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Started By
Message
re: Is shopping PX/Commissary worth it?
Posted on 10/7/25 at 8:50 pm to theantiquetiger
Posted on 10/7/25 at 8:50 pm to theantiquetiger
... now, that's funny ...
0
Posted on 10/7/25 at 8:55 pm to theantiquetiger
Back in my day (late 80s to early 90s) the PX had great prices. Now I don’t think there is much difference to regular stores. When my son was at Fort Benning a couple years ago, we went by the PX while down there for a visit. I left pretty disappointed. Not sure when or why it changed. But it definitely did at some point.
Posted on 10/7/25 at 10:47 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
quote:Back in the 90s-early 2000s, it was a nice way for the Jones family to spend a Saturday. Do a little shopping at the P/X, grab some lunch at the food court, go bowling or catch a movie, etc. It was worth it for sure.
Back in the day they were worth it, today no benefit.
I rarely feel the need to go on base anymore. The prices aren’t worth it.
This post was edited on 10/7/25 at 10:48 pm
Posted on 10/7/25 at 10:48 pm to Darth_Vader
quote:Base culture has disintegrated in the last 15 years or so.
Not sure when or why it changed. But it definitely did at some point.
Posted on 10/7/25 at 10:57 pm to theantiquetiger
Best thing to do is plan for the deals. They have several a year for firearms. I always by my firearms at the BX/PX.
You can do this online but need to be able to get on base/post to pick it up.
What I recommend is to get the BX/PX card, usually the first time you use it you get 30% off. Then wait for a labor day sale and you can get 15% off. They let you stack the discounts. So that's like 45% off. You factor that in to a major purchase and the lack of taxes you save a bit.
After that you can still use the deals, veterans day, labor day etc and as always you don't pay taxes.
Something about buying a weapon and not being taxed makes me smile.
You can do this online but need to be able to get on base/post to pick it up.
What I recommend is to get the BX/PX card, usually the first time you use it you get 30% off. Then wait for a labor day sale and you can get 15% off. They let you stack the discounts. So that's like 45% off. You factor that in to a major purchase and the lack of taxes you save a bit.
After that you can still use the deals, veterans day, labor day etc and as always you don't pay taxes.
Something about buying a weapon and not being taxed makes me smile.
This post was edited on 10/7/25 at 11:02 pm
Posted on 10/7/25 at 11:00 pm to alajones
You answered the question in your prior post. Part of reasons the base culture is so low is that so many people do not use the services. They let too many people live off base. They stopped appropriating the funding for the services and made them all NAF based so they went lean then started to suck.
More people using the gold course, bowling alley or outdoor rec means more money for them to keep stuff up. It is what is now...culture seems broken.
More people using the gold course, bowling alley or outdoor rec means more money for them to keep stuff up. It is what is now...culture seems broken.
Posted on 10/7/25 at 11:38 pm to Gusoline
They price match at the PX.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 12:17 am to theantiquetiger
We typically go once a month for meat, paper goods, and diapers. The rest of the month we stick with more local options. Those are the only items I’ve noticed an appreciable price difference.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 2:04 am to alajones
quote:I haven’t lived on post in 15 years, so I can’t say for sure, but stateside bases have always had a thin sense of culture, if it can even be called that, compared to command-sponsored military communities overseas. Places like Germany, with isolated housing areas mixed into local towns, became small, insular Americas with a unique culture.
Base culture has disintegrated in the last 15 years or so.
The decline of those types of family tours has probably played a part in the disintegration you’re talking about, because you don’t have nearly as many people cycling back from those places with the 100% “kids watching messages from the post commander between cartoons, teens hanging out at the post bowling alley, we’re always aware we’re military” mentality.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 5:44 am to theantiquetiger
They sold out to third parties who have the goal of profit over supporting our service members.
If you’re gonna find savings, the commissary is better than the Exchange. The same items will have a $2-3 markup between the two.
While OCONUS the PX/Commissary were the only place in town to find certain American made items so it was invaluable.
CONUS you could probably find better deals somewhere else, but it’s in the lower-mid end price range for sure.
If you’re gonna find savings, the commissary is better than the Exchange. The same items will have a $2-3 markup between the two.
While OCONUS the PX/Commissary were the only place in town to find certain American made items so it was invaluable.
CONUS you could probably find better deals somewhere else, but it’s in the lower-mid end price range for sure.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 6:41 am to Darth_Vader
quote:
Back in my day (late 80s to early 90s) the PX had great prices.
There was a National Guard commissary in Wylam/Ensley back then that the public could shop on Wednesday. Cigarettes were $7 a carton when they were $10-$12 everywhere else.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 6:44 am to theantiquetiger
About the only thing I notice is Alcohol if on sale
Posted on 10/8/25 at 7:42 am to rooster108bm
quote:
There was a National Guard commissary in Wylam/Ensley back then that the public could shop on Wednesday. Cigarettes were $7 a carton when they were $10-$12 everywhere else.
Yeah. I remember back in the late 80s a carton of Camels at the commissary cost like $4.00 or $5.00. Even after I came off active duty and joined the AL Army Guard in the early 90s, we’d still go over to Fort McClellan every so often to go to the commissary and PX. Most of the time, if we needed something like a new household appliance, TV, or clothing, it came from the PX there. Or if we were having a big cookout or something, we’d go to the Class Six for the alcohol.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 8:42 am to theantiquetiger
As others have said, only the class 6 will save you money. The commissary near me has moved to charging based on rank, so not worth it either.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 8:45 am to theantiquetiger
I don't see any great savings worth making a special trip for, if Im staying on a base and I need something that's different
Posted on 10/8/25 at 8:49 am to alajones
quote:
Back in the 90s-early 2000s, it was a nice way for the Jones family to spend a Saturday. Do a little shopping at the P/X, grab some lunch at the food court, go bowling or catch a movie, etc. It was worth it for sure.
At Charlie's?
The base at one time was your world inside a world. Bar, restaurant, gym, retail outlets AND a free place to live.
People work on the base now and haul arse at the end of the day. Go to Barksdale a couple of times a year and its a ghost town, nobody lives there despite very near free housing. The apartment complex right next to the gate? full.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 8:59 am to theantiquetiger
No taxes on the same stuff? Absolutely. I go when I can.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 9:00 am to theantiquetiger
quote:
So not worth the trip?
Absolutely is worth it. If you have access you should already know this.
Posted on 10/8/25 at 12:23 pm to theantiquetiger
quote:
Is shopping PX/Commissary worth it?
Absolutely.
I just went to the PX on a whim during my lunch break to walk around and browse.
Some old lady working there flagged me down to tell me they had just reduced the price of the 10 oz bags of Old Trapper beef jerky.
Originally going for $17.99 and they reduced them to $4.47.
They don't expire until June of 2027.
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