Why does everyone think the military pays you awful or that you can't live on what they pay you. We are reading Family Driven Faith right now and there is a story in it about this man who started having children when he was a captain in the military... and about how rough life was for them in the beginning because they had no money. A captain makes about $2,000 more A MONTH than what Michael makes. There is a commercial on tv for one of those Direct Buy showroom places with this woman who says "I know on military pay, I couldn't afford to buy top of the line..." and under her name it says "Colonel"... thats about $5,000 (probably more than that depending on how long she has been in) more A MONTH than what Michael makes. I went to this "New Parent Support" class (they give you a free gift bag, so I went. lol) and they encouraged everyone that qualified to enroll in WIC (a government program for families if the woman is pregnant or if their are young children in the home, you get formula & some essential food for free because you are poor...).
Now, you're probably thinking... poor Michael and Beth... they must be so poor & she doesn't even work & they have a baby, the military is so stingy. au contraire. The "base pay" may not be a lot (for us that is... those people mentioned above are just being ridiculous!), but we have NO BILLS.... we get free health insurance, free housing (kind of... we just never see the money we would be getting if we didn't live on base), tax free groceries, free baby clothes (via airmans attic... LOVE IT). This is what we spend our money on every month... groceries, car insurance, and internet. How do we do this, you ask... well, let me tell you. We don't use CREDIT cards, we don't take out loans for cars (and we didn't for school when we were going)... if we can't afford it with whats in the bank we don't need it (well, that would have to be something pretty expensive like a new car... which is ridiculous to buy anyways). We hardly ever go out to eat or buy premade meals (ok, frozen pizzas I do... lol). I can find PLENTY of great clothes at goodwill (for me at least, Michael not so much). Maybe its because I love thriftiness so much... I think I should have lived during the depression.
I just don't get it.... why can no one else "make it" in the military but we seem to be stockpiling money over here. What are people spending money on?! All the wives of Michael's superiors "have to work". When we first got here Michael had to go to a "First Term Airman" seminar and they had a finance person come & talk to all the new airmen about saving money and went over the finances with each person... the woman told Michael she had never seen an airman with so much money saved. SERIOUSLY? And, that was a year ago and I don't even work!!!
Even when I lived in Pennsylvania all alone and had to pay for my own apartment & electricity I still managed to save $2,000 by the time I came home (though I did have 2 jobs for the last few months and didn't have to pay for my health insurance). I don't know, I guess no one is teaching good money management and is instead trying to get them to sign up for credit cards to pay off their other credit cards.
K, thats my tangent about the military. I imagine its much harder in the "real world".
Oh, and I would like to thank Michael for teaching me saving money with nothing in mind to spend it on is fun, because right before I met him I almost overdrew my bank account (and that wouldn't have been the first time). Though, I think we are too stingy now and need to give some of it away.
3 comments:
Love that book - Family Driven Faith. And, yes, people have no concept of what it means to live on what you make. Look around, most young enlisted drive WAY better cars than Eric does! Always cracks me up. No debt is the key. Save the money before you need to buy a car. Give it away to someone who actually has less than you (although, honestly, I have a hard time giving my money to the "poor" in the US - those who have cable, cell phone and get their hair and nails done).
When Eric and I got married he was a Captain. :-) We were in debt, but spent 3 years paying it all off. Never have had debt since. Learning to be content with what God has given you and learning to live within your means are important!
I do need to learn how to shop at thrift stores though. I hate shopping, so just do without.
Beth--
We are "addicted to the deal" too!
Tracy and I were married young, I was 17 and he was 21. We had no money but we never had debt and I have NEVER worked out of the house--even before I was married.
We were married before Tracy came back on active duty and it was rough. Tracy was going to college and working 40 hours a week. We had our four kids in five years so by the time I was 24 I had 4 kids and still no debt, (two born on active duty).
Our first assignment was to Germany and we saved ALL of our COLA. We have two homes now--this one that the military is paying for and one in VA on ten acres of land that will be our retirement home. Our vehicles, even the 2008 car, are paid for.
Anyway, we have lived within our means our entire marriage and God has blessed our efforts. We have always tithed--even and especially off of Tracy's bonus pay.
I have family members who had good paying jobs and lots of debt when they got married. They are still in debt many years later. I think my marriage at a young age and not getting used to buying things on the future has helped us to stay debt free.
I am not sure what it is that people spend their money on either.
I absolutely love to shop at Goodwill--did you know that the one on North Academy is the model store for the nation? Sometimes I can get much better deals on the clearance racks at the BX than at Goodwill. I go to all three BXs in the area, Peterson and Ft. Carson once a month, and the AFA once a week.
Anyway--I think to be financially responsible in the world we live in today is rare.
Keep up the good work and remember that there is a surcharge at the commissary--arrgh!
Kristy
PS King Soopers has some great deals! Do you follow Money Saving Mom's blog--great resource.
Just google it if you are interested.
Thought you would find this guys blog interesting. We knew them when we lived in Maryland - she's expecting #12. http://sardoniccatholicdad.blogspot.com/2009/07/spending-less-saving-more.html
Also, we know people who make TONS of money, are Christians and claim they cannot afford to tithe. WHAT? They can take vacations 4 times a year, put hardwood flooring in the house ... Can't afford to tithe. It's so good to know there are many Christians out there who are not like that!
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