Thank you, veterans! Here are the best deals and freebies you can get today

Thank you, veterans! Here are the best deals and freebies you can get today
© Ken Wolter | Dreamstime.com

When you have lost your parents, you probably think of them every day. That’s how I feel about my father. He served in the Army during the Korean War before working for United Airlines.

Since his passing, I miss him all the time. I even used a photo recreation tool to transform an old photo into a lifelike video. If you walk into my office, you’ll see his military medals shining under my office lights. It’s a daily reminder that I can be just as brave and selfless as he was.

Veteran’s Day is an excellent reminder of our country’s heroes’ sacrifices to keep us safe. That’s why all sorts of stores honor them on this day, slashing prices for special discounts. Using resources from military.com, I put together some of the best deals service members can take advantage of today.

Retail

It’s a good day to go shopping. Here are three good places to visit:

  • Bed Bath & Beyond – You can get 25% off your online or in-person purchase anytime from Nov. 11 to 13. This works for veterans, active duty military and even military spouses.
  • Home Depot – Good news: This is a year-round discount. Active duty members and retirees get a 10% discount on their purchases.
  • Office Depot and OfficeMax – From Nov. 11 to 13, active-duty military personnel, veterans, retirees, Reservists and their dependents get 25% off qualifying purchases. (Depending on the item, you could even apply this discount on top of sales.) It’s only valid in stores, though.

You can also save at Staples, Target and Vitamin Shoppe. Here are a few other store discounts.

Restaurants

Now that you’re done walking through stores, here’s another way to save cash. All that shopping and walking around must have worked up an appetite. Check out these discounts:

  • Chili’s: You can only save if you dine in the restaurant — no Doordash savings here. Step into a Chili’s on Nov. 11 and veterans and active-duty service members get a free meal from a select menu.
  • Applebee’s: When dining in, veterans and active-duty military can use a special menu to receive a free meal. On Nov. 11, military guests will even get a $5 bounce-back card they can redeem while dining in or using delivery or To Go. This card will be active within three weeks.
  • Denny’s: On Nov. 11, veterans and active military personnel get a free Build Your Own Grand Slam. This is for dine-in only and it’s active from 5 a.m. to noon.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. All sorts of restaurants are cutting prices in honor of military members. IHOP, Macaroni Grille, Starbucks, Wendy’s and many more are also places you should consider visiting. Click here for the complete list of restaurant deals and discounts.

Travel and recreation

If you want to do more than eat and shop, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few inexpensive ways to spend the rest of your Veteran’s Day.

  • National Parks – Some National Park Service sites charge an entrance fee. If you want to visit Mother Nature on Nov. 11 and you’re a veteran, though, you don’t have to pay.
  • B&Bs for Vets – Want a place to stay? Hundreds of inns and B&Bs will let active-duty military and veterans stay for a night. It’s all free. (Just bear in mind that offers may vary.)
  • Crunch Fitness – Want to test out a new gym? From Nov. 8 to Nov. 14, veterans, active-duty military, and their families get a free week of gym membership. This is only at participating gyms, though, so call ahead of time to make sure the gym you have in mind will let you work those abs for free. Your guests can even join Crunch Fitness with a $1 enrollment fee. Oh, and they get their first month free.

La Quinta Inn also has a hotel discount for veterans. Oh, and theme parks, zoos and aquariums across the country will let you have fun for free. Click here to see military.com’s list of travel and recreation discounts.

If you’re planning to hit the road, there are a few things you should think about before finalizing for itinerary. Tap or click here for seven travel hacks to save you time and money on your next trip.

Tags: Army, deals, discounts, father, home, Home Depot, military, mother, national parks, office, restaurants, retail, sales, shopping, stores, Target, travel, video