Military families already love the Commissary because it’s often cheaper than the off-base grocery stores. But did you know that you can grab extra perks with the Commissary Rewards Card, too? We’re breaking down exactly what the Commissary Rewards Program is, how you can register and tips to help you make the most of your rewards.
What Is The Military Commissary Rewards Program?
Your new Commissary Rewards Card is your ticket to cheaper items through digital coupons. It is essentially like any other grocery store rewards card– a way to save big through special promotions and discounts exclusively for card holders.
However, unlike other grocery store frequent shopper programs, Commissary shoppers do not earn points. It’s really about getting exclusive access to special digital coupons that make your purchases less expensive.
This is a great chance to really stack the savings. You’ll get the already low Commissary prices plus coupon savings, all available with digital coupons.
How To Use The Military Commissary Rewards
Getting set up with Commissary Rewards is so easy!
First, head over to your local Commissary and pick up physical card. These are usually located near the entrance, near the cashiers or with customer service. If you can’t find them, just ask a helpful employee.
Second, create an account at shop.commissaries.com. It’s free and really simple, taking less than five minutes!
Third, register your new Commissary Rewards card as part of the sign-up process – automatically connecting it to your account. All the info you need to do this is located on your rewards card.
That’s it! You’re now ready to start adding digital manufacturer coupons to your account.
Quick note: patrons do need to be authorized Commissary shoppers. This means that you do need to be an active duty service member, a member of the Guard or Reserve, veterans with a service connected disability or who are 100% disabled, Medal of Honor recipients, military retirees and any authorized family members. If you’re not sure about your eligibility, please double check at commissaries.com.
Getting your Groceries Cheaper with Commissary Rewards
Now that you have your account created and card registered, you can start adding digital coupons.
While you do not earn points with your Commissary Rewards Card, you can clip Commissary coupons that automatically get loaded to your card. Visit the Click2Go website. This is where DeCA, or the Defense Commissary Agency, has loaded all the available coupons.
Just like clipping digital coupons elsewhere, whatever you select will be linked to your account. Then, at checkout, you just scan your rewards card and watch the total drop!
Digital or electronic coupons are great. It totally saves you time and energy since you’re not juggling paper coupons as you dash through the store. How many times have you dropped a valuable coupon?
Making the DeCA program even better is the mobile app, available on Google Play or in the Apple app store. You can download the app to your iPhone or smart phone. Then link your Commissary customer account and save on the go. This option will save you extra time, since you won’t need to be sitting at the computer to clip your coupons.
Having this flexibility is huge. The option for card users to add offered coupons as you shop means that you can score extra savings.
Coupons are offered in many categories, including:
- Produce
- Snacks
- Breakfast foods
- Meats and seafood
- Frozen goods
- Pet supplies
- Baby items, including diapers
- Health and wellness
- Personal care items
As you’re adding coupons, it’s important to check expiration dates so that you build maximum savings.
You should also monitor the fine print on the coupons. Many are single use, single item. Others require several items from one brand to be purchased in order to get the savings. That’s similar to traditional grocery store rewards or coupons.
It is important to check the coupons regularly. Coupons are posted regularly from industry partners. Sometimes daily! But there may be only limited quantities, based on criteria set by the manufacturer. So coupons may disappear once those quotas are met.
If you’re looking for a specific coupon, it’s good to hop online (or on your app) daily to see what new options are available. However, once you clip a coupon it will stay on your account until it is either redeemed or it expires.
When you are logged in to your Commissary Rewards Card account, you can review all coupon categories available as well as the deals you have clipped so far. Check what’s out there, as well as what you have can definitely help you create a shopping list with max savings.
Is The Military Commissary Rewards Program Legit?
The Commissary Rewards Program is 100% legit. It’s created and run by DeCA. The official Commissary website is the only place you can view coupons and load them onto your card. Using your Rewards Card is a great way to make the most of your Commissary benefits. You can use your Rewards Card at any Commissary around the world, including overseas locations.
DeCA has the inside track with lots of name brand companies that allows them to offer exclusive savings, just for Commissary patrons! You won’t find these manufacturer coupons at your local grocery store.
The Commissary continues to accept traditional paper coupons and printed digital coupons. You can often find these in your local newspaper, at manufacturer websites or through couponing websites. While you cannot double dip, or use multiple coupons on one item, you can use a combination of Commissary Rewards and traditional savings options to really lower your grocery bill.
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Meg Flanagan is a teacher, blogger and military spouse. She owns Meg Flanagan Education Solutions, an education advocacy service dedicated to serving families on the K-12 journey. You can find Meg on Facebook. Meg is also available as a freelance writer and personal education advocate!
