If you’re an active military service member, then I know you’ve heard that there are special military discounts to be had. The problem with military discounts (well, it’s not a “problem” per say), is that there are a ton available, however, they aren’t as widely advertised as they should be! Many service members and their families are unaware of the benefits, and where to find them.
As someone who has a military spouse, I know how tough it can be to go on family outings while living on the salary my husband gets, so, saving money where we can is important and military discounts are always a welcome surprise/life saver when we happen to come across them. I also know there have been many times where a discount has been available but because we lacked the knowledge, it wasn’t utilized.
Missing out on discounts is something many military families have experienced and will experience throughout the duration of their time served..with that in mind, I decided to do some digging and found several ways/places where military related discounts are available. For my fellow military wives/husbands, I’m listing them in the hopes that you can start taking advantage of these discounts that participating companies/corporations offer to show their gratitude for all our military service men and women do for this country!
The BEST Military Discounts and Freebies for Service Members & Family
1. Blue Star Theaters
Do you like having date nights or family nights out at the movies? I know my family sure does! Blue Star Theaters participates in a partnership between Theater Communications and Blue Star Families to offer free or discounted admission to military members, their families and veterans, in 100 locations across the country. With movie theater prices steadily climbing, this is an awesome perk to take advantage of that will make going out with your loved ones a little less draining on your bank accounts.
2. Build a Sign
My readers know as well as I do that homecoming for their military loved ones is an emotional and special event. They’re a large part of military life, so, Build a Sign has stepped up to help you make a welcome home sign that will make your next homecoming special. The company will design a free, completely personalized homecoming (of your choosing) sign for your deployed loved one. Since 2008, Build a Sign has donated over 337,000 signs to military families!
3. National Parks
If you live within a reasonable distant or are thinking about traveling to any national parks (summer vacation is coming up!) then you’ll be happy to hear that fees are waived for military members on designated free entrance days. Even better, active duty members and their family members are also eligible for the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass, free of charge. The passes are typically $80 per person, so getting them for free is fantastic!
4. eKnowledge
One of the nicer benefits of joining the military is that you can get help paying for continuing education. If you have someone in your family who is studying to take the SAT or ACT, eKnowledge will donate a free SAT and ACT test prep program to them, free of charge. That’s $350 in savings for military families!
5. Tutor.com
So, as a member of the U.S military, you might not be interested in furthering your education but you happen to have a child who needs a little bit of extra help passing their classes. Tutor.com will provide your loved one with a free, professional tutor that who offers help in homework and studying, with free access to the Department of Defense online tutoring program.
6. FICO Scores
Maintaining your finances is hard as is keeping a good credit score. SaveandInvest.org provides free access to your FICO credit score with help from installation financial educators and counselors in the Military Personal Financial Management Program. Your finances and maintaining a good credit score has never been easier!
7. Amusement Parks
I’ve never met anyone who didn’t love amusement parks. Sure, you might not ever get up the courage to take a ride on one of their crazy roller coasters but the food, sights and other rides are always worth the trip. The trade off for building memories with your family or having a blast at your nearest park, is a steep admission price and that can be a real bummer when you have a family to consider. Fortunately, many amusement parks offer some decent discounts to military families but parks such as Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, Sesame Place and Water Country USA, offer one free admission to military members per year. That can really make or break your next theme park visit.
8. Museums
While art and history might not be a favorite on a lot of people’s lists, I personally love them. Unfortunately, admission prices can be a little outrageous. Like amusement parks, though, there are a lot of museums nationwide that have decided to show their gratitude for our service men and women by offering some pretty amazing discounts. Better yet, some, like the George W. Bush Presidential in Dallas, the Southwest Florida Museum Military Museum in Cape Coral and the USS Midway Museum in San Diego offer free admission to military service members. If you aren’t near those locations you can do a quick Google search to see which museums are near you and give them a call to see if they offer a military discount.
There are many places that offer discounts to military personnel and veterans alike. Unfortunately, they aren’t as well advertised as they should be and as a result they’re often missed out on. Google is an amazing tool to find out more places like those above who offer discounts to own military service men and women but you can also call around to your local establishments and see if they offer discounts as well! Also, be sure to check out these 5 Military Discounts You May Not Have Heard Of!
