RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week

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mistoferin -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:24:57 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MsSonnetMarwood But in time, doesn't the person acquire job skills and earn more than minimum wage? I'm also sure that programs vary by area, but I know that many community colleges also offer job training courses that can be taken for free if you take the time to fill out the paperwork. Well surely some do. But the reality is that some don't have the capacity to improve. The sad thing is that there are a lot of folks out there who are destined to lead a minimum wage life and not progress much beyond that....and those people are having children. I would have to say that it is in my opinion, expanding your family if you are in such a situation is unwise at best. But....it does happen. So do we turn our backs on the children of the ignorant and irresponsible? They are tough dilemmas with no easy answers and I don't profess to have the correct one...but if I have to err I would prefer to err on the side that makes the situation at least a little better for the children involved.

MsSonnetMarwood -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:25:38 AM)
Actually, I have a lot of sympathy for folks who are working and trying to make ends meet - it's very tough out there. Add into the mix trying to raise kids - ack! To that end, I've been involved in a number of food drives and fundraisers for local food banks and other projects. I've also seen my fair share of adults who got welfare benefits and didn't work but were capable of doing so (firsthand knowledge - not perception from afar). I also have seen my fair share of folks on food stamps who came to the grocery store I worked at years ago buying carts full of junk food and filet mignon. I've also refused to turn in the old lady I saw shoplifting food because I knew she couldn't afford it. There's no easy answers.

mistoferin -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:27:20 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: puella Wow, I am always so surprised by how many people lack compassion, especially when it really in the end will not cost them anything. I'm sorry, were you responding to something I said? I'm guessing not but just want to clarify if something that I said seemed to lack compassion.

ThePrincessBych -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:29:27 AM)
a co-worker of mine has 2 children who are both on SSI, they are both autistic, and she is a dept. head in a nursing home. She gets her condo paid for, 2 ssi checks for her boys which are $800 EACH per month, free medical care, and she gets $480 bucks a month in food stamps on top of her salary and CHILD SUPPORT. It is unbelievable. they are all grossly overweight as well...and she eats out everday for lunch, chinese, italian, you name it. I am in awe. I can agree with the medical care assistance, the food...NO WAY. not for that family.

puella -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:29:34 AM)
Oh, no no not at all, I was just responding in general to the replies here!

sambamanslilgirl -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:32:39 AM)
it was a fast reply to no one in particular, chia ...so no worries

pahunkboy -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:33:16 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sambamanslilgirl dons her flame-resistant suit before replying i'm a single working mom of 2 UMs - one who's TBI (traumatic brain injured) receiving SSI and we're on food stamps. i won't say how much we receive and NO, i'm not abusing the system before you make that assumption. however for a big city like Chicago, they go by your rent, income, SSI and other financial income, utilities, etc that's how your food stamp amount is determined. yes, there's a way to eat healthy on the food stamp program yet i don't think eating cheese sandwiches and stir fry veggies (which i do get) constantly would be considered a healthy diet for mine. Hugs to yo my friend. Dont judge a person till you walk a mile in their shoes. I HEAR you sister! Ill swing by with my pink Cadillac and we will go do the welfare queen thing together!!! Wear your mink- it will be nippy today. Some counties are so stingy- the worker acts like it is their money.

pahunkboy -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:35:55 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: puella Wow, I am always so surprised by how many people lack compassion, especially when it really in the end will not cost them anything. Me too. Hugs to you!

gooddogbenji -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:37:25 AM)
Okay. Ummmmmm..... Yes, I'm a classist asshole. Just to get that out. I once read a great article by a food reviewer who lived for a month on the food stamp diet. He spent $2.43 per day on food, and, using the guide distributed by the government, planned his meals out as they say they should. (This was in the 90's, so the monetary value may be higher today) The food was not extravagent, he reused broccoli stems and other things we throw out, but it was healthy, varied, and efficient. Ironically, despite being able to afford good food, many of the tricks he used I have been using for years. Plan ahead, re-use food, make it from scratch, and buy good deals, and you can make it on almost nothing. Choose to eat strawberries in October, and you can't. Yours, benji

pahunkboy -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:40:25 AM)
the very 1st time i used food stamps- this was in an upscale zip code- the clerk yelled FOODSTAMPS 1/2 the store heard it. i wanted to crawl under a rock. it wasnt too many years later and they had a sign reminding shoppers to mind their purses when they shopped. [pick pockets] i just paid $4.12 for a box of cereal, and $3.71 for a gallon of milk.....

MsSonnetMarwood -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:41:21 AM)
I'm going to guess...not a generic brand of cereal or something that was on sale?

sublimelysensual -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:45:39 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ThePrincessBych a co-worker of mine has 2 children who are both on SSI, they are both autistic, and she is a dept. head in a nursing home. She gets her condo paid for, 2 ssi checks for her boys which are $800 EACH per month, free medical care, and she gets $480 bucks a month in food stamps on top of her salary and CHILD SUPPORT. It is unbelievable. they are all grossly overweight as well...and she eats out everday for lunch, chinese, italian, you name it. I am in awe. I can agree with the medical care assistance, the food...NO WAY. not for that family. You're right, there's something off with this picture, whether it's that she's lying to people about her income, or lying to the government, I don't know. SSI benefits are affected when someone receives child support, and food stamps are affected by both SSI and child support figures. Add on to that the fact that she's working full time at a decent job, and something doesn't add up. My daughter receives SSI, and we also receive food stamps, we make it through the month, but some months it is a stretch, and the amounts we receive are nowhere near that, even if you only count what she's receiving for one child. If all those figures are accurate, and she's reporting everything honestly to the gov't..well..I think I need to move to GA -laughs-. -a

LaTigresse -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:46:52 AM)
I agree with benji.....knowing HOW to shop and WHAT to shop for to get the most nutrition for your dollar is key. A $4.12 box of cereal would certainly not be on my shopping list. If you do not have a stove check your local thrift store/goodwill. They usually have used electric skillets, hot plates, and toaster ovens. I went for over a year, cooking for a family of 4, with just those three items.

pahunkboy -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:48:19 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: gooddogbenji Okay. Ummmmmm..... Yes, I'm a classist asshole. Just to get that out. I once read a great article by a food reviewer who lived for a month on the food stamp diet. He spent $2.43 per day on food, and, using the guide distributed by the government, planned his meals out as they say they should. (This was in the 90's, so the monetary value may be higher today) The food was not extravagent, he reused broccoli stems and other things we throw out, but it was healthy, varied, and efficient. Ironically, despite being able to afford good food, many of the tricks he used I have been using for years. Plan ahead, re-use food, make it from scratch, and buy good deals, and you can make it on almost nothing. Choose to eat strawberries in October, and you can't. Yours, benji Benji; I am the tightwad of the century. I even dumpster dive. there are disabled folks that cant scrape off labels for recylcling. cant do dishes- I do thrift stores. Dollar stores, local produce. I barter. Doing so has afforded me a middleclass lifestyle on a less then middleclass income. Since Dennies raised a soda to $2.39 a i wont go to resturanats. I can get 6 2 liter bottle generic for that. some of these shoppers can show us a thing or 2 about stretching a dollar. BTW who the hell wants to eat canned stuff? Also BTW- we got the laws changed in PA- a place can donate food w/o fear of being sued. it was quite an effort. but we won! yay! do you realize how much food is wasted in the US??

pahunkboy -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:52:06 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: MsSonnetMarwood I'm going to guess...not a generic brand of cereal or something that was on sale? i have 8-12 boxes of the .99 cereal. much will end up in the compost. the 4.12 is yet not available is generic. with various meds- i cant eat many items. acid reflux to start with. i also bought peppers- but only the good 1/2. why pay for the guts??? ;-0

mistoferin -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:54:08 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ThePrincessBych a co-worker of mine has 2 children who are both on SSI, they are both autistic, and she is a dept. head in a nursing home. She gets her condo paid for, 2 ssi checks for her boys which are $800 EACH per month, free medical care, and she gets $480 bucks a month in food stamps on top of her salary and CHILD SUPPORT. It is unbelievable. they are all grossly overweight as well...and she eats out everday for lunch, chinese, italian, you name it. I am in awe. I can agree with the medical care assistance, the food...NO WAY. not for that family. I would have to wonder if your co-worker is being less than honest...either to you or to the government. The Georgia food stamp guidelines website that I found states that in order to be eligible you can not have a vehicle valued over $4,650, other assets or resources valued over $2,000 and a family of four(if eligible) with one adult making minimum wage would receive $360 a month in food stamp benefits.

pahunkboy -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 10:57:00 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LaTigresse I agree with benji.....knowing HOW to shop and WHAT to shop for to get the most nutrition for your dollar is key. A $4.12 box of cereal would certainly not be on my shopping list. If you do not have a stove check your local thrift store/goodwill. They usually have used electric skillets, hot plates, and toaster ovens. I went for over a year, cooking for a family of 4, with just those three items. I havent gotten around to having hot water here. yet. so paper plates- forks. i do pop english muffins into toaster. i will need to pay a plumber to fix it that i have hot water. i dont want to sound like a i want a pity party- cos I dont. life is actually quite good for me. :-)

LaTigresse -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 11:29:12 AM)
Oh I know you aren't. I am just giving you ideas that I used when I was broke. Try the hot plate thing, you can even heat water on it to wash a few dishes so that you do not have to waste money on disposables. When I was a kid we were without hot water for almost a year. No money to buy a new water heater. Trust me, if there is a trick to cutting financial corners and making a dollar stretch I have it. I am fortunate that I don't need to as much as I have in the past but I can, if the situation calls for it.

selfbnd411 -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 1:00:48 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: NakedOnMyChain Twenty-one dollars a week is still not enough to provide a healthy balance of foods. If you're to get your balanced servings of food the way the food pyramid recommends, twenty-one bucks won't cut it. There is no variety, as you yourself have said. It is especially unhealthy for children. Sure there is. Vegetarians do it all the time. I barely eat any meat at all, because meat isn't worth what it costs imo. Plus it's a hassle to deal with--gotta worry about whether it's cooked enough or cross contamination. One can live very well on four staples--rice, beans, corn, and squash. All are excellent sources of protein/vitamins/fiber, they're cheap, and they're tasty. As Aileen mentioned, processed foods are what kill people's budgets. I had a roommate once who ate nothing but frozen dinners. I usually spent around $10-$15/week on food, and he'd spend $30-$40. Plus he ate out for about 1/2 of his meals. Nobody ever died because they couldn't have a triple mocha latte at Starbucks! (I don't drink coffee either...not because it's pricey, but because it's disgusting [:'(]) PS--I always misread your name...I thought it was "NakedOnMyCHIN" lol!

sambamanslilgirl -> RE: Food Stamp Challenge--$21 a week (6/5/2007 1:43:23 PM)
now where did i put that mink coat? LOL you're not too far off on the price of milk since the dairy prices are going up these days however $4.12 for cereal?!? what did you buy? hey i don't have workable gas stove but the hot plate idea gets my two thumbs up ...plus i use my George Foreman grille to cook my meat (while draining the fat away).

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