If you’re a fellow military spouse and have lived through a PCS (or several!) you are likely no stranger to the challenges that come along with the territory. Having a career or climbing up the job ladder can be especially challenging when you are uprooted every few years due to changing military orders. So let's check out this education for military spouse tips.
5 Tips on Advancing Your Career and Managing Your Finances as a Military Spouse
While this is something that is inherent in the military lifestyle, it doesn’t have to be one that permanently prevents you from reaching your goals or making the most of a situation that is possibly less ideal or one you did not personally prefer.
Additionally, you are probably used to being the one who manages the household finances. Making money and saving money is absolutely essential as the primary decision-maker, and can easily be tied into your career.
The following tips will provide some great strategies for advancing your career, making more money for your family, and staying frugal wherever possible.
Related: What a Westgate Resorts Military Weekend Includes
Use volunteer opportunities
Even if you don’t have a job waiting for you in the wings when you reach your new duty station, there are a variety of ways you can fill your time. If you have children, this can be a good time to volunteer at their schools or other organizations they are involved in.
Even though this may be a change of pace, especially for someone who is transitioning from a full-time career, it can be a great strategy for growing your social circle to create a support system for when you do decide to go back to work.
After all, it is often said that raising children takes a village, so why not establish that while you have the time? For child-free families, this can also be a great opportunity to network and possibly meet other professionals who can put in a good word for you.
At the very least, you can make a few new friends in your new community.
Take advantage of any educational benefits.
While contributing to the greater good of the country is an incentive for many people to join the military, it’s hard to argue that the benefits that come with it aren’t also a key deciding factor of why many people choose to enlist.
Education for military spouses, other dependents, and active-duty members themselves can make the challenging workdays and long hours even more worth it.
It is helpful to check directly with programs such as MYCAA or read the details of your spouse’s GI Bill to learn about the educational opportunities for which you are eligible and those that are applicable to you.
Also thanks to the rise of online education, you can train for your dream job or expand on your existing credentials from virtually anywhere around the world.
Related: Why is Technology is Important for Military Moms?
Consider other related occupations.
The reality is that not all jobs will have a universal demand around the country or the world. Because of this, it’s important to have an open mind and consider related fields that can help prevent any long gaps in your resume if you do decide to go back to work.
Another possibility is that you may even branch out into other areas you may not have considered if you didn’t have to relocate and discover even better opportunities that you didn’t even know existed.
Explore ways to save and make passive income.
If diving right back into a 9-to-5 workday isn’t exactly in the cards for you, you can use your time at home to focus on new, innovative ways to make money.
This can be a great chance for you to learn about investing any savings you might have for the long term, work on that book you’ve been meaning to sit down and write, or discover how you can create online content such as monetized videos or blogs that can steadily generate a profit.
While the payout from the get-go may not be guaranteed or as significant as what a full-time job might bring you, learning how you can create passive income from multiple sources can certainly help pass the time and give your nest egg a little boost from time to time.
You may even learn a thing or two from your efforts that you can list on a resume later down the road.
We have a huge list of ways you can earn money on everything from your car, selling recipes, and even watching TV!
Related: Free School Supplies for Military Families
Utilize any spare time to explore your hobbies and other interests.
In some cases, spouses are thrown into the reality of military life and are forced to put their own goals on the backburner. In some situations, a young spouse may not have had the opportunity to develop any long-term plans as far as education or career are concerned.
If this is the situation you’re in, it can feel easy to be stuck in this lull. Luckily, there are many ways to break out of it. This time can be used for exploring new opportunities or developing a level of expertise in things that intrigue you.
Whether your plan is to be an entrepreneur, go to school, or work your way up from the bottom, using all the resources afforded to you can make it easier to make your goals a reality.
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