How to Not Go Broke When You Return From Deployment

Though what to know before deployment, in itself, can be difficult and stressful, coming back home can be even worse. There's family to worry about, house and car payments to deal with, plus a host of other issues you have yet to really even think long and hard about, all compounded over the previous year of warfare is, more than anything, extremely taxing on returning soldiers.

Fortunately, we're here to help. There are a great many things you can do for yourself right now that will greatly help you in the long run when it comes to your finances. You serviced our country, so I think we owe you the favor.

It's easier than you think, how to not go broke when you return from deployment, just follow these guidelines so you aren't losing sleep and money when you need both of them most.

Don't splurge on unnecessary things.

Like a brand new truck or fully upgraded Bushmaster, immediate splurging after deployment will guarantee you'll be broke sooner, rather than later. I know the more recent military men will want nothing more than to reintegrate themselves into life through sports, like shooting or driving, but it can oftentimes become an addiction or a trivial hobby that simply steals your attention from what's most important.

While you may think this is relieving and helpful, you're actually slowly murdering your wallet. Don't buy an upgraded gun or a new car as soon as you get off the plane, you're asking to lose money that you severely need in these trying times. Save, save, save — this is key in how to not go broke when you return from deployment.

Don't lose out on what you deserve.

Before heading home, soldiers should return their travel voucher, which can be used to claim a lump sum of daily accumulated transactions of $3.50 while on deployment. Anywhere upwards of $1,000 can be stashed away in these accumulated incidental expenses, and many service members tend to forget all about it, then losing a large sum of money that was just waiting for them after returning home.

Be smart, don't fall victim to forgetfulness, procrastination, or laziness, because mindfulness is a necessity in how to not go broke when you return from deployment. You have to be as dutiful and as aware as you were when overseas. Know your incentives, know your returns. It's as simple as being the serviceman you truly are, and accepting the given grants, hence knowing all of what you're offered in the first place.

Don't eat out.

While you may be trying to flatter your new military wife, or want to take the whole family out for a massive return feast, it's important to know your limits and how far to stretch your finances. Buying food at the grocery market, or going to a super store, is one of the most important facets in how to not go broke when you return from deployment.

Military men and women always fall into the hole of spending too much on food and nutrition, but you can avert this by simply buying cheap and in bulk. Don't waste unnecessary sums, when you can be saving that money for the more crucial, like insurance, bills, or car payments. Knowing what and what not to buy is the tool for success in how to not go broke when you return from deployment.

Stop arguing over money.

One of the leading causes of divorce in a military family is money trouble. Please, issues of finance should stay issues of finance, not family. Keep your business life, your love life, and your financial lives all separated, because this is one form of insurance that's most important in how to not go broke when you return from deployment.

Anything can happen, and with that hanging over a family's head, especially once you have returned home, the challenges can be daunting. Be in the know, always trust your wife, and stay providing for them as best as you can. Cherish your family time, don't waste it arguing over things you know can be easily fixed or avoided.

Kill procrastination.

Make up for all of the behind-work immediately, don't wait for everything to just fall back into place. File your taxes, whether you took part in differed taxes or not, and consolidate your debt. Check your LES consistently, so as to keep allowances and hazard pay from being kept on your account and drawn from a later paycheck. You don't want that, so do your due diligence.

Being military officers and servicemen to our country, you know no procrastination. Things get done timely, efficiently, and without restraint, or complaint. This should be your return life; procrastination will destroy your finances, so getting all the boring financial work done in advance is a necessity in how to not go broke when you return from deployment. Military orders — nor time itself — wait for no one, so neither should you.

Ease back into military family lifestyle.

Healthy tips on easing back into the comfort of your home aren't easy to come by, because everyone's different. Read this article on after the deployment, which will greatly assist in all three structures of home; concerning childcare, marital assistance, and your own mental capabilities in this old, yet very new setting. Finding a job, despite not being a veteran, can still be a productive step in reshaping your future finances and rekindling your military family lifestyle

It's not a race. You get home, and there's a boatload of things, mostly stressors, just waiting to take a bite out of not only your psyche, but your wallet, too. So, if you want to avoid having all of your hard earned cash ripped out of your hands, then figuring out how to not go broke when you return from deployment is an essential feat. Have all of your paperwork filed, organized, and in an easy-to-find spot. Keep everything up to date, as well.