Food Stamps

135

Replies

  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    This country is ridiculous, there are so many processed foods that are made to seem 'healthy' that even educated people seem confused at times. I've never worked in a store so I haven't seen what people buy with food stamps, but I sometimes scratch my head when I see what is 'Foodstamp' or 'WIC' approved.


    FYI: "WIC" has a very limited amount of approved foods including infant formula, canned baby foods, milk, cheese, peanut butter and dried beans. Technically, all food is "Food stamp approved" as long as it comes from a store that accepts that form of payment.

    Dude. I'm not trying to start a fight.

    I wasn't arguing, I was just explaining the difference between WIC and food stamps. I didn't know that until I worked as a cashier, and I am guessing most people don't know either. No hard feelings, I promise.
  • jazzdspazz
    jazzdspazz Posts: 137 Member
    All in all I think that the reason they were buying the cheap stuff is cuz cheap food tends to be better sex food, its harder to lick of brocolli of your body then cheesewiz just sayin
  • Unwrapping_Candy
    Unwrapping_Candy Posts: 487 Member
    Ohhhhh myyyyy godddddd, I don't care about the reason about why they buy what they buyyyyyy. I get it, they have reasons to be unhealthy. Read my initial post that says that I KNOW that not all people on food stamps are unhealthy. This is ONE observation, (though this wasn't the only time I've seen this) and I know I don't know everyone's situations. I GET IT. My point is that people are using cash that they earned to buy stuff that they don't need and use other people's money for their food!

    I have a very simple solution to this. Stop caring about what other people do when what they do does not directly affect your life. It's much cheaper to eat unhealthily (according to cost per calorie) than it is to eat healthily. It makes sense that the people using food stamps would take advantage of the cheapest possible way to eat so that their funds last longer. Also, food stamps cannot be used to buy cigarettes or alcohol. If you see someone using a state debit card for these things it's very likely the funds are from child support or something like that. There are some places that have POS systems that allow for food stamps to buy restricted items, but these places are rare and the government is always looking out for them so that they can put an end to it. Anyway, I just got all of this from Google. I freakin' love Google. :P
  • afrazier128
    afrazier128 Posts: 99 Member
    But yeah, I agree that maybe healthier food is cheaper, but the money is free to them, so I don't think they do it for the fact that it's cheap.
    Healthy food costs more than unhealthy food and food stamps don't pay for alcohol & non-food items. And yes, the money is free to people who have food stamps, but $300-$400/month is not a lot for food for a family. Trying to get as much food for as cheap as possible is a real concern.

    Food stamp benefits may not pay for the alcohol and cigarettes, but the cash benefits (TANF) that many receive CAN be used for anything from kitty litter to cigarettes. Having worked within that system in my state, I got a real wake-up call. In the town I work in, I don't see as much of the snack foods, etc, but I do see alot of steaks and name brand foods that I can't afford and my husband and I both work. There are plenty of people who utilize the system as a hand UP, and plenty who use it as a hand OUT. Nothing wrong with getting some help, but don't make it a career path.
  • Other people's money are used for WAY worse things, and BIGGER portions of it, at that. Seriously. Look at how much of tax revenue actually goes into it versus other things, like say I don't know the $12 trillion bail out to bankers that wrecked our economy. Why are people so hung up on this supposed "drain" on our system?

    I understand that. I understand it. I do. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore the thousands of people who live in decent houses and have cable and iphones and brand new rims on their cars, but are on food stamps. If they actually need the food stamps to get by, whatever, they can buy whatever foods they want with it. I was simply pointing out that people on food stamps typically buy junk food, then people start attacking me and assuming that I hate people on food stamps and that I think I'm better than them. I'm not better than them, at all, I know this. It was a simple question.

    And no matter how many of you try to justify people on food stamps buying luxury items with their own cash,yet telling the government that they can't afford to buy their own food, I will not defend them. It's bs. I just lost my job and if I applied for food stamps I wouldn't qualify. I don't have a nice car, I don't have any money for new clothes, or even used clothes for that matter, I have no idea if I'm even going to afford a thanksgiving dinner, yet there are people with fancy phones and clothes who do qualify.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    It's wonderful to be able to stand in an ivory tower and judge the unwashed masses.
  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Sometimes when I am at the grocery store..I want to follow home the people with the yummy stuff in their cart as I am buying fruit, veggies, and whole grains...and i don't care HOW they are paying for the yummy cart :)
  • jazzdspazz
    jazzdspazz Posts: 137 Member
    I'm here for the occupy MFP protests, is this the right thread?
  • 1234terri
    1234terri Posts: 217 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    Other people's money are used for WAY worse things, and BIGGER portions of it, at that. Seriously. Look at how much of tax revenue actually goes into it versus other things, like say I don't know the $12 trillion bail out to bankers that wrecked our economy. Why are people so hung up on this supposed "drain" on our system?

    I understand that. I understand it. I do. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore the thousands of people who live in decent houses and have cable and iphones and brand new rims on their cars, but are on food stamps. If they actually need the food stamps to get by, whatever, they can buy whatever foods they want with it. I was simply pointing out that people on food stamps typically buy junk food, then people start attacking me and assuming that I hate people on food stamps and that I think I'm better than them. I'm not better than them, at all, I know this. It was a simple question.

    And no matter how many of you try to justify people on food stamps buying luxury items with their own cash,yet telling the government that they can't afford to buy their own food, I will not defend them. It's bs. I just lost my job and if I applied for food stamps I wouldn't qualify. I don't have a nice car, I don't have any money for new clothes, or even used clothes for that matter, I have no idea if I'm even going to afford a thanksgiving dinner, yet there are people with fancy phones and clothes who do qualify.

    If people are qualifying for food stamps, it means their income/household size meets requirements the government has in place. Perhaps someone who owns "luxury items" and is also qualifies for food stamps used to have a sizable income and no longer has that. People get laid off, demoted, in debilitating accidents, etc. every day. They can't be expected to just throw out their phone they bought 6 months ago because they couldn't afford to purchase it today. I know I have a motorcycle in the garage that my husband and I wouldn't be able to purchase today, but was affordable three months ago.
  • I'm here for the occupy MFP protests, is this the right thread?

    That wasn't my intention, but yes, it looks like that's what it's become. Welcome. Take a seat anywhere. We have snacks over at that table - chips, soda, cookies - all bought with my food stamps.
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    Other people's money are used for WAY worse things, and BIGGER portions of it, at that. Seriously. Look at how much of tax revenue actually goes into it versus other things, like say I don't know the $12 trillion bail out to bankers that wrecked our economy. Why are people so hung up on this supposed "drain" on our system?

    I understand that. I understand it. I do. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore the thousands of people who live in decent houses and have cable and iphones and brand new rims on their cars, but are on food stamps. If they actually need the food stamps to get by, whatever, they can buy whatever foods they want with it. I was simply pointing out that people on food stamps typically buy junk food, then people start attacking me and assuming that I hate people on food stamps and that I think I'm better than them. I'm not better than them, at all, I know this. It was a simple question.

    And no matter how many of you try to justify people on food stamps buying luxury items with their own cash,yet telling the government that they can't afford to buy their own food, I will not defend them. It's bs. I just lost my job and if I applied for food stamps I wouldn't qualify. I don't have a nice car, I don't have any money for new clothes, or even used clothes for that matter, I have no idea if I'm even going to afford a thanksgiving dinner, yet there are people with fancy phones and clothes who do qualify.



    Thousands of people? Either you have personally met them all, and seen the way they live, or you are psychic. Do some solid research on this. Draw a reasonable sample of people on food stamps and prove it to me. Until then, your point is moot. I sincerely doubt you know these thousands of people to live in these conditions for sure.
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    She probably couldn't stand to be around all of us "ghetto" people...we may eat all our food stamp bought junk food, make calls on our smartphones, and show off how "perty" our nails are :devil:
  • Unwrapping_Candy
    Unwrapping_Candy Posts: 487 Member
    Other people's money are used for WAY worse things, and BIGGER portions of it, at that. Seriously. Look at how much of tax revenue actually goes into it versus other things, like say I don't know the $12 trillion bail out to bankers that wrecked our economy. Why are people so hung up on this supposed "drain" on our system?

    I understand that. I understand it. I do. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore the thousands of people who live in decent houses and have cable and iphones and brand new rims on their cars, but are on food stamps. If they actually need the food stamps to get by, whatever, they can buy whatever foods they want with it. I was simply pointing out that people on food stamps typically buy junk food, then people start attacking me and assuming that I hate people on food stamps and that I think I'm better than them. I'm not better than them, at all, I know this. It was a simple question.

    And no matter how many of you try to justify people on food stamps buying luxury items with their own cash,yet telling the government that they can't afford to buy their own food, I will not defend them. It's bs. I just lost my job and if I applied for food stamps I wouldn't qualify. I don't have a nice car, I don't have any money for new clothes, or even used clothes for that matter, I have no idea if I'm even going to afford a thanksgiving dinner, yet there are people with fancy phones and clothes who do qualify.

    Are you omniscient? How do you how these people you're talking about come to possess those things? Maybe they've been given certain things by family or friends. Maybe they were able to come to possess those things BEFORE they lost their jobs/means of income and had to start using the food stamps system. You are making a lot of assumptions in these posts, and it's not doing you any good. Worry about you and yours, and they'll worry about theirs. That's how life works. You have no place in their lives nor they in yours so just stop talking about them. :)
  • MrsCon40
    MrsCon40 Posts: 2,351 Member
    I can't wait til someone starts analyzing every detail of the wealthy's behavior and how it's wrong and costing our government and ruining our country.

    But they won't.

    Because everyone wishes they were rich and it's fun to practice looking down on the peons by picking on the poor.
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    Other people's money are used for WAY worse things, and BIGGER portions of it, at that. Seriously. Look at how much of tax revenue actually goes into it versus other things, like say I don't know the $12 trillion bail out to bankers that wrecked our economy. Why are people so hung up on this supposed "drain" on our system?

    I understand that. I understand it. I do. But this doesn't mean that we should ignore the thousands of people who live in decent houses and have cable and iphones and brand new rims on their cars, but are on food stamps. If they actually need the food stamps to get by, whatever, they can buy whatever foods they want with it. I was simply pointing out that people on food stamps typically buy junk food, then people start attacking me and assuming that I hate people on food stamps and that I think I'm better than them. I'm not better than them, at all, I know this. It was a simple question.

    And no matter how many of you try to justify people on food stamps buying luxury items with their own cash,yet telling the government that they can't afford to buy their own food, I will not defend them. It's bs. I just lost my job and if I applied for food stamps I wouldn't qualify. I don't have a nice car, I don't have any money for new clothes, or even used clothes for that matter, I have no idea if I'm even going to afford a thanksgiving dinner, yet there are people with fancy phones and clothes who do qualify.

    If people are qualifying for food stamps, it means their income/household size meets requirements the government has in place. Perhaps some one who owns "luxury items" and is also qualifies for food stamps used to have a sizable income and no longer has that. People get laid off, demoted, in debilitating accidents, etc. every day. They can't be expected to just throw out their phone they bought 6 months ago because they couldn't afford to purchase it today. I know I have a motorcycle in the garage that my husband and I wouldn't be able to purchase today, but was affordable three months ago.

    Yup.
  • 'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    I can't wait til someone starts analyzing every detail of the wealthy's behavior and how it's wrong and costing our government and ruining our country.

    But they won't.

    Because everyone wishes they were rich and it's fun to practice looking down on the peons by picking on the poor.

    Yup. They are one of the most difficult groups of people to research, though. Because then we'd bring them down after analyzing the results.
  • afrazier128
    afrazier128 Posts: 99 Member
    Sometimes when I am at the grocery store..I want to follow home the people with the yummy stuff in their cart as I am buying fruit, veggies, and whole grains...and i don't care HOW they are paying for the yummy cart :)

    I hear ya there! I don't inspect people's carts, but when you're standing in line behind someone, it's hard not to see the goodies being rung up!
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.


    We figured it out people. She's totally hating that she can't get them! HAHAH.
  • lor007
    lor007 Posts: 884 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.

    What kind of phone do you have? If you qualified, would you have thrown it out?
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.


    We figured it out people. She's totally hating that she can't get them! HAHAH.

    Wow, that was really low class. Way to go making fun of someone working for a living who can't get help when she needs it. Applause to you. Bet you feel better now.
  • angel79202
    angel79202 Posts: 1,012 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.

    Try like a church food pantry, my FIL's church does this weekly, no questions asked :)
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
    I can't wait til someone starts analyzing every detail of the wealthy's behavior and how it's wrong and costing our government and ruining our country.

    But they won't.

    Because everyone wishes they were rich and it's fun to practice looking down on the peons by picking on the poor.

    If I ever get real rich, I hope I'm not real mean to poor people, like I am now. :flowerforyou:
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.

    What kind of phone do you have? If you qualified, would you have thrown it out?


    SERIOUSLY. Or your laptop. Or internet connection. Get rid of them when you do qualify because these are all things that take up money you earn that you could use to buy food. This way you won't spend other people's money unfairly.
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    'Thousands and thousands...' ? You don't know this for a fact, you're just tossing out words. What are your citations/sources for these facts?

    How do you know you won't qualify for assistance? Go try.

    Oh come on, don't deny it either. You think only a couple of people do this? Please.

    & I did try. I don't qualify.


    We figured it out people. She's totally hating that she can't get them! HAHAH.

    Wow, that was really low class. Way to go making fun of someone working for a living who can't get help when she needs it. Applause to you. Bet you feel better now.


    I do. Thanks love! <3
  • I KNOW people who are on food stamps and can pay for service for their iphone, cable, can afford to buy rims for their cars WHILE on food stamps. I'm f*cking poor, too. I'm not saying I'm better than them; why are you all putting words in my mouth? Hell, I wish I was on food stamps; I'm barely getting by myself. And what is this about analyzing the wealthy? I know they *kitten* up more than us poor folks.

    Seriously, no matter what you say, I will not defend the couple over there who can afford to make payments on their 2009 SUV and service on their smart phone while paying for their food with food stamps, while I'm here with my sh*tty car, barely getting by and I don't qualify for gov't assistance. BS. I'm not making assumptions, I know people who do this. Live and let live? If we lived by that motto, we wouldn't care about what's happening on wallstreet.
  • jfloyd7
    jfloyd7 Posts: 15 Member
    Maybe people on food stamps already have low self-esteem and are ashamed

    I think you may have hit the nail on the head there. Not everyone on food stamps, but at least a majority. The fellow that said something about poor people are generally uneducated etc, is sort of hitting on the same point .... Knowing that you can't support yourself and/or your family without assistance is and/or should be a bit demoralizing. Once someone is at that point perhaps they don't really give a damn anymore.

    **Note: I didn't realize this was 4 pages deep when I commented. I thought it was still on page one. I don't even know where the conversation is at this point. Sorry if I back tracked
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
    Wow, touchy subject.

    I was going to jump in and make a comment about someone I know who's on food stamps and buys cookies, donuts, and cakes to feed her 3-year-old son. It irritates me--as "privileged" as I am--because the only difference between that person and me is that I never, ever wanted to be dependent upon the government or someone else for my livelihood, so I made different choices.

    However, I also realize that there are people who've made smart choices who have lost their job, acquired an illness, or who've had an injury. These folks are the victims of bad circumstances, NOT bad choices.

    It's impossible to generalize this, because for every person on food stamps who buys junk food, there is someone else who doesn't. For every person on food stamps who genuinely needs the assistance, there is someone who does not.

    The problem is the system can't distinguish between the two, so a lot of money is wasted on those who don't need it, while lot of people who actually DO need it fall through the cracks and get no public assistance whatsoever. It's a broken system, because we base it on general circumstances, not the individual.
  • kiminita
    kiminita Posts: 150 Member
    I KNOW people who are on food stamps and can pay for service for their iphone, cable, can afford to buy rims for their cars WHILE on food stamps. I'm f*cking poor, too. I'm not saying I'm better than them; why are you all putting words in my mouth? Hell, I wish I was on food stamps; I'm barely getting by myself. And what is this about analyzing the wealthy? I know they *kitten* up more than us poor folks.

    Seriously, no matter what you say, I will not defend the couple over there who can afford to make payments on their 2009 SUV and service on their smart phone while paying for their food with food stamps, while I'm here with my sh*tty car, barely getting by and I don't qualify for gov't assistance. BS. I'm not making assumptions, I know people who do this. Live and let live? If we lived by that motto, we wouldn't care about what's happening on wallstreet.


    Didn't mean to pick on you I just don't think it's fair to generalize. It can be ****ed up and annoying to see this stuff happen, but it's also not fair to people who DON'T live this way, but are accused of it.
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