<p>Our big loan was on a 4yr repayment schedule. The interest rate was only 1.5%, so you could conceivably put it in a savings account and still make money. With any sensible investments, the potential exists to make a lot of dough. </p>
<p>The MidStore card is like gold. Books, Xmas presents, school supplies---the card just keeps on giving and you don't see a bill!</p>
<p>DeepThroat</p>
<p>DeepThroat,</p>
<p>The card has changed. It used to be a sweet deal, now it just comes out of your held pay. What you spend is what you lose.</p>
<p>That is horrible. Maybe it's okay that you don't wear ties after all. </p>
<p>DeepThroat</p>
<p>Use or lose it as a Plebe...you don't get it as a youngster!</p>
<p>...and one last BTT to finish cleaning up the mess. :)</p>
<p>As an old Chief of mine once said, "You can't beat the System, son! Ya just gotta make it work FOR ya!" :D</p>
<p>Well, Z, when you said, "Brace for impact" you weren't kidding were you!</p>
<p>That ol' Chief of yours was right - and it sure worked for us over 20 yrs. in the Navy (once you got the system figured out!).</p>
<p>I'm impressed by your ingenuity.</p>
<p>Carry on!</p>
<p>Just making up for whatever role I had in derailing the place. I gave my word to the Mods and to the parents from last year. Now I have to make it right for the new folks. :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
Mid Store Card </p>
<hr>
<p>Use or lose it as a Plebe...you don't get it as a youngster
[/quote]
</p>
<p>midmom-- i suppose I should know this, but alas I am in the dark...can you please elaborate? thanks!</p>
<p>It is the "funny money" at the mid store. There is a certain amount of money deducted from the plebes pay that goes to the midstore. How much is the big mystery that we cannot seem to get a handle on. The plebes can charge to their hearts desire and at the end of the year either get money back or (I have heard) owe the midstore money. The later may account for why the plebe pay is even less this year than in years past. I have also heard that it was stopped for the upperclassmen when midshipmen owed the midstore at graduation. (Could be urban legend)</p>
<p>Books seem to be the other big mystery as all my plebe did was sign on the dotted line for the $766 for books. Not sure who really paid for those!</p>
<p>If anyone knows if the plebes will ever see their pay statements or how they go about getting it, that would be nice to know. As to date, he has no idea what he is being paid or what the deductions are for. All he sees is the end result deposited to the credit union.</p>
<p>WARNING: THE MID STORE CARD IS THE SPAWN OF THE DEVIL!</p>
<p>I was going to start a dedicated thread about this, but I'll do it right here instead.</p>
<p>UNLESS THINGS HAVE CHANGED (and in this regard, I doubt it), each Midshipman is set up with a financial account at USNA. Into this account goes your net paycheck. Out of it comes your gross pay, as well as any charges you may place at the Midstore, which includes uniforms, books, whatever.</p>
<p>The Midstore Card is a pseudo-credit card that you can charge against your account with. When I was in, the "payback" occurred at the end of your Youngster Year. If you go nuts in the Midstore during your first two years buying CD's and such (that will never happen, right?), when the time comes to cash out your account, you will instead not get paid until the balance is zeroed out.</p>
<p>I didn't get a paycheck for the first three months as a 2/C, while classmates of mine (who had been a hell of a lot smarter than I was) were receiving checks in the thousands-of-dollars range. No joke.</p>
<p>So, advice to all you Mids: DO NOT treat your Midstore Card like free money, because IT AIN'T. Also, be mindful of "mandatory" uniform issues. How many SDB sets do you really need, for Pete's sake? Settle for two instead of the three or four they try and force on you. Those things are EXPENSIVE. Buy your books used, or sell them back at the end of the semester, unless you're like me and keep them forever (I have almost all of mine about eight feet to my right as I type).</p>
<p>Be careful with the damned thing, or you'll be sorry! TRUST me! :(</p>
<p>What an interesting thing, this "Mid Store Card"...</p>
<p>Is there anything like that for NROTC?</p>
<p>Yep.</p>
<p>It's called "Visa". ;)</p>
<p>And it's just as dangerous, if not more so. :mad:</p>
<p>Haha... nice</p>
<p>Can't wait to take advantage of that...</p>