I’ve mentioned before that I discovered online personal finance forums early in my adulthood. They were tremendously helpful in getting me through the Great Recession…figuring out the differences between Roth and Traditional accounts…hell, just helping me understand what retirement accounts were in the first place!
Online forums are a great way to figure out personal finance. Pretty much every question you could ever have about money is answered online, but you might have to sift through many websites to find it. And if you need advice on your specific situation, a blog or book might not help. That’s where online forums shine!
I put together this list of online military money forums to help you find some that may meet your needs. There is something out there for everybody, from the new military landlord to MilSpouses who are new to the world of BAH/BAS/CZTE to the savvy investor trying to squeeze every last penny out of the TSP.
Of course, you need to take everything you see in these forums with a grain of salt. There will be people online who very confidently tell you things that are 100% wrong. Some of them will do it on purpose, or they’ll be a jerk in other ways (trolls!! 👹). That’s just the nature of online forums. I think military money forums are a little bit better, but it’s still an online forum. But if you use these forums knowing that you need to look at everything with a skeptical eye, I think you’ll be fine.
Military Money Dedicated Forum Websites
Reddit’s MilitaryFinance subforum: Reddit is the only place I was able to find outside Facebook that has a forum dedicated to military money. Sorry! There are some good conversations, but warning: Reddit is known for being rough. If you don’t have thick skin, this is probably one you should avoid.
Military Money Facebook Groups I am a member of:
Military FIRE: This is a closed group for US military personnel interested in Financial Independence / Retiring Early (FIRE). If you want to learn more about how to use military benefits to grow wealth and achieve FIRE, this is the group for you. You do have to provide proof of your military connection when requesting to join, so make sure you answer the questions.
Personal Finance for Military Service Members and Families: A place to share tips, articles, blog posts, and ideas about personal finance and military life. This is a good “catch all” location for talking about personal finance with military members and families.
Dave Ramsey Military: This group is dedicated to military money information specifically as Dave Ramsey sees it. There is a lot of activity, but beware: if you post something that Dave Ramsey wouldn’t agree with, it will most likely be deleted.
Military In Transition: If you are planning to separate or retire from the military, this is the group for you. It’s a great resource for learning all the things that currently serving members may not be as familiar with, such as VA benefits.
Military Landlords: The Military Landlords Facebook page intends to act as a forum for military members who actively manage rental properties. Have questions about your rental property? This is the place to ask them. This is a large and active group. Fair warning – they sometimes delete posts if they are asked from the tenant’s perspective, not the landlord’s.
Blogger’s groups:
The Military Dollar Community: This is my group! If you haven’t joined yet, well what are you waiting for? We talk about retirement planning, military benefits, and any other personal finance issues you may want to discuss – military or not.
Military Money Question and Answers: Operated by Kate Horrell from KateHorrell.com and The Paycheck Chronicles on Military.com, this is a great place to ask about military pay and benefits. (pssstttt…I just wrote a guest post on The Paycheck Chronicles about what I wish I’d known about military money when I was new to the military. Check it out!)
Military Families Saving Money: Operated by Kara from Foxtrot and Pennies, this group is dedicated to military spouses who are looking to learn how to use their military resources to save money (and other money saving/ earning tips).
Military Miles and Finance Forum: Operated by James from Military Miles and Finance, this is a good place to learn about using military benefits to maximize your travel.
Not Military Specific:
ChooseFI Feds: If you are walking the path to financial independence while working as a federal employee, I recommend checking out this forum.
Golden Albatross/Golden Handcuffs: this group isn’t specifically for military members, but it is run by a military blogger, Grumpus Maximus. Grumpus is establishing himself as a pension expert in the personal finance world, so if you have questions about pensions then check it out!
Military Money Facebook Groups I am not a member of:
Military Spouse Retirement Information: I’m not allowed to join this one because I’m not a spouse. I heard it’s good! (I’m trying again so maybe I’ll see you there…)
Sasebo Investor’s Club: I’m not gonna lie – I know almost nothing about this one other than knowing a few of the members. It was recommended by Doug Nordman and I trust him.
@themilitaryguide is still a good link.
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