Food Stamps...

[Julie08]

Asking at Walmart is a great idea.

 

[PattiXmas]

Quote:
I do believe that this is the message I was trying to get across. The other thing is this - if you are in position where you find yourself unable to feed or take care of yourself yet you have animals, maybe it's time to consider re-homing your animals. Animals need more then food and love. They also need vet care from time to time.

 

[thechickenchick]

It is a great idea. I worked in a college food service when I was a single Mom. I got permission to take any left overs home I wanted. So much went in the garbage there, it was just unreal, and sad. Beings it was "trash" I took large quantities. I then put in portions for the 2 of us and froze it.

I also used the Food Bank when I could. I remember feeling ashamed and thinking, I hope DS does not remember I had to do this (he was 4). You know what. He still remembers the nice lady that put extra cupcakes in our food box just for him!

He doesn't look back at that time and say "boy my Mom was a loser". So don't feel ashamed, like someone else said, we do what we have to do.

 

[EweSheep]

Dont forget peanut butter and jelly (or marshmellow creme) for sandwiches!

We had gotten food stamps before and we made too much about a year and half ago with my hubby gotten part time work. We made too much by $50.00 a month. Now with his work cut back even more, less hours worked, Public aid said we still make too much by $25.00 and suggested that we go to food pantries for what we need.

So we have to get food pantries to get our basics but alot of times there would be no meat or canned meats

. There is alot of starch which I certainly do not need it for myself nor my DD. Kids can get fat on them. No fresh fruits or veggies unless someone is kind to donate them to the food pantries but they are fewer and farther in between. It was sickening to see the "fresh" foods, oranges were brown or bruised, tomatoes were wrinkly and cores have molds, apples were soft or badly bruised and potatoes were chilled but they were so soft. I had to toss them all out, what a shame of waste to donate when the veggies and fruits are nearly unfit to eat. I would love to throw the food back at them and say WOULD you eat those??? I bet alot of them would say NO. That was from one food pantry. the rest of them were canned and we love them.

I am lucky now that I have a small garden to plant tomatoes and if I had extras, I will contribute to the food pantries to thank them for helping us out for the past year.

So most of us are caught in a hard place of what we are eligible for food stamps (for the state of IL, max limit to qualify would be $1750 a month) and we now made $25.00 too much. Gee, after all the bills have been paid, we would have only $30 left for food alone in one paycheck. Prices of grocery, even the cheapest, would go higher as well. Tax increase and garbage fees are increasing as well. So much for the $8 an hour increase.

 

[Crusty McPottydoodle]

In case anyone is interested, I have posted a thread asking for your best bang for your buck recipes

Cheryl

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Good idea!

 

[Julie08]

great idea!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Some of my fav websites for frugality (though not necessarily for healthy meals... sigh):

http://www.5dollardinners.com/
http://www.cheapskatemonthly.com/ed_cheapskate.asp - love her daily newsletter b/c it affirms much of what I already do

 

[SweetWater]

We just recently got approved for food stamps. We applied on July first as we were desperate. I cried the whole 30 miles home, I was so ashamed and felt that we failed somehow.
My husband was laid off at the beginning of May and his final paycheck was unable to be cashed as his employer had insufficient funds in their acct. We just now (at the end of July) got that issue resolved. We've been living on our savings. Our savings are just about dry now. He just applied for unemployment so I don't think we'll get food stamps next month.

Heres a little bit about us...

My husband and I are married and have 3 DD's. My husband made decent money. We never lived outside our means. We only have one car, that was used and we paid cash for. We've never had cable or satellite. The only "Extra" we have ever had is Internet because I sometimes do odd virtual assisting jobs for real estate agents and need Internet to do that. But since the housing market has went to crap no one needs my help anymore, so we use the Internet to search for jobs and I escape to BYC.
We never eat anywhere but our dining room table, unless we go to a relatives for a holiday dinner, lol Never eat take out or fast food.

We've never had credit cards because we feel if we cant pay cash for it, we really don't need it. I do have a pre paid Visa card because we can order meds and supplies for our animals cheaper online. Our dogs, cats, and rats all get left overs. I always cook from scratch, so the leftovers are ok for them. The snake gets wild mice now and the goats get scraps and pasture. I do have hatching eggs coming soon for DD birthday present, but the chickens are stocked up on feed for at least 2 more months. I will only allow our animals to go else where if they are about to starve. Every animal we have, pet or livestock is guaranteed proper care and a lifelong home with us, we just all have to adapt and overcome.

Since the day my husband was laid off he's been out looking for job every day except Sunday. He finally got to the point where he is looking outside his field of operating heavy equipment. He was told by McDonald's that he is overqualified and they will not hire him because of that. He also applied at King Soopers and was turned down because of having no experience. He did apartment maintenance for the first few years we were together and tried applying for a job in that field but was told because his prior experience was so long ago they wouldn't consider him. Nothing is avalible in his current field, so he is still looking.

I have been looking for a job on nights and weekends and since I have been a SAHM for the past 6 years my skills are out the window. My background is in office work and customer service. Either I'm overly qualified to work at KFC or not experienced enough for call center work for Comcast.

I put the word out that I can do babysitting, on our church bulletin and I have sitting job on Saturday, So thats something.

We have to feed our kids and keep a roof over their heads, and if we want to keep our kids we have to have electricity. So food stamps and unemployment are our current resourses to do that. The phone and internet are the next to go.

We don't want a free ride. WE are the ones welfare was originally desingned to help. The working class average Joe.

I don't feel so ashamed about it anymore. I worked since I was 14. DH has worked for over 17 years, I'm 29 and DH is 31. The way I see it, we've been paying into this system for years now and we are just taking what we've already paid for. I asked the social worker if I could use coupons, he laughed at me. It's our money so I don't see it as "free" money. It's no different than a tax return. I also drop off several bags of food after going grocery shopping to our local food bank. Sharing is caring and we are not the only ones who need help.

I really HATE having to rely on the government for food, but it's NOT FREE! We've already paid for it.

Bottom line, if you NEED help, please don't be to proud to get it.

And if anyone feels that people who take that help are losers then I really, truly hope they never know the humility of having to ask for help.

 

[JLMom]

[

Whats your degree in hun? Wow, that's really weird that any job requires 2 years experience with a degree - normally as long as you have a degree, that pretty much does it.

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I am not trying to be rude or fresh. But What universe are you living in that a college degree magically gets you a job? I have a bachelors degree, and an advanced professional certification, and five years experience. This past year ,(with my younger child in first grade) I have applied for many positions. MANY positions. I also have a kick-*** resume, and write really thoughtful cover letters.
And I have only gotten one call back! (Interview next week)

So please, a college degree is not a magic wand. Yes, I a very happy that I have one (a college degree, not a magic wand) but in this economy especially it guarentees nothing

Rant over.​