USMC Finances Of Days Gone By

[USMC 2571]

Two things stand out in my memory.
1963...our pay was 71 dollars a month.
And later at Camp Lejeune, enterprising Marines made barracks loans--5 for 7 or 7 for 10 dollars. They raked in the dough. In the "area service clubs"on base, beers were 25 cents.

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[FoxtrotOscar]

Paydays were in cash...

[USMC 2571]

Yes.

[advanced]

In January of 67 we started out at $96 a month, paid the 1st and 15th. Being a very patriotic platoon 100% of us volunteered to have the MC take out a $25 a month bond (face value in only 7 years) to help finance the war.

In the Nam I only had $15 a payday come to me (paid in MPC), I banked the rest of it. $30 a month was more than enough and I often had some left over. Of course, every once in a while with no notice to any of us our MPC would be changed making any money we had left worthless. Used to **** me off if I lost $5-6 because of the exchange.

[USMC 2571]

Russ, I never saved a dime during my 4 year enlistment. A mistake.

[Cpl Keller]

Yeah, I wish I had been smarter with my money during my time in as well...

[USMC 2571]

My only expense for two years (out of my 4 years in) on a small Navy base in the Caribbean was a dry cleaning place just outside the base.

[Mongoose]

I had plenty of Bond money when they matured. Dave, we had Dry cleaning in Nam. Every now and then the Sun would come out......

[FoxtrotOscar]

I've still got MPC's and some Piasters. All worthless these days...

[gkmoz]

Got out Aug.22,1970 at that time as an E-4 I made less than 2,000!
I believe the re-up money was somewhere around $5,000 I told that old gunny thnx but no thnx!.....Amazing how that amount was just around the money needed for a new Chevelle or Mustang? not this ole 20 year old

[Baker From WI]

If I recall correctly, it was $78 a month when I entered boot camp in September 1965. In Vietnam cigarettes were 11 cents a pack. I could afford to smoke back then. Glad I don't anymore.