Watch Hulu While Deployed Overseas

March 8, 2012

So you’re deployed or stationed thousands of miles from home with plenty of time on your hands. Maybe you can catch up on The Office? Oh wait, it’s blocked overseas? Argghhhh. I heard about VPN services on my last deployment and figured I would share. Follow these steps to fix it: 1. Sign up for Hide [...]

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Should you Rent or Sell your Home Before your Next PCS?

March 7, 2012

We recently got orders to Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii (woo hoo!). Along with those orders came a decision on what to do with the home we bought near Shaw AFB. We chose to rent out our home due to the low cost and quick turnover. Weighing the Options We reviewed three points before making a decision: 1. How [...]

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The Pros and Cons of Purchasing a Brand New Home

February 29, 2012

Buying a new home is like buying a new car. You can pick the exact options you want, while not worrying that a previous owner beat the crap out of it. Beware though – there’s an added price to achieve that “new home” smell (that would be paint). Pros 1. New homes come with warranties In [...]

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Bad Traffic at your Next Base? Decrease your Commute Time by Doing This

February 26, 2012

Commute times in big cities can change wildly based on time of day. For instance, in Hawaii a commute that takes 15 minutes at 10AM can easily take 40 minutes at 6:30AM. Knowing how traffic affects your commute is critical to deciding where to live at your next base. Enter Google Maps. They have a [...]

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5 Pitfalls of Owning a Home in the Military

February 20, 2012

Purchasing a home while in the military is easy. The VA will help you get a loan with no down payment. Realtors will show you all over town and not mention anything about commission (that’s the seller’s responsibility). Overall, it’s good to be a buyer. But before rushing into a home purchase, be mindful of [...]

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How to Negotiate a Lower Rent for Your Next Home

February 8, 2012

Home owners like military renters. Why? Because they greatly reduce the risk of them losing any money. A home owner is scared that 1) the renter will stop paying rent and it will take months to evict them or 2) the renter will tear up the home and will not be able to cover the [...]

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Ginkgo Hills Subdivision

August 19, 2010

Ginkgo Hills is a subdivision off of Old Camden Highway, just 10 minutes (5.5 miles) from Shaw AFB. The neighborhood is fairly secluded. It is full of custom-built brick homes, from around 1,600 to 2,200 sq ft.  Homes start at $150K. Most are less than 10 years old. Great for Families Military really like this [...]

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Shaw AFB Overview

August 18, 2010

Shaw Air Force Base is located in the town Sumter, SC.  Sumter is a fairly small town, and you may have heard some bad things about it. But let me tell you why it’s not so bad: You get a lot of house (and yard!) for your money. If you have kids or pets and [...]

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Free for Military – Great Military Discounts

August 13, 2010

Here’s my list of the best military discounts and coupons: 1. Hostgator web hosting – use coupon militarytips and get $9.94 off 2. Home Depot and Lowes – 10% off every day! Just show your military ID. 3. Microsoft Office - $79.99 for Home and Student Edition 4. Verizon Wireless – Save $50 5. CNN Tour [...]

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Overview – How to Find a Home Near Hurlburt Field

August 3, 2010

I lived near Hurlburt Field for four years while in the military, so I know the housing market fairly well.  I’m going to break down the neighborhoods where most military live, providing pros and cons for each.   Navarre/Holley by the Sea Navarre is located west of Hurlburt Field towards Pensacola.  It consists of neighborhoods [...]

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