Home Depot discount still in effect, savvy shopper finds - Military Money, Navy Money, navy pay, pay charts - Navy Times

Home Depot discount still in effect, savvy shopper finds

Air Force widow Peggy Carmin asked why her Home Depot store in Marin County, Calif., was no longer giving her a 10 percent discount on purchases.

“If they say they give a discount, they should give the discount, without any hassle, as long as you present the ID card,” Carmin said.

Home Depot’s policy didn’t change, said spokeswoman Jean Niemi. The stores still offer a year-round, 10 percent discount on purchases of up to $5,000, for a total discount of up to $500.

Niemi, who checked with the store, said it appears Carmin encountered an employee who didn’t know the policy, but the store has since communicated the policy to all its employees.

Earlier this year, Lowe’s and The Home Depot expanded their holiday discounts to year-round for all active-duty, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, disabled service members, and their immediate families.

All other military veterans receive the 10 percent discount on the holiday weekends of Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

Like many of you, Carmin is a careful shopper, and likes to stay on top of discounts and deals.

Knowledge is power, especially when it saves you money. And remember that it still pays to check competitors’ prices, too.

Want more coupons?

Sign up for text deals through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service’s new mobile marketing program by texting “AAFES” to 95613 from your mobile phone.

It’s available for customers in the continental U.S.; the technology is unavailable in other locations, said David Haning, chief of customer relationship marketing for AAFES.

Promotions include offers from brick-and-mortar exchanges, the Military Star Card and the Exchange Online Store. To redeem an offer, give the 12-digit UPC to the cashier or enter the promotion code online at checkout.

Most of the offers are exclusive to the mobile marketing program. The offers can be used at any AAFES store. The offers will be good for an entire day, a few days or a week, Haning said.

AAFES will send out only two of these offers a week, and maybe three during heavy holiday shopping times, said social media manager Leah Miller.

AAFES also has joined the Navy Exchange Service Command in offering coupons on its Facebook page.

Armed Forces Eyewear expands

Armed Forces Eyewear will open another TryOn kiosk at the Army and Air Force Exchange at Incirlik, Turkey, on July 19.

This will be the second kiosk; the first opened earlier this year at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, Armed Forces Eyewear spokeswoman Lauren Purcell said. More will open later.

You can “virtually” try on frames and buy them at the kiosk.

Purcell notes that a kiosk is not necessary to get the retailer’s discounts on eyeglasses and contact lenses.

You can also shop through the Exchange Online Mall at http://www.aafes.com/default_s.aspx, www.usmc-mccs.org, www.navy-nex.com, and www.cg-exchange.com. Or you can go directly to www.afeyewear.com.

Extra rewards

For a third year, Discover Financial Services is offering double rewards when Discover card holders use their cards on up to $1,000 in purchases at military installations worldwide, through Labor Day.

Besides on-base military stores and gas stations, that includes exchange catalogs and exchange online stores.

Card holders earn up to 1 percent cash back on purchases. That means you can earn up to 2 percent on up to $1,000 in purchases — an extra $10 for a total of $20.

But make sure you pay off the balance each month. Otherwise, that extra $10 will be swallowed by interest charges.