The simple fact that you know to stay away from the bx or commissary on pay day tells you that far too many around here live paycheck to paycheck. I am interested to see how it's handled(by those paycheck to paycheckers) if there is a government shut down starting this Friday. If there is a shut down we will only get paid for the first week of April in the 15ths paycheck. Then nothing until they sort out a budget agreement. They will back pay but only after congress comes to an agreement.

Put simply. The 15th you may see only 1/4 of a months pay as opposed to the normal 1/2 month and depending on how long they take to reach a deal you very well could have no pay at the end of the months either......


Hope you've saved;). And if you have, it may be a really good month to pick up some very cheap used items around here. Lol. 

I was reading about this... Makes me worried about getting backpaid AND the fact that I'm still getting tax free/hostile fire because finance lost my manual travel voucher. 

I can see the point your trying to make DaGa but thats kind of a terrible thing to want to see 

Good grief why would you title this "It's about to get good"? Not sure what good will come out of this for anyone invovled...oh yeah you'll be able to pick up cheap items. Have fun with that. 

I don't know about the rest of you on here but why make such a spiteful post. Sounds like you can't wait to see how people have to struggle. Not everyone can save alot of money to skip a paycheck. Even when they manage their money right. This post is uncalled for! MY OPINION!! 

DaGa has a point (though has a pretty different way of saying it). There ARE too many military families living paycheck to paycheck and not ever saving a single dime. As the wife of an junior enlisted Airman (with children) I know exactly how much money we have and it's more than enough to make ends meet and save money each month. How?

Nearly a third of his check goes directly to TSP and savings before we ever see it. We've never had it so we never miss it.

We live debt free. A few years back we took that large tax refund from the government and instead of buying crap, we paid off every CC we had and didn't look back.

We drive used, paid for cars. When they break, we fix them and can afford too since we have savings.

We live on a budget. I make a list for the store once a week, meal plan and use coupons. No going to the commissary and throwing random crap in the cart because it looks yummy.

We have pay as you go phones, I don't get my nails done very often and buy expensive purses. Our kids don't ride around in $600 strollers. We eat out once a handful of times a month.

Saving money can be done, people just choose to not make the sacrifices that are required to save.

Why do we do this? Because he's a freaking E4 and we can't afford everything under the sun. Not if we want to be financially stable. It boggles my mind when E5, E6 and E7 families with more children struggle. If you make better choices from the get-go, you won't freak out if your pay is a few days late.

And yes, people are freaking out. I've seen more than my fair share of comments on FB and other forums saying the military better hand out free diapers and food. It's all about personal responsibility people. 

Its almost a blessing in disguise for us that my husband's travel voucher took 3 months to get and we waited to do taxes. If it weren't for that, I couldn't imagine missing a paycheck. We've been doing a lot of reading from suze orman, and boy am I glad.

For those that will be struggling if this happens, hopefully it wouldn't last long,and starting an emergency fund might be in your best interest. We haven't got a clue how bad our gov can get! 

Live within your means! 

I am hearing that it may only last a couple of days.

I don't think it's funny that people might struggle, but I really doubt it will go on long enough for people to really feel the hurt. 

There is a point here......... unfortunately, as in most cases of posts made online, it will largely be overlooked because the person choosing to make the point has chosen the most smug I'm-smarter-than-you means of making said point.

While I completely agree that it is possible to live within your means with the military pay provided this is not possible for everyone. I would never presume to judge others assuming that I know more about their finances than they do. Do I see people blowing money on unnecessary extravagances at the BX each week..... yes. But many of these people are young airmen and their wives with little to no debt and no dependents which gives them more disposable income than many others.

Also it is very easy to say my husband and I are easily able live on military pay but there are many military members that did not join the military straight out of high school/college that had many years of supporting themselves and their family and yes *gasp* incurring debt along the way (and not just because they all have a spouse with some insane Coach purse fetish) before they joined the military and were moved overseas thus cutting out the availability of a second income. This has caused a lot of military members to have incur debt just as a means for survival and not to continue some pathetic charade of living a live of luxury and wealth.

Again I understand that there are a lot of people out there that are living outside of their means and yes this is a wake up call but making a point and doing so with a smug - self satisfied air doesn't make you appear smarter than everyone else.... it just makes you look like a bully with a keyboard. 

Everyone's situation differs, and I wouldn't wish hard times on anyone. However, all of us are responsible for the decisions we make.

If the near-miss financial melt-down of Sep2008 taught us anything, then everyone should have started accumulating an 'emergency fund'...not just for something like a government shutdown but for unanticipated cash requirements.

Again, I don't want to be stereotypical because i'm certain many folks are in situations beyond their control at no fault of their own.

But those that spend money like drunken sailors with 2 car payments on the new BMW and Mercedes and credit card debt maxed out, you made your decisions...now live with the consequences. 

No smug here, just saying, live within your means. We did the whole basic training thing with kids,and no i wasn't working. We've had rough times, and I'm not saying I'm perfect, but do a little reading...there are ways for every income level, to be saving. There are also resources available for military to get financial advice. 

I wasn't referring to you specifically NYgal really just the originator of the post and that the post was titled "It's going to get good"

I agree there are a plethora of military sources available for people living with debt that actively want to pay it off but I can tell you from experience with a couple of friends that many people are weary of reporting their debt levels to anyone associated with the military for fear that it will get back to their chain of command and that it will reflect poorly on themselves. 

I don't wish a hard time on anybody at all. Also my "it's about to get good" title is sarcasm. I am sorry if you were offended by it but it is like saying "it's about to get deep". I suppose you've never heard that type of terminology before. I will be more careful in the future. 

I'm not too worried about it. The only thing I'm really worried about is the normal bills that come out monthly. Like...the 2k of bills that come out monthly...we have enough to cover that for one month. After that...we are screwed. U know, and all it takes is a couple of times to get in a bad financial way. U will pay for it for years. We know. We just realized how much money we waste and wondered how. We did a budget last month and saved amlost 1k...we are in the middle of a compassionate reassignment so once we get moved, we will start saving again. But we do have debt and we will be hurt if the government shuts down. We will be able to eat and what not but I'm worried about those monthly bills that come out. We just spent savings on fixing one of the cars.So with all that said I do feel like this post is spitefull. And for you A14, its not for u to understand why or how ppl can barely make ends meet SH** HAPPENS! Ger over urself. When I die I may have small debt but I will die knowing I had fun and that my kids had a lot better than I did. I also know that we are about to get in debt over school. But that with a few paychecks, ill pay them off. Some of u guys need to get off ur high horse! 

Ahhhh understood. I apologize if my post comes off as too direct (as I often do even in my personal life) but there are few things that annoy me more than online bullies with God complexes that rejoices in the inferiority of others circumstances. I understand that was not your intention so thanks for the clarification :) Sadly many nuances of speech (especially online) are lost on me. 

Hopefully this will prompt people to maybe take a look at their financial situation and start putting away an emergency fund.

Either way, I hope that military members who have debt realize that there is no repercussion to seeking out financial counseling, but there are HUGE repercussions to being caught with huge debts and essentially being financially irresponsible.

It only becomes a problem for your chain of command if you are referred by your chain of command, and lose your security clearance. I have seen both happen, and it's ugly. If they seek out help, have a plan in place and financial counselors to back up their story, they are much less likely to be in trouble over debt. 

Well I may have takin the tone wrong to begin with. I see your point. It's just I have only heard the saying used in a spiteful way so that is how I took it.

I have no credit card debt and we still struggle. It is so easy to think because someone is military therefore you know their pay and can then say "if I can make it, so can you, stop being so wasteful with your finances". We do not have babies that eat a can of formula a week and that is it. Boy do I miss those days though! Half our check goes to child support and then we spend thousands of dollars to buy 4 plane tickets to get a summer visit with our children who live in the states. Then add feeding them for the months they are here, those who have fed one teenage boy can feel me here! Lol. But because of timing of all this, if it does happen, it will greatly effect our ability to have a nice visit with our children. I did read that the IRS will also be hit by this and refund checks will be delayed. My return is already delayed until June so I really do not want to see more time added to that. If it is oh well I will have to deal with it. I do not have great plans for it, but it would be nice to have while the boys are here, especially if the paychecks get reduced. A savings would be nice. I had a nice healthy one prior to moving here. Sad to say it probably will not be getting fat again until I get a job. So yes this will effect me in a negative way...go ahead judge me. I will probably not even notice that you did. :) 

It's still not certain that if the gov't shuts down that we won't get paid. Nothing is set in stone about that yet.

But even if that were the case there is no need to be a b1tch about it.

Matter of fact, I hope something happens where you have to spend all your savings and then we can laugh at you when you have no money. 

Yeah it's not been announced whether or not the military will/will not be paid.

Civilians, yes. We will have to dip into savings eventually. 

From what I read this a.m., Military will be paid through 8 April...then [u]earn monies thereafter, but it will not be deposited until the budget is approved.

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/04/06/administration-paints-picture-possible-government-shutdown

Whew...this whole topic/thread...like poking a wasp's nest.... 

Gary. The plan has been to pay up to the date that the shutdown begins. It's been the plan for sometime and DFAS has already separated your pay into the 1st-8th segment just in case there is a shutdown. Why? Because that's how it's going to happen. You get paid till the 8th then nothing else until the budget is passed.

I won't laugh at anybody for the hard times they may face I feel bad for them. I think it will be very short lived few days maybe 2 weeks tops if both parties really want to play hardball. But I will get a chuckle out of half priced iPhones iMacs and BMWs

And don't hold your breath on laughing at me over this. I may loose everything I have but it will not be over a government shut down of any length.




It's still not certain that if the gov't shuts down that we won't get paid. Nothing is set in stone about that yet.

But even if that were the case there is no need to be a b1tch about it.

Matter of fact, I hope something happens where you have to spend all your savings and then we can laugh at you when you have no money.  

comeon ppl we are all in the same boat some better than others some worse. at the end of the day we ar miltary and we are all in this togther so be nice and quit being nasty to each other. 

wow...what a way to start a thread...LOL

Not everyone has the ability to save....no matter what they do they do they can't seem to keep thier heads above water...it always seems like they are JUST surviving. I outta know...we were like that a few years ago...it seems as though nothing we did got us ahead. We tried to save and scrimp and then enivitably something would happen and we would have to go into our savings...we are not as bad now...but we aren't the Rockafellers either. Our freezers (we have 2) seem to always be packed (and allot of time...we STILL go shopping or go out ot eat so food wise we will be fine....we won't be spending at the BX "just because" we have it and we can...which is not a bad thing. If I HAVE to stay home from work...okay...I'll stay home from work until I get the go ahead to go back...it'll be like a mini stay-cation.
As far as not getting paid on time...hubby was getting hazardous duty pay for the past 6 months....from his deployment LAST year...went to finance like he was supposed to and turned in all of his paperwork...gotta love when the govt. messes up but you are the one to suffer cause you KNOW they take it all at once....so we havent have real money for a while.
To the folks that DO live paycheck penny to paycheck penny...stay strong...this too shall pass. 

Guess its not that uncommon for people to get messed up paychecks after a deployment. We've been dealing with that for months, hoping this time its right before having to owe them a ton of money....ugh. You'd think they'd get their system straight by now. 

I am thankful we don't live pay check to paycheck.. but this is mean.. for those who do live that way prob don't want to be living that way you DO NOT know thier situation. Maybe the mom can't work because her check would go right to childcare. or maybe she don't want her kids in childcare..How pople live or spend their money they earn is not your concern...I am one of those who HATES the BX on payday and would rather die than hit the Comm on that day so I just plan around it and am tahnkful that my $ allows me to do so. It may have been a long time ago but I still remember what it was like to be a young AF family starting out. 

*thankful* 

Ok..let me see. How can i make the best out of a bad situation? I have a few ideas,you could do a..

or baking ....or sell your unwanted items,which could be someone's treasure on RYS!Just an idea,do you guys know of any ideas how to make money? 

I disagree, some people need to think that not everyone has the same situation. How do you know that everyone should be financially stable to handle this kind of thing? Maybe they lost their job in the states, filed bankruptcy and had to join the military. Now they are working on paying off the debt they incrued from job loss? Maybe there are child support payments that have to be made? Taking care of parents in the states? A spouse recently lost their job also and the savings account is depleated? Lots of UNEXPECTED things come up and not everyone makes decent pay, not everyone can be prepared all the time. Come on people. And lets think about how if you live off base/post then YOUR OHA is going to STOP! Do you have the money to pay that out of pocket too?? (Oh, wait a second I guess youre not money smart if you chose to live off base too?) What if you are getting BAH for your dependants in the states then that BAH is going to stop too, do you have the funds to pay that out of pocket too? A lot of people have a hard time living financially overseas and dont always have the means to save over here. Maybe instead of critisizing others that arent able to save you should give pointers on how to survive this if it does happen. No 2 people have the same financial situations. Some people came into the military to HELP their finances and this is going to hurt them all over again. 

Possible Commissary Closure due to Furlough
The Ramstein and Vogelweh commissaries could be closed Saturday, 9 April due to the furlough. If so, they will extend their hours on 8 April to 22:00. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Harry Nichols at harry.nichols@deca.mil