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Archae

(46,262 posts)
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 08:10 PM Sep 2013

Anyone here (besides me) on Food Stamps?

And are you willing to say how much you get?

I get $95 a month. That's about $20 a week.

I'm on SSI, and after all the bills are paid, I have about $50 in spending money (like for personal stuff) a week.

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Anyone here (besides me) on Food Stamps? (Original Post) Archae Sep 2013 OP
Average per-person monthly SNAP benefit by state... PoliticAverse Sep 2013 #1
Interesting. madamesilverspurs Sep 2013 #13
Thank you for the info. That puts a lot in perspective. I just read that in Ohio pnwmom Sep 2013 #2
Sounds like we're in much the same boat. madamesilverspurs Sep 2013 #3
Great post and thanks for that last paragraph especially. nt raccoon Sep 2013 #5
I am my family were on them for 11 months gopiscrap Sep 2013 #4
I remember before my husband found his current job we were getting $322 a month in food stamps SummerSnow Sep 2013 #6
I was a few years ago bhikkhu Sep 2013 #7
about 160 a month.. madrchsod Sep 2013 #8
I'm disabled with multiple sclerosis. I get $16 a month. nt silvershadow Sep 2013 #9
$200 Lady Freedom Returns Sep 2013 #10
My disabled relative gets it with her SSDI Hydra Sep 2013 #11
I am on social security and am thinking about it. RebelOne Sep 2013 #12
We do Tree-Hugger Sep 2013 #14
I also have SSI, Jamaal510 Sep 2013 #15
I was, about 10 years ago Shampoobra Sep 2013 #16
My disabled wife and my 15k a year do not qualify ...but there's money for war. n/t L0oniX Sep 2013 #17

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
2. Thank you for the info. That puts a lot in perspective. I just read that in Ohio
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 08:23 PM
Sep 2013

some idiot's proposing that able-bodied adults must work 20 hours a week (at jobs, training, or volunteer work) to qualify for food stamps. So, to get food stamps you'd have to be willing to work for $1 an hour.

madamesilverspurs

(15,784 posts)
3. Sounds like we're in much the same boat.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 08:54 PM
Sep 2013

Social Security and food stamps. I'm in the process of re-qualifying, always an edifying and pleasant experience (yes, that was sarcasm). I was told to be available for a phone interview tomorrow, had to rearrange a couple things to accomodate that; God help you if you inconvenience them with a scheduling request. Won't know for a couple of weeks whether my benefit will increase, decrease, or stay the same.

Meanwhile, after rent and bills I typically have well less than $75 to cover OTC meds, incidentals, and food when the stamps run out (they typically stretch 2-3 weeks).

I'm in my third decade of dealing with this, and in all that time there has been one occasion wherein I was greeted by name. We no longer have case workers, we have technicians (further de-humanizing we clients). As a matter of course, we are treated with suspicion and impatience.

For the benefit of right-wingers reading here: My refrigerator and stove came with the apartment. My microwave came from friends who were remodeling, my big box-like television from other friends who were upgrading to flat screen. My clothing comes from Goodwill and other thrift shops. Welcome to "high on the hog".

SummerSnow

(12,608 posts)
6. I remember before my husband found his current job we were getting $322 a month in food stamps
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 09:30 PM
Sep 2013

(family of 4). When he got his current job and we reported the income they sent us a letter saying they were reducing our food stamps down to 25 dollars a month. when we were up for re-certification we didn't bother. so the case closed. it cost my husband $25 a week to go back and forth to work.

bhikkhu

(10,708 posts)
7. I was a few years ago
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 09:33 PM
Sep 2013

for my family of four I got $390 per month, which we were pretty happy with (though the cost of living is low here).

madrchsod

(58,162 posts)
8. about 160 a month..
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 09:41 PM
Sep 2013

my wife had to go on fmla due to my extended illness this winter and spring. we have received food stamps,heating assistance,mortgage payments,and weatherization. now that she is back to work our stamps will be done next month.
if it wasn't for those programs we would be out of our home and god only knows where we would be today.

like a dumbass i didn't sign up for medicare supplemental. i think i owe somewhere around 100,000 dollars in hospital bills because the last bill i received was around 500,000 dollars. good luck collecting that!

Lady Freedom Returns

(14,120 posts)
10. $200
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 09:47 PM
Sep 2013

But that is with no job what so ever. With the little thing I got to pay off everyone so I can go home, I, right now have been dropped. Apparently a part timer that is single with no kids, don't qualify.

Family is pissed because they were hoping to get part of them. hehe, makes me happy that part of their little idea has been nipped!

Hydra

(14,459 posts)
11. My disabled relative gets it with her SSDI
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 09:54 PM
Sep 2013

$150. If I wasn't providing for her, she would have starved years ago.

I'm pretty sure that's the whole point. It makes me furious when RWers and Gov't people talk about how people like her are making us broke. SNAP and other programs are chump change to what the Dept of War and NSA are getting.

RebelOne

(30,947 posts)
12. I am on social security and am thinking about it.
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 10:17 PM
Sep 2013

When I checked, it seems that I am only eligible for $35 a month.

Tree-Hugger

(3,364 posts)
14. We do
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 10:36 PM
Sep 2013

We are a family of 4 and we get $476 per month. I always think that is a lot, but we always end up with a zero balance for a week before our balance rolls over again. We have some dietary restrictions in our family and food prices keep going up and we somehow can't keep up....and I cook from scratch!

We are up for re-evaluation next month and I am terrified. 6 months ago, my husband had two jobs. Now he has 3. We're no better off with that 3rd job thanks to bullshit that keeps coming up (car, etc). However, that 3rd job means we'll have less food stamps and it's a horrifying thought. If things don't improve for our family soon, I don't know how we'll make it.

It's the worst position to be in.

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
15. I also have SSI,
Sun Sep 8, 2013, 10:59 PM
Sep 2013

and it really sucks because with the little amount they pay, I can barely pay my apartment rent and the Internet, and be able to have food to eat. Without financial aid from my college, there is virtually no money for me to sit on in case of a rainy day.

Shampoobra

(423 posts)
16. I was, about 10 years ago
Mon Sep 9, 2013, 12:41 PM
Sep 2013

Sometime around 2003, I was getting $120 a month in "food stamps" (which was really a state-issued debit card that allowed for food purchases only ... the use of paper coupons, or stamps, had ceased by then). I was also getting $360 a month in "cash" (another state-issued debit card that allowed for cash withdrawals at ATMs).

Those figures, adjusted for inflation, come to:

food: $152
cash: $457

http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

The figures might look high, but I wasn't getting any other monthly income at the time ... no SSI, no unemployment payments, etc.

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