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Everyday Discounts Military Personnel May Be Overlooking

By U.S. News & World Report

To honor the sacrifices made for our country, there are countless discounts and savings available to thank U.S. active and veteran military personnel. While it’s widely known that discounts and freebies are offered on days of national recognition such as Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day or Independence Day, there are many more available throughout the rest of the year that aren’t as publicized.

Here are a number of everyday discounts for military personnel, broken down by category:

Tech

You can easily find military discounts at many restaurants and even clothing stores, but did you know about the savings available at major technology retailers? For instance, many cell phone providers will offer a 15 percent discount on monthly bills to active and retired military and veterans, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint.

The Apple store offers a military discount program to current and retired military members and their families for price cuts on certain products. Similar discounts are available at Microsoft, Dell Computers and Hewlett-Packard.

Active duty military are eligible to file state and federal taxes for free through the Intuit TurboTax Freedom Edition.

[See: 9 Red Flags That Could Trigger a Tax Audit.]

Entertainment

Disney offers many discounts for military families. The Armed Forces Salute program allows military personnel, veterans and spouses half off the regular price of tickets to Disney theme parks. You can also get select rooms at Disney Resort Hotels at 30 to 40 percent off normal rates. Another option for military personnel is Shades of Green, a military-owned resort within Walt Disney World in Orlando, which offers affordable lodging and complimentary transportation to theme parks. The Disney Cruise Line also has military discounted cruise rates on select trips.

Another theme park program available for active and retired military is Waves of Honor, offered by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. The program includes popular destinations such as Sea World, Busch Gardens, Sesame Place and Water Country USA. Current military members as well as up to three direct dependents can get free one-day admission to one of the theme parks. Veterans also can take advantage of promotions and discounts.

Speaking of free admission, active duty military and their families can visit several popular destinations free of charge, including Colonial Williamsburg, the Baseball Hall of Fame, Legoland, the San Diego Zoo and many other attractions and museums.

[See: 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Spend Your Free Time.]

Travel

There are a few valuable resources military personnel should check before they book any travel. The Armed Forces Vacation Club offers all eligible members of the U.S. military “vacations at an affordable price.” The website has an easy-to-use search feature to find discounts depending where and when you would like to travel. There is even a handy program called Space-A that lists all available units at a fixed price of $349 per week, plus taxes.

[See: 12 Frugal Ways to Save on Vacation.]

Discounts on flights are also available through various airlines. Exact discount percentages aren’t always listed, so the simplest way to find out is to call and ask. Southwest and United Airlines offer discounts to active military, and JetBlue also commits to offer MIL fares, or Military Leisure Travel.

Automotive

You can find significant discounts in the automotive industry for active military and veterans. General Motors has an entire website dedicated to specially priced vehicles for those who have served, and the company also offers an additional discount during National Military Appreciation Month in May.

A few other benefits for military members looking to purchase a vehicle include $500 bonus cash from Ford Motor Company; a Military Appreciation Offer from Acura of $750 toward a purchase; flexible terms, reduced rates and an eliminated down payment from Harley-Davidson; and many more.

For a detailed list of thousands of discounts and offers, Military.com/discounts is a great resource.

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Everyday Discounts Military Personnel May Be Overlooking originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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