I sued to not be allowed to buy anything at the BX or the Commissary.. You had to be active duty or former active duty to be able to purchase anything at either location.. I have heard the I'm allowed to buy stuff at the BX, now, but not the Commissary.. Prices are generally cheaper at both locations on base than normal stores off-base, but not by a lot..

Growing up, I had BX and Commissary privileges because my dad was retired Air Force.. It got to the point, after my dad left, that my mom couldn't enter either BX or Commissary, then my brother got to the age where he wasn't allowed in either location, either.. So, at about 8 years old, I became the main shopper for the family groceries at the Commissary because prices were cheaper and I was the only family member allowed to shop there..

So, at 8 years old I did all the family shopping - like 8-9 paper bags full of stuff every time I went.. I had a full notebook paper page with the list on it of everything I was supposed to get.. So, I kind of got smart, after a while, and also bought everything I wanted: candy, chocolate bars etc.. I stuck all that stuff together in my full shopping cart and unloaded it all together so that it all ended up in the same paper bag.. then I'd load that particular bag into the house, myself, and quickly move it to my room.. Mom never figured it out..

Eventually, after a few years, I got to an age where I wasn't allowed to shop at BX or Commissary.. and I've never been inside the Commissary since.. I have been in the BX while at work..

Oh, when I was a kid, albums were $1 cheaper at the BX, but the selection wasn't great.. I'd wait until they got the LP I wanted in stock at the BX and bought it there.. I bought a ton of rock LPs - Grand Funk, Beatles, Bloodrock etc.. at the BX.. I still have every one of them..

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Friendship is like peeing your pants.. Everybody can see it, but only you can feel the warmth..