Commissaries encourage saving money, reducing debt, building wealth

“Our core message is that by shopping on the installation – whether in commissaries, exchanges or morale, welfare and support activities – service members and their families can stretch their paychecks, and that’s an integral part of helping them manage their finances. This aligns perfectly with the Military Saves campaign.”

Here are a few DeCA programs to consider for extra commissary savings:

· Your Everyday Savings! (YES!): Your commissary is reducing prices daily on hundreds of the most frequently purchased popular brands. Look for the orange YES! shelf labels in your commissary aisles.

· Commissary Rewards Card: Download digital coupons right to your card and save at the register. If you don’t have a card, ask a cashier for one, then visit the DeCA website to register your card.

· Print coupons: Before your commissary trip, visit the Savings Center on DeCA’s website to find resources with lots of printable coupons. If you’re at the store, check out the wide variety of coupons displayed throughout the commissary.

· Commissaries.com sales flyer: Before visiting the store, view the sales flyer on the website while making your shopping list to ensure maximum savings. You can also sign up to have the flyer sent to your email.

· Commissary store brands: Your commissary offers high-quality, low-cost private label choices on food and non-food items, healthy, organic products, and baby and child care solutions to provide even greater savings.

“It’s important for service members and their families to know that it’s never too late to start saving for the future,” said Angela Caban, director of Military Saves. “Small steps in building a savings habit can make a big difference over time and the secret to saving is simple.

Honoring ‘our youngest heroes’

Springtime, children and fun go together like savings and military commissaries as the Defense Commissary Agency takes the wraps off its April sales promotions.

“Commissaries are proud to join our exchange partners in honoring our youngest heroes during April, the Month of the Military Child,” said Saucedo. “Whether it’s special coloring contests, ProCamps opportunities or exclusive savings on nutritious products to help their development, we are here for our military children.”

Here are a few sales specials to consider for commissary savings:

· “Make Every Day Earth Day.” Throughout April, General Mills will feature promotional savings on natural and organic products in recognition of Earth Day, April 22. Commissary customers will see high-value coupons and discounts on Annie’s, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, Larabar and Food Should Taste Good items such as macaroni and cheese, ready-to-eat cereal, canned tomatoes and pasta sauces and healthy snack foods.

· Month of the Military Child 2021 Coloring Contest. The children of active-duty and reserve military, 11 years of age or younger, are eligible to enter a coloring contest. The coloring page is available for download at www.commissaries.com/color. A grand prize winner from all entries will have their artwork placed on one side of Your Commissary’s reusable bag. Two first place winners, one from each of two age groups, up to 6 years old and 7-11 years old, will be acknowledged on the other side of the bag. And six honorable mentions will be selected and placed on the bag’s gussets (both sides). Entries will be accepted at each commissaries’ customer service department until April 30.

· P&G Military ProCamps. Installations qualify for a football skills camp based on sales of designated P&G products at their local commissaries and exchanges through mid-April. Customers will see mass product displays in participating stores and can also help their installation win by texting their installation name to 833-998-1228 through April 11. The camps are for youth in grades 1-8 who enjoy activities led by NFL athletes. The camps are scheduled to be conducted in June and July, either in-person or virtually, depending on the status of public health precautions related to the pandemic.