For many people their most expensive bill will be their mortgage or their rent payment. In the case of a mortgage, people will not become financially free until 15, 30 or even 40 years, depending on the term they agreed too. Renters, on the other hand, will never be free of their financial obligation. So, if there was an opportunity where one could get their housing completely free, most would welcome it. The only way to do this outside of paying the mortgage bill off early, or living with someone else is to join the military full-time and take advantage of military housing. Two options are available when it comes to housing benefits for the soldier. The first is available for everyone, even part-time soldiers, though they will need to be on active duty. It is called a housing allowance. Payment is very generous, in some cases significantly more than what a person would normally pay on their own for their rent or mortgage. The other option is only available for full-time soldiers, and it involves living rent-free in military housing. Soldiers give up their housing allowance for this privilege. The housing that is available for military personnel will largely depend on the base they are residing at. Unfortunately, there are some houses that are older and more rundown. Yet, there are others that look no different than any other type of house. They can be in the form of a townhouse or a single family. They can be somewhat small or large. They can even be all-brick. In terms of the overall neighborhood, military families live in gated communities. Only individuals military personnel, families and guests are allowed in the community. This adds a great deal of security for the military person and their family. Although crime can still happen anywhere, it is significantly less likely to happen in environments where outside movement is strictly controlled. Location-wise, military housing will be either on base or near it. In either situation military families will have access to another built-in community. Military bases have malls, schools, hospitals, movie theaters and even golf courses. Additionally, if a military spouse or dependent doesn’t have access to a car, most bases have on-post taxicab services and/or free shuttles that travel from one location to another. What are the disadvantages to living in military housing? Well, most neighborhoods, particularly newer ones, will have codes that residents need to go by. Yards must be well-kept and the types of pets one is able to have are limited to certain breeds. Yet, having to live by community rules is not uncommon. Many civilians live in similar situations in gated communities. They may even get hefty fines if they do not follow the rules. So, basically, in terms of disadvantages, the rule issue shouldn’t be too much of a problem. However, there might be an issue with trying to get into military housing period. This is because there are often long waiting lists to have access to them. Unfortunately, there is no way to get around this problem, other than being patient and trying to apply for the housing as soon as it becomes available.