Need Help

[guido911]

as has already been said, if people want to eat like a king for a day and then survive on practically nothing for the next month, they can do that even if they are doing on their own budget. 

I got no problem with that if it's their own dime. However, if its food stamp fraud (which it would be imo if they are being sold to persons not entitled) or living large on the backs of working Americans, then I have an issue. Now, I am not saying that if you are on govt aid then act like it. My wiring tells me that folks should be grateful for the assistance and not take advantage of good will.

[nathanm]

Interestingly enough, I recently found out that you can purchase garden plants on food stamps, as long as they are fruit/vegetable/herb plants.

Given that food stamps are there more to support crop prices than anything else, that is pleasantly surprising.

And since the free market is paramount in everything else we do, I really don't get where the moral opprobrium comes from unless the person receiving assistance isn't actually eligible. I wouldn't recommend folks eat (much) lobster and steak because it may well prevent them from eating well enough the rest of the month, but it's their call to make.

From not-quite-personal experience, there isn't anybody "living large" on food stamps. A single person whose income is low enough to not have an effect on benefits used to get around $150 a month, but that was back when the states were getting more than they actually needed and were operating under expanded eligibility rules. I don't know anyone presently on food stamps (or at least I don't know they are), but I've read that both the dollar amounts and eligibility requirements have been tightened up due to the high level of unemployment.

[RecycleMichael]

In general terms, your monthly net household income must be below $903 in a household of one person, $1215 with two, $1526 with three, $1838 with four, $2150 with five, $2461 with six, $2773 with seven and $3085 for eight. In addition, your current bank balance and other resources must total less than $2000 ($3000 if a person disabled or 60 or over is living with you).

When applying, you'll need to make sure you have the following for all household members: social security numbers, earned and unearned income, resource information such as bank accounts and vehicles, bill amounts such as utility and mortgage/rent and any medical and/or child support expenses.

Benefit amounts are called "allotments." Allotments are figured by multiplying a household's net monthly income by .3 because the program expects households to spend 30% of resources on food. That result is then subtracted from the maximum allotment amount ($668 per month in Fiscal Year 2010 for a household of four people).

http://okc.about.com/od/health/a/okfoodstamps.htm

[heironymouspasparagus]

I am a Photoshop dumbass. Is this legit looking?

$6.79 for a 24 pack??  Seems a little high.

[custosnox]

I got no problem with that if it's their own dime. However, if its food stamp fraud (which it would be imo if they are being sold to persons not entitled) or living large on the backs of working Americans, then I have an issue. Now, I am not saying that if you are on govt aid then act like it. My wiring tells me that folks should be grateful for the assistance and not take advantage of good will.

I completely agree.  I think selling food stamps is taking advantage of a system.  If you can go without the food, then you don't need the stamps.  As far as what they buy with them, it's their own stupidity if they use them all up on something like that and go without for the rest of the month.  But, I really don't think that is what is happening here, and if it is, they most likely have enough unreported income to cover the rest of the month, so yeah, it seems that nothing is really kosher about it. 

[heironymouspasparagus]

That would be almost two weeks of entres for me.  But I would also want some potatoes with it.

And keep the mountain dew...

[nathanm]

if it is, they most likely have enough unreported income to cover the rest of the month

To be fair, it would be perfectly possible to turn that into two weeks worth of meals with a few staples.

[custosnox]

To be fair, it would be perfectly possible to turn that into two weeks worth of meals with a few staples.

And there is the other two weeks, and, as you said, staples.  Besides, I really don't see someone spending that much money on lobster just to spread it out over a couple of weeks.

[nathanm]

And there is the other two weeks, and, as you said, staples.  Besides, I really don't see someone spending that much money on lobster just to spread it out over a couple of weeks.

$10 worth of rice, beans, or whatever will last for months. My point wasn't really to say that that's certainly what the (possible) person did, but more to illustrate that it's impossible for any of us to know. Absent further evidence, being outraged at a receipt is pretty ridiculous.

...

and upon using the Googles and its image search:

http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/receipt.asp

Short answer: Is true, fellow got arrested for trafficking in food stamps, as they were for resale.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Yay rice!  Even better than the potatoes with seafood!


Yay Toast!!

[guido911]

That would be almost two weeks of entres for me.  But I would also want some potatoes with it.

And keep the mountain dew...

Ditto on that. I have really cut down on dining out and have been living rather cheaply lately. No reason, but I do feel healthier.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Ditto on that. I have really cut down on dining out and have been living rather cheaply lately. No reason, but I do feel healthier.

Also have cut back on eating out.  Some.  Pesky salespeople keep wanting to feed me from time to time.  Baked potato and water is amazingly satisfying recently.  Still waiting to lose some weight...

[Red Arrow]

Ditto on that. I have really cut down on dining out and have been living rather cheaply lately. No reason, but I do feel healthier.

Most restaurant food has way too much salt for me.  We have been cooking without added salt for many years now.  Fortunately for my wallet, I don't really enjoy going out to eat that much.  Maybe it's partly because of my squeaky wallet.

[Red Arrow]

Baked potato and water is amazingly satisfying recently. 

Since you don't have any of my special pepper blend, try putting some cayenne powder or chipotle powder on your potato.  The amount depends on your tolerance for hot peppers.

[Red Arrow]

$10 worth of rice, beans, or whatever will last for months.

I like this rice with my Gumbo.

http://grocery.walmart.com/usd-estore/catalog/sectionpagecontainer.jsp?aisleid=1255027788937&departmentid=1255027787111&kw=asdajump

I don't think $10. worth would last very long.