My Life As A Military Spouse: March 2011

2011/03/28

Blogger Issues

No 'Money Monday' today, as I am having major issues publishing in blogger. Will post if/when the issues are corrected.

2011/03/21

Money Monday

Three More Weeks...... Building a Solid Financial Foundation How to Live Without Credit Fuel 'surcharge' a fare increase with a fancy name Summer fares: Book now or wait? Providing Relief to Japan Without Getting Scammed 15 Places Kids Should See Before Turning 15 Data Mining: How Companies Now Know Everything About You Colleges' Admissions Departments Stalk Your Facebook ‘Exergaming' is good for kids AT&T puts broadband users on monthly allowance Renew your lease - rents could rise 10% Best apps for spending your money The 10 Best Used Cars for Teens 8 Money Lessons From Dr. Seuss Biggest Facebook Security Threats Things Hotels Won't Tell You 7 Products That Are Getting Cheaper Secret Laundry Ingredients Auto Insurance Costs: Where Does Your State Rank? Taxpayers the IRS Is Targeting This Year How a Cancelled Card Affects Your Credit Do You Need Disaster Insurance? Why you can probably skip 3G on iPad 2 Kindle adding page numbers for e-books 10 ways to save money on gasoline Save money, reduce stress and make tastier meals through gardening Companies raise prices on food, shoes, diapers Discussing money with children should not be taboo Unusual items you can rent Tips for Surviving the Supermarket What To Do When Your Wallet or Purse Is Stolen Cook More, Eat Out Less Playing the Financial Aid Lottery Want cash from an ATM? Pay a $5 fee Can I Afford a House, Car, and Vacation? Retailers Push Amazon on Taxes 10 best colleges for out-of-staters Thieves Use Low-Tech Glue in Latest Scam: Jamming ATM Keys Three Worst Things to Say When Asking for a Personal Loan Choosing a Summer Camp for Your Kids and Checkbook For Online Shoppers, Best and Worst States to Live In Apple Clamps Down on Juvenile In-App Purchases Hundreds of Small Walmarts Are Coming Soon Save Your Credit Score With These Five Steps How to Choose a Driving School for Your Teen How to Create the Ideal Bed What to Do if You Owe Taxes Tipping Your Waiter or Waitress? Ditch the Credit Card, Pay With Cash Some states consider cutting 2012 primaries to save money What Airlines Are Hawking AT&T-Mobile: AT&T buys T-Mobile USA for $39B - to be completed in approximately 12 months.

Labels: budget friendly

2011/03/16

'Serving For Free Without Pay'

I wrote an entire post on the government madness with regards to the the budget debacle and our military.

This says it better than I ever could!

I might still post about this issue, but I need to think about it more. With a little less frustration and anger. If that is possible.

2011/03/15

March Madness

Teams have been selected. The selection this year was interesting, cough!

My brackets are complete and I cannot wait for the games to begin.

My youngest son might just take me this year. He loves basketball, but is random in his tournament choices. I wonder if he consults with the dog before making his picks? If there are large upsets in the first couple of rounds (which there normally are) then he likely has the advantage over me within his picks.

Either way - March Madness means great fun in our household. Go BUCKEYES!!!!!

Do’s and don’ts for filling out your NCAA brackets

2011/03/14

Money Monday

Let's deal with the issue of government shutdown as it relates to Military Personnel first - note:

"During the last government shutdown in 1995, servicemembers continued to work and continued to receive their pay."

"On Wednesday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called on Congress to pass a bill that would fund the military regardless of whether an agreement can be reached on the full federal budget. It would be irresponsible for Congress to “continue to fund the Department of Defense by passing two week-by-two week continuing resolutions while we are fighting two wars,” he said in a statement."

"The military won’t get their paychecks question. That wasn’t the case last time the government shut down. A union leader at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which handles the military’s payroll, yesterday told me DFAS stayed open last time and kept sending paychecks to service members, even when other large portions of the government weren’t operating. DFAS also told the union that the agency would stay open again this time, thanks to its unique funding structure."

You will get paid tomorrow, 15 March. Depending upon who you bank with, you might receive your pay today. April 1st? Well.....

Congress passed (another) continuing resolution that goes through 18 March. Will they pass something? Will they appropriate something? No one knows. Even though troops did get paid during the last shutdown, things could be different this time. That being said, try not to panic, simply prepare as best you can for the possibility. Hopefully if a full budget cannot be agreed upon, they will (at the very least) do something for the military, the troops.

Times like this - a prime example of why we should all try to have an emergency fund. You will find an emergency fund calculator here.

Report: Troops May Miss Paychecks in a Shutdown

Psst. No shutdown during a 'government shutdown'

Factchecking Nancy Pelosi’s government shutdown claims

DoD News Briefing: Dr. John J. Hamre, DoD Comptroller 1995

Social Security is safe in a federal shutdown

UPDATES:

House passes three-week government spending extension

House approves funding bill keeping government open until April 8

Does Shutdown Mean No Pay for Military?

Senate passes latest continuing resolution

_____________

Base Pay is Base Pay. Period.

Top 5 Ways Being Too Frugal Can Cost You

Gas prices are about more than just oil

Keep Your Credit Scores From Costing You

Worst Supermarket Rip-Offs

Spring Break Gadgets and Gear Under $200

Eight Tips for Finding Cheap Airfares

Appeal of iPad 2 Is a Matter of Emotions

Jobs returning — but good ones not so much

A Guide to Men's Skin-Care Products

First Person: Overdraft Protection: Opt In or Opt Out?

Best places to search for auto loans

When can a lender refuse a car loan?

Can you save on fuel buying a diesel car?

Tax advantage of summer day camp costs

4 places moms save money

The Brawl Over Debit-Card Fees

GM Pushes Hard with OnStar

Gas prices will keep rising

Score a gas discount with coupons, deals and savings cards

Watch out for these 10 common scams

Avoid these online shopping pitfalls

25 simple ways to save

Card account closed? You still may be charged some fees

Angry about the credit scoring system? Here's what to do

Requesting a teen's credit report isn't child's play

Apple Web Store iPad Shipment Delays Rise To 3-4 Weeks

How Much Should You Spend on Self Improvement?

The $200 Tablet Computer

5 Tax Changes That Could Surprise You

Is Customer Service Worth Paying for?

How TV Fitness Products Shape Up

New Rules for First-Time Home Buyers

Me & My Car: Your Questions Answered

Debit cards: $50 spending limit coming?

5 Best Money Saving Apps

Getting Goods on Store Shelves

Insider Tips for Planning a Cruise in 2011

FBI Warns of Three Online Scams: Sex, Taxes and a Desktop Hijack

Three Worst Things You Can Say to a Financial Aid Officer

It May Be OK to Use Regular Gas Instead of Premium

Can You Really Get a Perfect Credit Score? These Folks Did

Do You Have to Pay AMT? Eight Triggers to Watch Out For

What Best ID Theft Protection Companies Should Be Doing, Says Report

Free Cookies at Pilot Travel Centers and QuickChek

Coffee Prices on the Way Up Again

Faking It: How to Spot Online Counterfeiters

Biggest Drugstore Markups: Which Products You're Paying More For

Unique Ways Kids Can Earn Money

What's Your Tax Bracket?

Worst Neighborhoods for Car Theft

The Best Chef's Knives

How to Spring Clean Your Finances

What You Really Pay for at the Pump

What will food cost in 4 years?

What if gas cost $10 a gallon?

Why You Shouldn't Give Your Zip Code At The Register

What's the Latest on Travel Credit Cards?

Auto Repair: Survey Names Best and Worst Service Departments

Consumer Reports: 4 Ways to Protect Laptops

Labels: budget friendly

2011/03/10

'Double Duty'

Air Force Couple Blogs About Deployment

....Master Sgt. Rudy Gamez and his wife, Tech. Sgt. Christina Gamez, are documenting their experiences as they serve separate deployments in Afghanistan in the Air Force blog, Double Duty.

This is the master sergeant’s sixth deployment and his wife’s first. The aim, said Christina, a financial analyst stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, is to pass on lessons learned to other service members preparing for their own deployments.

“I want people to understand the emotions of deployments from both sides,” she said. “I've been on the other side -- left at home with a full-time job and then some, with two kids and no family in driving distance.

“Now I see it from the deployed side,” she added. “I understand the need for a stronger emotional toughness so the deployment doesn't destroy you. It can be a helpless feeling over here at times, knowing you can only do so much to take care of the ones you love.”.....

I Love Gifts!

Women love gifts! Some women love to receive roses or jewelry.

My husband knows that I have more appreciation for gifts that I envision as practical and will have fun using. He learned a long time ago that I do not like roses, but I love a new vacuum cleaner! I know, I am admittedly abnormal.

Hi, I am LMT. I am a female. I like guns.

This is my most recent

gift -

I do not generally have love for the 9mm. I tend to appreciate my .45 the most. But, my husband knows that I love my 2nd Amendment rights, that I get giddy when I have the opportunity to go to the range and shoot with him. He loves to throw me a curve from time to time by encouraging me to step outside of my shooting comfort zone and give something new a try.

I cannot wait to go to the range this weekend! I love him!!!!!

Maybe my next gift will be something even more awesome -

2011/03/08

Trek for Hope

I will be walking from Tampa to LA and then back to Tampa with just my ruck, cellphone, bare necessities and faith In God. I am walking for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation in Tampa. Please check out my donations page if you wish to give. firstgiving.com/jacobparrish1 Thanks to all!

You can find the Trek for Hope blog here. Facebook page here.

2011/03/07

The Survey Says.....

Preface: Most of you know how I feel about surveys - no matter the outcome. One thing that is always an issue - the small number of responses, thus a small number of opinions to go off of.

I actually took this particular survey.

That being said - Survey: More spouses satisfied with Army life.

What are your thoughts and opinions on this survey and where do you stand within the findings?

Money Monday

Ten Reasons Why You Might Want a Second Income

March Commissary Remote Site Sales

Top 5 Ways To Save Money On Pet Expenses

The Money-Saving Resources You Might Not Know You Have

White House considers tapping oil reserves

Things You Should Never Buy Used

21 airlines fined for fixing passenger, cargo fees

8 Bad Money Habits to Drop by Retirement

Making Children's Books 'Pop' Out With iPads

College Grads Lack Verbal Skills

Best and Worst Dollar Store Buys

Home Mortgage Refinancing Nightmares

How Your Credit Score Affects Your Mortgage

9 Ways to Save on Car Maintenance

Who's Best For Your Car, Dealers or Independents?

25 Ways to Waste Your Money

First Person: The Money-Saving Resources You Might Not Know You Have

Why Most Self-Help Books Stink (And a Few That Don't)

GenY Might Be Too Frugal

Seven Networking No-Nos

iPad prices drop as iPad 2 approaches

What's Missing from the iPad 2

No more free pretzels on Continental

Home prices: The double-dip is near

Can't fix the brakes - gotta pay for gas

Why is airfare rising? Because you keep paying

Stop Saving So Much for Retirement

529 Plans Offer Incentives

Say Farewell to the Family Doctor

Have Private Student Loans Become Smarter?

Can't afford the Cinderella lifestyle? Try renting

Fat fingers? Be careful when you make a call

5 Great New Car Deals Now

Kids and Money: 4 Ways to Set Them Straight

Travel Insurance: The Revolution Won't Be Covered

Talk Doesn’t Pay, So Psychiatry Turns to Drug Therapy

Adding It Up: Amazon Ship vs. Costco Shop

Healing a Wounded Credit Score

I.R.S. Tips on Changing Your Name

Tracking Down and Collecting Unclaimed Life Insurance

Online Mortgage Shopping Made Easier

College the Easy Way

Watch out for these 10 common scams

HDTVs: Now is a great time to buy!

National Consumer Protection Week Kicks Off

Tips for Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor

Looming Internet Sales Tax Prompts Amazon Threat to Cut Off Affiliates

iTunes Users Hit With Another Wave of Fraud

Supermarket Standoff: Microwavable Popcorn

More Junk Mail Coming Soon: How to Stop It

Credit Cards to Avoid at All Costs

World Food Prices Hit New High

Scam Calls: 'State Police' Demand Debt Payments

Frugal Tips to Help You Afford Your Inner Diva

Money Skills Your Teen Needs

Household Expenses You Can Do Without

New Credit Score Survey Shows Widespread Misinformation

What to Buy in March

The new target demographic: Baby Boomers

Costco sells exclusive wedding dresses

Tips to stay healthy and happy on long flights

Gas price in US jumps 33 cents in 2 weeks

Is Free Money for College Worth It?

9 Ways to Attend College for Free

Without Loan Giants, 30-Year Mortgage May Fade Away

Labels: budget friendly

2011/03/02

TRICARE Updates

TRICARE Standard 2011 Newsletter is available for download here.

TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery Offers Convenience, Affordability

TRICARE Autism Demonstration Proving Positive

You can find the most updated beneficiary briefings/flyers/information for all TRICARE beneficiaries located here.

TRICARE can be found on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

TRICARE's 'Get Fit' page can be found here.

TRICARE Podcasts can be found here.

More information on TRICARE can be found here.