How do people run out of food stamps?

[cheapchick]

Maybe this is a dumb question but I was reading articles online about people trying to live on FS. There are projects where families challenge themselves to try and live like they are on FS to see if they can make it. A relative recently had to go on food stamps and told me she gets $200 a month. After her baby is born she will get $367. We were discussing how ridiculously high those amounts seem. It only costs about $120 a month to feed one person w/o coupons. Besides the food stamps she already gets more stuff from WIC: cereal, milk, juice, even carrots and tuna. And $367 for a mom and new baby?! What?! The baby will get breast milk or formula which is covered under WIC. I don't get it. Even prior to couponing, I could shop sales and Aldi's or Save-A-Lot and spend $100 a month for myself. With coupons I feed myself on $60 a month. If I were forced to spend $200 a month on food I could get organic and fresh seafood!


I knew someone else who had a family of three, two of them qualified for food stamps but with careful shopping (no coupons) she could feed all three people on food stamps meant for two people and still have stamps left over. So how is it people run out and need to rely on churches/food banks? My relative actually intends to sell off her excess FS.

I'm just wondering why the govt makes the allotments so high. I know in certain places the cost of living is higher and some people don't have cars which can make it very difficult to get to sales but dang! Seems like the amounts should be corrected for cost of food in your area. Seems strange that one chart serves the entire country too!

Allotments for households in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia
1 $ 200
2 $ 367
3 $ 526
4 $ 668
5 $ 793
6 $ 952
7 $ 1,052
8 $ 1,202
Each additional person... $ 150

[rrpate]

a lot of them sell some of their food stamps for .50 on the dollar to get the stuff food stamps wont buy.... i only know this from my daughter telling me she gets some of her friends food stamps for that... helps them both... but no i DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS.. just stating a fact that i know.

[Mothernature]

There are some honest FS recipients who have specific food requirements (like Diabetics, Celiac's disease, food allergies etc). The food costs would be higher.

Based on previously threads, some of this waste appears to be poor money (or FS) management.

[shaeharbin]

I'm sorry to tell you that these allotments aren't always correct. My family of four was on them earlier this year and we only got $97.00 a month. And by the way selling foodstamps is a crime that you can be severly punished for (I work in a law office so I have seen a few cases.)

[justmeagain]

Without couponing like we do here on HCW, I would think it would be pretty darn easy to go through those foodstamps.........look at the prices of stuff now-a-days. Package size is shrinking and prices have increased.

[rrpate]

yeah i know its against the law.. and that is a big reason i dont agree with it... i have told my dd as much...so not sure if it still happens ..

[faeryedark]

Just because the chart states say : $600+ for a family of 4, that doesn't mean they'll get that much, that's the max they could get depending on their circumstances.
I know because at the mo. we're getting $341 in FS and ours is a family of 4.
My hubby's hours were cut again and my work goes in fits and spurts. We probably won't be eligible again once his hours go back up, which is fine. But for now, I'm grateful and I've been stretching those FS$ just got an awesome deal on boneless skinless chicken @ FL marked down...will be throwing that in the deep freeze, and stocking up as much as posible.
For us, $341 is plenty but I imagine for those who don't have transportation to a good grocery store and/or don't have decent cooking facilities it could be problem.
I try not to judge, because I don't know other's situations. I do know people who due to whatever circumstances live in the local "roach motel" and many of those rooms don't include even a hotplate and can cost $350+ a week.
Truth to tell, this topic has been disussed to death before and if it goes like others, will be closed.

[lmcconne]

I also am shocked by your relative's plan to sell foodstamps. Kinda gives a black eye to recipients and program alike.

[cheapchick]

Oh I know selling FS is a crime...thing is it has to be reported. If a store is swapping cigs for FS that may be easier to find out but if it's one person buying groceries for a friend then that's not easy to prove.

The chart I put up shows the max. amt a family can get. I think the amt. you actually get is based on your total income. Yeah I suppose a lot of people run out bc of poor FS management. I remember seeing the old FS books and they had math formulas in them to show you how to get the most for your money.

I never thought about the people with special dietary needs...I was reading about a family of 5 and the dad had diabetes and he said if he could either buy the foods he needed and blow half their budget or stretch it for the whole family.

[cheapchick]

Originally Posted by faeryedark Truth to tell, this topic has been discussed to death before and if it goes like others, will be closed.

Yes it has! But I don't want it go that way! This isn't to pan people on FS...it's not a rant...just a question. I couldn't figure out why so many articles talked about the difficulty of living on a FS budget. I guess with all the deals we find a budget is easy for us. Actually having a computer helps...how else would I know about all the free stuff I can get?