What Mids Spend Money On

Maine2Mid2021

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I was always curious about what Mids tend to spend money on, either required or for their own leisure. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what to expect to have to spend money on and also what to avoid spending money as a Mid.
 
I was always curious about what Mids tend to spend money on, either required or for their own leisure. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what to expect to have to spend money on and also what to avoid spending money as a Mid.

Same things you do now, for discretionary - snacks, meals, downloads, Starbucks, phone and data plan, etc.

As you get more senior and gain POV (privately owned vehicle) privileges, more weekend liberty and more monthly money, there will be trips into D.C. or Baltimore to college-favored spots, ski trips, hiking trips, NYC, and so on. Some mids choose to do NOLS for a summer elective block, which is a big chunk of personal money. Trips to and from home on leave are personal money. Sharing a storage unit out in town with classmates to stow all your accumulated stuff over the summer is another.

Much depends on how much family pays for you, and when they start to wean you off that.

There is a very recent thread over on the USMA forum that had some good posts on a related topic. One suggestion was to eat the provided food, not the greatest in the world, and budget delivered pizzas and junk food buys. Go look at Money Advice, started by cajunrouge2021.

Take a look at the current USNA Budget Book, to see how the money flows.
https://www.usna.edu/Student-Life/General-Information-for-Midshipmen.php


Savvy mids have a budget, which includes savings and long-term investments, with regular, if small, contributions to Roth IRA and other type accounts. You earn actual salary at USNA, so you are eligible to contribute to certain things per IRS rules.
 
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Sharing a storage unit out in town with classmates to stow all your accumulated stuff over the summer is another.

:confused2:

In our day, USNA stored our heavy uniforms (i.e., overcoats) and we were given a decent-sized locker for the rest of our uniforms. Other stuff we either sent/took home, took to our sponsor's, or packed in our seabag. What in the world are they storing that needs a separate off-site unit????

Mids don't have the huge tuition/room & board expenses of "normal" college students, but have the same wants and desires for the other stuff in terms of food, vacations, clothing, movies, etc.
 
:confused2:

In our day, USNA stored our heavy uniforms (i.e., overcoats) and we were given a decent-sized locker for the rest of our uniforms. Other stuff we either sent/took home, took to our sponsor's, or packed in our seabag. What in the world are they storing that needs a separate off-site unit????

Mids don't have the huge tuition/room & board expenses of "normal" college students, but have the same wants and desires for the other stuff in terms of food, vacations, clothing, movies, etc.

Uniform storage still happens. Storage lockers still available. It's just staggering amounts of stuff. I would say 60% of our sponsor mids get a storage unit in town and share it, and the requests to stow at least 2 Rubbermaid totes with us over the summer is universal.

My DH, a USNA grad, just shakes his head over the mountains of clothes, computer stuff, athletic stuff, XBoxes, gear, books, files, personal items, bedding, bikes, sleeping bags, shoes, boots and so on.
 
Besides Cerberi's observations noted above (and mostly accurate I hasten to add)...has anyone mentioned FOOD?

My kid spends as much time and money at the Big Cheese that I'm now invited over to the husband and wife owner's home for Thanksgiving dinner and considering buying a 25% interest in the establishment which would be lower than the monthly tab my boy runs up there. To add insult to injury, whenever I'm in town I've got to increase the line on my Chase Preferred card to ensure there's enough there to cover the lunch and dinner tabs and half the Annapolis restaurants that know my kid by his first name.
 
Besides Cerberi's observations noted above (and mostly accurate I hasten to add)...has anyone mentioned FOOD?

My kid spends as much time and money at the Big Cheese that I'm now invited over to the husband and wife owner's home for Thanksgiving dinner and considering buying a 25% interest in the establishment which would be lower than the monthly tab my boy runs up there. To add insult to injury, whenever I'm in town I've got to increase the line on my Chase Preferred card to ensure there's enough there to cover the lunch and dinner tabs and half the Annapolis restaurants that know my kid by his first name.

I wouldn't mind getting locked in The Big Cheese overnight if Bob and Judy didn't look too closely...
 
End of Plebe year is the worst. They have gear issued for the whole year. SUV with roof extension. We were lucky to get it all back home as we were close enough. The next years are easier since they can sort by seasons and uniform changes. Never thought of a storage for the summer, good idea though if you are traveling a long way or they are going Air. Next they go Marine and they have to get rid of all the Navy stuff and they have to buy a whole new set. The Sabre is nice and after TBS the Navy pays shipping.
 
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End of Plebe year is the worst. They have gear issued for the whole year. SUV with roof extension. We were lucky to get it all back home as we were close enough.

Am NOT looking forward to that ...
 
after TBS the Navy pays shipping.

Navy pays for the move out after graduation . Upon graduation, Midshipman receive PCS orders, and have an allowance for movement of property. At least thats how it was done 30 years ago, and I doubt there has been much change in the Orders process. Back in the day, we each recieved a "Cruise Box" - a very large, rugged box, that we filled with whatever stuff we accumulated (and weren't going to need enroute to the duty station). Between that and the loaded Mid Mobile, the move out was a whole lot easier than moving my daughters out of college !
 
"MID MOBILE" I love it. Move out for PCS at graduation was easy. Loading up for PCS from TBS was also easy but long. We had everything packed in boxes and ready to go. Upon pickup at the storage facility shipper opened every box and inventoried everything and then repacked. They had a big clipboard. Who knew.
 
I was always curious about what Mids tend to spend money on, either required or for their own leisure. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what to expect to have to spend money on and also what to avoid spending money as a Mid.
Mine spends relatively little. He has two checking accounts-the one through NFCU that his pay is deposited in and he makes IRA contributions from and then a checking account here that he put his summer job savings into-that is his fun money (and I have access to that one so I can add to it when I feel like it). It looks like Starbucks, Moes, Sofie's Crepes, and pizza are the main expenditures although he has some random things (his company took a trip to Gettysburg, for instance). I would imagine their spending might increase as their freedom increases but he seems pretty proud of the bit he is putting away into investments each month currently. I feel like if he were at a traditional college, he would be going through more spending money than he is at USNA.
 
My plebe has had to buy a couple of new pairs of athletic shoes since PPW. Between DTA and the Mid Store (Mid Store aka "the crack house " to Class of 2020 moms), mids can find 95% of what they need. Then there is always Amazon and on-line ordering from other sites.......... For the other 5 %, there's the Annapolis Mall when they get liberty. Be sure to check out the retro candy store on the second floor of the mall-free samples, lots of different chocolate , and all kinds of candy from childhood that other stores don't carry anymore. Plan to spend a minimum of 3 hours in the Mid store on PPW or I-day, and bring at least one credit card with you.
 
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I was always curious about what Mids tend to spend money on, either required or for their own leisure. I was wondering if anyone could tell me what to expect to have to spend money on and also what to avoid spending money as a Mid.
Well, if they bet on their own team in the Army Navy game this year, that is where much of their money went.

Just saying.

Go Army!
 
I of course say that the kindest and most respectful way possible.
Of course...I would expect nothing less from a gentleman like yourself ( now if you'd like to place a small wager on this years game...we can catch up and spend your Cadet's and my MID's money faster than they can,)
 
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