Because your military family faces some financial realities that are different than civilian households, careful budgeting is a must. If you use a standard budget worksheet, though, you may get the nagging feeling you are missing a few key categories. Here are some types of income, spending and saving you should take special care not to forget.

Income

• Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
• Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS)
• Military Pay Allotments
• Hazardous duty pay

Expenses

• Uniform-related costs
• Commissary or exchange charges
• On-base activity fees
• Military loans (try to avoid)
• Equipment needed for deployment
• Care packages during deployment
• Services during deployment (childcare, landscaping, home repairs)

Savings

• Savings for deployment period
• Savings for anticipated relocations
• Thrift Savings Plan
• DoD Savings Deposit Program

It’s also wise to complete separate deployment and stateside budgets. That way, you can have a financial plan that will cover you for all the situations your family encounters.