How fast did it take you to blow through your paycheck while you were active duty?

Cpl Anthony Pearson — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 15:44:15 -0500

How fast did it take you to blow through your paycheck while you were active duty? Days? Weeks?

We didn't get paid much at all, even considering using the chow hall and barracks (or food/housing allowance).

There were some paychecks that lasted me all of 4 days. Car payment, fuel, tolls, food while off of base, movies/bowling/whatever, uniform needs, etc.

Response by TSgt Thomas L. Sharp made Feb 2 at 2015 3:45 PM

TSgt Thomas L. Sharp — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 15:45:06 -0500

Too fast.

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Feb 2 at 2015 3:47 PM

SGT Jim Z. — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 15:47:57 -0500

I usually had about a week before being broke when I first came in but as I progressed that week lessened to closer to 5 days especially after I got married.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 2 at 2015 4:11 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Mon, 02 Feb 2015 16:11:19 -0500

I was fine until I bought a car. That $300~ + Insurance + Gas (Camp Pendleton) + Eating off base because I could now get off base changed things A LOT.

I always had a couple hundred left over, but that was just me keeping an emergency fund more than anything. I was also dumping $100/paycheck into savings bonds for the first 2~ years of so.

Response by Sgt Michael Selbach made Feb 5 at 2015 12:31 AM

Sgt Michael Selbach — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 00:31:37 -0500

got bye with a little help from my friends

Response by MSgt Michael Durkee made Feb 5 at 2015 7:12 AM

MSgt Michael Durkee — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 07:12:14 -0500

It definitely didn't take long, especially since I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath, UK as a young Airman. Going to the club on base was fine, but if we wanted to head downtown or to London for some fun...there went the funds thanks to the Exchange Rate.

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 7:26 AM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 07:26:49 -0500

Considering it was 1986, I was a private living in the barracks, not long at all. I blew mine on clothes, perfume, and makeup! LOL

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 7:52 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 07:52:11 -0500

When I was a young Soldier it was a brutal cycle.

1. Get paid
2. Get guitar, stereo and T.V. out of pawn shop.
3. Party for a week
4. Pawn guitar, stereo and T.V.
5. Party for a week
6. Repeat step 1-5

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2015 10:11 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:11:02 -0500

As I recall until I made Petty Officer I was generally out of fundage by the first weekend after payday. After I made PO3 however, I still ran out of funds by the first weekend after payday...Of course my pay before taxes was only $1025.70 a month (as an EM3)! So that wasn't hard to do.

I don't know about these days but most major bases had a strip of used car dealerships and electronics stores that would sell to E-1 & Up! No Credit Necessary! I was like a kid in a candy store..no really, I joined at 17, so yeah.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Apr 30 at 2015 12:49 PM

SGT Richard H. — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:49:14 -0400

Considering my pay as a new Private was $642/month and up to a whopping $1317/month as a Sergeant over 4 (before taxes)....not long.

Response by SGT John Rauch made Apr 30 at 2015 12:58 PM

SGT John Rauch — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 12:58:03 -0400

24-48 hours normally. I even got a $35,000 signing bonus, but can only account for about half of it. was stationed at bragg, so that meant every payday weekend, I was in myrtle beach, or VA beach. I even went to ft. lauterdale and miami a couple times on four day weekends. never asked for a mileage pass, never told my NCO's only got caught once, that was on the Miami trip. went to kentucky several times as well. if I didnt blow my money travelling, I would blow it eating out. one time a buddy and I left a $50 tip for a waitress just because we were tired of carrying ones. then I got married and thankfully my wife is a cheapskate which is good, I have more money now than I ever had when I was a single soldier. and I own a home, 3 vehicles and a tractor.

Response by CW3 Scott Webster made Apr 30 at 2015 1:23 PM

CW3 Scott Webster — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 13:23:04 -0400

While coming in as SPC/E-4 many years ago with a wife and two young children, my pay didn't leave much, but we were never so much in a bind that we couldn't effectively manage our way out of it. We didn't come in with debt or other long-term obligations, our 'new' car was, and still is at least 10 years old, and as promotions and pay increased, we tithed more to our church and re-started our investments. Did we sacrifice to make everything work for the better? YES! Was it, or is it, stressful? YES! But focusing on God and the family's needs mean that child 1 is debt-free, living and working in Europe, and recently married. Child 2 is taking care of our retirement home and stretching my post-9/11 GI Bill benefits for the maximum value while a full-time college student. They can balance and adjust depending on the circumstances to get what they need first, then what they want/desire second.

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Aug 12 at 2015 4:06 PM

SPC David Hannaman — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:06:19 -0400

I was the responsible guy that was always loaning money to people around the 25th... I learned to take "stuff" in as collateral... that's how I got my first CD player, "boom box", CD's...

SSG Weiss, you still owe me $100.

Response by Cpl D L Parker made Jun 29 at 2016 12:38 AM

Cpl D L Parker — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 00:38:42 -0400

I was good with money. I had a Certificate of Deposit. Always had a load of cash in my account. If I wanted something I'd buy it and had money to spare.