The "food stamp fridge"

[Walking Cat Bed]

I believe headship meant extra foodstamps at the end of the month. In the US, any extra typically rolls over.

I'd heard Canada doesn't cover dental work... wasn't aware that having savings there had that much of a negative impact. They've always looked at my savings and seemed to assume I was using it to pay my rent while unemployed.

Excess food stamps money rolling over only happens in NC if you have under a certain amount (like, less than $10, I think). I had up to $5 roll over, but I was told that anything more that a very small amount would vanish (to prevent people saving up a LOT for a party or something).

[utter solitude]

Excess food stamps money rolling over only happens in NC if you have under a certain amount (like, less than $10, I think). I had up to $5 roll over, but I was told that anything more that a very small amount would vanish (to prevent people saving up a LOT for a party or something).

Ohio will rollover... unless you don't use them for a loooooong time.

Your food assistance benefits are made available in your account each month on your designated

day. Any benefits you use are deducted from the first benefits that were made available to your

account. Food assistance benefits you do not use stay in your EBT account until you use them,

HOWEVER If your F assistance benefits are not accessed in 365 days from the time they were

issued, the F assistance benefits will be removed and you will lose them. Your account is

considered accessed if you make a purchase, but not if you only check your balance.

The only time I've ever had anything significant roll over was when I first had them... since Ohio issues you SNAP starting from your application date, and it took nearly two months to get me processed, I had about three months' worth on my card at one time. We used it to stock up on oils, spices, basics like that, and I was able to make pies and shit for a little while.

[Coco]

I will say that I would probably feel like I had a full fridge with FS...but that is because we are one of those "just over the line" households and have a limited food budget.

We do get WIC, though, since we have a 5 week old, and that is an awesome program. It's hard to avoid judgey stares, though, when using it. In our state, WIC comes in check form and has to be rung separately in a long, drawn-out process.

It's that way in our area too, we had it for almost five years. Really comes in handy when it would be difficult to buy a $4 gallon of milk for example, and it's all healthy. There are very strict guidelines on what can be purchased with WIC. But the checks can be a pain, especially if the combinations are inconvenient or more than needed at the time. I used to search for a cashier that seemed to have it together, because if the cashier made a mistake on a check purchase it could result in 30 minutes of holding up lines. :embarrassed:

[Three and Done]

It's unfortunate that WIC is dispensed by check. The cashiers hate dealing with them, and those that use them are judged by every person in line behind them, because it's obvious they are "taking from the system". :roll:

[utter solitude]

The first time I saw this:

I had two thoughts....

*Hey, the foodstamps work! That family has a nicely stocked fridge, with two cartons of eggs, even!

*Looks like Hardworking Taxpayer needs a lesson in budgeting....

[Aerial312]

I'm sitting here reading this thread and scrolling through my Facebook, and my friend just posted the awesomely appropriate meme "If you work and still need food stamps, your employer is the one getting the handout"

[Three and Done]

I'm sitting here reading this thread and scrolling through my Facebook, and my friend just posted the awesomely appropriate meme "If you work and still need food stamps, your employer is the one getting the handout an asshole".

There, I fixed that.

[Arete]

Walmart is actually infamous for the percentage of their employees who draw SNAP and Medicaid benefits in the various states they live and work in. Talk about corporate welfare....

[Trynn]

In my state, if you are a student, you may not receive food stamps unless your parents also qualify. This is true no matter what your age, and whether or not you are independent of them.

[Mama Mia]

(My confession- behind a couple at Wal-Mart. Cart loaded down. Paid with SNAP. A lollipop that turns when a button is pushed wasn't covered. I was going to pay for it. It was close to a holiday. Woman yelled at the cashier, the front line manager and the store manager over the $2.00 lollipop. After they told her it would have to wait until tomorrow she paid for her cigarettes and left. I think that is what most people remember. I remember her and it has been several years ago. I now see her in a different light. Please accept my apologizes on the behalf of judgy people like me. My eyes have been opened and I will look at people differently now)

I don't think you need to see her in a different light. She was clearly being a jerk. It's okay to think that people who are doing out-of-line things are acting rude/nasty/entitled -- whatever adjective applies.

The problem comes from then taking this one persons obnoxious behavior while using food stamps, and applying it to your view of everyone who is using food stamps.

[lawfulevil]

People also don't consider that people who are unemployed or getting benefits for other reasons often have to live with someone else, and that the way household management works out may mean the person with EBT isn't necessarily the one buying the staples. My roommate isn't on any assistance because we can afford to pay her share too (although it's tight), but if she were and someone gave her shit for using her assistance to buy the kinds of food I don't pick up in bulk, I'd be pretty angry. Because here's how it might break down:

Hypothetically, roomie gets $X dollars in food stamps per month, which is her only income and thus her only contribution to the household food (or budget, for that matter) besides helping with the garden.

I buy all the protein (meat/eggs/seafood), some of the produce, staples (brown rice, tea, coffee, flour, sugar, whatever), medication, toiletries, pet supplies, cleaning supplies I don't make myself, and most treats in bulk. It amounts to probably 5-6X per month since it's mostly everything that goes into running the house.

That would leave her running to the corner store and picking up odds and ends, mostly- snacks the bulk store didn't have, something needed for dinner we ran out of (cumin, it's always cumin), milk since I don't buy that in bulk, condiments, fresh bread, maybe a package of chicken if I forgot to pull some out to thaw that morning. You get the idea. Her food role would be patching the holes in an already-established food ecosystem, not providing an entire one, so it'd probably look frivolous to outsiders!

And no, I don't think it'd be unfair for her to be getting stamps. She isn't because we didn't decide that way, but if she were there'd be nothing wrong with it- she's our friend, not our blood relative, we are not magically MORE obligated to pay to feed her than the food stamp program is.

[GolightlyGrrl]

Walmart is actually infamous for the percentage of their employees who draw SNAP and Medicaid benefits in the various states they live and work in. Talk about corporate welfare....

If my rather small church, which doesn't make billions in profit, can afford to pay their part-time childcare workers more than minimum wage, Wal-Mart can afford to pay their workers the pittance they do now.

[louisa05]

I am truly shocked this meme has not shown up in my FB feed yet.

My idiot (and possibly slinking into dementia) aunt posted one last week about how it is unfair that money is taken from "hard working taxpayers" and given to people who "refuse to work". A cousin and I kind of tag teamed to explain to her that the safety net takes far less from her tax dollars than the Department of Defense and that because minimum wage is nowhere near a living wage people can work and still qualify for assistance.

So she called our mothers. Not kidding. We're both grown adults over 40.

Our mothers were not concerned and both thought she needed a reality check. My mother pointed out that beyond their early childhood when my grandparents had a tight budget, my aunt has never struggled for money a day in her life. She married young to someone over 10 years older who had a secure and high paying union job. For most of her life, she worked and had her own money in her own account to spend as she pleased. Then add in that her adult children are lazy and worthless BUT instead of getting assistance, they mooch off their parents. They have spent their money on housing, cars, electronics, expensive vacations, and about anything else you can think of for their adult children, one daughter-in-law and five grandchildren. And she had the gall to tell to us on FB that her precious kids have sometimes had low paying jobs but have never "stolen from the taxpayers because of it". :angry-banghead:

[moodygirl86]

I am truly shocked this meme has not shown up in my FB feed yet.

My idiot (and possibly slinking into dementia) aunt posted one last week about how it is unfair that money is taken from "hard working taxpayers" and given to people who "refuse to work". A cousin and I kind of tag teamed to explain to her that the safety net takes far less from her tax dollars than the Department of Defense and that because minimum wage is nowhere near a living wage people can work and still qualify for assistance.

So she called our mothers. Not kidding. We're both grown adults over 40.

Our mothers were not concerned and both thought she needed a reality check. My mother pointed out that beyond their early childhood when my grandparents had a tight budget, my aunt has never struggled for money a day in her life. She married young to someone over 10 years older who had a secure and high paying union job. For most of her life, she worked and had her own money in her own account to spend as she pleased. Then add in that her adult children are lazy and worthless BUT instead of getting assistance, they mooch off their parents. They have spent their money on housing, cars, electronics, expensive vacations, and about anything else you can think of for their adult children, one daughter-in-law and five grandchildren. And she had the gall to tell to us on FB that her precious kids have sometimes had low paying jobs but have never "stolen from the taxpayers because of it". :angry-banghead:

God Louisa, if I'd been your mother, I'd have struggled not to laugh down the phone.

Here's what I don't get about the "stealing from taxpayers" argument. I'm not that familiar with the US tax system - but in the UK your wages are taxed before being paid out to you - it's called PAYE (Pay As You Earn). So technically, you never had it in the first place. Would I be right in thinking that's the case in America, or at least most of the states? And if so, then how can welfare recipients have taken anything from the taxpayer? We also automatically pay NI (National Insurance) by the same method. Which is specifically in case you get sick and need to be treated on the NHS, or if you lose your job. Some of our Tory politicians were recently considering making benefits a loan that you pay back once you've got work, but they're obviously too stupid to realise that that would defeat the point of NI.

I'm really sorry to read about the way some of you have been treated when needing help. I can never get used to how cruel some people are. I'm on the dole myself, but I'm looking as hard as I can for work, and when I've got a job (in other words a taxpayer) I'll be happy for my taxers to go towards anyone who needs it at the time. I'm claiming from the system while currently in need, and when my circumstances improve, I'll pay it forward. It's called give and take, and it's part of living in society. I hate all this haves-against-the-have-nots/deserving-versus-undeserving bullshit.

[JMarie]

The first time I saw this:

I had two thoughts....

*Hey, the foodstamps work! That family has a nicely stocked fridge, with two cartons of eggs, even!

*Looks like Hardworking Taxpayer needs a lesson in budgeting....

*Look how the welfare family cooks from scratch (as evidenced by the casserole dish and storage container), and how the taxpayer survives on processed foods

[louisa05]

*Look how the welfare family cooks from scratch (as evidenced by the casserole dish and storage container), and how the taxpayer survives on processed foods

I just assume that the taxpayer blows his money eating in restaurants or getting takeout for every meal. I know plenty of people who do that.

[utter solitude]

God Louisa, if I'd been your mother, I'd have struggled not to laugh down the phone.

Here's what I don't get about the "stealing from taxpayers" argument. I'm not that familiar with the US tax system - but in the UK your wages are taxed before being paid out to you - it's called PAYE (Pay As You Earn). So technically, you never had it in the first place. Would I be right in thinking that's the case in America, or at least most of the states? And if so, then how can welfare recipients have taken anything from the taxpayer? We also automatically pay NI (National Insurance) by the same method. Which is specifically in case you get sick and need to be treated on the NHS, or if you lose your job. Some of our Tory politicians were recently considering making benefits a loan that you pay back once you've got work, but they're obviously too stupid to realise that that would defeat the point of NI.

I'm really sorry to read about the way some of you have been treated when needing help. I can never get used to how cruel some people are. I'm on the dole myself, but I'm looking as hard as I can for work, and when I've got a job (in other words a taxpayer) I'll be happy for my taxers to go towards anyone who needs it at the time. I'm claiming from the system while currently in need, and when my circumstances improve, I'll pay it forward. It's called give and take, and it's part of living in society. I hate all this haves-against-the-have-nots/deserving-versus-undeserving bullshit.

Yep, our taxes are deducted the same way. Looking at my last paystub, there are separate deductions for social security, medicare, federal tax, state tax, and local/city tax. If I'd had health insurance, child support to pay, a garnishment, or was purchasing company stock, that would also be deducted directly from my pay in this manner.

The general feeling of "it's my tax dollars" seems to come from, "if this person I assume is a moocher wasn't getting welfare, that money would go to someone who "really" needs it/a program I do support!" and that's all the more though people put into it.

[Toothfairy]

People on welfare pay taxes :cray-cray: I'm confused by the photo. Maybe people who aren't on assistance can learn from people who on assistance to budget and make home cooked meals

[utter solitude]

Here's a fun article on the meme:

poorasfolk.com/2014/04/02/debunkifying-the-meme-the-welfare-fridge/

I'd share a photo of my fridge too, but I have roommates who buy tons of food and eat out at restaurants and waste it all while claiming they "have no fucking money".

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm on my way to Walmart to buy food - meaning, everything I need to make tuna noodle casserole and staples like bread, eggs, and butter so I can keep eating rice and veggies everyday. :cray-cray:

[GolightlyGrrl]

If my rather small church, which doesn't make billions in profit, can afford to pay their part-time childcare workers more than minimum wage, Wal-Mart can afford to pay their workers the pittance they do now.

Holy, Freudian slip, Batman!!!! I meant to write "Wal-Mart can afford to pay their workers "more than" the pittance they do now. Yikes!!!

I guess writing a major league riffle is the price I pay for dealing with several nights of insomnia.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Here's something I read recently that talks about how the healthy food is the most expensive

babble.com/best-recipes/what-i-learned-after-taking-a-homeless-mother-grocery-shopping/

[Coco]

Holy, Freudian slip, Batman!!!! I meant to write "Wal-Mart can afford to pay their workers "more than" the pittance they do now. Yikes!!!

I guess writing a major league riffle is the price I pay for dealing with several nights of insomnia.

A video that describes it:

[bBvideo 560,340:bif8ykwl]

[/bBvideo]

source: marketplace.org/topics/wealth-poverty/secret-life-food-stamp/video-what-if-wal-mart-paid-its-employees-more

[Coco]

Here's a fun article on the meme:

poorasfolk.com/2014/04/02/debunkifying-the-meme-the-welfare-fridge/

I'd share a photo of my fridge too, but I have roommates who buy tons of food and eat out at restaurants and waste it all while claiming they "have no fucking money".

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm on my way to Walmart to buy food - meaning, everything I need to make tuna noodle casserole and staples like bread, eggs, and butter so I can keep eating rice and veggies everyday. :cray-cray:

That was really interesting. All those pics of regular folks' fridges :D Kind of funny how people are so similar in what we buy.

[utter solitude]

That was really interesting. All those pics of regular folks' fridges :D Kind of funny how people are so similar in what we buy.

I've really started to notice that too! People seem to fall into two broad categories: those that buy mostly premade things, and those that buy ingredients. (There's a lot of overlap) and within those broad categories, people buy mostly the same kind of staples.

[Coco]

Here's something I read recently that talks about how the healthy food is the most expensive

babble.com/best-recipes/what-i-learned-after-taking-a-homeless-mother-grocery-shopping/

So sad. This is what everyone should be reading who posts that stupid meme. $11 for a bag of apples is sadly, pretty accurate. Once when i was using WIC it cost me about $1 over the $6 allowance to put one more apple in the bag. So thankful that we have apple trees now, even if the applesauce does turn out tasting like healthy sour patch candy. :lol: