For anyone receiving unemployment checks the idea of getting free money is so novel they end up exploring other ways of scamming the government for goods. Now that food stamps (aka Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) are distributed via special debit cards rather than actual stamps, the unemployed for sure have looked into whether they’re eligible to participate. Free food? Why not?
These are tough times, and for some unemployed people it takes food stamps to help make ends meet. Depending on food stamps to feed your family is no joke. Using food stamps to buy luxury food items kind of is. For some unemployed people who have been laid off, they understand the concept that food stamps are intended to help low income people buy healthy groceries instead of resorting to cheap fast food, and they aim to exploit it.
A lot of people who lost their jobs weren’t “fortunate” enough to have maxed out their weekly unemployment benefits and receive a tiny percentage of what they used to make. If their salaries were on the low end of the spectrum there’s a good chance they might actually qualify to receive food stamps, and will apply just for the “novelty” of telling people they’re on them. The food stamp for novelty recipients will end up purposely abusing the system by buying stuff that hasn’t exactly been blacklisted by the government. They’ll pop into the corner store because they’re thirsty and want a snack and walk out with Perrier and a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. And they can get away with it because they can argue they needed it as a clean water source and a nutritious dairy product.
Instead of using the food stamp benefits to maintain a healthy diet on a low income as intended, the unemployed are set on figuring out exactly what they can and can’t get away with it. Steak? Sure. Hair loss pills? Probably not. The fancier the food, the more glee there is in knowing the government has once again helped in enabling a lavish lifestyle. In some cases, it might even help them enjoy foods that were too expensive to buy when they were employed!
Tags: endless unemployment benefits, food stamps, on the government
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HAHA!
I’ve often wondered if yuppies or soon-to-be yuppies like myself that have fallen victim to their companies axe have walked into Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s and attempted to buy premium, organic groceries with food stamps!
Americans sure have a strange view of the world.
Upon hearing of the prospect of receiving food stamp benefits, i felt a little dirty. Especially because I am not unemployed; I am an Americorps volunteer, and the meager living stipend that i get every month does not count as ‘real’ income, so in the eyes of the law i work full time and do not get paid. What this means is that I get $170 a month that i must spend on food. When added to my total income, this extra money brings my total hourly wage to around 9.25 an hour. This does not really seem like an unreasonable amount of money to make, but it has the side effect of forcing me to spend all $170 on food. And so far I haven’t found a way to spend it all. With this money I’m eating better than ever - all organic produce, free range eggs and meats, locally baked bread. So yes…Whole Foods and Trader Joes are standard. This is not to say that I am buying the 39.99 jar of pistachio butter. However, i can go relatively nuts and STILL not come close to spending the money. Also, people can spend their food stamp benefits on things like seeds and garden starts, so anyone with a garden can multiply the benefits by growing food themselves. Maybe I should feel bad, but I don’t. I feel wealthy. I’m certainly not saving for my future. If I was getting a straight 9.25 an hour wage, i would be behaving very differently. But this is not the case. So i will continue to enjoy organic milk in my fair trade coffee. And wait in quiet fear for the day that they take my food stamps away.
wowwwwwww
When I was in AmeriCorps, I had people I knew use it at Whole Foods for the fancy cheese.
LOL, this post was entertaining. It always makes me think of the person who declines a job to instead stay home and collect food stamps.
First time visitor to your blog. I found the link through Blog Catalog when I was doing some research on one of my own posts.
This is how crazy people can get. “As long as I can get away with it” seems to be the mantra of many people. Hello, anybody in there? You’re on food stamps, meaning you’re trying to save money. Not that you can’t live a lavish lifestyle, just not now. The recession isn’t the proper time for it.
I totes bought a bottle of Acqua Panna yesterday with what little money I have in my checking account. You called me on that!
Rachel that can not be true Whole Foods does NOT except Food Stamps as form of payment.
Whole Foods does accept food stamps as a form of payment and I would much rather see someone using them there, than buying the jumbo pack of snicker’s ice cream bars at the regular grocery, as I often do. Here in Michigan. where 1 in 8 is on food stamps, you can also pay the $.10 per can/bottle deposit on soda with food stamps. Then, you can return the cans and bottles to the store for cash. Nice, eh?
Ya I am intrested to know if whole foods accepts food stamps I have a child with multipul food allergies and he requires special products that are not avalible at common “food stamp” stores and his doctor recomended going organic. My husband works full time but we still get some help with food. Just because people are poor does that mean we don’t deserve to eat well?
yes. whole foods does take it as a form of payment. I do all of my shopping there because there is no cheaper co-op or alternative to buy bulk foods or organic produce with food stamps, which I need to make ends meet and try to save money at the same time. I am employed and work 50+ hours a week, and without the $200 to pay for all of my food, I would have a hard time saving any money…and I don’t spend anything on myself. Just food, my car and soap.
The whole foods I work at definently excepts food stamps. Which would make me assume they all do.
what difference does it make if you’re getting the money anyways and(sort of) need it? what difference does it make if someone on food stamps buys fancy cheese instead of bread and jiffy peanut butter, because they’re on food stamps anyways, so they’re either going to be spending it on bread and jiffy peanut butter or free-range eggs. What real difference does it make to you, the tax-payer? at the end of the month, they still paid the same amount on groceries, who cares if the actual groceries were different?
Why would Whole Foods not accept food stamps? They are a full service grocery store with high quality, nutritious, organic food to sell. Do you think food stamp recipients are forcibly limited to only poor-quality, non-nutrituous food?
I am an unemployed former Advertising Executive. I am also a current food stamp recipient. Both my son and I are fructose intolerant which means we can’t eat anything with stuff like high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners in it. It is very frustrating trying to grocery shop at a conventional grocery store. Go to your pantry and look at some of your food, items that you would not expect to have high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient, items like bread, crackers, frozen pizza, salad dressings, sauces, mustard and so many other things. As a result to keep me and my son healthy (especially now that we have not medical insurance) I buy good quality, minimally processed foods. That doesn’t make me a bad person. Everyone should have access to high quality, affordable foods. If you do some research you’ll find most of the food you’re putting in your mouth is full of chemicals and engineered food-like substances. And we wonder why life expectancy is dropping for the first time and why obesity is becoming an epidemic! Oh and one might argue that the junk we’re feeding ourselves and our children is also contributing to our soaring healthcare costs.
It is truly deplorable that some people here feel that someone who has obviously demonstrated a need and is eligible for food stamps does not deserve to eat healthy or nutritious food. EVERYONE should be eating healthy, organic food! That’s not “fancy” food that’s just real food.
What is appalling is the processed junk that these mainstream companies and supermarket chains are selling to us and claiming it’s food!
I completely agree with Jay. Many people with food stamps fill their carts with sodas and processed junk, which I don’t understand, really. I buy unhealthy processed food when I am employed at a low-paying job and that’s all I can afford. I just got food stamps and went on a Trader Joe’s spree. I have to admit, though, that I got a kick out of buying lime-flavored sparkling water.
[...] food, but I do on food stamps. I get more with food stamps than I ever spent on food when I worked. I don’t buy cheap junk either. Sorry, Republicans. I guess this makes me a socialist bum. Go ahead and heckle. At my last job, I [...]
My family and I also receive food stamps. My husband works, but like many others, his income simply isn’t enough. Until I can return to work (I’m pregnant) we needed a little help. The amount of food stamp money we were given seemed ridiculous to me at first, we’d gone so long cutting corners and stretching higher-cost items like meat and dairy. While I did my best to steer clear of cheap boxed junk, there were also many healthy items we couldn’t afford either - avocados, organic eggs etc. Now I am able to shop with nutrition my first priority, not money. We still have yet to spend all the money we’re given each month, but we eat a lot better.
Actually shopping for truly healthy food is the entire point. When I was in community college I could only work part time and i could not get food stamps (not that I tried, students are not usually aloud). Sufficed to say, after utilities and rent, all I had left for food was 20 dollars a week. Trust me eating generic mac and cheese is not healthy, but that is pretty much all I had to eat for 2 years.
To spite the fact that I was working-out daily I gained over 20 pounds all because of what I was forced to eat. Not to mention the negative effects cheap food has on your mental focus. Most of cheap food is not healthy to spite what it might say on the label.
What it comes down to is that I would much rather see a healthy person buying sensible, not ritzy, but truly healthy organic food at whole foods then to see some tub of lard buying cheap soda and fatty foods at wal-mart.
I’ve been to many sites and seen that many people are angered when people receive food stamps (now known as SNAP). I graduated from a four year university just as the “great recession” hit. I have applied for at least one job a day (usually more, 4 or 5, including part time), since around June of 2008. I have experience and am fluent in more than two languages. In all of this time I have been on one interview. ONE. Then I was informed through the mail that the department could not hire anyone because of lack of funds (it was a state funded job).
I am receiving food stamps. I waited as long as I could, then applied this August. Does anyone think I really want to whip out a link card whenever I go grocery shopping? I would love not to need it but I do and I’m sure that 90% or the people who receive assistance actually need it. Sure there are those who scam the system. But look around, there are food pantries that can’t help people because no one is donating to them. Charities are going bankrupt.
I have no money (literally like $1.37 in my bank account to keep it from being the negative), no medical/dental insurance (so I’m basically a walking, talking time bomb), and so far no prospects. I have the emails to prove my job submissions. All of the responsibilities of paying the bills are left to my mother (who I am ever thankful for). She has had to pay our living expenses, any medical attention I need, any medications I need, my student loans (they only defer repayment for so many months), her own expenses, credit cards, utilities, et cetera.
Before I applied for food assistance we were barely making it. Now we’re just making it. People need to stop being judgmental and think about the fact that their tax money could be funding worse thing or nothing at all. I didn’t ask, nor did I want, nor was I proud to have to apply for assistance. I worked hard for my education and was ready and willing to work for my share.
So the next time anyone decides to bad mouth every person applying for or already receiving food stamps they should think of me. I didn’t ask for any of this. I wanted what everyone wants, an education, a good job, and a future. Right now…it just feels like failure.
here here Anonymous! Here is another spin on it all. I’ve worked full time for the last 41 years; both as an employee and as an independent contractor. Thus I’ve paid taxes and social security through payroll deductions and through self employment taxes. My business is down to zero income, I’ve got no insurance, maxed out on any credit with no immediate means to make the minimum payments, the mortgage is delinquent as are the utilities. I just finished applying to yet another dozen jobs, something I do every day. I’ve been in sales the last 16 years so I am still making sales calls. Tomarrow AM, after a sales call I am going to the dept. of soc. services to apply for food stamps. Time permitting I am then going to the utility assistance office. Its about 36 outside and I’ve got the heat turned off. Blankets and fingerless gloves are keeping me comfortable. The internet access is also delinguent and I need that for my existing sales and job search. Frankly, I will not need all of the money I qualify for food stamps. I can do with less. It would be a novel idea to be able to use the food stamp allotment toward a utility bill. Right or wrong, I’ll not feel like it is a service due me or that it is a “hand out” I should get as a citizen of the US; but rather that it is something that I have paid for over and over again for over 41 years.
I have no problem with Mee Too or others who genuinely need assistance. I DO have a problem with people who scam the system. I know a girl who pays $13 per month in rent and gets food stamps. Her kids father lives with her ilegally. He’s an electrician and makes well over $1000 per week. I get ZERO assistance because I’m legally married and work full time. I also have a problem with how these people spend their food stamps. I work in a grocery store and Food Stamp Day is the worst day of the month by far. While I’m living off the cheapest store brand food I can find- cutting coupons, watching every penny- these people are buying bacon wrapped scallops, lobster, bags of candy,decorated full sheet cakes from the bakery, starbucks coffeebeans, chocolate truffles, multiple packs of soda, and filet mignon. My entire grocery budget for the week is $40 for 3 people. To top it off, half the people don’t have enough on their cards to pay so they have to put stuff back. What do they put back? The milk. The eggs. The juice. The chicken breast. The cheese. What do they choose to keep? The pizza. The soda. The candy. The gosh darn bon bons!!!! This money is supposed to be for healthy food for the family yet it looks like they are buying for a super bowl party. I’m working my but off and paying taxes so lazy people can live a lifestyle they have no business living! It’s so frustrating! (It’s almost enough to make a girl quit her job to stay home and collect food stamps). To those who’ve said they overspend because the state gives them more than they need: why don’t you pass up the filet mignon this month and donate some canned goods to a shelter. Or better yet, contact the state and let them know you don’t need quite so much assistance!!!!
A quick response to Aldeanne: I don’t know what state you’re living in, but my state (CA) has a welfare fraud department for every county agency. If you know people are commiting crime (and not just inferring it) you should report it. You’re right, it’s not fair for people to take advantage of the system like that.
HOWEVER, you’ll find that THE MAJORITY of people on food stamps really need to be on them. I think you’ve got the wrong idea about the people using this form of assistance, and I’m coming to this conclusion by your quote which states “I’m working my but[sic] off and paying taxes so lazy people…” People on food stamps =/= lazy, and it’s unfortunate that you believe that. I do think you make a good point about people who have money left over needing to consider donating canned goods to their local food pantry. I know I barely have enough (but I try to eat organic/fair-trade/local) with the money I get, but when I do have money left over, I make sure to donate.
I believe this is absolutely ridiculous. While one person works thier butt off another is just waiting in line so they can recieve their “luxury” food stamps and recieve basically whatever they want off them. Our government has done this so the less fortunate can have a common life, not to ruin the system and the rest of the taxpayers money. To all the adults, this is time for you to grow up and be more responsible with your life, and not abuse this power.
Not everyone’s a scammer.
Never say never!
It’s easier to judge people when you haven’t been through it. It’s a hit to your pride to apply to get help (when you could make it on your own for years with no problem! Remember we’re a country built on individualism and being able to make it on your is the best!) and everytime you swipe your card you feel uncomfortable, then you remember to be grateful there is such a system.
Thank God not everyone has to go through it.
Hope the situation improves but for now, it’s teaching us all a bit of sympathy and compassion we did not know before because of our financial security. We must deal with the present, and let go of the past, and hope for a better future for everyone.
I have a four year degree in education. When going for my masters, I had to take a class about poverty stricken families. It was difficult to take a class on something that I live with everyday. Because my husband and I were working, we could receive food assistance. But it has been like that with almost everything. The mortgage company wouldn’t help us with our mortgage until we were at least 6 months delinquent. Now that we are a year and a half behind in our mortgage, and both have been victims of this stupid recession/ depression, we finally were able to get a modification for our mortgage, state health insurance, and finally some food assistance. More assistance than what I would normally spend on a family of four. Am I going to go shopping now and not worry about penny pinching? Am I going to quit seeing if I can make an entire dinner for four for less that $5? Yes, I’m finally going to get to concentrate on giving my children a more nutritious diet. I already fix everything from scratch because it actually is cheaper to do it that way. I am not ashamed to give my kids the nutrition they need. If I could do it with out the government, I would. While there are some scammers, the majority are not.
Just a note for those who judge…Like many other posters here I graduated with a B.F.A. and my husband with a M.F.A. We’re artists. We have 2 children. We work A LOT! We give to the community through art A LOT. Yet, the local arts council gives us $500 for the year. We just started receiving food stamps.
Last week (with no food stamps) we basically ate bread and cheese at every meal because that’s all we had left and we couldn’t afford to buy more until next paycheck.
Think of it this way: No we don’t make money, but we work, we give back. The government just doesn’t see the value and ticket sales and donations just don’t cut it.
Plus doesn’t every human being on the planet deserve to eat pesticide-free, healthy food?
I am a single female in my early thirties living in NYC. I have been working since the age of fifteen and have paid taxes all my life. I lost my job in November and all I was left with was $1500 - I am currently behind on my rent (three months now) had to go to court and was given until the second week of march to pay off my hefty debt to my landlord, I have to also make feb and march rent payments on time or I will face eviction.
I enrolled in school which I paid for myself with the money earn from my previous job. I have been trying to get a job for months now, but nothing. I am seriously considering going to apply for public healthcare and food stamps. I am so ashamed and embarrased to have to go this route, but how else will I survive?
So please stop knocking the people that have to do this because of a life changing event that has left them in poverty. I went from living a fantastic life, personal training at one of the cities most premier gyms, dinners at some of manhattan’s most exclusive restaurants, gourmet meals cooked at home, cabs to and from the different places I visit, shopping sprees at barneys or bloomies. It is not easy having to face my reality. Sad and I know it is only temporary.
i am on food stamps and i buy perrier and ice cream and shop at Whole Food and have felt guilty at times about it. Food means different things to different people. But we know this: It is essential for nourishment and well-being. The emotional aspect of eating is apparent every single time we eat. Simply the act of putting something in our bodies is a comfort that all people need to stay not only physically healthy but also to remain sane and calm while going through economic turmoil (which everyone on food stamps is going through unless they are lying). I think that it should be up to the individual to decide what and where to go to fill those physical as well as emotional needs.
My family is another casuality of the current economy. My husband and I have degrees, but no jobs! We are currently on food stamps and completely embarrassed by it. We have 2 small children an overdue mortgage and late utility bills. We have 2 old, paid off cars. We have no Credit Card debt. We were doing things the “right” way, yet here we are. We have little to no income currently and receive 400 dollars per month in food stamp benefits. We never have enough left? A two year old and six year old definitely require healthy food. Especially since they have major food allergies. Judge not, because you NEVER no what tomorrow may bring.
I wanted to offer a different viewpoint. I am currently a student and am thus not eligible for food stamps. Unless I already have a job at graduation I plan to go on food stamps as soon as possible. I don’t agree with a system that can so easily be taken advantage of, but as long as its there I want to be on of the people abusing it. Free food! Why wouldn’t I take that?? I’m going to buy a whole cart of candy and ice cream too.