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We can always do a little penny pinching when it comes to purchasing food. Some of us eat out too frequently, or we only buy high-end products.
Saving money takes work, but you don’t have to sacrifice quality, taste or variety to save money on groceries. With these helpful tips, you can prepare delicious meals for yourself and your family.
A trip to Disneyland or Disney World has been a staple for vacationing families for decades. Those who think Disney vacations are too expensive may not know is that Disney Parks offer excellent military discounts on the biggest expenses.
Military Family Central’s Adrienne May visited Disney World this Summer and saved a lot of money by taking advantage of military discounts along the way. Check out this guide to getting the most out of your discounts and tips to get the most out of your trip to Disney.
A new South Carolina law ensures that all military veterans will receive a military funeral with full honors.
The new law allows coroners or funeral directors with unclaimed remains to release the deceased’s information to military groups to find out if he was a veteran who served honorably and has earned the right to be buried with full military honors.
John Rieser, an army veteran from Conway, S.C., passed away about three years ago without any family to claim his remains. He was an only child and his parents had already died. When a veteran passes away it is up to the family to request a military funeral.
Rieser’s co-workers said that there was a good chance that he was a veteran. Robert Edge, the county’s coroner, wanted to find out if he was and give him full honors, but he didn’t know where to turn.
Two American Legion members, Larry Truax and John Bianchi, came to the rescue. They pushed the bill this year through the South Carolina legislature. They saw that their native state of New York had passed a similar law and decided that South Carolina needed one as well.
Rieser’s grave will be marked with a headstone that has his name, dates of birth and death, his service branch, rank and dates of service.
The Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for providing military funeral honors. The law mandates that all military funerals are given free of charge to eligible veterans.
What the veteran’s family can expect at the ceremony:
Funeral home directors request military funeral honors on behalf of the Veterans’ family from the DOD. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery Administration cemetery staff can also assist with arranging military funeral honors at VA national cemeteries. Veterans organizations are allowed to assist in providing military funeral honors. If the family wishes the funeral to take place at a national cemetery, the funeral home arranges it prior to the committal date.
Those eligible for military funeral honors are:
The DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, is used to show eligibility. If it’s not available, any discharge document showing other than dishonorable service can be used. The DD Form 214 can be requested by filling out a Standard Form 180 and mailing it to:
National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
9700 Page Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63132
The Standard Form 180 may be obtained from the National Archives.
Photos courtesy of Beverly & Pack and The National Guard
Summer is in full swing, and managing everything that comes with it can be difficult. Although family vacations and outings are certainly highlights of the season, it’s safe to say planning the perfect getaway or even afternoon is stressful in the lives of already busy families. On top of that, you want to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal on your next summer purchase. How do you find great military bargains without using up some of your precious family time? We’re here to help you save time and money. We’d like to introduce our Summer Military Deals and Discounts Guide that contains more deals than one could dream of using in a summer.
Many of us have felt the stinging consequences of compulsive spending. For some of us it’s a one time experience. We learned and we were able to control our spending the next time a temptation came our way. For others compulsive spending is a way of coping with stress, disappointment or other negative emotions. For others it’s an addiction. For the past several years I have talked to many military spouses who struggle with compulsive shopping – especially when deployment is involved.
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On Tuesday, the National Parks Service announced a new military pass available to active duty service members and their families for free. The military pass will become available this Saturday, May 19, in honor of Armed Forces Day.
Armed Forces Day was created in 1949 by Defense Secretary Louis Johnson to unite the different branches of the military. Rather than separate celebrations for Army, Navy and Air Force Days, all the branches would celebrate Armed Forces Day annually on the third Saturday in May.
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Operational Security, or OPSEC, is the practice of protecting information about your military member in order to keep him and his fellow military members safe. With email, Facebook, Twitter and dozens of other forms of social media and instant communication, safeguarding information about deployments, troop movements, troop locations and other sensitive information is paramount.
Hitting the “Send” or “Post” button could ultimately endanger your child or spouse along with their fellow soldiers. See More
When young adults get a college degree it’s good for the whole country. That’s why there are options no matter who you are, including military dependents.
The 2011-12 academic year is nearing an end, but it’s never too early to begin thinking about next year. Here are a few scholarship opportunities that military families may want to consider:
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After completing service in the military and deciding to attend a higher learning institution, figuring out your GI Bill benefits can be quite challenging.
When I left the Air Force in 2009, I knew I wanted to attend the University of Missouri under the Post-9/11 GI Bill. What I didn’t know was that Missouri had its own state-sponsored programs that would make the older Montgomery GI Bill a much better deal.
These are the things no one tells you when you’re leaving the military to attend school, and, if you’re not careful, can end up costing you money. The GI Bill continues to be one of the best benefits to having served, but in order to get the most out of it, you’ll need to be prepared. See More
Fix-it jobs around the house are one of the aggravating-yet-expected downsides of homeownership. Not everyone is the do-it-yourself type, and hiring specialists or bothering neighbors can get old fast.
But some common household hiccups can be resolved without spending much, if any, money. In fact, you can solve a lot of problems by simply using everyday items you already own. Here’s a look at a few offbeat ways to make household repairs without household items and save money in the process: See More
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