View Full Version : Food stamps
I have forgotten - and have been unable to find - the place on the web where one can see how much they are eligible to collect in food stamps? (SNAP) Does anyone happen to know where that table/calculator is? I'm after the "Thrifty Food Plan" level for two adults.
Ask Teh Google!
https://www.google.com/search?q=thrifty+food+plan+2013&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&client=safari
What I'm not clear on from the Google is what our maximum monthly benefit would be if I had zero income. For some reason that's eluding me. Perhaps I don't know the right thing to call it?
Personally I've never been able to see an allotment amount. I think it varies state to state? Not sure. every resource I google comes up with plans for a family of 4. By the way, those thrifty food plan menus are ridiculous.
Here's one page I found with amounts for AZ - which has a low cost of living compared to other places I've lived.
https://www.azdes.gov/main.aspx?menu=355&id=5202
iris lilies
8-14-13, 10:08am
Here's one page I found with amounts for AZ - which has a low cost of living compared to other places I've lived.
https://www.azdes.gov/main.aspx?menu=355&id=5202
That's $92 per week for 2 people. That seems high. That seems easily do-able. Is this right?
Interesting... We allow $100 per week for food, gas, pet supplies & other misc. for two adults & two cats. It's rather tight! All our food is organic. Cats are on a prescription diet. Not much extra for fun... the logical cost of me working only 10 hours per week, & my huge medical expenses. Nonetheless, we eat well, largely because we are both good cooks & dedicated to creating good meals. Plus the produce & fruit right now is abundant.
iris lilies
8-14-13, 8:28pm
Interesting... We allow $100 per week for food, gas, pet supplies & other misc. for two adults & two cats. It's rather tight! All our food is organic. Cats are on a prescription diet. Not much extra for fun... the logical cost of me working only 10 hours per week, & my huge medical expenses. Nonetheless, we eat well, largely because we are both good cooks & dedicated to creating good meals. Plus the produce & fruit right now is abundant.
Food stamps are not funding gas, pet supplies, pet food, and non-food items like toiletries. That's why I said that amount for just food seems high. But like you say, the garden is spilling over right now, this is high harvest season so at the moment this is pretty luxurious eating. Even people on foodstamps can afford red raspberries, probably not organic ones, though.
For years and years I didn't buy raspberries, too expensive, and I was too stupid to look for them in high season. doh.I just got out of the habit of buying many fruits besides bananas, apples, and sometimes oranges.Oh, yeah,--peaches. They are locally grown.
I don't think other states are as generous. We've had these challanges before and the food stamps amounts weren't as much. But Arizonia is a state run by the kind and caring compassionate conservatives. haha.
It does vary by state. $92 a week for two people is likely. In FL one person with nearly zero income gets $200 a month. And that's actually not a lot relative to the local costs.
There may not be a site that just tells you what different levels of income get for your state. I was surprised to see AZ's chart. And they are generous. In FL that 946 income would not qualify for more than a few dollars of SNAP. You should be able to find the site to apply online. If approved they'll show your benefit in your online account and/or send a letter.
Well, eventually, I did find this: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDHS-SelfSuff/CBON/1251586542626
If I'm reading it correctly, it looks as though the max benefit would be that Thrifty Plan number of $367.00 for two people (similar to the $92/mo for AZ) That seems very doable.
I had a friend yesterday relate a comment from her jaded mom, who complained that "those stupid food stamp people are shopping at Whole Foods!" Aside from the sticky politics around that, I wonder if it would even be possible to feed two people for that amount while shopping at Whole Foods? Hmmmm...
As it is, and the reason for my research, is that I think we could easily stay at/around that limit if Mr. Pug and I were to be a little smarter and eliminate some of the organic items...so the tradeoff seems to be (to a degree) health versus money yet again. But maybe there is a way. Yet another fun lifestyle design project here in Chez Puglogic LOL
Makes me want to go out and pick things from the garden right now. Which I will :)
I'd think that there's so many variables from state to state as well as your personal expenses that it would be difficult to determine except on a case by case basis.
I know in NYS a benefit of 300+ per month for 2 people would be unheard of.
I'd think that there's so many variables from state to state as well as your personal expenses that it would be difficult to determine except on a case by case basis.
I know in NYS a benefit of 300+ per month for 2 people would be unheard of.
NYS is overwhelmed and at risk of cutting benefits for lack of sufficient funding.
Re the jaded mom - It amazes me the number of people who think they can decide what other people ought to eat. Go to WMT and buy cheap food and someone will say see how stupid poor people are, they are buying cheap unhealthy food, and with my money. Go to Whole Foods and someone will say see how stupid poor people are, buying expensive food with limited money, and it's my business because 2 to 4% of my taxes went into that program so I might have as much as a part of a penny's interest in this person's shopping basket so of course it's up to me to have an opinion about it.
Bah!
Re the jaded mom - It amazes me the number of people who think they can decide what other people ought to eat. Go to WMT and buy cheap food and someone will say see how stupid poor people are, they are buying cheap unhealthy food, and with my money. Go to Whole Foods and someone will say see how stupid poor people are, buying expensive food with limited money, and it's my business because 2 to 4% of my taxes went into that program so I might have as much as a part of a penny's interest in this person's shopping basket so of course it's up to me to have an opinion about it.
Bah!
Agreed. My friend asked her mom, "And what was in their shopping basket, mom?" Which of course, she hemmed and hawed about. But it could've been fresh vegetables, could've been bulk oatmeal or rice or nuts, could've been anything 365 on sale.......all of which would've been good choices in my book. There are a few things I buy at Whole Foods or Natural Grocers simply because they're LESS expensive there than at a conventional grocery. (If you doubt me, compare a package of nuts from a grocery store, per pound, with the bulk price) A lot of people do seem to manipulate perceptions to fit their own personal worldview, i.e. "all people on food stamps are stupid and less-than and are stealing my money"
I have been noticing our grocery bill creep up and keep wondering how to scale back. I don't buy everything organic but may need to cut that back even more. I don't understand why the organic beets are $3.99 a bunch and the conventional are 1.99. Ditto with real staples like milk and eggs. We can't grow a lot of food here in the summer so I don't have that option. I often wonder if it even matters if you're not feeding a growing chid - things are just getting so expensive.
iris lilies
8-16-13, 10:10am
Well, eventually, I did find this: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CDHS-SelfSuff/CBON/1251586542626
If I'm reading it correctly, it looks as though the max benefit would be that Thrifty Plan number of $367.00 for two people (similar to the $92/mo for AZ) That seems very doable.
I had a friend yesterday relate a comment from her jaded mom, who complained that "those stupid food stamp people are shopping at Whole Foods!" Aside from the sticky politics around that, I wonder if it would even be possible to feed two people for that amount while shopping at Whole Foods? Hmmmm...
As it is, and the reason for my research, is that I think we could easily stay at/around that limit if Mr. Pug and I were to be a little smarter and eliminate some of the organic items...so the tradeoff seems to be (to a degree) health versus money yet again. But maybe there is a way. Yet another fun lifestyle design project here in Chez Puglogic LOL
Makes me want to go out and pick things from the garden right now. Which I will :)
This was the subject of a documentary I watched about food insecurity. A young couple spent some time (a month?) on food stamps and complained that 1) they were hungry 2) they couldn't buy their usual organic products. I have to say that complaint #2 made me roll my eyes. No, you can't stretch your food stmps to las tif you spend them all at Whole Foods.
try2bfrugal
8-16-13, 10:58am
I cut out buying most organic food because of the expense. It was the only way to get the grocery budget down. Organic foods seems much healthier, but I don't know if it is two or three times healthier to match the extra cost.
I bought a three organic peppers at the local grocery store, and the bill came to $7.50. Yikes! I though they were $2.50 a pound - but they were $2.50 each.
@trytobefrugal Have you looked at this book? http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Affordable-Organic-Fabulous-Planet--All/dp/073821468X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376666914&sr=8-3&keywords=organic+5+a+day
Book is titled Wildly Affordable Organic on $5 day or less. But I think she would not recommend buying those red peppers- she sticks to what is in season and therefore cheap. I don't think red peppers are EVER cheap unless they came from your own garden.
@trytobefrugal Have you looked at this book? http://www.amazon.com/Wildly-Affordable-Organic-Fabulous-Planet--All/dp/073821468X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376666914&sr=8-3&keywords=organic+5+a+day
Book is titled Wildly Affordable Organic on $5 day or less. But I think she would not recommend buying those red peppers- she sticks to what is in season and therefore cheap. I don't think red peppers are EVER cheap unless they came from your own garden.
Yes! Seasonal & out of the garden are always less expensive. We splurge on bananas & coffee all year, but really try to stick to hyper-local options. Living in the PNW, we have access to fresh greens year-round.
I cut out buying most organic food because of the expense. It was the only way to get the grocery budget down. Organic foods seems much healthier, but I don't know if it is two or three times healthier to match the extra cost.
I bought a three organic peppers at the local grocery store, and the bill came to $7.50. Yikes! I though they were $2.50 a pound - but they were $2.50 each.
There are lists out there of the most contaminated and least contaminated fruits and veggies so you can pick your battles.
Miss Cellane
8-16-13, 4:06pm
About a year ago, I looked into food stamps, because I'd been unemployed for a long time. Depending on income, a single person in my state could get between $75 and $200 a month in food stamps. But they also take into account your age--if you are under 50 and able-bodied, you can only get food stamps for 3 months every three years. They look at not only your income, but what you pay in rent/mortgage, what your car is worth, all sorts of things.
And they are pretty clear that the food stamps are to help you afford food. They state upfront that you will most likely need to spend your own money on food in addition to the food stamps--the food stamps are to supplement your food budget, not to be your entire food budget. Food stamps were the only assistance I was eligible for, and since I never finished the application, I don't know that I would have gotten even that. Fortunately, a long-term temp job came up in the nick of time.
try2bfrugal
8-16-13, 4:46pm
There are lists out there of the most contaminated and least contaminated fruits and veggies so you can pick your battles.
Yes, I do take the dirty dozen lists to the store. The kids need about 3 - 4K calories a day for their heights, ages and activity levels, plus they are picky eaters. Red peppers are one of the vegetables they will eat.
I have some unique challenges in terms of keeping the food bill down at least until we are empty nesters.
ApatheticNoMore
8-16-13, 8:02pm
There are lists out there of the most contaminated and least contaminated fruits and veggies so you can pick your battles.
Yes, but then there's the GMO issue, if you ALSO want to avoid GMOs you need to be aware of what products have been GMO-ed and also buy them organic (organic forbids GMOs).
What is GMO:
•Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
•Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
•Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011) [this may not be fresh corn though ANM]
•Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
•Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
•Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
•Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
•Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)
http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/
If by whatever circumstances I was forced to live on a foodstamp budget: yes, I'd use the list of the dirty dozen AND frankly maybe even in priority to that avoid GMOs (it's a principle thing).
I'm not actually living on a food stamp budget though, so I don't know why I wouldn't use my money to support the world I want to see. I consider sustainable (and organic is definitely a step in this direction) agriculture part of that.
Well, I think I'm going to take September and see if I can keep my entire month's food expenditures below the food stamp line -- WHILE shopping at Whole Foods/Natural Grocers only. Maybe try to stay at 75% organic or more, stay away from GMOs as much as I can, avoid the dirty dozen conventionals, and just see how hard it would be. It would be educational for da husband and I, a fun challenge (I'm into personal challenges that stretch my creativity) and I'd feel like I actually knew what I was talking about if I did it myself. Thanks for all the food for thought. So to speak.
ANM, found this site/app too: http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/
Seems useful.
I think it was between $300-$400 in my state when I had zero income. Yeah, hard to believe, isn't it? And we had to fight tooth and nail to get it, too.
This probably belongs in another thread, but I cannot believe how poor one has to be in this country to get help from the government.
I guess it might interfere with some senator's salary...
What I'm not clear on from the Google is what our maximum monthly benefit would be if I had zero income. For some reason that's eluding me. Perhaps I don't know the right thing to call it?
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