We are proud to have had BeFrugal.comfounder Jon Lal as a guest on Army Wife Talk Radio with Tara and Star. Here is a link to the $50 Amazon gift card contest mentioned on-air. You can listen to the recorded radio show to get all of our tips here.

Yesterday we talked about military discounts and how families of those serving in the armed forces can save money. Below is a look at the advice that was shared.

Question: What are the pros and cons of shopping online?

Answer: Shopping online offers coupons, Cash Back and convenience. You can get delivery directly to your home and shop 24/7. There’s also no sales clerk pressure, no lines, reduced opportunity for impulse buys, you can view your electronic shopping cart & make changes as you wish without judgment from the sales staff.

Question: What kinds of different types of coupons are available?

Answer: There are coupons for grocery, restaurant and retail; printable, clipped and online coupons. Online coupons can often be combined with Cash Back to “double up.”  For opportunities to save more by "doubling up" just look for the money bag symbol on BeFrugal.com.

Question: BeFrugal.com recently launched a Cash Back program, what is that?

Answer: Cash Back is a percentage of each eligible  transaction that is earned in free account. There is a $10 bonus right now for joining, an average of 5% and more than 2000 stores.

Question: How does your site help military members and their families? 

Answer: BeFrugal connects all people in its savings community – including those in the military – with free resources to save more of their money while buying what they need. Many Veteran and military deals are posted on the company blog :

• https://www.befrugal.com/blog/coupons-and-deals/veterans-day-2011-discounts-and-freebies/
• https://www.befrugal.com/blog/frugal-articles/save-money-by-finding-the-best-military-discounts/
• https://www.befrugal.com/blog/frugal-articles/how-to-invest-your-time-this-veterans-day/

When using military discounts,  it’s important to bring military affiliation proof with you when shopping at a store and ask to verify the policy. Some stores vary by location, others offer their discounts only on some days of the week.  You often need to verify your military status either with a military ID or by conversing with a customer service person to get the military discount. 

Question: As a rule, are most military discounts only offered to those serving or can their spouses receive the savings too?

Answer: In general most discounts are available for the service member’s spouses and other dependents. Most places will state in the terms “for dependents with proper ID.”

Question: Are most military discounts only available in stores?

Answer: Yes. Since it’s hard to verify if the customer’s military affiliation online, there are not many online military discounts.  

Question: When military discounts are available for online shopping, can Cash Back also be earned and/or can coupon codes be used also for additional savings?

Answer: Online coupons and Cash Back from BeFrugal can be great ways to save extra, on top of free shipping since many businesses do offer free shipping to APO/FBO/FOB addresses to help service members save.

More tips:

Do your research to be sure you are always getting the most savings. It’s excellent that military deals are offered, but there may be better savings offered with another deal such as a coupon or cash back that is available for free online. Conduct a quick search and crunch the numbers for a comparison. Always ask: There may be a price match policy or a way to stack savings by combining offers.

To be sure you are getting the most savings, military spouses can and sometimes should use savings available for everyone instead of a military discount. It is important to look for a military deal and compare it to discounts that are widely offered. See if the savings can be combined if both forms of discounts are available. When in doubt, always ask about a military discount!

 Military families can use BeFrugal to save money in the following ways: 

• Spot sales with the online weekly ads
• Print free coupons for grocery, retail and restaurants
• Use free online coupons as well as earn Cash Back
• Get a $10 bonus for joining. Click here to join now!
• Access free online tools
• Sign up for the email newsletter to get the latest deals delivered to their in box

Image thanks to karmadude.