Food Stamp question

[ForAandA]

Perhaps not the case with your brother, but remember that in many cases those folks on food stamps may be living in a motel room with no fridge and no pots and pans. If you say that they MUST only buy fresh, raw foods, who is going to buy them a fridge to keep them in and pots and pans with which to cook them? Also, I once knew an older lady who had a fridge, but it had a bad compressor that she could not afford to repair; she ended up just using it like a pantry because it did not cool. That situation is also fairly common among the poor, because a fridge is an expensive thing. So, yeah, maybe people just have poor eating habits, but maybe not; in most cases a stranger has no real idea of the circumstances.

This. I can personally speak for my father, who lives in a 2 room attic apartment. No stove, yet he does have a hot plate and a small fridge. He would much rather cook all his meals (and I do cook quite a bit for him). He is eating lots of tuna, canned chicken, and salmon. Which he loves and is healthy. Yet he has no place for fresh meats, veggies, etc.

 

[momto2inKC]

Perhaps not the case with your brother, but remember that in many cases those folks on food stamps may be living in a motel room with no fridge and no pots and pans. If you say that they MUST only buy fresh, raw foods, who is going to buy them a fridge to keep them in and pots and pans with which to cook them? Also, I once knew an older lady who had a fridge, but it had a bad compressor that she could not afford to repair; she ended up just using it like a pantry because it did not cool. That situation is also fairly common among the poor, because a fridge is an expensive thing. So, yeah, maybe people just have poor eating habits, but maybe not; in most cases a stranger has no real idea of the circumstances.

I was speaking about *his situation. He has a fridge and stove, so is capable. Fresh fruit and veggies do not all need to be refrigerated, nor do you need a stove to cook them. They can be eaten raw which is very common.

 

[momto2inKC]

But what you may not have seen is the cheap meals of beans, rice and greens that they ate the rest of the month. Or maybe that was their firt month on FS and they got a larger allotment for some reason. There are still things you are not seeing just by observing someone one time at the grocery store.



So, what should we then do about the people that do NOT get food stamps but do the same thing?

I have no clue, we're discussing what people buy with food stamps.

 

[SenecaWolf]

I'm shocked at the amount of people that feel that just because someone receives some form of assistance that they should eat certain foods. Because they are on assistance they should eat generic? They shouldnt have a nice cut of meat? That's like telling someone what they should do with an unexected windall of money or an extra bonus received at work.

EXAMPLE: "Gee, you got back $1000 in taxes, what are you doing going to Disney? You should pay off your car loan or a credit card balance like some people do. I budget and save to make sure my payments are on time and I dont get to go on vacation and I work just as hard" <--- Hmm, thats not very nice, is it?

Thats not my opinion because I know I have no right to dictate how other people live, eat, shop etc... But an example of how a lot of these posts are sounding. I mean, geez, what would you do about a person who is on food stamps and is at Disney World???? OMG call out the dogs and chase them off property! They are not worthy! They got here by eating NY Strip and Kraft Mac & Cheese, not tubed hamburger and generic macaroni dinner!!! Never mind it may have took these people 8 years of saving change and yes *gasp* earned income returns, just to bring their 2 kids for 3 days.

But alas, ignorance is bliss and that explains all the happy people around.

I also hope everyone realizes that unless you have about 15 kids no one gets $2k a month in food stamps.

 

[Lovin' Disney]

But what you may not have seen is the cheap meals of beans, rice and greens that they ate the rest of the month. Or maybe that was their first month on FS and they got a larger allotment for some reason. There are still things you are not seeing just by observing someone one time at the grocery store.


For those of us who are cashiers, we see these people on a weekly basis. I have been a cashier at the same grocery store for the past 4+ years. There are families that I see week after week who receive food stamps and have since the store opened (it's a small town, where everyone knows everyone). Their remaining balance prints on the receipt, and some are in the $1,000-$2,000 range month after month, so there are those families who receive A LOT of $$ in food stamp benefits each month. There are many, many people in our area who abuse the system, feel entitled to received Food Stamps and are not interested in the least in leaving the FS program.

I am very much for regulating the FS program so that it is similar to the WIC program. There is A LOT of junk food/processed food purchased by FS holders and a regular allotment of fruits/veggies would be a wonderful addition to their diets. This cannot be compared to receiving a lottery win or a bonus at work. The taxpayers are paying for this program, so the taxpayers should have some say in where their money is going. If I can't afford to buy $100 worth of steaks, I don't want to see you doing it when I know darn well you've done nothing to earn the money used to buy those steaks. Similarly, if you have cash or cash benefits from the state to buy your alcohol, cigarettes, dog food, etc, you really don't need to purchase all of the high end food you can get with FS benefits.

For those who ask about reporting some of the people who abuse the system, I went to do that a few weeks ago when I had a lady use a food stamp card in her mom's maiden name (the mom had just gotten married a couple months ago, so really, the person named on the card no longer exists). The groceries were for her family (she was discussing with the husband where to store certain foods in their kitchen), not for mom. Our store does not check IDs on FS cards; I suppose they don't want to single those people out because we don't check credit cards either. Anyway, I went to call the toll-free number on the back of the card to report her and it said that the voicemail was full. I tried again a couple more times later in the week and got the same message. So either Michigan has a lot of abuse going on, or they just don't care to empty their voicemail.

 

[leahjade]

what would you do about a person who is on food stamps and is at Disney World

If you can't afford to buy your own groceries than how can you afford to spend money on a Disney vacation? That's what is wrong with our society today and why people get into financial trouble. There is nothing in the constitution that says American citizens are entitled to a Disney vacation. Maybe if people learned how to budget (and yes, God forbid that may mean eating generic) and not feel that they are ENTITLED to everything whether they earn it or not. If you want to give people a Disney vacation with YOUR money, feel free. But I don't think it's right that we can't afford to go right now (though we are each working two jobs) but someone who is taking money from the government (my tax dollars) is off to WDW.

 

[plummer925]

If you can't afford to buy your own groceries than how can you afford to spend money on a Disney vacation? That's what is wrong with our society today and why people get into financial trouble. There is nothing in the constitution that says American citizens are entitled to a Disney vacation. Maybe if people learned how to budget (and yes, God forbid that may mean eating generic) and not feel that they are ENTITLED to everything whether they earn it or not. If you want to give people a Disney vacation with YOUR money, feel free. But I don't think it's right that we can't afford to go right now (though we are each working two jobs) but someone who is taking money from the government (my tax dollars) is off to WDW.

Again, just to look at it from a different perspective - my mom gives my brother's family and my family a vacation every year for Christmas - she pays for the entire thing. DH and I are NOT on Food stamps but my brother is (they both work but have two small children so get about $50 a month in Food Stamps and also Wic). Why should they not be able to go on a vacation that is 100% paid for (including food) just because of that?

Just something else to think of...Please know that i say it with 100% respect!!

 

[momto2inKC]

Again, just to look at it from a different perspective - my mom gives my brother's family and my family a vacation every year for Christmas - she pays for the entire thing. DH and I are NOT on Food stamps but my brother is (they both work but have two small children so get about $50 a month in Food Stamps and also Wic). Why should they not be able to go on a vacation that is 100% paid for (including food) just because of that?

Just something else to think of...Please know that i say it with 100% respect!!

Very good point!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Wow...some people have WAAAY too much time on their hands way up on those horses. The demographics of the Disboards never fail to make me wonder how some lead their lives on a daily basis.

Absolutely. Too many people spend too much time worrying about what others are doing. None of us can have any idea of a stranger's personal situation, such as the reason they are getting assistance. Mind your own business.

If you don't like the food stamp program, then it would be a lot more proactive to write your elected representative or actively work to change the laws than to whine on a online discussion board.

 

[leahjade]

my mom gives my brother's family and my family a vacation every year for Christmas

That is different - that is a gift, but there are so many people who feel entitled to everything they have earned it or not. Most times it is the system that needs changing not that families are cheating or defrauding the government. I know people who have learned to "work" the system - how to earn as little as possible to get the most they can, how to not marry their baby daddy to earn more benefits etc. They are not cheating - they are going by the letter of the law - it's the system that needs an overhaul!

 

[SenecaWolf]

Absolutely. Too many people spend too much time worrying about what others are doing. None of us can have any idea of a stranger's personal situation, such as the reason they are getting assistance. Mind your own business.

If you don't like the food stamp program, then it would be a lot more proactive to write your elected representative or actively work to change the laws than to whine on a online discussion board.

This ↑↑ is where we need the "Like" button!

 

[plummer925]

That is different - that is a gift, but there are so many people who feel entitled to everything they have earned it or not. Most times it is the system that needs changing not that families are cheating or defrauding the government. I know people who have learned to "work" the system - how to earn as little as possible to get the most they can, how to not marry their baby daddy to earn more benefits etc. They are not cheating - they are going by the letter of the law - it's the system that needs an overhaul!

And I do absolutely know that what you are saying is what you meant, but I just wanted to point out another situation that may "look" like abuse, but is not. Things are not always as they seem. But I wholeheartedly agree, there IS a lot of abuse out there, but I just try my best not to judge if I do not know the situation, know what I mean?

 

[NotUrsula]

I was speaking about *his situation. He has a fridge and stove, so is capable. Fresh fruit and veggies do not all need to be refrigerated, nor do you need a stove to cook them. They can be eaten raw which is very common.

Sure it is, but if you have never had fresh salad vegetables in your home, how would you know that you don't have to refrigerate them? (And mostly you do when it comes to salad ingredients, unless you can manage to shop no less often than every other day. In a humid environment, lettuce will rot at room temp in just a couple of days.)

All my life I have been lucky enough to have a well-equipped kitchen. We didn't have much money, but my mother never had to buy pans or kitchen utensils, because my father happened to be in the foreman of the housing refurb crew at an AFB. People who were moving overseas left things behind in those houses all the time, and Dad's job included hauling that stuff to the dump. He was allowed to keep any discards if he wanted them, and he always kept kitchen items. The ones we did not use ourselves we gave to neighbors, and they were THRILLED to get them; because when you are hard up paying the bills, kitchen equipment is the last thing you tend to invest in.

So, what fresh foods are likely to keep for a week at room temp in a hot environment? Mostly root vegetables, stone fruits and citrus fruits. That's one out of three that the average food stamp user is likely to be able to afford on what they are given. Potatoes, carrots and onions are cheap; oranges, apples and peaches not so much, assuming that your local store even has any to sell. Tomatoes? Yeah, maybe. Lettuce? No. Many really poor people who live in inner cities have never eaten a fresh green salad in their lives, because there is nowhere nearby to buy the ingredients.

When I was a kid I was the youngest at home; every single morning my mother and I peeled 5 lbs. of potatoes for the day's meals for the family. Potatoes are cheap, filling, and fairly nutritious if they are not fried, but you can't eat them raw.

 

[momto2inKC]

Sure it is, but if you have never had fresh salad vegetables in your home, how would you know that you don't have to refrigerate them? (And mostly you do when it comes to salad ingredients, unless you can manage to shop no less often than every other day. In a humid environment, lettuce will rot at room temp in just a couple of days.)

All my life I have been lucky enough to have a well-equipped kitchen. We didn't have much money, but my mother never had to buy pans or kitchen utensils, because my father happened to be in the foreman of the housing refurb crew at an AFB. People who were moving overseas left things behind in those houses all the time, and Dad's job included hauling that stuff to the dump. He was allowed to keep any discards if he wanted them, and he always kept kitchen items. The ones we did not use ourselves we gave to neighbors, and they were THRILLED to get them; because when you are hard up paying the bills, kitchen equipment is the last thing you tend to invest in.

So, what fresh foods are likely to keep for a week at room temp in a hot environment? Mostly root vegetables, stone fruits and citrus fruits. That's one out of three that the average food stamp user is likely to be able to afford on what they are given. Potatoes, carrots and onions are cheap; oranges, apples and peaches not so much, assuming that your local store even has any to sell. Tomatoes? Yeah, maybe. Lettuce? No. Many really poor people who live in inner cities have never eaten a fresh green salad in their lives, because there is nowhere nearby to buy the ingredients.

When I was a kid I was the youngest at home; every single morning my mother and I peeled 5 lbs. of potatoes for the day's meals for the family. Potatoes are cheap, filling, and fairly nutritious if they are not fried, but you can't eat them raw.

Great points, but like I said, I was speaking specifically about my brother in my post. He has AC in his apt., a fridge, and knows what salad is. He was not raised on junk food like he raised his daughter. We ate very healthy, home cooked meals 3 times a day growing up. He was taught and knows how to cook healthy food. He is just plain lazy.
My posts, like I mention, are not broad opinions on every person on food stamps. I'm speaking from personal experience as to what *I have witnessed. I just thought I should clear that up because it seems you think i'm speaking about all people on food stamps. I'm only talking about someone I know and sharing what they do.

 

[cwasil]

But what you may not have seen is the cheap meals of beans, rice and greens that they ate the rest of the month. Or maybe that was their firt month on FS and they got a larger allotment for some reason. There are still things you are not seeing just by observing someone one time at the grocery store.



So, what should we then do about the people that do NOT get food stamps but do the same thing?

I'm not concerned with what people do with their money that they earn at their jobs. I'm concerned about what people do with my money, given to them to buy food. If they mismanage it to the point of eating ramen the whole month while having one meal of steak and lobster...well even more of a reason to have a WIC program in place to stop that stupidity.

 

[cwasil]

I'm shocked at the amount of people that feel that just because someone receives some form of assistance that they should eat certain foods. Because they are on assistance they should eat generic? They shouldnt have a nice cut of meat? That's like telling someone what they should do with an unexected windall of money or an extra bonus received at work.

EXAMPLE: "Gee, you got back $1000 in taxes, what are you doing going to Disney? You should pay off your car loan or a credit card balance like some people do. I budget and save to make sure my payments are on time and I dont get to go on vacation and I work just as hard" <--- Hmm, thats not very nice, is it?

Thats not my opinion because I know I have no right to dictate how other people live, eat, shop etc... But an example of how a lot of these posts are sounding. I mean, geez, what would you do about a person who is on food stamps and is at Disney World???? OMG call out the dogs and chase them off property! They are not worthy! They got here by eating NY Strip and Kraft Mac & Cheese, not tubed hamburger and generic macaroni dinner!!! Never mind it may have took these people 8 years of saving change and yes *gasp* earned income returns, just to bring their 2 kids for 3 days.

But alas, ignorance is bliss and that explains all the happy people around.

I also hope everyone realizes that unless you have about 15 kids no one gets $2k a month in food stamps.

Once again...if it's you're money do with it as you like. If it's my tax money supporting you then there is absolutely no reason to be buying some of this stuff. You're on assistance because you can't keep your family fed with nutritious food. That is probably the definition of the assistance program. It's not a program helping people splurge once in awhile...or helping them get their fix on candy or any other number of things. It's to give families the essentials needed so they can be healthy and happy. Once again...WIC makes most of this happen.

Apparently, I'm one of these ignorant people. So why don't you go to your grocery story and pull the hamburger out of people's cart, replace it with a steak and pay the difference. At least at that point you'll realize whose paying the bill...you. Right now we are paying the bill of food stamps and what is happening out there isn't right in alot of cases

 

[Colleen27]

But what you may not have seen is the cheap meals of beans, rice and greens that they ate the rest of the month. Or maybe that was their firt month on FS and they got a larger allotment for some reason.

Or their last... Because food stamps use prior month's income for qualification, there's often a month's overlap between starting a job and the case closing.

 

[Colleen27]

EXAMPLE: "Gee, you got back $1000 in taxes, what are you doing going to Disney? You should pay off your car loan or a credit card balance like some people do. I budget and save to make sure my payments are on time and I dont get to go on vacation and I work just as hard" <--- Hmm, thats not very nice, is it?

Well, those threads do come around here every so often too... Just wait a while - someone will ask about using a tax return/bonus/inheritance to travel even though they have some debt and you'll end up with a chorus of people lecturing on how irresponsible it is to take a vacation before paying off all non-mortgage debt and maxing out retirement contributions.

Again, just to look at it from a different perspective - my mom gives my brother's family and my family a vacation every year for Christmas - she pays for the entire thing. DH and I are NOT on Food stamps but my brother is (they both work but have two small children so get about $50 a month in Food Stamps and also Wic). Why should they not be able to go on a vacation that is 100% paid for (including food) just because of that?

I've heard that argued too... That they should tell the gift-giver that the thought is appreciated but that something more practical would be better. Ridiculous, in my opinion, but there are those that would argue someone receiving assistance shouldn't be taking a gifted trip.

 

[luvsJack]

I have no clue, we're discussing what people buy with food stamps.

I know exactly what we are discussing, but you cannot decide that we can dictate what someone feeds their child unless you are going to dictate what EVERYONE feeds their child. Unhealthy eating is unhealthy eating regardless of how it is paid for.

Let, me give you a clue. As a single mom with two jobs, I received food stamps. I bought fruits and veggies, but I also bought frozen pizzas and chicken nuggets. Less healthy food is cheap and makes the allotment stretch further. The other side to that was when you have 45 minutes from the time you come home to the time you have to leave for the second job, you don't have time to cook a meal. You pop those nuggets in the microwave, make them a salad or cut up some fruit.

THAT is how many, many, many people on food stamps live. And until you have walked a mile in their shoes, you have no idea what its like.

If the powers that be decide that mom on food stamps can't buy chicken nuggets or pizza or hot dogs, would you rather her kids didn't eat or had sanwiches every night because mom doesn't have time to cook?

Its simply not as cut and dried as those who have never had to live it would like to think.

 

[luvsJack]

Once again...if it's you're money do with it as you like. If it's my tax money supporting you then there is absolutely no reason to be buying some of this stuff. You're on assistance because you can't keep your family fed with nutritious food. That is probably the definition of the assistance program. It's not a program helping people splurge once in awhile...or helping them get their fix on candy or any other number of things. It's to give families the essentials needed so they can be healthy and happy. Once again...WIC makes most of this happen.

Apparently, I'm one of these ignorant people. So why don't you go to your grocery story and pull the hamburger out of people's cart, replace it with a steak and pay the difference. At least at that point you'll realize whose paying the bill...you. Right now we are paying the bill of food stamps and what is happening out there isn't right in alot of cases

FYI: A huge number of those food stamp reciepents are "paying the bill" too.

So what if the only splurge they get in a month's time is to go buy a steak, what possible difference does it make? Whether they spend it all on steaks or the spend it all on candy or spend it all on fruits and veggies-the cost to the tax payer IS THE SAME.