Am I annoyed or sympathetic?

[Camelot Farms]

From the SNAP website in Pennsylvania. SNAP is the former FS program...

Q: What can I buy with SNAP?

A: Cold foods and other items like coffee, spices and seeds to grow food for your own use. SNAP cannot buy hot, prepared foods, alcohol, cigarettes, paper goods, toiletries, medicine, cleaning supplies or diapers.

However, some families who also recieve a cash alottment, for whatever reason can use that cash for whatever they want. That cash is loaded onto the same card as the FS, so it may appear that someone is using thir FS card for alcohol or tobacco but are actually using the cash portion of their card.

Edited to add: Those EBT cards can be used in an ATM to access that cash.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Yep and the SNAP need to put some restrictions on alcohol and tabacco and maybe sodas.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Quote:
Yep and the SNAP need to put some restrictions on alcohol and tabacco and maybe sodas.

There are restrictions on the SNAP portion. They cannot use it for Alcohol or Tobacco or paper products or any other non food items.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

chickensducks&agoose :

Both of us are disabled and unable to work at this time.

I'm guessing a whole bunch of personal choices over the years (with health, savings, and work ethic) have contributed to this. There is usually no ONE reason anybody is that completely helpless.​

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
While they are free to use their food stamps for whatever they please, I do find this list a bit irksome, specifically because they said they "need" the following items. I don't think anyone NEEDS coffee, soda, brand name cereal, etc. "Need" in my mind is food that will meet your basic nutritional requirements, not snack foods. I am in a tough budget spot right now and you know what I eat? Whatever I can afford to, which doesn't include snacks. I get what I NEED - meal foods, and inexpensive ones at that. I drink water because it is FREE. And I definitely wouldn't be scouting for a specific type of cereal when store brands are cheaper and of the same caliber.

IDK, I guess I can see the point that it is better that they list what they're willing to accept than have well intentioned people waste money, but on the flip side, perhaps their financial situation is due to poor budgeting decisions like this like splurging on snack foods instead of saving for bills? My ex-fiance's family was always struggling to pay the bills... because they spent foolishly. They made half the money my family did but had big screen TVs, fancy computers, every video game system you can imagine, always bought brand name foods and ample snacks, etc. I think the folks posting that ad could better use budget help and good, nutritious food than what they're asking for.

Frankly, I smell a scam. Before I offer any assistance I want to know why 2 or more alledgedly disabled people are going through ther food stamps in less than a month, still have internet to post VERY specific wants (as opposed to needs) and I'd like to see the disability certifications. Don't look now folks, but this is an increasingly frequent scam by those who don't/won't do what they can to get back on their feet.

Buff, if they are truly disabled, shouldn't they be getting disability benefits? Being the skeptic that I am, I wonder if the "disability" isn't obesity, caused by the terrible dietary choices they have made? I think a referral to Social Services is in order.

I have pride, so does my DH. Though we are both unemployed (not by choice) and only one of us is elegible for unemployment, it will be a cold day down in hell before either of us goes online begging - much less for brand specific products! We're scrambling, but we're scrambling hard! Creativity, adaptability and flexibility are our weapons and it's a tough battle. But we WILL keep our house and land. By working harder than ever before at whatever we can do and NEVER begging.

 

[scbatz33]

I've been so broke that all we ate for a week straight was home made biscuits and jelly. I am not far away from that again.

Nothing galls me more than to be in line at the store behind a couple in fancy, expensive clothes, their kid being pushed around in a high end name brand stroller, with clothes you know cost a fortune and see them pay for food with food stamps. And you KNOW they are driving a late model something or other SUV with rims and sound system!

Mean while, I'm scraping together pennies out of the couch to buy a gallon of milk.

Drives me insane.

Another true story....walmart 3 days ago, I'm behind a woman who has nothing but $40 worth of easter candy in front of her and she pays with a food stamp card. what!!! CANDY!

I had $20 to my name and was buying a loaf of bread and cat food.

I know I put myself in my financial bind and this economy is prohibiting me from pulling all the way out of it, but I don't qualify for FS or any other gov't aid because I work a crappy job 40 hours a week. I barely can pay my bills, shut off notices every month, but yet no one is handing me a gov't check.

Once I applied for fs....years ago when my kids were toddlers. They were gonna give me $78 a month in fs BUT they were gonna TAKE my $117 in C/s to compensate them. ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? I told the lady, I'd take the chances my ex would pay the c/s. It was at least more than the gov't was willing to give me - single mom with two kids by the same man, who I had the misfortune of marrying first, and who was employed.

If I'd been smart, I'd have told them I didn't know who the fatherS were and never gotten married. certainly never been gainfully employed. Maybe then I would have had all my bills paid and been riding around on 44s with my radio thumping and my bling a blingin'

 

[Laurajean]

Quote:
Yes, when you see people buying cigarettes or alcohol with those EBT cards, it's two different benefits. That means they got approved for food stamps AND cash assistance. Some people only get food assistance, others get both. Just echoing what Camelot said.

My first instinct sometimes is to cringe if I see someone buying beer, for example, with their EBT card. But, I don't think I can really judge. I mean, I'm going to tell this person, obviously going through a rough patch, probably out of work, probably has kids, that they can't sit at the end of the day with a cold beer and relax?

YES, there ARE scumbag dead beats out there that use the system, of course, just as there are users in all groups. But I know that I myself have been on food stamps, and not because I was a dead beat druggie, but because I escaped an abusive husband when I was young and had no resources or job experience at that time. My family was one food stamps once, because my father was laid off for a while. He's the hardest worker ever, and he was humiliated, as we all were, to buy our groceries with food stamps. I remember being very embarrassed at the checkout, and know that my mother was too, as her hands trembled counting out the food stamp coupons (back before EBT cards). I know my aunt is on food stamps, because she chose to adopt her grandson when my cousin, her daughter, was abusing him and being unfit, and she took on the burden of raising him while already having raised her own kids and was disabled to boot. None of us sold our food stamps for crack. None of us were deadbeats. My parents were not irresponsible with what money they had, it was simply hard times.

I just have a real hard time judging others, and assuming they must be a dead beat looking for a handout, or selling food stamps for crack. Those people would be selling other things for crack, stealing from others in different ways, anyway. It happens. But many people are legitimately needing them, and most quite embarrassed. While I understand the reality is that *SOME* people abuse the system, there are many *OTHERS* who need it, and for that, I am glad we have such a system. I know I like a cold beer at the end of the day. Sometimes I might even opt for cold beer when I'm broke and should probably have spent it on something wiser. Sue me. I can't judge people for buying beer with their cash assistance, should they choose to.

In the case of the OP's post, this person is asking for FOOD. Does anyone notice her last line in the request is "anything". Who cares if she's asking for Pepsi and Fruit Loops? They're obviously hungry. Now, I personally buy generic brands of most items, so if she was local to me, and I brought food, she would have to take what I offered, very little of which would be brand name. Now if I showed up at her door with store brand soda and generic cereal and she refused it, yes, THEN I would probably question it. But I doubt she would. My guess is that she is simply naming things that they bought when they could, and has no realization of how requesting "brand names" apparently comes off to some people.

I had a houseguest come stay with me for a few weeks last winter. He was in the middle of a separation, and his wife was taking all of his money, so he was pretty broke. When we went to the store, he would grab BRAND NAME Chef Boy Ardee in a can, Pepsi, Twizzlers, Chunky beef stew, etc. I asked him how he could waste his little money on this stuff. The answer was simple, he was used to it. He wasn't used to being broke, or looking out for generic versions, or cooking at home instead of buying ready-made food. I had to really drive it home to him that he can't afford that stuff now, he has to think smarter. It may be the same with this lady. She may be used to these products, and doesn't fully get that there are alternatives to save money, who knows. When I read the ad, I don't think of crack, or pickiness, etc. I just see someone requesting food.

One other thing. Someone made a comment about her having internet service. She could have been typing that from a library for all we know, but I can say this: My internet would be the LAST thing I would let get shut off. I would keep it even if low on food. It's my link to the outside world. I look up home remedies so I can avoid expensive doctor visits, I research health issues, pet issues, I pay my bills with it, etc. It is invaluable to me as a resource living where I do. So I can't judge that either.

Sorry to ramble, I just don't think it's right to judge a person we don't know anything about.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I don't know about anyone else, but I donate my name brand clothes, strollers, shoes etc. I just took a load of clothes to the local serving center, the only thing wrong with is that the styles have changed and as a long waisted girl with short waisted pants, these shirts no longer covered my belly. These clothes will be resold, or the clients of the food pantry will be allowed to "shop" with vouchers. Nice, name brand clothes, gently worn. I see name brand strollers and shoes at Goodwill, many of the shoes are unworn. So these poor people will end up wearing the same clothes that I wear. Gee, I thought that you should have to wear sack cloth or a special armband if you were on public assistance.

Just because someone is well dressed, and has things, doesn't mean they have squandered their money, or are less deserving than someone else.

 

[scbatz33]

mom'sfolly :

I don't know about anyone else, but I donate my name brand clothes, strollers, shoes etc. I just took a load of clothes to the local serving center, the only thing wrong with is that the styles have changed and as a long waisted girl with short waisted pants, these shirts no longer covered my belly. These clothes will be resold, or the clients of the food pantry will be allowed to "shop" with vouchers. Nice, name brand clothes, gently worn. I see name brand strollers and shoes at Goodwill, many of the shoes are unworn. So these poor people will end up wearing the same clothes that I wear. Gee, I thought that you should have to wear sack cloth or a special armband if you were on public assistance.

Just because someone is well dressed, and has things, doesn't mean they have squandered their money, or are less deserving than someone else.

I used to buy all my children's clothes at once upon a child. It was located in a part of town where the majority of the donations were from "wealthier" people. ie, my son wore name brand clothes, "gently worn", for the majority of his elementary years.

The folks I was standing behind, DID NOT, buy their clothing or that stroller from Goodwill or any other "used" clothing shop. If you had seen them, you would have thought middle class, upper management, maybe pushing 6 figures a year folks. Steaks, shrimp, seafood, name brand food just like the clothing. And the ring on her finger was NOT bought at a second hand clothing store.

Where I was living at the time, it was common place AND common knowledge that the main employer of the town hired not so legal or folks with sketchy papers to work in the plant. The men would work and get paid pretty well and the women would apply for gov't assistance and say they weren't married. So they were receiving full pay and full benefits.

The simple truth, whether folks like it or not, is people work the system. They lie and cheat and steal. The folks who are honest and decent and fill out the forms truthfully are the ones who get the shaft.

The system is broken. Period.​

 

[newchknmama]

Where I was living at the time, it was common place AND common knowledge that the main employer of the town hired not so legal or folks with sketchy papers to work in the plant. The men would work and get paid pretty well and the women would apply for gov't assistance and say they weren't married. So they were receiving full pay and full benefits.

The simple truth, whether folks like it or not, is people work the system. They lie and cheat and steal. The folks who are honest and decent and fill out the forms truthfully are the ones who get the shaft.

The system is broken. Period.

This is exactly what happens in my part of town. And on top of that they claim all their relatives living nearby actually live in the same household so they claim the maximum amount of benefits.. I see FS sharing, splitting, and other things going on that point to dishonesty. I mean they pay for the food with a FS card and then pull out literally, thousands worth of cash to pay for the "other" things.

I know not everyone is this way and not all people are dishonest. When I see a person using coupons and comparison shopping, and then pay with their FS card, It overjoys me. It gives me hope that there are some people out there doing the absolute best they can and trying. I just think it has too many loopholes.​