Starving on $280/month

LivingAlmostLarge · #1 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 10:36 AM

How do you starve on $280/month food stamps? On food stamps and still hungry - May. 6, 2008

Also what are these people eating besides crab legs and shrimp?

stressedmama · #2 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 10:50 AM

Well, since the lady said she had a 4 month old I'm going to assume she meant it is hard buying groceries for herself and then formula for the baby. Formula, baby cereal, and baby food is very expensive, but totally doable. I spend about $110/month on (store brand) formula and baby food. Plus I spend about $350/month on groceries for hubbie, myself, and one other son and I live in the Midwest, one of the cheapest areas of the country, and shop at Aldi a discount grocery store. $280 would be tight (if you are trying to eat reasonably healthy) living in DC, but if she planned her meals I would think it would be managable. Plus in about 8 months her costs will go down dramatically after the baby switches to milk and table food.

rennigade · #3 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 11:53 AM

I live in DC and I spend less than $280/month for myself and girlfriend, and I eat mass amounts of food. We buy all kinds of meats as well. Wish the government would give me free money. Maybe I should have a couple kids and get on the gravy train. Makes me want to puke.

Its funny, the people that should be having kids aren't, and the people who shouldn't be having kids are!

cashqueen · #4 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 02:45 PM

The article stated she also gets an additional $65 (I think from WIC). So that's $345. At first I thought, 'that sounds doable.' But when I break it down to roughly $86.25/wk it started to sound tight. Considering a can of formula is about $25 for a big can (does that sound right? I nurse my baby so I'm not sure) and then to buy diapers that would leave $50ish/wk. That's also assuming a can of formula lasts a week and I'm not sure it does. It still sounds doable to me but I could see where it could get rough by the end of the month - esp without proper planning (and coupons!)

zetta · #5 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 03:47 PM

When my son was on formula, a big can lasted 2 weeks, and I could get the generic brand at Target for about $15 in California. Huggies diapers run us about $30/month -- again, Target is cheaper than the grocery store, and I don't know if they take food stamps. Of course, if you don't live in the suburbs, you might not have easy access to Target or Wal-mart, so that could be a factor.

aevans1206 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rennigade

I live in DC and I spend less than $280/month for myself and girlfriend, and I eat mass amounts of food. We buy all kinds of meats as well. Wish the government would give me free money. Maybe I should have a couple kids and get on the gravy train. Makes me want to puke.

Its funny, the people that should be having kids aren't, and the people who shouldn't be having kids are!

I think this is an unfair judgement on this woman. No one should be berated for having children nor should be determined to be a person who should not have kids.

I live in Chicago and food prices are astronomical. There are ways, yes, that we can cut down, but it's difficult. $280 would make me cringe, especially with a baby on formula.

sounderella · #7 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 06:45 PM

That's sad. It was tight for us too when my baby was still on formula. He had GERD so we had to use cereal too. We shopped at Sam's and got the gigantic generic formula which actually had a larger percentage of the good stuff in it. Ive also learned that Walmart's White Cloud diapers, Sam's Member Mark diapers, and Kroger's diapers are all good diapers and are way cheaper than the name brands. That's how we made it through.

LivingAlmostLarge · #8 (**permalink**) 05-20-2008, 07:32 PM

Um, food stamps cannot be used for diapers. So diapers are not included. And WIC is specifically for formula and milk.

I don't quite understand how it's hard to live on $280, I feed 3 full grown adults on $250/month in Boston. That's just as expensive. Maybe if diapers were included.

I'm guessing it's all processed foods.

FrugalFish · #9 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 07:55 AM

Well, I'll do my typical vent- think I've brought this up before.

In CA a family of 3 gets $450 a month in food stamps ($150/person/month). I think there was legislation just passed to increase this amount in light of recent grocery price increases.

When a welfare family of 3 in CA was getting that $450, I was feeding my family of 3 for $200-$250. They get a raise. I didn't. Prices have climbed significantly here. I need to find about another $100/month for groceries which still puts us $100 behind the old CA welfare standard.

Learning this has brought up a lot of questions for me- namely, how does the gov't calculate a fair amount for food stamps? Is it based on a certain diet? Is it based on a percentage of what the average American family spends? I have a lot of problems with how the welfare system works. I'm all for social programs, but not to the extent that even people who will not work for a living are able to afford more than people who work long, difficult weeks.

Sorry to vent, this really irks me.

LivingAlmostLarge · #10 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 09:59 AM

The thrifty meal plan by the US standards is $547/month for a family of 4!!! I can't believe that, because it seems like most people never spend that much.

honeichild · #11 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rennigade

I live in DC and I spend less than $280/month for myself and girlfriend, and I eat mass amounts of food. We buy all kinds of meats as well. Wish the government would give me free money. Maybe I should have a couple kids and get on the gravy train. Makes me want to puke.

Its funny, the people that should be having kids aren't, and the people who shouldn't be having kids are!

Your comment was very uncalled for.

1. This woman is in a training program to learn a skill to provide for herself and her child. She is not getting ANYTHING for free because she is working.

2. you don't have to have children to get food stamps.

3. We don't know what the price of food is in her area/her access to stores w/ affordable prices.

honeichild · #12 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrugalFish

Learning this has brought up a lot of questions for me- namely, how does the gov't calculate a fair amount for food stamps? Is it based on a certain diet? Is it based on a percentage of what the average American family spends? I have a lot of problems with how the welfare system works. I'm all for social programs, but not to the extent that even people who will not work for a living are able to afford more than people who work long, difficult weeks.

Sorry to vent, this really irks me.

They calculate based upon your income, family size, and other household expenses.

LuxLiving · #13 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:19 AM

relevant link:

Food & Nutrition Service Home Page

rennigade · #14 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeichild

Your comment was very uncalled for.

1. This woman is in a training program to learn a skill to provide for herself and her child. She is not getting ANYTHING for free because she is working.

2. you don't have to have children to get food stamps.

3. We don't know what the price of food is in her area/her access to stores w/ affordable prices.

I know exactly what the price of food is in the DC area, considering I live here! She also has access to any major store via metro. Metro is extremely cheap. I do have a right to state my opinion because myself and everyone else in the district is paying for this woman to eat!

I don't understand why everyone takes pitty for these kinds of people. Maybe she should have thought about this before she got pregnant. 21 year old with not a care in the world. Now the poor kid has to suffer because of her ignorant mom. Oh and another thing...funny how there's no mention of a father! Imagine that, another single mom. But hey, lets pitty this poor innocent girl. I hope this 21 year old is thankful for people like me who work and who's taxes pay for her food.

honeichild · #15 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 10:48 AM

So you are angry because you are helping pay for food for someone?

I'm actually reading a book now called "Why Americans Hate Welfare" you should check it out.

savingmama · #16 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 11:02 AM

This is such a hot topic for me and makes me really frustrated. Yes, I do feel it is important to have social programs to help those in need, but I think the food stamp program is so out of whack. Let me share my experience of what I have seen and maybe you will have a better understanding of why I am so frustrated.

I know families who are in medical school and have children and qualify for food stamps. One particular family has 4 children- ages 5, 4, 2 and 7 months. They get almost $800/month in food stamps (in the midwest where food prices aren't even as crazy as other places). The baby nurses so they don't have to buy formula, and if they wanted they could qualify for WIC also which would provide formula. Now I have a family of 4- children are ages 5 and 2 and I only spend $200/month. $800 seems so excessive to me. And really it is for them. They have had to get a huge freezer in their garage to store all their extra food. They brag about the 90 boxes of cereal they have in their garage. Their fridge is filled with soda and popsicles and processed foods. And, it gets worse. Since they have so much extra money they don't need, they buy their dad his diet coke and then he pays them cash for it. Yeah, I know, so illegal, but no one is stopping them.

So my number one issue is that people get too much money for food stamps. What is going to encourage them to earn an income and make more money if they are going to lose $800/month for groceries, plus free health care! Now in this case he is going to be a doctor, so he will eventually do well on his salary, but there is going to be a period when this family will be in residency and they will only make $40,000 a year. Their solution: If they have one more child they will still qualify for food stamps and medicaid. They will experience a cut in food stamps because when you make some income they decrease the amount you receive. I am interested to see what they do then. If they can hack $400/month on groceries.
I know not every situation is like this, most aren't, but others that I know that receive it get way more than necessary. The only reason they would need all that money is if they are buying junk at the grocery store or expensive meats.

The other thing that really bothers me is what you can buy on food stamps- candy and soda and ice cream!! Come on. You should not be able to get FAT on food stamps. If you want soda and candy that should be something you earn money for and buy yourself, and not let the taxpayers pay for it. They should give less money in food stamps and spend more time educating people on how to prepare meals. And they should stipulate what people can buy.

Now I know there are cases of those people that are doing everything they can and they really need food stamps and I defintely encourage them to get them, but I guarantee that the amount they get is enough for their food needs. I have another friend in medical school with a child and their first year she tried to do it without food stamps and she was skipping meals and saving the one apple they had left for her husband's lunch. The next year they decided to get food stamps so she could actually afford fruit and to eat all three meals. Now she definitely needed food stamps for her family, but even she agrees that $400 for a family of 3 is way too much money. So I just have to say if people on food stamps are running out of money it is because they are adding wants to their grocery list. (Now I will add, if you have any income you don't get the full amount of food stamps because it is expected that you supplement your income to make up the shortage. So in that case you would run out of food stamps, but that is because you are supposed to supplement with your own money.)
Thanks for letting me vent.

honeichild · #17 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 11:20 AM

I really encourage people to read "Why Americans Hate Welfare" it's written by Martin Gilens. And it illuminates a lot of the comments made in this thread, almost verbatim.

savingmama · #18 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeichild

I really encourage people to read "Why Americans Hate Welfare" it's written by Martin Gilens. And it illuminates a lot of the comments made in this thread, almost verbatim.

I just requested the book from my library. I am interested to hear what it says.

rennigade · #19 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 11:44 AM

Why Americans Hate Welfare

No need to leave home. Gotta love google books.

cashqueen · #20 (**permalink**) 05-21-2008, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savingmama

The other thing that really bothers me is what you can buy on food stamps- candy and soda and ice cream!! Come on. You should not be able to get FAT on food stamps. If you want soda and candy that should be something you earn money for and buy yourself, and not let the taxpayers pay for it. They should give less money in food stamps and spend more time educating people on how to prepare meals. And they should stipulate what people can buy.

I totally agree with this. Taxpayers should not pay for less fortunate people to eat junk food. They are getting the money because (theoretically at least) they are unable to provide adequate sustanance for their families. This should NOT include soda, ice cream and candy. I'm all for helping out, but this money should exclude certain food items. It's no wonder we are such a 'fat' nation.