Veteran Programs · Benefits & Discounts DirectoryPrivate information service — not a government agency
Veteran Programs emblemVeteran Programs
Discounts & Savings

Discounts & Everyday Savings

This is an index, not an application. Everything on this page is a discount, a waived fee, or a benefit you may already be entitled to — and most of it is never offered unless you ask for it by name.
Commissary, Exchange and Military ShoppingTax-free shopping on base, and online exchange access for every honorably discharged Veteran.
  • All honorably discharged Veterans have online military exchange shopping privileges
  • In-person commissary, exchange and recreation access for Veterans with a service-connected disability rating
  • The same in-person access for Purple Heart recipients and former prisoners of war
  • Primary family caregivers enrolled in the VA caregiver program also qualify for in-person access
How to ApplyOnline access is verified once through the exchange system. In-person access is tied to an eligible ID card issued at a military installation.
Education and TrainingTuition and training support tied to your service, for you and sometimes for your family.
  • The GI Bill, for degree programs, certificates, apprenticeships and on-the-job training
  • Veteran Readiness and Employment, for Veterans with a service-connected condition that limits the work they can do
  • Transfer of unused education benefits to a spouse or child, where the service rules allow it
  • State tuition programs, which many states run on top of the federal benefit
How to ApplyEducation benefits are applied for through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and school certifying officials handle enrollment on their end.
Health Care and PrescriptionsEnrollment in VA health care, and the copay tiers that come with it.
  • VA health care enrollment, with priority groups set by service history and disability rating
  • Prescription copays that scale with your priority group, and are waived entirely for some Veterans
  • Community care, when the nearest VA facility cannot see you in time or does not offer the service
  • Dental and vision, which follow separate eligibility rules from general health care
How to ApplyEnrollment runs through the Department of Veterans Affairs. A Veterans Service Officer can file the paperwork with you at no charge.
Home Loan CostsThe fees a VA-backed loan removes, on a purchase or a refinance.
  • No required down payment on most VA-backed purchase loans
  • No private mortgage insurance, which conventional loans normally require
  • The VA funding fee waived for Veterans receiving compensation for a service-connected disability
  • Limits on which closing costs a lender is allowed to charge you
How to ApplyYou need a Certificate of Eligibility. Approved lenders can pull it for you, usually while you are on the phone. See the Cash Out Equity Assistance Program for cash-out options.
Hunting, Fishing and State ParksLicense and entry fees that many states reduce or drop for resident Veterans.
  • Discounted or free hunting and fishing licenses for resident Veterans in many states
  • Free or reduced state park entry, camping and day-use fees
  • Lifetime license options in some states for Veterans with a disability rating
  • Rules, fees and proof requirements differ from state to state
How to ApplyThese are state benefits, not federal ones. Your state wildlife agency and state park system each set their own terms.
National Parks and Federal RecreationA free lifetime pass to the national parks for Veterans and Gold Star Families.
  • The America the Beautiful Military Lifetime Pass is free and permanent for Veterans and Gold Star Families
  • It covers entrance and day-use fees at more than two thousand federal sites — national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management land, and Army Corps of Engineers sites
  • Any discharge except dishonorable qualifies you
  • It replaces the paid annual pass everyone else has to buy
How to ApplyShow a Veteran Health Identification Card, a Veteran ID Card, or a state ID with a Veteran designation — in person at a federal recreation site, or order online through Recreation.gov. Gold Star online ordering is still rolling out, so in person is the surest route.
Property Tax ReliefThe single largest recurring saving most Veteran homeowners never claim.
  • Most states exempt part or all of the property tax on a Veteran's main residence
  • The exemption is often tied to a service-connected disability rating
  • Some states extend the exemption to a surviving spouse who has not remarried
  • A few states exempt the property entirely for Veterans rated totally disabled
How to ApplyThis is filed with your county assessor or tax office, not with the VA — and in most places you have to file for it yourself. It is rarely applied automatically.
Retail, Restaurants and Everyday ShoppingThe everyday discounts real businesses honor right now — but only if you ask.
  • Lowe's takes ten percent off every day, all year, with no annual limit once you verify a free MyLowe's account
  • The Home Depot takes ten percent off every day, up to a yearly cap on total savings
  • Under Armour twenty percent, Adidas thirty percent online, Nike ten percent, and Michaels fifteen percent — all verified at checkout
  • Apple ten percent through its Veterans and Military Purchase Program, and Samsung up to thirty percent on many models
  • Restaurants: Olive Garden twenty percent with a military ID, plus everyday deals at Texas Roadhouse, Applebee's, IHOP, Outback, Chili's, Cracker Barrel, and Chick-fil-A at participating spots
How to ApplyOnline discounts unlock once you verify through ID.me or GovX; in a restaurant, show a military or Veteran ID and ask before you order. Percentages and terms change, so confirm the current offer with the business.
State Veteran Benefits OfficesEvery state runs its own Veterans agency, on top of anything federal.
  • State-run Veterans homes, nursing care and long-term care programs
  • State education, employment preference and professional licensing programs
  • State-level bonuses and grants, which some states pay for specific periods of service
  • A County Veterans Service Officer who will file your claims with you at no charge
How to ApplySearch for your state department of Veterans affairs, or ask for the County Veterans Service Officer in your county. Their help is free.
Travel, Auto and WirelessRecurring bills where a real Veteran rate exists but is never offered up front.
  • Wireless: T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T all run military and Veteran plan pricing that lowers the monthly rate on unlimited lines
  • Hotels: Wyndham up to twenty percent and a fifteen percent Military Appreciation rate, plus Choice Hotels military rates across Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, and Clarion
  • Rental cars: a government leisure rate for Veterans and retirees, with deeper cuts through membership programs such as WeSalute+
  • Rail and air: Amtrak takes ten percent off most fares, and several airlines discount through WeSalute+
How to ApplyAsk for the military or Veteran rate by name when you book or renew, and verify through ID.me, SheerID, or WeSalute+. On recurring bills it is worth asking again every year.
Veteran Programs emblem