How do people run out of food stamps?

[cheapchick]

Oh no! I never meant to insult anyone. :sad: We all work so hard to stretch the incomes we get and food stamps too! I was just confused as to why the govt is going to give my relative and an infant $367. Even my relative thought that was waaaay too much money. I was thinking if 2 people get that much then she has no excuse for not having food in the house. I wasn't even considering that some families don't get the full amount. Duh! I forgot another relative of mine used to get $30 or so in FS...I remembered thinking "What good does that do when she has 3 kids?"

Anybody that can stretch their money or FS by using their heads and budgeting, shopping sales, couponing, etc. to feed their family healthy food should be commended! It's not easy! We all know the planning and strategizing involved! How many of us have spread out our coupons and sat with a piece of scrap paper, pen, and calculator trying to work out the best deals? Does anybody even tell you thanks? I hope so!

PS: Anybody hear of the $1 a Day Diet? One Dollar Diet: Healthy Eating On a Dollar a Day? - ABC News
Plus there was a couple, Christopher and Kerri that did this too: About One Dollar Diet Project
I haven't managed to get that low!

[tdgirl]

PS: Anybody hear of the $1 a Day Diet? One Dollar Diet: Healthy Eating On a Dollar a Day? - ABC News
Plus there was a couple, Christopher and Kerri that did this too: About One Dollar Diet Project
I haven't managed to get that low!

On the 1st link, there was another link about how to save $500 on grocery bills. Maybe it was just me, no mention about coupons, just suggestions on how to make food last longer. Like putting your milk in glass bottles, how to separate fruit, etc. Some of the things on the list I do the opposite and never had problems, like keeping tomatoes in the fridge (I love cold tomatoes!) And not putting bananas in the fridge, they always go bad faster for me in there opposed to sitting on the counter.

[Smee]

Out in Missouri and Kansas they are EBT cards...but end up still being called Food Stamps.

How does one sell there stamps...when they are EBT cards??

The way I've seen that work is that the EBT recipient will make a deal with someone for cash or other merchandise for less than the face value of the food stamps (EBT). For example, the recipient may go into the store with the other person and let them buy $50 worth of groceries on EBT and "earn" $25-30 cash, non-food merchandise or sometimes even services like yard work, simple home or car repairs, etc.

BUT, you can use the FS card for ready made food as well, like fried chicken at the deli, not sure if you can use it at like a macdonalds or whatever.

I always thought the rules were universal, but maybe not. Here, you cannot buy cooked foods. It's bizarre, really-- a recipient can use EBT to pay for a sub sandwich at Publix's deli counter as long as it's a cold sub, but if they want bacon (for example) on it, they'd have to pay for that separately even though presumably the cold cuts on the sub have been cooked. Odd.

But no deli chicken, warm plates, restaurants or anything like that.

[marge123]

My 2 cents--if i only get $600 a month and daughter makes $300 and i only get $100 fs and my expenses are $800--I would not pay for internet service

[cheapchick]

My 2 cents--if i only get $600 a month and daughter makes $300 and i only get $100 fs and my expenses are $800--I would not pay for internet service

Really though we don't know whose computer she's using...could be a library or WiFi from a neighbor. I think internet service is easy to justify: If you get high-speed internet you can then dump your landline phone service and get virtually free phone service if you use MagicJack or Ooma. So for what you once paid for phone service alone you can also have a phone and internet. Also you can dump the cable and watch TV on the computer. Plus having internet pays for itself with all the deals you can find, printing coupons, etc.

[nannabownanna]

My 2 cents--if i only get $600 a month and daughter makes $300 and i only get $100 fs and my expenses are $800--I would not pay for internet service

Well, smart alec, that internet service is how I work part time!
I am disabled and can not work outside of my house and MUST have my internet svc!!


RUDE!

[marge123]

Yup--I am rude. Sick of paying thousands of dollars in taxes for everyone else to enjoy all the things I pay thousands of dollars for. Yup

[Smee]

You pay thousands of dollars for internet?
No wonder you're so cranky!

[nannabownanna]

Yup--I am rude. Sick of paying thousands of dollars in taxes for everyone else to enjoy all the things I pay thousands of dollars for. Yup

I work and pay taxes JUST LIKE YOU!

You are NOT paying for MY foodstamps!

[wholesalebiker]

My mother who is a low income senior citzen..yes, this is very sad... Her companion died a few yrs ago, followed by a layoff of a job she had worked at for over 10 yrs! She was basically forced to move into low income senior housing.. She has no transportaion, Yep she walks! we live in MN Winter gets nasty! She was able to find a part time job in a seniors over 55+ program Thank God! but for months she was alotted $107.- a month.. and I have couponed my a** off because she is diabetic and She needs to eat healthy meals! at an average of slightly over $25.- in groceries a week it is very difficult!! Yes, short term it seems o.k. but, she was out of work for over 3 months.. Luckily, she found something she can do in this economy for now.... I am worried about when the time comes she can't work...I myself, help, get coupons and do errands when I can but, Financially I am not in a position that I can help much...:shrug7: