Is it cheaper to shop at commissary? (2023)

Why is the commissary cheaper?

Here are a few reasons you may find items cheaper in civilian stores: –No Loss Leaders — Commissaries are required by law to sell items at cost and are not allowed to sell higher or lower than that cost.

Am I eligible to shop in the commissary? Authorized commissary patrons as defined by Department of Defense Instruction 1330.17, Dod Commissary Program , include active duty, Guard and Reserve members, military retirees, Medal of Honor recipients, 100 percent disabled veterans, and their authorized family members.

Surcharge is applied to the total value of each commissary purchase because the Congress has mandated collection of surcharge (currently 5 percent) to pay for commissary construction, equipment and maintenance.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DECA) says that it can save patrons, depending on the region, an average of 20-42 percent off their grocery bill. Even with a mandatory 5 percent surcharge that is added to every order, this can still add up to big savings.

All commissary employees are federal workers, paid on federal pay scales and they receive federal worker benefits -- but the commissary baggers are not. Instead, the Defense Commissary Agency lets them work in the stores for tips only.

Items sold at the commissary are tax-free and priced at cost, plus a 5% surcharge. According to DeCa, the low-cost products sold at the commissary can save military families an average of 30% or more on their purchases when shopping regularly at the commissary.

Authorized shoppers are permitted to bring a guest to the commissary. However, guests are not permitted to make commissary purchases, and authorized patrons are not allowed to make purchases on the guest's behalf.

Do I need to apply for commissary and exchange privileges? You don't need to apply, but you'll need to have the right kind of ID at checkout. You can show your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or a letter from VA along with your passport or driver's license.

Basically, you can shop at a commissary if you're in one of these groups: Active, reserve or retired uniformed services members. Medal of Honor recipients. Wage marine personnel and retired wage marine personnel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Can I use my VA card to get on base?

Only with a VHIC can the veteran get access to the base. All a veteran has to do is take their VHIC, along with valid state ID, driver's license or passport, to an installation's Pass and ID office. If this office isn't outside the base, call ahead to find out where to go.

Prices at the Exchange are generally cheaper than anywhere else and the convenience of centralized shopping makes getting everything you need for any occasion a breeze. There is no sales tax which ensures that you are paying for quality with your money, not all of the extra tax associated with the items you're wanting.

The modern surcharge began in 1952 when Congress decided commissaries should be more self-supporting. Congress and the Defense Department directed the military services to have commissaries add a 2 percent surcharge to cover costs of purchasing and maintaining equipment and supplies.

As independent contractors, baggers are not being taxed at the time the income is earned. They are responsible for keeping track of their own earnings and paying the taxes due.

Manufacturers have provided coupons for our customers to help make the most of your benefit. These coupons are available on our eCommerce website - shop.commissaries.com .

The commissary agency compares prices with commercial grocers, including at least one supercenter, in the local area of each commissary in the U.S. The savings comparison measures about 38,000 specific items at a regional level, and local prices of about 1,000 products that are representative of a shopper's typical ...

No, Commissary CLICK2GO employees are not allowed to accept tips. 11. How do I cancel my Commissary CLICK2GO order?

The key thing to remember when deciding what to tip is that the commissary does not pay the baggers. The baggers do not get one cent for their service and they work solely off of tips. That means, if you do not tip them for bringing out your bags, then they will not get paid for the service they provided you.

Each bagger is engaged in the commercial solicitation of commissary customers. Upon solicitation of the customer, the bagger is voluntarily “hired” by the customer to bag and carry out the customer's groceries in return for a tip. Just as with the caddy, baggers work for no one other than the customer who “hires” them.

Baggers are not government or commissary employees, and are paid solely by the tips that commissary patrons offer in exchange for bagging/carryout services. Baggers are self-employed, and work under a license agreement with an installation commander.

Can I buy groceries with my military Star Card?

Yes. However, if a customer is using a gold MILITARY STAR card, they could be missing out their rewards.

The Defense Commissary Agency provides a worldwide network of commissaries that sell groceries and household supplies at low cost to members of the Armed Services.

Unlimited Privileges

Active Duty or Reserve Uniformed and Retired Uniformed personnel. Recipients of the Medal of Honor. Honorably Discharged Veterans when certified 100% disabled. Military Members of Foreign Nations when on duty with U.S. Military Service.

In order to buy gas on base, you must hold a valid military ID; meaning active duty and Reserve military and their dependants and retirees and their dependants are the only ones eligible to use the station, no matter the means of payment.

If base housing has vacancies, retirees can absolutely live on the installation. All veterans with base access (Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and those with a Veterans Healthcare Identification Card) can also live in military housing if there is space available.