How do people run out of food stamps?

[beth119]

Oh, BTW, why these people didn't call utilities co's before they move? To me it's one more point that americans take a lot of their lives as granted.

Just out of curiosity... if Americans are so spoiled, and take SO much for granted, and are SO dependent... and other countries survive JUST FINE without assistance...

Why did you, or anyone else for that matter choose HERE?

[loaslaen]

To me all above just proves the point that it can be done, living without electricity in US.

Oh, BTW, why these people didn't call utilities co's before they move? To me it's one more point that americans take a lot of their lives as granted.

Some utilities require that you actually are the owner/renter before you can have access to turning the power on. So maybe they did not know it would require that until they actually had already moved/paid rent.

[Dengineer]

Someone needs to start a charity that will hand out to people who think that society or anyone else owes them anything just because they are breathing. I wish it was that easy.

There will always be 50% of the population that makes less than the average income--unless the government decides to equalize everything so everyone makes exactly the same amount no matter what you do. At that point everyone will turn into a government bureaucrat and do the bare minimum because it all pays the same. Isn't mediocrity what made America great once? No, hard work and attempting to achieve success is what made America great.

[loaslaen]

To me all above just proves the point that it can be done, living without electricity in US.

Alot of people in Africa survive without electricity, but they also receive aid. Alot of places aren't dependent on electricity, but America is. It's ingrained in our daily lives. If a grocery store lost power, they'd probably shut down. They wouldn't be able to run registers, take debit/credit cards, or keep certain foods at correct temperatures. It CAN be done in America, but do you want to live like in a third world country?

[MaryMary]

Just out of curiosity... if Americans are so spoiled, and take SO much for granted, and are SO dependent... and other countries survive JUST FINE without assistance...

Why did you, or anyone else for that matter choose HERE?

Because what many people here discard as impossible is a great opportunity for somene who used to be self sufficient. No, I do not mean working for much less then an American would make on similar job, just having different attitude: I'm not gracing my client with my services, but walking extra mile in customer service to meet their needs, always do what I said I would no matter what.
People in other countries do survive without aid. It does mean they have to work much harder to get much less then Americans consider not worthy their efforts. But to have it or not mean they will see next morning or not, so they must do it, mostly on their own. Yes, they do have different standards of living then accepted here in US, not just lower, but different.

[MaryMary]

Someone needs to start a charity that will hand out to people who think that society or anyone else owes them anything just because they are breathing. I wish it was that easy.

There will always be 50% of the population that makes less than the average income--unless the government decides to equalize everything so everyone makes exactly the same amount no matter what you do. At that point everyone will turn into a government bureaucrat and do the bare minimum because it all pays the same. Isn't mediocrity what made America great once? No, hard work and attempting to achieve success is what made America great.

I afraid not too many people would be clients of that charity. Even the opposite, most wouldn't accept it even if that charity would pay them to wear named "big girl/boy panties"...
Why?
Besides being much easier to let accidents happend, you bet on a great possibility someone might come and clean up after you.

[MaryMary]

Alot of people in Africa survive without electricity, but they also receive aid. Alot of places aren't dependent on electricity, but America is. It's ingrained in our daily lives. If a grocery store lost power, they'd probably shut down. They wouldn't be able to run registers, take debit/credit cards, or keep certain foods at correct temperatures. It CAN be done in America, but do you want to live like in a third world country?

No I do not, but if that what it takes to bring me to the next level, I would, making sure this "third world country" period is short as possible.

[beth119]

Someone needs to start a charity that will hand out to people who think that society or anyone else owes them anything just because they are breathing. I wish it was that easy.

There will always be 50% of the population that makes less than the average income--unless the government decides to equalize everything so everyone makes exactly the same amount no matter what you do. At that point everyone will turn into a government bureaucrat and do the bare minimum because it all pays the same. Isn't mediocrity what made America great once? No, hard work and attempting to achieve success is what made America great.

This is SUCH a bs propoganda statement.

[MaryMary]

Because what many people here discard as impossible is a great opportunity for somene who used to be self sufficient. No, I do not mean working for much less then an American would make on similar job, just having different attitude: I'm not gracing my client with my services, but walking extra mile in customer service to meet their needs, always do what I said I would no matter what.
People in other countries do survive without aid. It does mean they have to work much harder to get much less then Americans consider not worthy their efforts. But to have it or not mean they will see next morning or not, so they must do it, mostly on their own. Yes, they do have different standards of living then accepted here in US, not just lower, but different.

I should stay corrected:
You do not have to be a foreigner to have that attitude. Americans who have it do always succeed.

[MnM's Mama]

Back to post #1! LOL
We were on Food stamps for 6 months 3 &1/2 years ago!
The list which is posted in post #1 is the maximum which "could" be given to assist a family.
However we were told the max is rarely ever given because they take into consideration your household income & bank statements, bonds of everyone including children. Which was sad because there we were declaring the $400 in M&M's accounts which was for their college fund from their birth, baptism, & from grandparents on their birthdays. So we had to use that up first. So we paid the max due on bills and made a promise to ourselves to replace it later.

What made me angry was sitting in the "office" waiting to be seen amoung 4 different a women decked out in gold jewelry. One on them said to me "First time here? Make sure you don't have anything in an account put it in gold!" Not only were they working the system but then they flaunted it by wearing the jewelry to the FS office!

Next after I got over the experience of being downtown and crying because we needed assistance, we went shopping. There we were using coupons getting basics and a person in front of me used her card to get a sheetcake! Like pop there goes $50!

We are very thankful for the help we got at that time but were frustrated with what we saw and experienced. It was so hard for us to get in the first place, with paperwork etc. for us but obviously there are huge ways to work the system.

So in answer to your question, if a family of 4 applies and is given 200/mo because of the requirements they presented it would be very easy for them to run out of stamps. Still it would be 200/mo more than nothing and children only qualify for Wic if they are under 5. You can qualify for Wic and not food stamps which also helps.

I'm grateful it was there and that due to the 2 boys i was able to "work" the coupons and make it stretch. Both boys were in diapers etc. we had one car. I have learned alot since then our total bill is $200/mo BUT Most people do NOT shop like we do..like we are storing food for the Apocalypse!

Many single moms have to work away from home and have 2 kids and are on food stamps. My old upstairs neighbor for example and she only got 97/mo for the three of them. Th eabsentee Dad was supposed to be giving her money so the FS had figured that into the mix! Problem is they couldn't change it everyother month when the man "forgot" to pay!!!
Then she had a work accident and it took a few weeks of her using up all her vacation time and sick time before being allowed on short term disability (cutting her pay to 66 & 2/3) and then a few months for the companys insurance to pay her for the money she was already OOP from Dr. bills and emergency room etc because the regular insurance wouldn't pay her bills because they were workmans comp related. The workmans comp had to investigate the injury before paying out for bills. The Dr and hospital wanted to be paid up front because of issues they had in the past regarding workman's comp. Her rent was incomplete and then late, she was putting groceries on her credit card! and by the time she received her workmans compensation check she had so many late fees, penaltys etc from everything it was soo sad. She tried learning couponing from me she tried picking up a second job but could not pay for daycare for her kids while she worked. FS still had her at a higher payrate and she could not get assistance from them. She was thrown out of her apt. with her 2 small girls in the dead of winter and looking for another place which wanted 3 months security deposit. Her injury happened in September, she had no family to help, we helped as much as we could who knew her, but there it was Feb and things took so long and then happened so fast it just was so very sad...

My point is it can happen unfortunately.
FS are a nice help to those in need.
Hopefully more people will see the wisdom of couponing and not scoff at it.

Sorry for the novella...