COLA rates drop!! WTF!!

[98 Saleen Cobra]

So I look at my LES today since I got paid and noticed that my pay actually effing went down!! I look and COLA was 156 last year and this year its 80!!! WTF I live in Marin County probably one of the most expensive places to live in the US.. This effing sucks.. My pay just dropped 40 bucks a month even though my pay raise was like 80 a month!! FML!! Pay raise my ass.. lol.. oh well I guess I'll just have to adapt and wait for my 4year pay raise in April..

 

[KingBlack]

uuummm no. the average cost of living has dropped in most places and that reflects in your BAH. my BAH dropped for yr2010 also. did your BAH drop or did your actually pay drop? they are two different things

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

I don't have BAH right now as I live in gov quarter.. but my COLA which is different dropped therefore making me overall paycheck drop even though my basic pay was raised due to the increase..

 

[MWR]

So I look at my LES today since I got paid and noticed that my pay actually effing went down!! I look and COLA was 156 last year and this year its 80!!! WTF I live in Marin County probably one of the most expensive places to live in the US.. This effing sucks.. My pay just dropped 40 bucks a month even though my pay raise was like 80 a month!! FML!! Pay raise my ass.. lol.. oh well I guess I'll just have to adapt and wait for my 4year pay raise in April..

Welcome to a liberal funded military!

 

[mustangjunkie]

BAH here went up...thought itd do the same in Cali. Who knows.

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

BAH rates did go up but the COLA went down.. Most people who get BAH and live on the economy won't be effected as the BAH rates still increased enough to not notice it..

 

[2L8IWON]

Shit, when I went from E2 - E3 I remember my paycheck dropped because it put me in the next higher tax bracket.

 

[phils04gt]

Cola in Hawaii is over 600 a month.

 

[nitemarestang]

shit my cola dropped like 150 bucks. glad to see i have that many options to buy shit using the dollar where im at. mostly all euro here. and im not gonna drive almost 2 hours just to get to an american base in the southern part of germany

 

[D's01Snake]

Our BAH dropped here but folks that were stationed here before were grandfathered in. So my BAH stayed the same but a dude that PCS'd here now would have the new lower rates.

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

Yea my cola in Guam I believe was like almost 800.. it was nuts..

 

[TrevorR90]

my Cola went up but I'm in Italy and the dollar is dropping in value so they have to accommodate the cost of living because of the euro, the dollar dropping is good for me because I get more cola and I don't spend much money on the economy in Italy anyways!

 

[GBNFG 03 DSG]

COLA is the biggest waste of taxes payers money. You would not believe how many military people come back from overseas just to put down 30-40K on a house, most of it, if not all came from them saving there COLA. So people do not try and flame I have been stationed overseas and have been in the military for 12yrs. COLA is supposed to be used to support the local economy by shopping of base.

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

This is true, but I live Marin county and in Point Reyes to be exact. everything here is 10x's as much as it would be at lets say Safeway.. Gas is 30 cents more expensive because of this town. If I want to go to Safeway or a 76 station I have to drive 25 mins.. Yes people overseas get to save there money but they are also overseas. I don't think it's that bad of a trade off.

 

[myersusaf]

My COLA is pretty good here in Belgium...JAN 2010......$1580.00

I believe we have one of the highest cola rates period, with the exception of big cities in europe and asia with no bases.

 

[myersusaf]

COLA is the biggest waste of taxes payers money. You would not believe how many military people come back from overseas just to put down 30-40K on a house, most of it, if not all came from them saving there COLA. So people do not try and flame I have been stationed overseas and have been in the military for 12yrs. COLA is supposed to be used to support the local economy by shopping of base.

I spend an assload on the local economy. everytime i run to the store to grab some items i can drop 40 euro which gets expensive in dollars really quickly. Now if i was single here i would be banking, but i am married and have 4 kids...

 

[nitemarestang]

I spend an assload on the local economy. everytime i run to the store to grab some items i can drop 40 euro which gets expensive in dollars really quickly. Now if i was single here i would be banking, but i am married and have 4 kids...

yea prity much. but im single and see no bonus of being here pay wise :shrug:.

 

[TrevorR90]

Well I don't have the convenience of say Walmart in Italy, its hard getting stuff I need with just a small AAFES store... Most of my stuff comes from the states from me ordering it online.. The way I see it, its pay for being overseas and not having the convenience of being in the states...

 

[98 Saleen Cobra]

damn but that must be pretty sweet being stationed in Italy.. I'd kill to be there for a few years..

 

[myersusaf]

yea prity much. but im single and see no bonus of being here pay wise :shrug:.

do you go to schinnen as well? or do you stay at GK?