Taking an $8K pay cut - need tips to save even MORE money?

Question

Taking an $8K pay cut, need tips to compensate!?

My husband is going to be going out to sea now, and for that we're getting our BAS taken away and getting about $50 sea pay in turn. This adds up to about an $8,000.00 pay cut. Any tips on compensating for this loss? I can't work because I'm taking 21 credits at college. Which we're not paying for in case anyone suggests me quitting school. I'm on full scholarship.

Answer 1

I'm not sure where you are getting 8K from.  BAS isn't that much in a year.  Plus don't forget, you will be buying less groceries so you should be coming out about even.  

Answer 2

Even going to the commissary just buy staples like cereal, sugar, coffee, pet food makes it worth the drive once a month.

Losing BAS is only about $3600 dollars for a year. How long is he supposed to be gone?

Doesn't he get family separation allowance too? That's $250 a month.  

Answer 3

Lassy, relax.

With sea pay and FSP kicking in his pay will go up.

I did 14 years at sea, I know how it goes.

You need to go on base and visit the Family Service Center. They can help you.

Also go visit Navy Relief. They will show you how to budget your money, and how to save.

My Wife used to work at Navy Relief as a budget counselor. So we know about it.

Answer 4

Generally with this amount of money, I would suggest simply tightening your belts a little in every area, as opposed to cutting back drastically on a few things. See if you can create a budget in Microsoft Excel or similar, showing you where your money comes from (singularly Navy I presume?) and where it goes (rent/mortgage, groceries, utilities, entertainment, other debts, etc). If you then tweak the numbers on your budget, it'll show you the end result of cutting a few dollars off your phone bill for example. You'll be amazed how much difference a few dollars can make when your working with numbers over the space of a year.

If you have lots of 'junk' kicking around your basement or garage, a yard sale might help also.

It may also be as simple as buying the cheaper cuts of meat when you go shopping (I'm not sure about the USA, but over here (Australia) we eat meat a lot so it makes quite a bit of difference to us. Also, if you goto farmer's markets (the real ones, not the ones aimed at rich, picky people) the fruit and vegies are much cheaper and generally better quality.

Hope that helped!

Answer 5

You do not lose BAH when your husband goes on a cruise or deploys on his ship.

You were misinformed.

Answer 6

you could try clipping coupons to save money and by shopping at stores like aldi and save-alot,you could go to your local beauty school for haircuts,check out your local dollar stores they have good household items very cheap,also try taking public transportation(if that's an option) to save money on gas if not try running all your errands while you out, hope this helped a little

Answer 7

Cancel cable and internet if you are not taking classes online. You really only need one type of phone so pick landline OR cell..not both. Since it is just you, you didn't mention any children, stick with cereal for breakfast, soup for lunch, and an equally cheap dinner. Don't eat out. Unplug all appliances that aren't being used, such as the toaster, tv when you go to bed, and computer. Here is a website that has great tips.

Answer 8

Can't recall having had my BAS cut off in 1999 when we went on deployment.  They took a part of it, but not all of it while we were on deployment.  Additionally, if you're in the San Diego area there a few commissaries that you can go to, there's one in Imperial Beach, one at Naval Station 32'nd street, NAS North Island, and MCAS Miramar.  

What are you losing that would add up to $8000?  Even if you completely lost BAS it would only account for $3533.16, at  $294.43/month.