I have a question about the housing. I am looking at his LES trying to figure out what he will make if we are living on base housing. I see where it says BASE PAY = X AMOUNT and then I see where it says BAH = X AMOUNT. His BAH is about 300 higher than his base pay, would we still get the BASE PAY every month? I can't figure this out. I would ask him but I don't want to get his hopes of me coming out there up. If this is confusing I'm sorry. Any information would be wonderful!

I am wanting to move to San Diego, but I want to know what we will be getting paid every month, because we are trying to save money. I really need some help. lol

People with experience from going from BAH to BASE PAY would probably know the most about this. I really need some help

You'll ALWAYS receive base pay, no matter where you live.

If you live in base housing, then your BAH gets alloted to housing....

BAH is to allow you a place to live. whether it be in housing or in an apt. Like Victoria said you will always get base pay no matter what

I am aware of all that and I know I'm not making alost of sense. lol I am asking if the base pay on his LES = X AMOUNT is what we will get every two weeks if we move to base housing. It's kinda confusing unless I can point at the stuff. I'm lost. But I want to know if he will bring home that amount every two weeks or if it will be lower. Because right now, looking at the LES we only get about $600 - $700 a month for BAH.

Like Victoria said ull keep ur base pay but ull lose all ur BAH bc it goes to housing since u get one on base

i think the base pay will not go lower unless he loses his rank. And i think it raises up as longer he is in the military and if he gets a higher rank.
But ull get less money bc BAH is missing

I am aware of all that and I know I'm not making alost of sense. lol I am asking if the base pay on his LES = X AMOUNT is what we will get every two weeks if we move to base housing. It's kinda confusing unless I can point at the stuff. I'm lost. But I want to know if he will bring home that amount every two weeks or if it will be lower. Because right now, looking at the LES we only get about $600 - $700 a month for BAH.

Depends....are you looking at the mid-month LES or the end of the month LES?!?
BAH is divided in two, when it's deposited into your acct. On the EOM les, just divide it in two!

I am aware of all that and I know I'm not making alost of sense. lol I am asking if the base pay on his LES = X AMOUNT is what we will get every two weeks if we move to base housing. It's kinda confusing unless I can point at the stuff. I'm lost. But I want to know if he will bring home that amount every two weeks or if it will be lower. Because right now, looking at the LES we only get about $600 - $700 a month for BAH.

what happens is your pay gets split in half base pay is for the month so if that amount is 1200 a month they divide that by 2 and that is what you get paid every 2 weeks. same goes for you BAH. so you don't get your base pay every two weeks but base pay/2 if

http://perdiem.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/bah.html

The figure you get from that site is monthly....

So if his BASE PAY on his LES says $10 we only get $5 on that pay check and the other $5 on the next check. We don't get $10 on every paycheck.

Don't wanna just blurt out how much he makes and stuff, just feels weird. So I used a really crazy number. lol

So if his BASE PAY on his LES says $10 we only get $5 on that pay check and the other $5 on the next check. We don't get $10 on every paycheck.

Don't wanna just blurt out how much he makes and stuff, just feels weird. So I used a really crazy number. lol
basically yes. you can say around his base pay if you want. it's all public knowledge any way lol

I know, but my parents have always been really adament about not mentioning what they got paid every month when I was younger and it just kinda stuck. lol

Thank you so much!

Everyone's done a great job explaining, I just wanted to add that we're in San Diego housing right now, and I can help with any questions you might have...

Awesome! Which housing unit are you in? I have several bookmarked that I love. Is his BASE PAY enough to really get by every month comfortably? Man, I have about a million questions, but can't remember any now. lol

when stationed in the us do u get cola or bas? wouldnt she add those to the bah total? srry if im complicating the issue... just curious...

certain areas get COLA those don't get added to BAH, but are separate pay. But she has to be living in the area to get it. If the dependents aren't there then there is no COLA. also I don't know which areas get COLA, but the link Victoria gave should have the COLA list on there.

Awesome! Which housing unit are you in? I have several bookmarked that I love. Is his BASE PAY enough to really get by every month comfortably? Man, I have about a million questions, but can't remember any now. lol

Lofgren Terrace.. we love Eastlake ( the neighborhood it's in) Which base will he be stationed at?? DH is at 32nd, and Lofgren's about 15-20 mins. away (most housing's about the same distance) We actually qualify for a bigger house than we're in, but because they wouldn't move us to a bigger place in this complex, we decided to stay here.

Do you have pets? Because if so, you're gonna be limited.. Murphy Canyon housing allows pets, but most don't. I've seen some of the houses there, and they're nice, but I prefer the Eastlake area..

Base pay should be enough as long as you don't have HUGE car payments/ credit card bills and you use the commissary for groceries (civilian grocery stores here are double the price of the commissary most of the time)

There's no COLA for San Diego.. even though there should be. I won't lie, it's expensive out here, but housing pays for everything with your BAH.. you get the house, all utilities, and roadside assistance (up to 5 miles away from your house)... I've used the roadside before, when my battery died, and they were here right away!

He's on a ship right??? He'll be getting sea pay (it's not much just starting out, but it gets higher with time)....

He is stationed at NAS San Diego. He is on the USS Sterett. We don't have pets. We do have a car payment though. But I have added up all 2 of our bills and it won't be over $500 for what we have, so we would still have over $1000 a month for groceries and stuff like that. We wouldn't be moving there until the end of the year beginning of next year. So, he will be going up to an E-3 by then. So, thats a little bit more than what he makes now. I will be working too. Right now I work three jobs in Tennessee. He is in Maine. So we have time to save more before I go out there.

Another question, are there places to buy furniture cheap. Like where people just donate? We have one in our town in Tennessee. People give the place stuff and then other can buy it cheap.

He is stationed at NAS San Diego. He is on the USS Sterett. We don't have pets. We do have a car payment though. But I have added up all 2 of our bills and it won't be over $500 for what we have, so we would still have over $1000 a month for groceries and stuff like that. We wouldn't be moving there until the end of the year beginning of next year. So, he will be going up to an E-3 by then. So, thats a little bit more than what he makes now. I will be working too. Right now I work three jobs in Tennessee. He is in Maine. So we have time to save more before I go out there.

Another question, are there places to buy furniture cheap. Like where people just donate? We have one in our town in Tennessee. People give the place stuff and then other can buy it cheap.

NB San Diego is referred to as 32nd st... E1's live in housing and do just fine.. so I'm sure the 2 of you will be ok. If you're not picky, you could have a house/apartment right away.. just the 2 of you you'll get a 2 bedroom max...

Try craigslist for furniture... www.craigslist.org

We really want a two bedroom, because we want to have kids before he gets out of the Navy. The only things I really need at the apartment would be air conditioning and somewhere to do laundry. Whether it have a washer and dryer or if it has a laundry facility there.

We really want a two bedroom, because we want to have kids before he gets out of the Navy. The only things I really need at the apartment would be air conditioning and somewhere to do laundry. Whether it have a washer and dryer or if it has a laundry facility there.

You're not gonna be guaranteed AC out here unless you're in Murphy Canyon (they're still installing ACs) Serra Mesa or NTC.. we dont' have AC, but only had a few HOT days last summer.. It's not very humid here at all... We moved from South Texas, where the humidity is often 90% or better in the summer..

Most of housing doesn't have central air here.. and they only recently started allowing window units..Most places have a washer dryer hookup, but some of the newer housings have washers and dryers in them already. We have our own, and have since we first got married, so hookups are all we need.

I really love the ones in Serra Mesa. Those are number one on my list. lol I love them! lol

Just so you know, the wait can be a bit long in San Diego for housing on base. So be prepared for that. you should call housing to see how long the wait is for your family size.

It will be about a year before we are able to go, so that is enough time for the waiting list. lol

It will be about a year before we are able to go, so that is enough time for the waiting list. lol

you can't get on the list till he is officially checked into the command. one of the little things they don't mention. lol.

It will be about a year before we are able to go, so that is enough time for the waiting list. lol

Serra Mesa might take up to 6 months, if not longer.. It's one of the most "in demand" places to live..

We were backdated 3 months when we got here, and the ONLY ones available right when we got here were Bayview Hills, and Lofgren..

If my DH ends up getting stuck out here for sea duty, we'll be moving to Admiral Hartman or Chesterton... I want a single family home with a yard..

He is stationed there. He just went to Maine to get his ship. San Diego is his base.

well just a tip about housing, if you get on the list and your number gets called before you are ready you have to take what they offer or get pushed to the bottom of the list and wait again. It's always a crap shoot because you think you are ahead of the game by putting yourself 6 months before you are ready to move ( for a 6 month wait) but suddenly they have a unit available now, so if you don't take it you get screwed. kwim

They said we have 90 days to move in after we are picked. I figured we wait a few months and get on the list and I will be ready to go whenever the call us.

well just a tip about housing, if you get on the list and your number gets called before you are ready you have to take what they offer or get pushed to the bottom of the list and wait again. It's always a crap shoot because you think you are ahead of the game by putting yourself 6 months before you are ready to move ( for a 6 month wait) but suddenly they have a unit available now, so if you don't take it you get screwed. kwim

I agree.. and you can only get on the list for 1 complex at a time! If you decide to switch units, it can be a pain in the butt...

They said we have 90 days to move in after we are picked. I figured we wait a few months and get on the list and I will be ready to go whenever the call us.

I believe that's after you accept the house.. I'd double check with that and about when your allotment would start.. just to be sure..

I believe that's after you accept the house.. I'd double check with that and about when your allotment would start.. just to be sure..
I was going to say, not to mention once you accept a unit you no longer receive BAH it will be going to housing.

I was going to say, not to mention once you accept a unit you no longer receive BAH it will be going to housing.

Yep, DH is actually having to go and straighten out something with our district office.. they're saying we owe a small amount (less than $30) because our allotment didn't update in time...

I was going to say, not to mention once you accept a unit you no longer receive BAH it will be going to housing.

:yes