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I guess what I meant by "being addicted" to food stamps is the fact that until 3 weeks ago, I was spending about $180/month at the grocery store and putting it on a credit card, I am single and I have no children. Now, I get about $182/month and it is more than enough for me,so I have no economic incentive for not using my EBT card, especially if I don't find a job anytime soon. Having this EBT card has helped me tremendously BUT I can see now how having this free handout has affected my motivation. Honestly, I have been thinking about applying for Section 8 housing, Medicaid, things I would have never considered, it is SAD but I went from being a very entrepreneurial type to someone who has basically lost hope.
So it only took $182 per month to cause you to lose all motivation to work? Hmmmmmm
The stigma serves a good purpose, so I'm not an advocate of it "fading."
In contrast, I would reconcile that the stigma may have actually increased on an individual level due to all of the new program enrollees with white-collar backgrounds.
If I found myself in the Food Stamp line, it would be an exercise in swallowing my pride, for sure, but that doesn't mean the stigma associated with it would disappear. I'm sure many a folk who never dreamed of being in the welfare line are standing there with their collective tails between their legs, and I highly doubt they're flaunting it as if the stigma has been erased. Society may be more understanding, but society also understands that the path of least resistance (ie. not looking for a job) is human nature, thus making food stamps an enabler of such. As a result, the stigma associated with food stamps is healthy, in my opinion, because it serves as a motivator to get off the public dime as soon as possible.
When i was in college back in the 70's my buddy and I both qualified for food stamps because of our low-income status and got them. We felt no shame of indignation. They were there for the taking so we took 'em. There's no shame in receiving government help like disability and unemployment aid. If they offer it to ya, grab it before someone else does.
When i was in college back in the 70's my buddy and I both qualified for food stamps because of our low-income status and got them. We felt no shame of indignation. They were there for the taking so we took 'em. There's no shame in receiving government help like disability and unemployment aid. If they offer it to ya, grab it before someone else does.
Personally, I have a real issue with someone in college using food stamps. Unless a person were working full-time (40 hours) and going to school full-time (12-16 hours) and could not afford a place to live, food to eat, and tuition, then there's no excuse for using food stamps. It's time to reassess the situation at that point. Maybe college is not the right avenue until the financial situation improves. Working part-time, taking barely a full-time course load, and living off the taxpayer is unacceptable in my book.
Personally, I have a real issue with someone in college using food stamps. Unless a person were working full-time (40 hours) and going to school full-time (12-16 hours) and could not afford a place to live, food to eat, and tuition, then there's no excuse for using food stamps. It's time to reassess the situation at that point. Maybe college is not the right avenue until the financial situation improves. Working part-time, taking barely a full-time course load, and living off the taxpayer is unacceptable in my book.
well guess it's a good thing the rest of the world doesn't live by your book since a large group of students can't afford to work full-time and go to school part-time. I had to mainatin a full course load to keep my scholarships..not grants or loans...my scholarships were dependent on me taking 12 hours every semester. Going to school part-time would have meant paying for my own courses, books and room and board. And since my schedule changed every semester it was hard to find a decent job that would work around my schedule so I did the Wal-mart thing, open 24 hours 7 days a week so they were flexible. I couldn't have lived off my Wal-mart salary though even I was working 40 hours a week so either way you slice it I would have needed some extra $. Of course I could have always stayed home and invested in my rock garden but I doubt that would have looked good on my resume.
There's no one-size fits all answer for life; while you may not agree with it for some people that's the only option you have. Well that or donating plasma.
Even though I am "happy" with having my EBT card and qualifying for Medicaid, I don't understand how people can just sit at home all day long and be OK with it!
It is so boring and it makes you feel like crap after a while. I guess, my motivation for driving 3 hours to another state or flying out of state for interviews is the fact that I used to travel a lot when I was employed and I miss travelling, eating out and doing fun things. Right now, I have just enough to get by and it is hard to be satisfied with it. I decided to go back to grad school next year simply because I can't stand this life anymore, I need some type of routine in my life and I have only been unemployed since the end of September. I can't even picture being unemployed for over a year, it would certainly drive me crazy!
Depending on how big your family is, your expenses, and your assets, depends on how much assistance you can recieve. Some people are eligible for cash assistance, though I don't know how destitute you have to be to recieve those.
I lost my job last year mainly due to my two children having medical problems (one diagnosed with rhuematoid arthritis, the other hit by a car, this all happened within a months time). We are just now starting to get back on our feet. My husbands job has been sustaining us. If he were to make just a little more money a month we would not be able to get our $295.00 a month food stamp benefits. I do not think we will be eligible after this month because our loan was modified (though this did not really affect our food stamps too much, it was $329.00 before we started the modification process), but we just paid off our cars.
This is just a fraction of what I was making before, but it has helped a great deal. Regardless of what happens, I have begun to look for atleast a parttime job. I do hope to get off the food stamps. It's nice not to worry too much about the grocery bill, but honestly I feel shame when I pay with my food stamp card.
I think the stigma of food stamps should never go away. People should never feel OK about using them. Obviously when people would starve without them food stamps are a good thing, but people should be willing to work 16 hour days rather than take handouts. Government programs can easily give people an excuse to not try as hard.
seriously who can belittle another American for something as simple as food?
I don't...if the person is like the OP and is a working person who hit hard times. What burns me up is when I see people use the Access card (PA uses this card that works like a debit card in place of food stamps) to buy piles of junk food like cupcakes, chips, and soda, and then whip about 55 bucks out of their wallet to pay for a carton of cigarettes! (saw this not long ago standing in line at a supermarket). If someone can afford cigarettes, they don't need food stamps. And they shouldn't be able to buy all junk food either.
Last edited by Mr Yuk; 12-01-2009 at 11:29 AM..
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