Thread: food stamps

I usually don't post in threads like this, but..this one made me think...

I have been on both sides..had stamps, and now, don't have them..I have seen blatant abuse of them, it DOES happen. It used to be much worse, things are changing slowly..when people used the paper stamps, they could get cash back-now they can't.

What I was thinking, about the nutrition aspect, is this. We also got WIC when my child was smaller. Did you know that WIC is one of the only "successful" programs the government has? When I got WIC, I had to go to nutrition classes while I waited for them to print out the forms. Many of the women complained, but the concepts of good nutrition and saving on your food budget were stressed. Maybe if that kind of thing was utilized with the food stamp program, it would help.

The other thing I was thinking..why don't we still have commodities? Those foods were basic staples..and nutritious. People got peanut butter, butter, cheese and the like. From what I understand, commodities helped the farmers and such, and people got nutritious foods to boot. WIC is the same. You get nutritious foods, carrots, cereal, milk, tuna, and things like that when you are expecting, and then, when the baby is born, formula, baby food and such. Much less abuse, even tho some women sell the formula. And sometimes, I can understand that, I breastfed, and they gave me way too much. It went to waste, or I just didn't get it.

Maybe, something more along the lines of that should be implemented. Of course, special diets would have to be addressed.

Just MHO, I kinda like to think about the solutions, and dream of a day when things aren't so topsy turvey, and people get what they REALLY need from their government..not everything they think they are "entitled" to.

Hopefully, I have not offended anyone. Just adding a little different perspective into the mix...

On a little side note...thinking about this made me smile a lot. When I was expecting my son, they gave us so much cereal, we would get the Chexes, and make Chex Mix..

Ya know.... I keep reading about how poor people tend to be overweight... have you seen the cost of fresh veggies and fruits??? Its WAY cheaper to buy canned stuff as well as cheaper to buy hamburger, rice, pasta.... things that are healthy for you don't come cheap.

I also agree with some of the other posters when they say its none of our business. Its not. There are a hundred different reasons why she bought junk food, but thats her business.

After reading some of the posts here, if I were on foodstamps again (or ever need them again) I'd always have in the back of my mind that others are watching what I buy. I can't recall a time where I have paid detailed attention to someone elses groceries and how much they paid and what they paid with...

And Mary... I am appalled about your spnding so much on your nails!

(I am completely joking with her!!)

Originally Posted by justinenycole26

Just because all of you pay taxes does not make you the Food Stamp Nazis. Get a grip. Worry about yourselves and leave other people alone. There are going to be abusers of any type of system the government could possibly come up with. The government chose the caseworkers they hired to screen the recipients and make sure they qualify. Apparently they did not choose you to decide who gets food stamps and what they can be spent on. If the government wants your input, they will ask.

Sorry, but the government is supposed to work for me, not the other way around. Personally, I think we should all hold them much more accountable for how they spend our money. And minding our own business is how waste and fraud continue. Most of the caseworkers the government hire are so overworked, with pitiful pay, yet the people in charge of overseeing this, vote themselves raises every year, and we have no say in it.

The problem is, we just hand over money to people on assistance with no accounting for it. If you are on assistance, I think that management should be a part of it. WIC regulates what you can and cannot buy with the funds. It is very specific, I don't see what the problem is in regulating food stamp purchases a little more. Maybe a percentage of your monthly funds only towards "non-essential" food purchases.

Originally Posted by justme23

My question is... how do you know it was foodstamps. It's to my understanding that they look and act just like a CC... and there are SOO many ccs out there that one can't just say 'well, it was white, so I know'... unless you were standing right next to her when she payed (I sure hope not... I hate when ppl do that)... then how do you even know?

This is a good point. Some parents or grandparents get a Vision Card, which is excatly like the card used for food stamps, but it is for cash only, not food and cash, and is called Taft. It doesn't have to be used for just food. It can be used just like a CC. It is child support from the parents for the kids. The SRS then goes after the parents to get this money back. So if the parent sent this money to the gaurdian that was taking care of the child in the first place, instead of Social Servies having to collect it, would anyone begrudge the woman for how she spent her child support money, as long as she was providing good food as well to her kids? I think not.

Abuse of the system, whatever, ruins it for everyone else. Many people here have made EXCELLENT points. I can see why it is frustrating to stand in a line after budgeting your food for the week then see someone buying up a lot of treats "on Uncle Sam." However, even if this is annoying, it is no one's business. I don't propose regulating what people buy with their food stamps. If they want to go out and buy junk food, then so be it. People who need public assistance are not all freeloaders. I know some do cheat the system but that is between them and their conscience.

As far as them buying up lots of "healthier" food, buttrfly made an excellent observation. Fresh and healthy foods COST A LOT OF MONEY. Since we made the comittment to more fruits and vegetables, our food shopping bill has skyrocketed, especially in the winter time. Junk food is CHEAPER. 1 box of Little Debbies cakes--less than $1.50...a pound of apples...2 or 3? costs more than that. Canned food is also NOT GOOD FOR YOU in large amounts.

I think at one point I would have felt a lot like the OP. Now I have some nearest and dearest struggling to make ends meet (and THEY can't get food stamps). I try to focus on how well I might have it, and not on what the other guy is screwing "us" out of. Otherwise, you waste a lot of time being angry. There will always be system abuse.

There will always be people who abuse the system. However, you can buy vegetable seeds with food stamps so for all you know she has a freezer full of veggies and doesn't need to buy anything but meat and perishables. How she spends her stamps is up to her. If she can make it last the month then what business is it of mine to play food patrol?

Maybe she wasn't using a foodstamp card, here in Arkansas the food stamp cards have the US flag on them, well so does my Discover card, they look almost exactly alike. Cashiers have mistaken my CC for a foodstamp card so many times it is unreal I'm sure glad some of you people aren't behind me when I'm shopping and pay w/ my Discover card that looks like a foodstamp card

Something to think about:

A few years back there was a letter sent in to Ann Landers or Dear Abby. A woman was complaining about a woman she saw at the grocery store. The woman was using food stamps and bought lobster, shrimp, a huge birthday cake, etc. She was ticked off that food stamps were being wasted like that. I do not remember the response that the columnist gave.

However I remember a few weeks later there being another letter in the paper. The woman using the food stamps realized the other woman was talking about her. She wanted to explain her side of the story. Her son was terminally ill and did not have long to live. The items that she was buying were for what was going to be his LAST BIRTHDAY party.

That puts a whole new perspective on it to me. The next time you see someone using food stamps try and think about what that person may be going through.

Being a cashier, I can tell you their are 2 kinds of food stamp people...the the folks who get laid and the abusers. The folks who lose their jobs normally buy good healthy food, with an awareness of how much they can spend. then we have the abusers who buy TV dinners instead of real food for dinner, junk food and premade foods like cookies and candies. People who abuse the food stamp program, many a time bring more than what is affordable up to e register, then inform me to let them know when they reach a certain amount. Then pick and choose what they really want first, start purchasing the next items, and then leave use with many, many, many a perishable items to have to restock ourselves. Often, we are to busy to put it back, and the itenms have to be claimed out. Since becoming a cashier, yes, I have become opionated only because of what I have witnessed first hand. They are more abusers of the food stamp program than good people, which hurts the honest person. i honestly believe their should be a reform of the system, eliminating any and all junk food. Yes, it could be for a movie night in, but if I can't afford to splurge, than why should the ones who recieve my hard earned money in the form of food stamps. Now go ahead and flame me, but I can tell you first hand from being denied with 2 kids to working 2 jobs to make ends meet, the system needs to be reformed.