Full Time Retired Military

Gotta say this once - We actually went and price checked specific general grocery items at commissary and local stores.

Commissary won hands-down on general shopping costs - some things up to 40% (paper goods soap, etc) and food about 25%-35% depending if we compared store brands vs commercial brands.

Some individual items were very similar in price ... I've been shopping commissaries for a lot of years (30 at least) and always without a doubt found savings overall. Plus, it's more convenient and you don't have to come to the parking lot armed to protect your groceries once you buy them ...

For some, it's a long distance, and won't help due to fuel costs ... but for those that live close and want the benefit we earned, it's a travesty to close the stores. If for no other reason, we earned it - quit taking things away.

Taking away a benefit is like giving a pay cut in disguise...

This past summer, we went to Fort Knox and stayed at Camp Carlson (excellent CG, but limited cellphone reception and OTA TV). We went to the PX and commissary. PX prices were generally equal or higher than Walmart, and selection not as good. Only minor savings at commissary. DoD should consider turning over the whole thing to Walmart or Target.

Ive become a DD form 2 holder recently and will be hitting the road with my 3 little dogs early spring once i get some doctors appts etc out of the way... this is a new world for me so if i got questions you can bet ill ask em :)

eta: not new to Rving, the military bases and famcamps are what i have no clue about

S/F

Larryzv7 wrote:
Roy & Lynne, the commissaries did take a big hit with that so-called “sequester,” and most of them have already stopped having “case sales,” which I used to look forward to for stocking up on things at a reasonable price. It would not surprise me, with all of the budget cutbacks and the commissary being part of the DOD budget, if some commissaries did close.

I’m told that Sam’s Club has discount membership for military veterans, and if the commissaries close I probably will be going more to Costco and Sam’s Club. It is my understanding that BX/PX’s are for profit organizations and are run under a different budget than the commissaries. I recently learned that BX/PX’s started out as on base trading posts back in the 1800’s.

Sam's Club offered free passes to military during the shutdown, and their everyday offer is $15 gift card for a paid membership or renewal. Details

I really don't give a flip whether commissaries are closed or not. There are plenty of other places to shop in the US. I have to check the date code carefully, I've found lots of items well past their date code still offered for sale. Same with the exchanges. Most are overpriced and poorly managed.

54 year old retired CPO fulltiming since 2008. I've spent some time in stick & bricks but mostly in the RV.

I have a 35 foot, class A. I run with a 4dr Ford Explorer and a portabote. I have 2 storage lockers. 1 in FL & the other in MD. I usually winter in FL to get out of the cold. I did a winter in MD & IN. Not my favorite thing to do.

I do a lot of camp hosting and volunteering. I've hosted in AK, NY & VA. I did a summer as a male prostitute in Yellowstone. Those who've worked in the park for a concessionaire will be able to relate.

I try to get utilize the military campgrounds. They seem to work best for me. You can always get around the maximum day limit if they don't have future reservations. I've used various parks including
Annapolis
Andrews
Solomons
Elmendorf
Wainwright
Mayport
Jacksonville
Camp Blanding

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others. Otherwise I try to use state parks with at least electric. You can fill up with water on the way in and dump on the way out.

I also try to not move too often. Many parks will give you a monthly rate. It's a better deal. Right now I'm paying $14 a night for 50 amp service. It's cold so I have 2 small heaters running. Nice and toasty while the wind is blowing outside. Wifi isn't included though.

When I host the spot is free so that is a big help. I use the VA system as all my records are in 1 place. I have used 4 different state VA hospitals. All your data and such are right there at the click of a mouse. Very convenient.

I use the NEX/BX/PX and commissaries for purchases when they are convenient. I'm a ways away from SS and so far it's working out. My house is rented out which helps. As long as my health holds out I'll keep doing this. Everybody is envious of my travels but the funny thing is they could be doing the same thing if they chose. It helps to not have any debt.

I'd rather regret things I've done instead of regretting things I didn't do.

Roy & Lynne, the commissaries did take a big hit with that so-called “sequester,” and most of them have already stopped having “case sales,” which I used to look forward to for stocking up on things at a reasonable price. It would not surprise me, with all of the budget cutbacks and the commissary being part of the DOD budget, if some commissaries did close.

I’m told that Sam’s Club has discount membership for military veterans, and if the commissaries close I probably will be going more to Costco and Sam’s Club. It is my understanding that BX/PX’s are for profit organizations and are run under a different budget than the commissaries. I recently learned that BX/PX’s started out as on base trading posts back in the 1800’s.

deltamaster, your point is well taken. When I joined the army back in 1964 the pay for an E-2 was $90/month and we did not have a lot of the on-base facilities like they have today. But $90/month was a lot of money back then. When I joined the army at the age of seven-teen I thought how great is this; they feed us, give us these neat uniforms to wear, and they also pay us. I was very naïve and that was before going to Vietnam.

I only go to certain Famcamps which I have visited before and know what facilities they have. Travis AFB allows you to stay up to 6-months, Beale AFB allows up to 4-months. I also like Point Mugu Naval Air Station Famcamp. Twenty-Nine Palms is o.k. but it’s in the desert.

The thing about the on-base gas stations is if you have a Military Star Exchange Card you can get a .05 per gallon discount. Although I do compare gas prices on-base with those off-base and also commissary and BX/PX prices with Wal-Mart, etc. The Famcamps I’ve been to, and I’ve been to a lot of them in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington State, and Nevada; have all been much cheaper than private RV parks, and they have full-hookups, Beale has free wifi and Travis has free cable TV hookup at every site. A lot of other Famcamps, like Ft. Lewis in Washington State, also have the wifi and cable T.V. amenities. It’s all explained on the militarycampgrounds.us website.

Famcamps are just like others off base, some are dry, some are parking lots, some are really great but what I always like is the Commissary,the laundramat is often right there, PX to wander through, nearly all have a small museum, a movie theater. Its a good place to restock, regroup, and refresh. Its like, okay I'm home.

I just heard the Pentagon is looking into closing commissaries, which of course will mean that the price of groceries around bases will instantly increase in price as they won't have the Commissary to compete with. I hope its just a nasty rumor.

Larryzv7 wrote:
To me Famcamps are like resorts because they usually have lots of free activities, like using the swimming pool or gym on base, watching baseball games on base, etc. Then there is cheaper gas at the base gas station and shopping at the BX/PX and commissary. On base movies are also cheaper. There is a lot to do on base that was not available when I was on active duty back in the stone age. Further, a lot of Famcamps are attached to base recreation or an MWR office that has discounted tickets for a lot of off-base activities. I prefer Famcamps over a lot of private RV parks. There is also a military camaraderie at Famcamps, besides the ordinary camaraderie that RV’ers have.

All that stuff is not free. You paid for it already in the sacrifice, work, long shifts, etc when you were on active duty! NEVER forget that!

I have had people make snide comments about the fact that I am collecting a military pension. I correct them VERY quickly when I tell them that I am not collecting a pension. I am collecting DEFERRED WAGES! Active duty military are paid a small fraction of what their civilian counterparts. After twenty plus years of low wages the government then doles the actual wages out over the next many years.


As to cheaper gas on base... be very careful. I have been to several bases where the gas on base was actually more than two gas stations on the road right outside the gate.

Movies, BX, Commissary, Gym, all that other stuff is great and there for use! Yes, does make using Famcamp similar to using a resort!


A few years ago I went to Cheyenne to renovate my basement rental apartment. Camped out in the side yard of the house so had to be careful with water usage so that I did not need to deal with dumping the holding tanks. Planned to use the bathroom in the apartment so I had to do the bathroom first. The first week that the bathroom was all torn up we took a short ride over to the base Gym for nice hot showers every evening after I was done with the daily work schedule.

To me Famcamps are like resorts because they usually have lots of free activities, like using the swimming pool or gym on base, watching baseball games on base, etc. Then there is cheaper gas at the base gas station and shopping at the BX/PX and commissary. On base movies are also cheaper. There is a lot to do on base that was not available when I was on active duty back in the stone age. Further, a lot of Famcamps are attached to base recreation or an MWR office that has discounted tickets for a lot of off-base activities. I prefer Famcamps over a lot of private RV parks. There is also a military camaraderie at Famcamps, besides the ordinary camaraderie that RV’ers have.