPay accounts around the world. Tax season is here, and we’ve got the 411 to help military families get the most bang for their buck.

Tax Season 411 for Military Troops & Families

Tax season can be stressful, especially for military troops and families. When you’re stationed far from your home of record or own several properties across multiple states, taxes can get interesting. Add in time in tax-free zones or small business ownership, and your military family’s taxes are super complicated.

However, knowledge is power. So we’re here to drop all our best intel and get you fully prepped for tax season 2020.

Know Your Deadlines

Tax season officially starts in late January, around January 27. W2s and other employer tax forms should arrive in the mail or be posted in your online pay portal by the end of the month.

Keep these handy for the whole process.

At the same time, you should also be getting tax forms from your bank, any investment accounts and other earnings.

Starting on or around January 27, you’ll be able to file your taxes with the IRS and your home of record. You will need to complete your filing or apply for a deadline by mid-April, usually on or around April 15.

Special Military-Specific Considerations

Did you know that BAH doesn’t count as “income” for tax purposes? That’s right: it’s exempt!

BAH and a whole host of other special military pay and benefits are not taxable. You can snag the whole list (from tax year 2018) from the IRS.

You can also claim deductions for uniform purchases, education and child care – although these are not all military-specific.

I’m Ready to File, Now What?

You have lots of options when filing, actually!

The military runs free tax centers on all major military installations, staffed by trained personnel. They can guide you through the process of filing state and local taxes. This is better for individuals and families with relatively uncomplicated taxes.

You could also file everything yourself, through the IRS or another online tax prep system like TurboTax. The IRS form is specifically for federal taxes. Each state also provides avenues to file without a preparation fee as well. Check with your specific state for more information.

MilitaryOneSource also offers free tax filing services for military troops through their MilTax software.

For more complicated taxes, like for property owners or small business owners, might require additional support from a tax professional.

You could opt for a larger accounting and tax prep firm. Turbo Tax and TaxSlayer all offer discounts and/or free tax support for military personnel. Each of these companies offers online tax filing support and assistance. Taxpayers will need to provide proof of military service along with all tax documents to qualify for the discount.

What If I Need Tons of Help?

Sometimes taxes are too much to muddle through even with online support or software. That’s when military troops and families can turn to local accountants, tax preparers and CPAs.

Many military spouses and veterans operate small businesses offering these services. Working with a military-connected accountant means that they’ll better understand the complications of your tax return because they probably have one that is just as challenging!

If a military-connected accountant isn’t available in your area, there are many large and small firms that can process your claims. Liberty Tax is a popular off-base company that offers a military discount. H&R Block is another popular tax company that has years of military expertise.

What Do I Need to Know in 2020?

Accountant Brandyn Cox, of BMC Accounting, shared some essential info that all military troops and families need to be tracking this tax season.

• Military personnel are the only group allowed to still claim moving expenses; the rules changed for everyone else in 2017
• You have until June 15 to file if you are deployed or stationed outside of the US and Puerto Rico
• Spouses can file on behalf of their deployed spouse, as long as IRS Form 2848 has bee submitted

Cox notes that it’s also important to check the most recent tax updates for tax year 2019. There have been some changes to automatic deductions and claims you can make this year.

Avoid This Major Military Pitfall!

In addition to these important points, Cox passed along advice that all military troops need to know.

“Common mistakes I have seen military members make nowadays revolve around taking distributions from their TSP,” he said. “When you take that money out of a Traditional TSP, you’re going to incur a penalty equal to 10% of that distribution.”

There might be additional taxes on that TSP withdrawal as well.

“You’ll also want to withhold income taxes for that as well,” explained Cox. “Depending on your rank, filing status and number of kids claimed you are usually going to want to withhold no less than 12%”

In other words, pulling money out from your TSP could cost you big in the long run.

How do you handle tax season? Share your best tips and tricks in the comments!

We’re already counting down to 2020 at MilitaryShoppers and just know it’s going to be the best year yet! But in order to make sure it’s great (instead of just wishing and hoping), we’re creating an action plan to plant seeds of success that will sprout all year long.

Set Yourself Up for Success in 2020 with Our Jumpstart Plan

Use these ideas to help jumpstart your new year!

Check Your Money

Yes, the DoD paychecks are regular, but just because you know how much will be coming in every two-ish weeks doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean your financial house at the end of the calendar year.

Start by checking on your bank accounts, checking, savings and any other places you’ve stashed money, like a money market or CD. Ask these questions:

• If I didn’t work for 6 months, could my family get by?
• Is my money working for me? Is it earning as much interest as possible?
• Do I have money set aside (and growing) for retirement?

Be brutally honest. It doesn’t pay (literally) to look at your finances with rose-colored glasses.

If you don’t have liquid (cash in the bank) assets to cover your basic bills for six months, it’s time to make a plan to get to that point. This might mean cutting down on extras, like trips or eating out. What can you cut to save money?

If you have a good amount stashed in the bank, make sure that everything above and beyond your emergency fund is working hard. This might mean diversifying your bank accounts into higher yield options or opening a CD. Talk to a financial adviser, either through your preferred bank or a privately-operated business, to understand your options and what might be best.

Okay, you’ve got money for “just in case” and the rest is earning decently, but what about after you’re done working 9-5 every day? Do you have money for retirement? If not, now is the time to chat with a financial adviser about how, when and where to create your retirement investments. A financial adviser can help you with that, too.

Check Your Credit and Spending

Where is your money going? Do you know?

If you don’t know, even just a rough guesstimate, you need to figure it out. Look at your bank accounts and credit/debit card statements. Break things down by category, then total up the spending per category and compare it to your total spending.

This will help you know just how much of your income is going to say, restaurants and bars, over the course of a year, quarter or month.

Pro Tip: there are tons of apps that can do this for you.

Clean House

Like literally clean it and clean it out. Start now, going room by room or by category. Consider each item and whether it’s useful and used regularly. Yes, we are going full Kondo.

There will be those items that you keep to use seasonally, like the grill stuff that only comes out in the summer or serving ware that makes an appearance at the holidays only. Totally fine.

But everything else should be considered and de-cluttered accordingly.

Once you’re whittled down, get to scrubbing. Start cleaning at the actual top of your house and work your way down. Save the floors for absolute last in each room.

It feels nice to start a new year with a fresh, clean house!

Assess Your Fitness

Sure you can pound out a fitness test when needed, but is your fitness actually working for you?

One way to check is to log your food for a week or two. Maybe try after the New Year, just so you can enjoy the holiday goodies and desserts. Write down everything that goes into your mouth. You can use an app, like MyFitnessPal, to keep your food diary and get a good estimate of calories.

While you’re logging, write down your workouts and describe them. Every person needs a different workout style and routine. If you have questions, check with a personal trainer. Most on-base gyms offer consultations with the trainers on their staff. You can also check your military community for certified trainers and nutrition coaches. Many military spouses are entering the fitness and wellness industry!

Make a plan to create positive change. Even if it’s just swapping a granola bar (not terrible) for an apple (pretty great!) when you’re reaching for a snack, it’s a great first step! You could also push yourself to go an extra lap on the track, sneak in an extra rep or try a new exercise.

Update Your Resume

Even if you’ve got a sweet gig, it never hurts to have a fantastic resume and cover letter template in your back pocket.

Check over your resume and make sure it includes:

• Degrees, licensures & certifications
• Most recent relevant jobs to your “dream” position
• Brief action-oriented descriptions of your job(s)

Your cover letter should be mostly a template, but ready to be tweaked whenever you need it. Cover letters and resumes should be tailored to fit the job you’re applying for each time.

If you need help, there are employment support centers on every military base that can help you create your resume and even adjust it for federal job applications.

Make Your Resolutions SMART

Identify your goals and the baby steps you’ll need to take along the way. Make a plan for success.

You’re going to make your goals SMART:

• Specific: very clear cut and focused “I will do a 10-mile race”
• Measurable: you can quantify the success with a number “I will run a 10-mile race in under 2 hours”
• Attainable: spell out the mini-victories you’re going to reach along the way “I will run 5K, 10K and a 5K+10K races at less than an 11-minute pace on the way to running my 10-mile race”
• Realistic: is this something that you can realistically achieve under the circumstances? Ex: if you’ve literally never run before, maybe start with a 5K and adjust your goal as you go
• Timely: set a deadline “I will run a 10-mile race by April”

If you overshoot or reach your goal faster, you can always adjust. Once you reach your goal, make a new one!

Write your goal, and the benchmarks to success, somewhere you’ll see it daily.

Cheers to a successful 2020! Happy New Year!

What are your best tips for a successful new year? Share your wisdom in the comments!

I am constantly amazed at the entrepreneurial spirit of so many of our Military Spouses who own their own businesses and manage to keep them running with the constant turmoil of military life. This year when starting your holiday shopping consider a Military Spouse owned business to spend some of your shopping dollars. There are so many options from hand crafted items at an Esty shop to online stores with military themed items. Here are a few I like:

Army Spouse Serena West not only has a fun shop online at Shop Westhouse, she also blogs about how crazy our military life is. A few fun items at her shop are the Army Man Bottle Opener and her Military Themed T-shirts which I love because they aren’t camo and are very stylish with subtle hints of the military lifestyle like “Master Mover” and “Home of the Brave”.

Sword and Plough is owned by two sisters who were military brats and one who now serves. Their idea was to re purpose military surplus material into stylish and durable bags and backpacks. They support Veteran employment throughout the design and manufacturing process and a percentage of the profits goes to veteran charities. Their Limited Edition Uniform Tote uses recycled uniforms to create a super cute bag.

Military Spouse Olivia Harrell has an eye for fashion and cute gift ideas. I love her marketing genius and discovered her as she posted cute outfits for various activities and then sells them. She has an online boutique and recently opened a brick and mortar store Liv and Rory in downtown Puyallup, Washington.  Cute clothes, Mommy and Me outfits and fun accessories. I love the Cloud Nine Wine Tote. How often have you juggled trying to carry bottles of wine to a function. This cute tote holds two bottles of wine and looks so much better than a paper bag.

While Army Spouse Gwyn Nielsen’s site Sparkling Charm does not have an online store it is my go to destination for holiday ideas. She is so creative, really the Military Spouse Martha Stewart. She also curates unique gift ideas on her website which are season specific. A perfect place  to go to get some new ideas.

For an out of the box idea purchase a gift certificate at  Reynolds Square. Military Spouse Stephanie Dorr provides website design, consulting, course development and education for entrepreneurs looking for the best ways to showcase their business online. Her tagline is “We help you make a business out of sharing what you love with others.” This is a great gift for that friend who is just getting her business started. I used Stephanie for a one hour consult while trying to learn the ins and outs of WordPress. She is tech savvy and understands the unique needs of Military Spouses.

Here are two sites with lists of Military Spouse owned businesses so you can find your own favorite.  Giant List of Military Spouse Owned Businesses and The Military Wife and Mom Holiday Gift Guide

What is your favorite Military Spouse owned business? Post below in the comments so we can share with other Military Shopper readers.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

We’ve moved, yet again, to a new town, a new unit and a new life (kind of). My spouse has added my contact information to all the things. And then the requests come flooding in. Not requests to be friends, but to volunteer my time in a professional capacity.

Folks, it’s 2019. And military spouses just don’t have the time to be doing all of the work for free.

And yet…

Why Are Military Spouses Still Being Called on To Do All the Things?

I love volunteering. I’ve actually volunteered since childhood. From planting gardens with my Brownie troop to collecting clothes for the less fortunate, I honestly like to give of myself and my time.

Even in small ways, like taking care of a friend’s children for a few hours so they can run errands, I know that performing acts of kindness for others without expecting compensation makes the world a better place.

Here’s the thing: the military seems to run on volunteers. No, I’m not talking about our all-volunteer force. I’m talking about the spouses running things behind the scenes.

From homecomings and welcome aboard briefs to larger organizations on base, military spouse volunteers are the glue that is holding it all together. Many spouses are spearheading large roles and tasks, jobs that a professional would be overseeing in the civilian world.

And they’re doing it all for free. Sometimes there might be a certificate of recognition or hearty thanks offered, but often these tasks are just completed without acknowledgment.

Volunteering Looks Good on Your Resume

Or so I’ve been told, countless times. I’ve yet to use my volunteer experiences, formal or informal, as a stepping stone into a paid position as an adult.

Instead, it’s my paid work – in any of my varied jobs over the years – that has paved the way to a new position. When I’ve brought up my volunteering, the interviewers didn’t really seem to care.

So, does volunteering look good on resumes or is that just a line?

Honestly, I’m not sure.

Unpaid Work + Extra Costs = What?

If I wanted to volunteer today, right now, I would need childcare for my youngest. Preschool isn’t free and neither are reliable sitters.

Conveniently all of the positions most likely to lead to employment happen exactly when my spouse is at work. They’re also not child-friendly. Especially since most of these roles aren’t just a quick pop-in or work-at-home gigs. Nope, they’re all multiple hours per day, several days a week.

Which means that I will be paying to volunteer.

Sure, I might have that extra cash to throw around in order to give of myself. Then again, we’re a military family and not exactly rich either.

So what exactly am I going to be going into debt for? I’ll be working for free in the hope that one day, maybe, this organization will pay me?

Why would they do that when I’m, wait for it, working for free to begin with?!?!?

The roles available to spouses are professional-type positions. Center staffer (USO), financial consultant (NMCRS), event organizer (family readiness assistant) and medical records assistant (Red Cross). Yet we have military spouses filling them, for free.

Unpaid Work is Extra Stress

I ran myself ragged as a family readiness assistant. And now I see other military spouses doing the same thing in their volunteer roles.

We are treating these positions like jobs, even though we are not being paid. Likely, we are paying for childcare and support in order to fill these volunteer roles. Ironic, isn’t it?

At the end of the day, we take all that stress home with us. All the stress of our “fun” volunteer role becomes our baggage.

It’s extra stress on the level of being in paid employment, but without the paycheck.

This dedication is what makes our military community tick and hum. Military spouses take ownership of every role they are given. We take this stuff seriously!

But is it fair to expect employee-level work from a volunteer?

What Would Happen Without Volunteers?

I don’t think the youngest military spouses (and some of us older hands) are quite buying the line about volunteer roles leading to employment. We haven’t see the fruit from that tree yet, and it’s a line that’s been tossed around for at least a decade.

More and more military spouses are achieving advanced education, earning professional credentials and seeking paid employment. Their family needs two paychecks to make ends meet. Just the military earnings alone won’t cut it.

We might be coming to a reckoning in the military community: a world without rampant volunteerism.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing either. It’s time that we weigh just how much benefit unpaid military spouse labor brings into our communities daily. Then, it’s time we start paying people. Because these things don’t run themselves.

If you’d like to still have family readiness groups, relief societies and community spaces to use, someone needs to be there running things. It’s probably going to be a military spouse. And that person should be paid.

What do you think would happen if military spouse volunteers disappeared?

A career in Real Estate is the perfect fit for a military spouse, after all who knows more about relocating and finding a new place to live. Real Estate is one job that is needed wherever you may move to within the United States, in every state, county and city. In addition, real estate is more than just buying and selling houses there are a variety of job opportunities within the field. Many military families purchase homes as investments and keep them as rental properties. They are always looking for competent and trustworthy property managers. In addition to residential sales there are also public and commercial real estate sales. Representing a builder to sell new homes is a good opportunity. There are also jobs working as a receptionist in a firm or for a real estate attorney, loan officer etc. You can also work as a leasing agent.

Military Spouse April Johns just finished her first year as a professional real estate agent and it is the perfect job for her. She loves the flexibility she has with 3 kids in school. “Real Estate is a great career for military spouses who are passionate about meeting new people and with other military families to buy or sell their house,” she said. ““My favorite part of being an agent is being part of one of the happiest days of a family’s life. Giving my clients the keys and letting them open the door to their own home whether they are a first-time home buyer, or this is their 5th house is priceless.”

Another thing that drew Johns to this career was the ease of the training. She took an online 90-hour course. Once completed she took the certification test which has two parts, a national and state requirement. For military spouses who are eligible for the MYCAA program, they can receive up to $4,000 to apply towards the cost of a real estate course, training and any licenses. Real estate license requirements vary by state but it is usually pretty easy to transfer from one state to another. You may just have to take some continuing education courses or meet other requirement. Each state has a Real Estate Commission you can contact to learn about the licensing requirements.

For Johns, “I truly just wanted a career that was mine, not just a career for now, but one I can take with me when we get those dreaded orders.” Another benefit of the job is that you are considered an independent contractor/self-employed so you can deduct many of your expenses. Things like mileage to drive a client to tour homes, office fees, association fees, multiple listing service fees etc. are all tax deductible (check with your tax professional) and can lower your income tax burden.

In order to be successful at real estate, you need to be a people person and to enjoy helping people find the perfect home. You must have the ability to listen and learn what your client thinks is the perfect home which is not necessarily your perfect home. You must be able to work independently and without supervision. There is also an element of hustle, if you don’t sell a home you don’t get paid. While commission checks can be large, they are sporadic and certain times of the year like the holidays are notorious for being low sales months, so you must be able to stretch your commission checks to cover the lean times. If this sounds like you then a real estate career may be just what you are looking for.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

Editor’s Note: This is not an endorsement of any mentioned credit card by MilitaryShoppers. Nor is this article intended to serve as sound financial guidance. It is simply to inform military troops and families about additional benefits of which they may be unaware. Proceed at your own risk.

If you’ve ever tried to break a rental agreement with your PCS or deployment orders, you’ve used the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act (SCRA). In short, it’s a group of protections that gives military members a little bit of wiggle room and grace for when the DoD throws a wrench in their plans.

But there is a little more to the SCRA than just breaking your lease. Did you know that there are credit cards that give you a break, too?

Credit Card Benefits Many Military Families Don’t Know They’ve Earned

There are hidden perks and benefits, especially with some exclusive or high level cards, available only to military members! And you might be missing out on this deal.

Lower Your Interest Rates

If you have debt, like a loan or credit card payment, from before you joined up, you can use the SCRA to lower what you owe monthly.

For example, if you bought a car before you enlisted with a higher interest rate, you can use your SCRA benefits to lower that rate to below 10%, according to Military Benefits.

This is true for pre-service credit card debt, too.

But be warned: any debt you incur post-enlistment or commissioning is yours. Avoid payday loans and car dealers located right outside of base. Many people have learned hard lessons trying in invoke SCRA interest benefits on expensive loans from these types of places.

More Than Interest Lowering

Did you know that you can get a whole lot more than your interest lowered?

Many credit cards, especially higher end ones, offer free annual fees and/or lower interest rates to qualified applicants.

For example, American Express and Chase both offer a break on annual fees. That’s a big deal since these cards both charge several hundred dollars to members, just to have the card!

But membership with both companies, and several others, comes with additional perks that make life easier for military families.

Airport Perks with High-End Credit Cards

When my family traveled back from OCONUS last summer, we enjoyed open bars and buffets at the airport. And we didn’t pay a dime. How?

Our AMEX Platinum and Chase Sapphire cards. Both cards offer active duty troops free membership, with verification of course.

According to CreditKarma, AMEX Platinum is the best choice for military families on the go (which is all of us, am I right?).

Honestly, we travel so much more often and so much easier than before. All because AMEX waived the $550 annual membership fee based on our active duty status.

Instead of hunting for an uncomfortable seat at our gate, we lounge in plush easy chairs. You get premium airport lounge access, baby! That means yummy nibbles at the buffet and often an open bar, too. Plus, and best of all, sparkling clean restrooms!

AMEX Platinum cardholders have free access to several networks of lounges at airports around the world, including many in the US. With complimentary membership (as a cardholder) to Priority Pass, you can find lounges from Providence, RI to Bangkok. Plus, many international airports also host Centurion Lounges. These exclusive clubs are open only to AMEX Platinum members or higher.

Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders also get access to Priority Pass Lounges, according to Military Money Manager.

Both cards also offer options to get a certain amount reimbursed during travel.

AMEX Platinum gives back up to $200 in baggage fees and other expenses on one qualifying airline per year. You select your preferred airline annually. Sapphire Reserve reimburses up to $300 per year in travel expenses. Military Money Manager shows receipts from Uber and Priceline being reimbursed!

Before You Get to the Gate

Want to fly through airport security like a VIP? Your cards have got you covered!

Both AMEX Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve offer reimbursement on your TSAPreCheck, up to $100 every four years. PreCheck is free with your active duty CAC, but your dependent and kids might enjoy joining you in the faster line.

Both cards also offer the option to enroll in Global Entry. This program means that in certain countries, you’ll be able to breeze through immigration quicker and more easily. All you need is your passport and fingerprints! Global Entry is for low-risk travelers and everyone is screened prior to enrollment.

Once You Land in Your Destination

We stayed at the St. Regis in Bangkok and Osaka – for free. Thanks to the benefits programs of our Chase Sapphire and AMEX Platinum cards.

Yes, you read the right. St. Regis, Bangkok and free. There was a champagne toast offered at sunset. Also free.

Both cards offer great perks for points, hence the super upscale hotel stays. Trust me, we couldn’t have stayed at either property otherwise. Military family, remember?

Your hotel benefits aren’t limited to just those ultra-classy establishments. As a cardholder, you get upgraded status at Bonvoy properties, which combines the old Marriott and SPG groups of hotels, as well as Hilton. Upgrades mean you can get access to complimentary upgrades on rooms, free internet, expedited check-in, complimentary cocktails or even a free breakfast buffet.

Big Savings on Travel with a Free Credit Card

With how much much our family travels, even just every few years for PCS season or home for the holidays, keeping our AMEX and Chase cards on hand has saved us a bundle.

1. We haven’t paid for a meal at the airport in years
2. Checking email or social media between flights is free on high speed internet
3. Keeping our kids entertained during travel is easier with enclosed lounges that offer food and space to stretch
4. Our hotel rooms are larger (again, kids)
5. We love our free breakfast buffets
6. We turn our everyday spending into tangible benefits

On that last one, we saved up enough points just through normal spending on groceries, gas and other typical purchases that we were able to upgrade my seat to business class on a trans-Pacific flight.

While you still have to pay your credit card bills, having a card that makes your on-the-go military life a little better is 100% worth it. Just be sure to budget smartly and pay your bills on time!

Have you used the SCRA to get a high-end credit card fee waived? Tell us your favorite little known military money hack!

A useful tool for networking and job search

LinkedIn is a great tool to help you in a job search and networking. Did you know LinkedIn offers a free year of LinkedIn Premium Membership for military spouses? The best part is it is not a onetime deal. It is available each time you PCS, change your career or suffer a job loss.  This benefit is due to a partnership between the Department of Defense Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program and LinkedIn’s Military and Veterans Program.

To get started you need to set up a MySECO account  on Military OneSource. Once you set up the account visit the My Transition page. There are three ways to get access to LinkedIn Premium. You can set up an appointment with a SECO career coach by using Live Chat on the MySECO website or call Military OneSource. The second is to register for an online live webinar and the third is to take the self-paced training course, “Leveraging LinkedIn Premium” on MilLIfe Learning. Once you have completed the training by one of these three methods you will receive a confirmation code that will allow free access to LinkedIn Premium for one year.

 I found the process a little confusing as you have to set up two accounts, one for MySECO and a second one on MilLife Learning. It is all accessed through Military OneSource and would be so much easier to access everything from one account. Once I figured everything out it was a pretty simple process. The training was pretty easy and once complete you get a code for your free year of LinkedIn.

In addition to more features on your account, LinkedIn also has a learning path for military spouses. Once you have access to your LinkedIn Premium account click on Learning in the top menu. Once there, search Military Spouse and the pathway will show in the search results. This is a good place to start. There are 19 hours of content starting with a block of instruction on LinkedIn Premium. The pathway can help you make a career plan and explore options like freelance work and working remotely.

LinkedIn is like Facebook for professionals and has many networking opportunities. One is the Department of Defense Military Spouse LinkedIn group. There are actually recruiters who are looking to hire military spouses and membership in this group lets them know you are a military spouse. It also allows you to connect to your peers to help in your networking.

If you are actively searching for a job then LinkedIn is a no brainer to help you reach the contacts you need to meet your employment goals. If you are getting ready to PCS you can start your job hunt online and research companies and job opportunities. Connect with military spouses in the LinkedIn Group to get insight into the job market at your next destination.

Have you had any success using LinkedIn?

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

By Marguerite Cleveland

     In an effort to meet the recruiting mission for infantry training seats for Fiscal Year 2019 which ends on September 30^th, the Army is offering a bonus of $40,000 for a six year commitment as an Infantry Soldier. There is a caveat though, you must enlist and ship to basic training by September 30, 2019.

     Plenty of information is available online at www.GoArmy.com but there are so many things that impact whether you are eligible for a certain program or bonus. To get the most accurate information tailored for your needs whether that is a bonus, money for college or a particular job, you should make an appointment to see an Army Recruiter.

     In addition to the bonuses offered to those interested in the Infantry there are others available as well. Some are combinable but the current cap is $40,000. New Recruits are eligible for a bonus is they enlist for a certain job and they must be physically and mentally qualified. This is determined by taking the ASVAB test and a physical conducted at a Military Entrance Station (MEPS). It also depends on availability of training. There are only so many slots each year allocated for training. In addition to enlistment bonuses here are a few more you may not know about.

• Active Duty Education Bonus (HIGRAD) – Some Army Military Occupational Specialties designated as an incentive skill offer bonuses for civilian education varying from $3000 to $5000 if you have an Associate’s degree or higher.
• Civilian Acquired Skills Bonus : Active Army applicants who possess civilian skills that the Army needs, such as proficiency in certain foreign languages, X-Ray certification or specialties in animal care, may be eligible for a $5,000 bonus.
• High Demand MOS : Applicants who enlist for three or more years in the following jobs may qualify for additional seasonal bonuses ranging from $3,000 to $15,000. Current (subject to change based on Army requirements) high demand MOSs include:

              17C (Cyber Operations Specialist)

             35Q (Cryptologic Cyberspace Intelligence Collector)

             18X (Spec Forces; Elementary Lang Proficiency)

             37F (Psychological Operations Specialist)

             25D (Cyber Network Defender)

             35P (Cryptologic Linguist)

             35M (Human Intelligence Collector: Lang Proficiency

             14P (Air Missile Defense Crew Member)

             15W (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) 

• Middle Eastern Translator Aide Bonus: Individuals who speak certain Middle-Eastern languages and enlist, as Translator Aides in the U.S. Army are eligible for an enlistment bonus up to $40,000 depending on the number of years enlisted for and any other qualifying bonus criteria met.

     Enlistment Bonuses are subject to change at any time. With the new fiscal year approaching on October 1, 2019 bonuses will change based on the new recruiting mission and budget. It is also important to note that you must qualify as well to receive a bonus. For the most accurate and up to date information contact your local Army Recruiter.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com