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Reply With QuoteI do not see it as a handout personally. My husband is in the military and we qualify for WIC. Obviously the government thinks we don't make enough to survive with children on military pay (LOL) but we do! We only have one child!
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Re: to WIC or not to WIC I think that you should. You may not need it right now, but you never know about next week. Consider it part of your stockpile. You have paid into it, are eligible for it, so I see no reason not to. If you don't like something, or can't use it, donate it. I got WIC with both my DD and at times, it was a saving grace, even if I just needed milk (or formula). When you decide you don't want/need it anymore, just don't go. Anxious to see what you had already decided. :)
Re: to WIC or not to WIC WIC is there for those who need it for a while due to situations similar to yours. When my kids were very small, I went on it because it helped me provide for them better than I could have without it, even though I could have "made do" without it. The difference was, we struggled a little less because of it, and I didn't have to worry about if my dd's were going to be able to eat well. I didn't feel bad about it because, like you, my then husband and I paid into the system, and figured that it's there for those who need it for a short while. My family was on it for about a year.
Fact is, if you feel that you don't need it, don't take it. It's up to you. I do see wheere you are coming from. If you feel that taking it would help your family struggle a little less, it can't hurt to apply. WIC has a higher qualification standard than food stamps, you can earn higher amounts and still qualify. One of the things that you could via your filing for WIC is possibly also get discounted rates for your heating and electricity costs.
Applying for food stamps, for example, if you fall within a certain category where you don't actually quallify for food stamps, but are still earning within a certain amount, will also qualify for those discounts. Seriously, I filed for food stamps not long ago even though I don't get any because of that discount, which amounts, in my area, to about 40% savings on my electric bill. Chances are, if you qualify for WIC, you fall into that category. THAT wouldn't be "taking from the system".
Re: to WIC or not to WIC When DH was activated by his Guard unit last year, it cut our income by quite a bit. I decided to apply for WIC since our youngest was still young enough to get it. It really helped out at the time because gas prices and milk prices were still running really high. Both are down now, but they can always go back up. Could I have made it without WIC? Maybe. I think I added it up one month and at full shelf prices we got about $40 worth per month. You can still use coupons and only buy the sale items and still use WIC. I personally just felt that I'd rather my kids were guaranteed to have some milk, cheese and eggs in case something unexpected happened like a hole in the roof or the car needing extensive repairs.
Re: to WIC or not to WIC If you don't NEED it, need it, then perhaps I wouldn't. But considering you've paid in to the system and are not a free loader, I wouldn't hold it against you.
Personally, I'd go on WIC, I really would. You never know when your stockpile might run out, and especially with the prices of groceries going up and the value of the dollar dropping, I'd do it.
Re: to WIC or not to WIC I say NO.
1. If you were REALLY comfortable with doing it, then you wouldn't have this thread :)
2. If you REALLY don't need it, then NO. Now, if you think that without it, your budget will be stretched REALLY thin, then maybe yes.
3. If you qualify now, and things get worse, you will qualify later. The program isan't going anywhere.
Re: to WIC or not to WIC Originally Posted by TheWoman
I am just starting this out in Hot Under the Collar because I figure it will get moved here eventually anyway.....
Due to a recent pay cut I now discovered that my family income is low enough to qualify for WIC for my 1 year old. So here is the question: should we apply for WIC or not? I can argue it both ways.
Yes! It is free food. We will now have to live on less money, so this will help us out a lot. We have been paying into the system for years and now it is our turn to benefit. I am homeschooling the older kids so they are costing the taxpayers MUCH less than all the other kids in the neighborhood, so I shouldn't feel guilty about taking some tax money to help out. Why shouldn't we get something too?
No! I don't NEED it. This is a big part of what is wrong with our country, people asking for handouts. I can feed my kids without WIC. I have a good stockpile, know how to stretch a dollar until it screams, and we bought our house back when prices were low. We shouldn't accept handouts from the government (taxpayers) when we can afford all the necessities of live and quite a few luxuries too. I wouldn't ask the neighbor to buy my daughter milk and cereal so why should I ask the tax payers to buy it? If our budget gets so tight that we can't buy enough food than I should get a job or have dh get a second job and take care of our kids ourselves.
Discuss. I will tell you what I decided after I hear what you all think.
hmmmm you are not asking the tax payers to buy it, you paid in to the system before this occurred. you also home school which means you have been paying taxes in EXCESS in that area. (ps sorry for the pay cut!!). this isnt a hand out you know. you will be required to take the nutrition classes, iron tests on your child, weight and height checks, you will have to prove vaccination schedule and dr visits. WIC is not welfare. it is a nutrtition program. and if your income is now within the guidelines i think you shoudl strongly consider getting it. Children go through a LOT of milk and juice and other foods. I think it would be wise of you to get the WIC.
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