The Army Times newspaper recently listed 32 must have iPhone and Blackberry apps for members of the military. And, I thought that I would share my ten favorite iPhone apps for the Soldier and member of the military in your life.

1. MRE Info – Menus and how-to guides, everything you ever wanted to know about Meals Ready To Eat
2. PerDiemCalc - Now you will always know when finance is shorting you your TDY money.
3. Flash2Bang - A necessity for any good artilleryman but also cool if you are caught in a thunderstorm.
4. USAA Mobile - Pay bills, transfer funds, trade stocks, or make a deposit by taking a picture of the check!
5. PushupFu/CrunchFu - Counts your exercises while you do them and even helps with your form
6. RunKeeper - Tracks your runs, walks, bike rides, etc. while listening to your music
7. Military Wife Deployment Guide - Pictures and gift reminders
8. Short Timer - Now you can count down the days until you PCS, ETS, or the end of deployment right on your phone
9. DOD Comm - It is like having AFN’s Pentagon Channel right on your phone
10. FlashLight App - Yes, like the commercial says…..there’s an app for that too, and it is super bright!

Favorites for any career…. Pandora, Facebook, Hootsuite, and The Weather Channel

The cool but pricey….Ballistic: Field Tactical Edition ($19.99) lets you calculate trajectory, windage, and a host of other factors.  US Military Handbook ($9.99) has pay and allowance tables, PT calculators, and slew of other great info.

No related posts.

Addiction to the internet, surfing the web, and checking our e-mail is no longer a condition of the young gamer generation. According to Greenfield Online, a consumer and marketing research firm, “out of approximately 83 million internet users in the United States, 11 million suffer from addiction.” Trust me, I understand how you can get lost looking at things on the internet, but sometimes we do not know when to say, “Enough is enough.”

Five Signs That You May Have A Problem…

1. You have mixed feelings of pleasure and guilt while at the computer.
2. You make unsuccessful efforts to quit or limit your computer use.
3. You lose track of time while on the computer.
4. You neglect friends, family and/or responsibilities in order to be online.
5. You find yourself lying to your boss and family about the amount of time spent on the computer and what you do while on it.

A Few Extra Signs…

• You feel anxious, depressed, or irritable when your computer time is shortened or interrupted.
• You develop problems in school or on the job as a result of the time spent and the type of activities accessed on the computer.
• When you are not on the computer, you think about it frequently and anticipate when you will use it again.

Source: The University of Texas at Dallas

A person who is “addicted” to the computer is likely to have several of the experiences and feelings on the list above.

Now that you know if you have a problem, what are can you do about it?

Encourage Other Interests. Internet addiction focuses on many people, young and old. Get your loved one out from behind the glow of the computer screen. Encouraging the affected person to pursue other hobbies and activities may help curb the cravings of a computer.

Set Clear Limits & Monitor. Moving the computer into a common area of the house instead of a bedroom can help you monitor how much computer usage is actually occurring. If the addicted person is a child, limiting time online will definitely help. It becomes more of a challenge when the person is older such as a spouse. 

Talk About Underlying Issues. Compulsive computer use can be the sign of deeper problems. Is your loved one having problems fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress?

Seek Professional Help. If all else fails, do not be afraid to seek professional counseling if you are concerned about your child or adult loved one. There may also be support groups available in your area as well.

No related posts.

Because it takes so long for our troops to receive mail overseas and in the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, you should keep in mind the U.S. Postal Service’s recommended mailing deadlines.  Shipping your packages and letters by the dates below will help to ensure that the military member will get their mail in time for Christmas.

Holiday Mail Deadlines

No related posts.

I cannot stand the military postal system, and I wanted to share a few tips with you about how to make the system work as best as possible for you.  Now, I know that this is not a personal finance topic, but lost and delayed packages through the mail can cost you a lot of time and money.  Understanding how the system works can help especially when you are mailing things to our troops overseas.

Packaging Matters A Lot.  Packages and boxes that you are mailing your loved ones should be wrapped and protected as much as possible.  If you cannot drop the box out of a second story window without it breaking on the ground into a million people, then you did not package it and wrap it with enough bubble wrap.  You have to understand that your loved one’s box is pass off from the United States Postal Service (USPS) to a military postal worker who sadly enough does not care enough about your boxes and mail.

Do Not Buy Express Service.  All military mail sent overseas to one of the 453 military post offices in 93 countries is first routed through New York and New Jersey by the USPS and then handed off to members of the US military or contracted postal clerks.  A box marked express or priority mail will travel very fast to the NJ/NY mail gateway, and then it will screech to a halt.  Express is a waste of money, and the USPS will not be able to guarantee a speedy delivery date past New York.  The USPS cannot guarantee any specific delivery date to an overseas APO for that matter.

Address Marking Tips.  Make sure that your package is marked well.  Put an index card with the address inside the box the case it breaks open.  Tape over the “to” and “from” addresses with clear tape to prevent smudges.  Like US mail, the correct zip code is the most important thing, and do not put a country name on any APO address.  It is considered a US address and could slow the mail down if any country name other than US is on that package. 

I am also very cautious about what I write on the customs form that I fill out.  It is very sad but theft is a huge problem in the military postal service’s system.  And, popular companies like Dell, Apple, Zappos, and Amazon do not do our Servicemembers justice when they plaster their companies’ logos on their boxes.  It’s a bright neon flashing sign for theft!  Do you have any tips on mailing boxes overseas?

Related posts:

1. Do Not Forget About Holiday Mailing Deadlines To Troops

Here are some of my favorite and the most interesting articles from my RSS reader that I thought you might enjoy:

• A Brief Introduction to Asset Allocation – A very important topic that I have not covered very much yet.  Well worth your time reading this one!
• Investing in a Bear Market – Get Rich Slowly is one of the best personal finance blogs out there, and this post gives you some great tips and encouragement to help you through the market’s rocky road.
• Leave Your Money in the Bank. It’s Safe. – Great advice that people need to hear to calm their nerves in this bumpy economic climate.
• Photo/Video All of Your Personal Property – With as often as members of the military move around the country and the world, this piece of advice is imperative!
• Online Calculator Calculates How Much It Costs To Drive – A fun look at several websites that will tell you how much it will cost you to drive across the country to your new duty assignment.  Now we will know exactly how little our travel allowances are really covering us.
• How Your Credit Score Affects Interest Rates – A very sobering look at how intertwined your credit score is with the rest of your financial life.

What the heck is RSS you may be asking?  Great question.  I have no idea…it’s like magic.  But, other people know.  Here is a great post explaining it.

Related posts:

1. You Should Adjust Your Withholdings On Your W-4 To Save Your Tax Money

Here are some of the blog’s most popular articles for the past month.  Please feel free to share these with your friends and family.  Thanks…

Notable articles from the blog:

1. Tips on Picking a Financial Planner – It Is Your Money and No One Cares More About It Than You  - Tips you should consider when hiring a financial planner.
2. Every Soldier and Civilian Needs to Have Renters’ Insurance  - A sad story about a Soldier who did not have renter’s insurance and then needed it desperately.
3. What Should You Do with Certificates of Deposit That Are Maturing? CD Ladder.  - Here are some ideas on what to do when your CDs are maturing.
4. Using a Stock Screener to Find the Perfect Individual Stock to Buy – How to find that great stock that is eluding you.
5. Using a Personal Escrow Account Instead of Buying an Automobile Extended Warranty – My wife and I are not going to buy an extended warranty for our car and here is why.
6. Is It Worth It to Pay Points on Your Mortgage – A cost benefit look at different interest rates on home mortgages.
7. Investing 101: Risk Versus Reward and Risk Tolerance – A beginner’s look at how much risk you should take when investing.

I hope that you have enjoyed the blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it and that you will continue reading.  Thanks again….

Hank

Related posts:

1. Practice Your Investing Skills and Earn Real Money with UpDown Stock Market Game
2. Is Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Enough Coverage For You?

It is the weekend.  The stock markets are thankfully closed after a long week of a roller coaster ride.  So, I wanted to take a breather from talking about stocks and personal finance and share with you some random, fun, and cool websites that will hopefully keep you distracted instead of thinking solely about your finances.  Enjoy…

- Hank

1. FootballBunker.com – Great website that lets you and your friends compete against each other in picking the NFL’s winners each Sunday.  Last week, I predicted 12 winners and missed only 2 games and had one of the best records on the site.
2. Guitar Tricks.com – Free online guitar lessons for the beginner and advanced players from some of the best teachers from around the country.
3. Yahoo Answers – I am addicted to surfing, reading, and answering some of the craziest personal finance and military questions that people ask on the site.  About 20% of the questions seem to be people’s homework questions.  I wish I had found this when I was in high school or college.
4. Hulu.com – Hulu is a very interesting streaming video website that actually has archived episodes of your favorite television shows like Hell’s Kitchen, Family Guy, SNL, The Daily Show, House, etc.  You can even watch movies on the website!
5. Addicting Games.com – The name says it all.  I wasted hours yesterday playing the “Parking Lot” game of all things.  My mom would not be impressed to know that I still cannot parallel park.  I am sure that she is just glad I’m not trying it with her car anymore!

Share and Enjoy:

Related posts:

1. Practice Your Investing Skills and Earn Real Money with UpDown Stock Market Game
2. Top 10 Best Coupon Websites To Save You Money While Shopping

Like the Y2K scare because computers lacked a four digit date, the National Debt Clock in New York City only has 13 digits, but this past week the sign rolled past the $10 trillion mark thanks to Congress’s $700 billion financial bailout plan.  The sign’s owner had to replace the dollar sign in front of the number with another digit to keep the sign running.

In 1989 Artkraft Strauss, sign company, and real estate developer Seymour Durst put up the National Debt Clock on the Avenue of the Americas in New York City to draw attention to the growing problem.  The national debt was only $2.7 trillion dollars that year.  

The national debt is equivalent to approximately $33,333 for every man, woman, and child in the country.  The clock was actually turned off for a couple of years in 2000 when the national debt was shrinking because the clock is unable to run backwards. The clock was not off for long when the our debt started to rise again in 2002.

Source: zFacts.com

Share and Enjoy:

No related posts.

This week postings from Military Money Might appeared in the:

1. Carnival of Money Stories # 79  - Hosted by Living Almost Large
2. Carnival of Personal Finance # 173 – Hosted by Girls Just Wanna Have Funds
3. Carnival of Finance Fiesta # 18 – Hosted by Master Your Card
4. Carnival of Finance Fiesta # 19 – Hosted by Living Almost Large

Like I do with every blog carnival update, I’ve listed some of my personal favorite stories and ideas below.  Like a good movie critic, you might not like what I like.  So, click on the full links to the carnivals above and see all the great stories.  They have a lot of great personal finance ideas and insight.  Enjoy…

My personal favorites this week:

• 8 Summer Fun Activities That Won’t Break the Bank from The Smarter Wallet – Even though the title says summer, these ideas are classic and great ideas for spending time with your family.
• 10 Activities for the Bear Market from Money Ning – Some great tips that we have talked about here too.
• How to Protect Yourself Against the Economic Crisis from The Smarter Wallet – Some great tips about staying calm in the crisis and not panicking. 
• How We Prepared for Our First Home Purchase from No Debt Plan – Great list of things to consider when buying your first home.
• Are You Really Ready to Buy a Home? from Sing Guy Money – These are some great tips for the perspective homebuyer (like me) in this new turbulent market we are facing.  Great post!
• Getting Motivated to Organize Your Financed from Rich Credit Debt Loan.  Just getting started can be the hardest thing to conquering your financial troubles.  This post has some great discussion about setting goals.
• 10 Ways to Bury Yourself In Debt from Greener Pastures: Personal Finance – Great common sense listing of things that may be no brainers but are still hard to do.

Share and Enjoy:

No related posts.

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2009 Military Spouse of the Year award from Military Spouse magazine is coming up on Wednesday, October 8^th.  If you want to nominate your spouse, you can do so at www.msoy.milspouse.com.

Winners from every branch will be selected starting in January, and the final winner will be announced nationally in Military Spouse magazine’s June issue and will be honored during the second annual Military Spouse of the Year awards ceremony during National Military Spouse Appreciation Week in May.

The winner will be expected to make a few public appearances, write a monthly column in Military Spouse magazine, and write a blog during his or her year as the Military Spouse of the Year.  Nominees must be the spouse of a current member of the U.S. military, and the contest is open to any spouse whose husband or wife is serving on active duty, Guard, or Reserve in any branch of service. The winner will be chosen based on his or her impact on community change, volunteerism, personal sacrifice, education, career pursuits, and other military spouse-related efforts.

The award will pay homage to the approximate 1.1 million current and over 20 million former military spouses.  Nominations can be made by any person or group, civilian or military, and anyone can submit multiple nominations through the website.  The award is being sponsored by USAA, the military focused financial services company.

Share and Enjoy:

Related posts:

1. Military Spouses Can Receive a Grant of Up To $6,000 A Year For College
2. How To Submit A Request To Transfer Your GI Bill Benefits To Your Children Or Spouse