Food stamp users feel pinch

BullChit wrote:

Have U ever noticed that alot of food stamp users and thier families are FAT?
That's from all the JUNK FOODS they are allowed to buy.
I agree with whoever said they should only be able to buy healthier foods.
And not own cell phones.
And not wear bling-bling.
Or designer clothing.
And above all, taking the pee test to qualify should be # 1

maybe thay should half to walk into a food stamp office butt naked with two fake legs deaf and blind that way when its your turn on disability you can feel the pinch with gas and food way up high there be alot of first time food stamp people maybe some of you proud people come back and post then

400 plus comments on this subject should tell all of you to cool it. things will remain the same, they have for years. bottom line is, mind your own business. watch out for yourself and your own family. dont worry about what people buy with their food stamps. i would rather see them buy a cheap steak, sometimes only $3.00 each, i know i buy them.... from erie county farms, than to see them buy cheap unhealthy lunch meats that cost way more than a steak does. isnt it time to move on with this whole blog? yes, some people are mad at the people obtaining food stamps illegally, i know it irrates me, but most people need the help, i do..i am disabled and i have seen people shop with food stamps as i do, at erie county farms and if they are shopping there, they are buying healthy food to actually cook for their families. yes, and i overhear people there talking about how many of them live in the same home and all obtain food stamps. i dont get enough to live on. it will Never change, so it is not good to be so upset about it....the critics on here, do you cook at home or are you lucky enough to go to your local fast food place for an unhealthy dinner? what is in YOUR shopping cart? see, i dont care...life is short, live and let live, things will never change with the food stamp problems, they never will.........my cholestrol went down 20 points and i eat healthy. i am in my late 50's ..most people on food stamps do eat healthy. surprised? i sometimes have to use my bill money for food and if i need clothing, i go to the local goodwill store on a discount day, wash and repair an item and i am clean and look great. so please stop judging people. like they say, look in the mirror, you arent so perfect yourself.

Finally a mature person!(understands from Erie, PA)...

Someone told me about this so I decided to take a look. To all of you who think it is just YOUR tax money being used for Food Stamps, it is not. It is everyone who works. It is not just about YOU! My husband has worked at the same job for 10 years, since graduation. I work as well. Not as long as he has because I am a little younger than him. We have two kids. MY husband works hard and has supported his family in all ways. Two months ago we fell in hard times because my husbands job was not getting as much work. Clearly I do not make enough for all our bills. He got another job but was not making what he did at the other one. We have bills like everyone else and they had to be paid. We did have to go get help. We got Food stamps for two months until my husband got his old job back. The work picked up and they are working fulltime again. I think it is BS for you to run your mouth about people on foodstamps when you don't know everyone's story. We are not all lazy, not all of us have 6 kids and just ask for help so we can set back and raise them off of YOUR tax dollars. We got the food stamps and we desirved them because me and my husband paid those taxes for us to get them as well as you did. We live in a nice home and have land and drive new vehicles but we worked hard for them. Yes, it killed my husband to ask for help but we did. We had a savings but used it for a down payment on our home. So we had nothing to fall back on. We were just starting to save again. My point is NOT everyone on foodstamps are lazy and no good drug users. We now are not on them now, just the two months. Yes, alot of people are lazy but before you speak don't blame all of us. Some people try and as far as the mom with 6 kids comment...what do you know about her...maybe she does work..maybe she does her best as a mom for her kids...she might not have wanted to be a single mom with 6 kids...maybe she had a no good husband who left them..even if she works...she still may need food stamps to help...so it would be her tax dollars that go towards them as well...some people just judge others because they have a boring life and dont have anything better to do but run there mouth about everyone else...some just think they know what goes on in everyone elses lives...most of them have a brown nose...from sticking it up everyone elses ass all the time....yea..it pisses me off when I know that some are not working driving high dollar cars from the drugs they sale..not taking up for all food stamp users. Just the ones who do try and still get talked about like shit....get your facts straight before you run off at the mouth...also when I did get them...I go to Food Lion and saved about $60 using my mvp card...no my kids don't get junk and I buy store brand items....but if we want a tbone steak...then that was our business and our tax dollars that paid for it....now that we are back on our feet...I still shop the same way..coupons, online coupons, sales, etc. nothing changed...

I agree with above, but how did you get food stamps with a new car. One time we needed them for short time and they told us that our car was worth too much to sell it. Now with what has happened in the country the last few days things are going to get worse and worse, they need to do something about things here before helping all of these other countries. The politians have really made a mess of this country and they are getting paid with our tax money. I have no idea how they are going to fix this country, nothing will ever be the same again no matter what they do.

unknown wrote:

I agree with above, but how did you get food stamps with a new car. One time we needed them for short time and they told us that our car was worth too much to sell it. Now with what has happened in the country the last few days things are going to get worse and worse, they need to do something about things here before helping all of these other countries. The politians have really made a mess of this country and they are getting paid with our tax money. I have no idea how they are going to fix this country, nothing will ever be the same again no matter what they do.

Not all states count assets for Food Stamps.

Eriegurl wrote:

For those of us who shop at Erie County Farms with the cold hard cash we spent weeks working for and we get behind a mom of three buying Steaks, Ribs, Lobster, Filet Mignon, Prime Rib with Food Stamps is disgusting. I would love to dine with these people who eat better than Royalty.

Unfortunately, its been that way for years, and will be for years to come. I agree with you, this really burns me up.
Now yesterday I ran into Wegmans to buy their 90% lean burger.(A great price, considering that we live in the sticks and they (grocery stores) gouge us. Anyways, several people were leaving the store with pumpkins. Now tell me, if the price of gasoline is tough on people at $3.49-$3.55 per gallon, where do these people get the $5.59 or so for store bought pumpkins? Absurd. And everyone talked about buying from the farmers market this summer. Now if you going to buy a pumpkin, at least spend the cash at a local small time farmer, fruit stand or homeowner to buy the pumpkin, not a big name company.

My husband and I just had our first, and only, child after four years of marriage. I work a full time job, and he is a pastor looking for a full time position. He does odd jobs when ever and where ever possible, but our situation currently has us relying on food stamps. We budget and stretch our dollar, and we have no credit cards. I actually feel we get too much on food stamps, we usually have some left over at the end of the month. I would agree that everyone needs to learn a little more about budgeting, and I am grateful that food stamps are available to us right now in our need. Don't assume that just because someone is on food stamps that they are worthless. Some people really do just need the help. My family does not take advantage of the help, as some do, and I do look forward to being able to provide for our family on our own again, but please don't jump to conclusions about those who need the help. I used to feel the same way, and now I'm finding myself in their shoes.

I am very saddened to read these posts. We have lost sight of whats important. There are people in real need. Do some people take advantage, of course, but some people are in real need. I too judge those that are living high off food stamps, but when my husband lost his job, and a month later I lost mine, we went from making 120,000 a year to 6 weeks of 0 income while waiting for unemployment. It was a blessing to have the food stamps for that time. And honestly, I have worked my entire life, so those 2 months of food stamps, I more than paid for in my taxes. With 4 kids, you worry about them first when you dont have income. Thank God they were there to help us when we needed it. Now we are back on our feet, but I will never be quick to judge again when I see food stamps being used. We dont always know the situation and God knows I never want to become as bitter as some of the people on this post were. What a sad sad world we live in today.

murph wrote:

I am very saddened to read these posts. We have lost sight of whats important. There are people in real need. Do some people take advantage, of course, but some people are in real need. I too judge those that are living high off food stamps, but when my husband lost his job, and a month later I lost mine, we went from making 120,000 a year to 6 weeks of 0 income while waiting for unemployment. It was a blessing to have the food stamps for that time. And honestly, I have worked my entire life, so those 2 months of food stamps, I more than paid for in my taxes. With 4 kids, you worry about them first when you dont have income. Thank God they were there to help us when we needed it. Now we are back on our feet, but I will never be quick to judge again when I see food stamps being used. We dont always know the situation and God knows I never want to become as bitter as some of the people on this post were. What a sad sad world we live in today.

sorry murph ... but making 120k/yr, you should have been able to put enough away for many many months of no income. If you are living hand to mouth on 120/yr, you are not living within your means.
Now, you pay taxes to offset foodstamp charity alone? Aren't there other thing that your tax money is needed for? What if everyone withdrew the taxes they have paid in this fashion?

Les

On this whole matter with food stamps and people being FAT....I disagree. My husband and I have worked the same dreary jobs for years now and got laid off. What do you do when unemployment runs out, we have no credit cards and won't get them. I have two children to feed and have never "cheated" the system. What right do you have to go on here and tell people that they don't have a right to use the tax dollars that we ourselves had paid over the years....AND YES I am FAT! I have a medical condition with my thyroid and for many years have battled with this. You don't know everyones stories...so get this straight. Keep your mouth shut- learn about a person and then maybe you won't have anything to talk about. I know for one that it's people like you who make me sick. Just because you have money doesn't mean you have class......take a look at yourself before you begin to judge others.

I do find some of these comments quite appauling. Please don't judge.. just because there are some idiots out there that waste their Food Stamps doesn't mean we all do. We are on FS. My husband has tried and is still constantly applying for better jobs.. and we are just not having any luck. We dont get much and we also have an infant. He lost his job and was promised another that took over a month to get him into. We also get wic. and we are only allowed to get the cheapest and store brand unless stated. and to those making the comments that the lady with WIc had the most expensive formula.. guess how wic works... Wic gives you vouchers for the CHEAPEST formula unless noted by prescription for a medical reason.. like a child is lactose intolerate.. and they prescribe nutrimigen (SP?) a name brand soy formula.. NOT THEIR FAULT! DR RX! i am a stay at home mom. because its cheaper that way. if i was to work.. we already did the numbers, my fund would go towards day care nothing extra. so please dont bash others for actually needing assistance. we dont get nearly enough to cover our food and we have no extra money.. it all goes to bills and diapers. but we are greatful for what we do get.. and to save money.. my child is breastfed. so please.. dont judge.

I'm a 24 yr old single mother of 2, currently unemployed and receiving food stamps. I don't however receive help from the father for my children so therefore I need the help! I don't sell my food stamps for money to buy liquor and drugs but there are some people who do. I do agree with the drug testing but don't agree with those of you who judge us! And if you know anything about the system they make the father (in most cases) pay the money back, hence child support. We're not all lazy low lifes. Most of us are just down on our luck!

To BullChit...
U don't know what ur talking about,yes there are some people that r on food stamps that need a drug test and some waste the money they get.But I get food stamps and I buy food for my family,cause I don't make very much get less hrs. now,and I'm not on drugs,Id have a lot of nice things.I work my ass off everyday I can I give to my family.I did hate food stamps,but sometimes people need help

tuff times wrote:

I'm a 24 yr old single mother of 2, currently unemployed and receiving food stamps. I don't however receive help from the father for my children so therefore I need the help! I don't sell my food stamps for money to buy liquor and drugs but there are some people who do. I do agree with the drug testing but don't agree with those of you who judge us! And if you know anything about the system they make the father (in most cases) pay the money back, hence child support. We're not all lazy low lifes. Most of us are just down on our luck!

No father in any state pays back any food stamps their children receive.
Tax payers pay for all of their food, especially if the mother never works.

Women, who can never seem to find a job, blame the absent father for making the taxpayers pay to feed their children, and provide housing in some cases.

When woman receives cash assistance for her children because she does not work, the state may get SOME of the money back from child support.
They almost never get most of it back, they often get none of it back.

It seems you don't know much about how the system works.

I agree with all that say, don't judge someone else for none of us know there stories. Man cannot eat on pride alone.

I know their stories.
I've been listening to them for 25 years, two different states.
When you take applications for food stamps, cash assistance, medical assistance, your job is to listen to the stories, to ask questions.
I've heard them all (not literally of course, always a new one).

The narrations on case records goes back about 15 years, all right there on the computer.
I not only know the current story, but the stories over all of those years, if I need to.

No, I am not allowed to judge others in the performance of my duties.
Go by the book, or more importantly, what my supervisor tell me.

On my own time, different story.

I know how people feel about food stamps...Unfortunately, over the last year I have learned how to avoid the negative comments when I use them. I work full time and so does my husband. We make minimum wage. We never thought that when we both had great "above average" jobs that we would ever have to stand in the food stamp line. With all of the downsizing and cuts our company made, we were left with nothing and three kids to raise. We wiped out our life savings over the last three years and in the end had to go for help. I use coupons and plan accordingly, so that when I shop I get everything we need for the month. Not all of us out there "use the system" and I just wanted to let my story out.