This really isn't a challenge for me. But I'm excited to see what some of you experience.
Be sure to check out PoorGirlEatsWell for awesome cheap recipes. She has $25 shopping carts posts that give a week worth of food.
She has a grocery store with good sales, in an area with reasonable grocery store prices. She also has access to coupons. If she was a poor person in an area with the grocery issues that Cosmos described above, she'd have it much harder than she does.
If she was shopping in a cost of living like mine, the eggs that she got for free would be $3.95 and the butter that she bought for $3.38 would be $5.95. And there are a LOT of people on food stamps living in my town.
I realize that. I merely shared because it has great recipes and tips on cooking for less. I realize that prices can vary by region. However, her recipes might help others stay within their budget for this food challenge.
Her $25 shopping cart may not be applicable in all areas, but what she bought might give ideas to others.
Fast food places in my area do. I see the little EBT sign all the time.
That should go against the "hot food" rule. I know gas stations accept it for snacks and drinks, but have never heard of fast food accepting it.
I might be wrong, but an EBT also has TANF money on it, right? So just because you can use your EBT card doesn't mean you are using "food stamps" you might be using your other government money which can be used for anything.
That should go against the "hot food" rule. I know gas stations accept it for snacks and drinks, but have never heard of fast food accepting it.
I might be wrong, but an EBT also has TANF money on it, right? So just because you can use your EBT card doesn't mean you are using "food stamps" you might be using your other government money which you can used for anything.
Yes. Some areas have TANF money on the EBT card. That money can be used for anything. I believe even cigarettes and beer. I'm not entirely sure though.
Everyone is commenting on how high the benefit is, but that would be if you have NO job.
If you are making some money, you would have to reduce the max benefit by your net income x 30%. (this is what it says below the chart on the link PP provided).
example: if you make $1,000/mo x .30 = $300. Then for a family of 4, let's say, your benefit would be $668-$300 = $368 for the month.
For the sake of the experiment, shouldn't you factor in that you are making something and then reduce the SNAP amount you "would" receive to an amount you would actually have to struggle. Isn't that the whole point?
I could be wrong here but then wouldn't you, in theory, have the money to be able to afford the additional costs of groceries?
Everyone is commenting on how high the benefit is, but that would be if you have NO job.
If you are making some money, you would have to reduce the max benefit by your net income x 30%. (this is what it says below the chart on the link PP provided).
example: if you make $1,000/mo x .30 = $300. Then for a family of 4, let's say, your benefit would be $668-$300 = $368 for the month.
For the sake of the experiment, shouldn't you factor in that you are making something and then reduce the SNAP amount you "would" receive to an amount you would actually have to struggle. Isn't that the whole point?
I could be wrong here but then wouldn't you, in theory, have the money to be able to afford the additional costs of groceries?
Yes, that's the theory. And a lot of people do. So they can spend their $30/week with food stamps plus an additional $4 on the hot chicken.
When you fill out the application the ask about your income and expenses. I'm not sure of all the calculations but the theory is that if you have a job, the food stamps helps cover the gap of food expenses. But you still have money to pay for extra groceries.
Also, people on food stamps often qualify for reduced housing and other reduced expenses. I know in more urban areas, it's harder to get into those housing options. But there are a variety of factors that led to people not getting the full amount.
ETA - That's also how people eat out. Just because you are on food stamps doesn't mean you can't or don't eat out. I think that should still be included in the challenge, but maybe reduced it by half or something.
Everyone is commenting on how high the benefit is, but that would be if you have NO job.
If you are making some money, you would have to reduce the max benefit by your net income x 30%. (this is what it says below the chart on the link PP provided).
example: if you make $1,000/mo x .30 = $300. Then for a family of 4, let's say, your benefit would be $668-$300 = $368 for the month.
For the sake of the experiment, shouldn't you factor in that you are making something and then reduce the SNAP amount you "would" receive to an amount you would actually have to struggle. Isn't that the whole point?
I could be wrong here but then wouldn't you, in theory, have the money to be able to afford the additional costs of groceries?
Well, people on food stamps that have a job and are at the poverty level still have mortgage/rent, car, gas, basic clothing needs, etc, etc. I would think that they don't really have any extra to put toward groceries.
Everyone is commenting on how high the benefit is, but that would be if you have NO job.
If you are making some money, you would have to reduce the max benefit by your net income x 30%. (this is what it says below the chart on the link PP provided).
example: if you make $1,000/mo x .30 = $300. Then for a family of 4, let's say, your benefit would be $668-$300 = $368 for the month.
For the sake of the experiment, shouldn't you factor in that you are making something and then reduce the SNAP amount you "would" receive to an amount you would actually have to struggle. Isn't that the whole point?
This is a good point.
In any event, even sticking to the maximum amount for me will be a struggle. Its still less than what we spend on food a week at the grocery store-- yet I eat out almost every lunch, and 3-4x a week for dinner. If I had to make every meal, I think I'd want to spend more on food (in theory).
I could be wrong here but then wouldn't you, in theory, have the money to be able to afford the additional costs of groceries?
Well, people on food stamps that have a job and are at the poverty level still have mortgage/rent, car, gas, basic clothing needs, etc, etc. I would think that they don't really have any extra to put toward groceries.
Yep. I think the point of the challenge is to put yourself in the shoes of a person whose only food options are those obtained with food stamps.
Everyone is commenting on how high the benefit is, but that would be if you have NO job.
If you are making some money, you would have to reduce the max benefit by your net income x 30%. (this is what it says below the chart on the link PP provided).
example: if you make $1,000/mo x .30 = $300. Then for a family of 4, let's say, your benefit would be $668-$300 = $368 for the month.
For the sake of the experiment, shouldn't you factor in that you are making something and then reduce the SNAP amount you "would" receive to an amount you would actually have to struggle. Isn't that the whole point?
Yes, I don't know many who got anywhere near the max allowed.
And sure its supposing that you have other income coming in that can be allocated, but often that money is already allocated to things like rent, gas, car insurance, etc.
Post by sweetredheadx on Dec 5, 2012 14:57:47 GMT -5
Something to remember is that certain places charge more in one grocery store than in others. When I was in college the United in the low income area was far more expensive than the one in the high income area. We asked the managers why and one manager (at the low income store) said the higher prices covered extra security. The manager at the high income store said that was bs and that since low income shoppers lacked transportation therefore options, they charged more because they could.
Oops, I forgot my birthday dinner is next Friday. So I'm out of this challenge. I have plans to go out pretty much every day next week.
Yeah, I'm kind of surprised that people are able to do it at this time of year. I'm booked solid for the coming weeks because everyone wants to see everyone around the holidays.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I wouldn't do it anyway -- just surprised that more people don't have holiday eat/drink plans).
Oops, I forgot my birthday dinner is next Friday. So I'm out of this challenge. I have plans to go out pretty much every day next week.
Yeah, I'm kind of surprised that people are able to do it at this time of year. I'm booked solid for the coming weeks because everyone wants to see everyone around the holidays.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I wouldn't do it anyway -- just surprised that more people don't have holiday eat/drink plans).
I actually do have plans, I wasn't thinking. Maybe pushing it to January is a good idea.
This is such a ridiculous post. Let's all be good liberals and live like "the poor" for a week so we can see what it is like to sacrifice and how hard they have it. Buuuuuttt...I have plans this week, so let's wait until I don't have anything that I ACTUALLY have to sacrifice... Give me a break.
This is such a ridiculous post. Let's all be good liberals and live like "the poor" for a week so we can see what it is like to sacrifice and how hard they have it. Buuuuuttt...I have plans this week, so let's wait until I don't have anything that I ACTUALLY have to sacrifice... Give me a break.
This is such a ridiculous post. Let's all be good liberals and live like "the poor" for a week so we can see what it is like to sacrifice and how hard they have it. Buuuuuttt...I have plans this week, so let's wait until I don't have anything that I ACTUALLY have to sacrifice... Give me a break.
You're right, continuing to live in excess and ignorance is a way better option.
This is such a ridiculous post. Let's all be good liberals and live like "the poor" for a week so we can see what it is like to sacrifice and how hard they have it. Buuuuuttt...I have plans this week, so let's wait until I don't have anything that I ACTUALLY have to sacrifice... Give me a break.
You're right, continuing to live in excess and ignorance is a way better option.
Well, that's basically what people are doing. Why don't you make an ACTUAL sacrifice and give up one of your planned dinners? If you really want to know what it is like to be on food stamps skip your fancy dinners because I doubt EBT is accepted at the places you all are going. This is one ridiculous circle jerk.
You're right, continuing to live in excess and ignorance is a way better option.
Well, that's basically what people are doing. Why don't you make an ACTUAL sacrifice and give up one of your planned dinners? If you really want to know what it is like to be on food stamps skip your fancy dinners because I doubt EBT is accepted at the places you all are going. This is one ridiculous circle jerk.
You've inspired me to renounce my worldly possessions and take a vow of poverty. Thank you. Only then will I be able to truly understand the plight of the poor.
Well, that's basically what people are doing. Why don't you make an ACTUAL sacrifice and give up one of your planned dinners? If you really want to know what it is like to be on food stamps skip your fancy dinners because I doubt EBT is accepted at the places you all are going. This is one ridiculous circle jerk.
You've inspired me to renounce my worldly possessions and take a vow of poverty. Thank you. Only then will I be able to truly understand the plight of the poor.
This is such a ridiculous post. Let's all be good liberals and live like "the poor" for a week so we can see what it is like to sacrifice and how hard they have it. Buuuuuttt...I have plans this week, so let's wait until I don't have anything that I ACTUALLY have to sacrifice... Give me a break.
LOL. I agree with this. Even eating on a food stamps budget doesn't show how "the poor" really have it. It gives an idea of 1 struggle that they deal with.
I'm poor. I just have rich friends. LOL. I have poor friends also.
I guess I don't really understand the point. Corey Booker kind of makes me roll my eyes doing this (and I am a pretty big liberal) - he is doing it as a publicity stunt. Others have already done this - Mario Batali did it not too long ago. It isn't as though you will really understand what it is like to live in poverty because you find out you can or cannot eat for a set amount of money each week. This probably won't be a popular opinion, though.
I think I would find it much more compelling if everyone donated their savings to a food bank or something.
For me, its a) about reducing waste/saving money and b) bringing awareness. I need to scale back on food costs and maybe seeing how others do it on much less will be eye opening?
This post alone has gotten how many views? I think most of us learned something about the program, the eligibility and what is included. Awareness is a good thing.
I decided I am going to do it anyway next week, even though I have holiday parties and work events. I'm not hosting any of them, and who is to say that people who use SNAP never get free food at a friend's party?
This is such a ridiculous post. Let's all be good liberals and live like "the poor" for a week so we can see what it is like to sacrifice and how hard they have it. Buuuuuttt...I have plans this week, so let's wait until I don't have anything that I ACTUALLY have to sacrifice... Give me a break.
I wouldn't do it to be a good liberal. Rather, as a challenge to see if I can meal plan and get our food costs down.
But I'm not going to haul off and cancel pre-scheduled events we're hosting lol.
I actually kind of wonder if that's counter-productive (or at least not as productive as it could be) though. If you do it, and conclude "Hey, eating like a poor person wasn't so hard!" (which seems to be what a lot of people on this thread have said -- that it isn't so far off or is even more than what they currently spend), it could make you not be as sympathetic to poor people who would be able to do it if handed YOUR life, but struggle to do it because they are dealing with very different resources.
That is why I wouldn't do it. Well, that and that I don't think I need to pretend to be a poor person for a week in order to understand that many people live in poverty that I'll never understand. And I don't have the audience that Cory Booker does so me doing it and posting about it here or harassing my Facebook friends with updates regarding my plight wouldn't do anything for anyone (well, except maybe get me blocked/defriended on FB). So I respect Booker for doing it to get the facts out there, but I don't see what good would come of me doing it.
Also, doing it to cut back on your costs/get better at meal plan seems a bit... not the point to me? That seems to miss the point and kind of seems insensitive or making light of a serious situation in a strange way to me.
I actually kind of wonder if that's counter-productive (or at least not as productive as it could be) though. If you do it, and conclude "Hey, eating like a poor person wasn't so hard!" (which seems to be what a lot of people on this thread have said -- that it isn't so far off or is even more than what they currently spend), it could make you not be as sympathetic to poor people who would be able to do it if handed YOUR life, but struggle to do it because they are dealing with very different resources.
That is why I wouldn't do it. Well, that and that I don't think I need to pretend to be a poor person for a week in order to understand that many people live in poverty that I'll never understand. And I don't have the audience that Cory Booker does so me doing it and posting about it here or harassing my Facebook friends with updates regarding my plight wouldn't do anything for anyone (well, except maybe get me blocked/defriended on FB). So I respect Booker for doing it to get the facts out there, but I don't see what good would come of me doing it.
Also, doing it to cut back on your costs/get better at meal plan seems a bit... not the point to me? That seems to miss the point and kind of seems insensitive or making light of a serious situation in a strange way to me.
I totally agree. I think it trivializes the issue. Even if I'm already spending the SNAP amount, I have the ability to go over and stock up when things are on sale. I can keep my pantry and freezer stocked, have spices and other staples on hand. And I have reliable transportation and easy access to several good grocery stores.
I actually kind of wonder if that's counter-productive (or at least not as productive as it could be) though. If you do it, and conclude "Hey, eating like a poor person wasn't so hard!" (which seems to be what a lot of people on this thread have said -- that it isn't so far off or is even more than what they currently spend), it could make you not be as sympathetic to poor people who would be able to do it if handed YOUR life, but struggle to do it because they are dealing with very different resources.
That is why I wouldn't do it. Well, that and that I don't think I need to pretend to be a poor person for a week in order to understand that many people live in poverty that I'll never understand. And I don't have the audience that Cory Booker does so me doing it and posting about it here or harassing my Facebook friends with updates regarding my plight wouldn't do anything for anyone (well, except maybe get me blocked/defriended on FB). So I respect Booker for doing it to get the facts out there, but I don't see what good would come of me doing it.
Also, doing it to cut back on your costs/get better at meal plan seems a bit... not the point to me? That seems to miss the point and kind of seems insensitive or making light of a serious situation in a strange way to me.
I totally agree. I think it trivializes the issue. Even if I'm already spending the SNAP amount, I have the ability to go over and stock up when things are on sale. I can keep my pantry and freezer stocked, have spices and other staples on hand. And I have reliable transportation and easy access to several good grocery stores.
(I) Exactly. If you want to cut down on your food costs, go right ahead. Tying it in somehow with SNAP benefits is just meaningless.
I agree with Lilly. It will never be knowing exactly what it's like to be on food stamps out of necessity or living in poverty. Even if you truly do stick to the SNAP guidelines, knowing that if you absolutely HAD to spend more money on food or what not, you could is not the same at all. And while I wouldn't expect someone to cancel a party or other affair that was already scheduled because they decided to do this challenge today, Lilly is exactly right in that it's sort of silly to say, "I want to put myself in their shoes but ONLY after my parties and get-togethers are over when I have to spend a bunch of money."
Post by statlerwaldorf on Dec 6, 2012 0:47:34 GMT -5
I just keep getting stuck on this max amount issue. Most people do not get the max amount. Most people cannot live with no income. Even the people who live on $600/mo disability checks do not get the max amount. The SNAP program is supposed to be a supplemental program and not provide all of the food for a family for the month. However, with the cuts to programs such as subsidized housing, childcare, etc. many of the families that have a income are forced to try to make their non-max amount stretch to cover all of their food for the month.
So what if doing a little challenge with some people on the internet isn't the most meaningful thing ever? I think people can evaluate for themselves if they have it easier than a hypothetical poor person by having better access to grocery stores, buying in bulk or other things like that. I doubt that someone is going to eat out of their pantry all week and go, "wow that was SO easy, I guess poor people need to STFU."