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June 2011 Moms
vigurl
member
Maximum Food Stamp Benefit Allowances
[Poll]
Your grocery budget...
vigurl
member
Inspired by the food stamp question below....
A few weeks ago I was shocked to realize that a famiy of 3 in the US getting foodstamps would be getting more for food per month than we have budget for food per month in my family per month. I have a major issue with this.
What about you? Is your grocery budget amout the same, significantly more or significantly less then the Food Stamp benifit for your houshold size?
| Household Size | Maximum Allotment |
|---|---|
| 1 | $ 200 |
| 2 | $ 367 |
| 3 | $ 526 |
| 4 | $ 668 |
| 5 | $ 793 |
| 6 | $ 952 |
| 7 | $ 1,052 |
| 8 | $ 1,202 |
| For each additional member | $ 150+ |
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This discussion has been closed.
Re: Your grocery budget...
Ding ding ding, you hit the nail on the head. Why does someone who qualifies for FS get to spend so much on food?!
I am not going to vote because our "food budget" situation right now is unlike most people here seeing as we don't really buy much food mostly because we don't have a kitchen in our place so MIL busy most of the food for our house. She is also VERY set in her ways about meal planning cooking and what not so we don't even really suggest meal ideas let alone buy food because its kinda pointless.
But I can say when DH and I use to live with my brother we spent about $400 or so a month on food and that was for 3 grown adults so I think once we get our apartment I do not think we would be spending that much on food.
DH: 34/Me: 35
Married: Feb 2008
DD: June 2011
TTC# 2: April 2014
BFP!! 8/29/16 --> EDD: 5/11/17....it's a GIRL!!!
I voted for around the ballpark; however a few things to note about our budget:
1.) we eat home cooked meals 6-7 nights a week
2.) the budget also includes a 12-pk of craft beer and a bottle of wine a week. DH and I like to unwind with a beer or glass of wine once Ty's in bed and we're catching up on the DVR. And we're not just buying PBR and 2 Buck Chuck!
I don't buy a lot of prepackaged foods, which actually makes our budget more manageable because I'm able to stock up on pantry and freezer staples when they're on sale, and buy mainly only fresh produce, meats and dairy on each grocery trip.
This budget however does not include extras like toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, etc. We have a separate budget for that.
The income limits set for food stamps here in CA were set in the 1980's, so you have to be below the poverty line from 30-something years ago. People receiving the MAXIMUM would be dirt poor.
For a while, after I was laid off (temp worker), and before DH's promotion + raise, we did get food stamps.
We were given under $200 a month for a gross income of under $2000 a month. $2008/month is the cut off. I am not heartless, so if a family is making so little that they are either living in a shelter, or some type of housing program (aka projects), then by all means give them the maximum. Some will use the system, but there are those people out there that are truly in *need*
We spend about $300 per month on food for ourselves, and about $130 for formula/food for our LO. The finger food for her is added in our own grocery budget (in the $300).
The budget on food stamps for a family of 3 with one of those being an infant is probably more than needed, since the family is probably on WIC also, but let's not make the regulations more complicated. We know the anything government ran is going to be messed up as it is.
Ours is in the ballpark of but that includes per food and we buy a lot of meat. Since we don't have room for a deep freezer I can't stock up on it when it's cheaper which would cut down our food costs significantly. Something to remember is that not everyone on food stamps has room to stock up, time to do couponing ad other cost saving measures. Also many people don't know how to cook so they have to buy a lot of prepared things.
this is us too. unfortunately our schedules don't allow us to cook at home as much as i'd like and eating local organic is important to us. i voted slightly more.
i actually buy very little junk.
i do include house hold items like TP and paper towels in our budget
I think these explain the way I feel:
"the only time you should look into your neighbors bowl is to make sure they have enough"
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
One is from a sitcom, and one is from the bible
I suppose you feel differently, so I would suggest that you write congress.
I voted "in the ball park" for 3, as DD isn't eating THAT much yet. But I have boys with healthy appetites, and that ballpark includes me helping feed a couple of soldiers a couple times a week, as they have no family to spend time with.That's with me budgeting and meal planning, buying a lot of fresh/organic/local, etc. That budget also includes eating out, which we don't typically do a lot of.
I can also get the budget lower... but right now, minus our car and my student loans (which I pay more than minimum on each month), we have no debt, our bills are always paid over a month in advance, and we have money going into savings every month. I like to entertain, so I budget for more, and I'm able to/have the means for it. It makes me happy. However... it's taken us years to get to that point, and it used to be that I'd spend $150 every two weeks for groceries, which isn't all that much... and I don't miss those days at all.
I will say, however, that when I was on food stamps/ebt... for DS and I (since DH and I weren't married yet), I didn't get as much as was listed for the "family of two," and I was unemployed at the time. I think this chart is a bit off... but then again, I believe it runs different from state to state, as well.
I overspend on groceries. It's a bad scene...
If I had to guess, I would say that I spend about $1000/month on groceries. I only buy organic, and always buy local when possible. I don't shop at big name places either, it's small farmers markets and local organic markets. We don't eat meat very often, but when we do we roast organic free range chickens, and they are about $25 a pop.
I really need to reign in my food budget. I'm going to sit down tonight after I put the baby to bed and make a food plan with ideas from Pinterest.
... I just realized that I spend this much on just LO and I. DH is gone at work for 3 weeks at a time....
yikes! My only excuse is that I live in Canada and food (along with everything else) is more expensive here.
Since MY tax dollars pay then I DO have a say.
Exactly why I said you should write congress. I never said that you did not have a say.
I'll pass on the writing. I prefer to vote instead.
Has anyone ever ran and during the campaign said that they would lower benefit amounts to help those in need?
If they did, then they wouldn't ever win b/c there are far more poor people than there are rich.
Maybe you should write and ask that poor people who receive or have received aide, or that have a heart, should not be allowed to vote.
Good luck!
I spend far less than what is listed there. I can tell you though I believe it may vary state to state and here in the state of Florida there is no specific number per family, it is based on your income. I have a family member who gets them and a friend who does as well and each of them have the same size family and get totally different amounts. One gets $700 something and the other gets $249. It is probably different other places but Florida, as I said I think it is based on income rather than just the size of the family.
I want to be your new bestfriend ;-)
It is that way in every state. Vigurl listed the maximum benefits, which not many people get. I'm sure the income to benefit amount varies.
To clarify: I mean the adjusting to income is the same in every state. Not the amounts you listed
The only thing that is different about california is that we do not give food stamps to people on permanent disability. Because we are just that awesome. If someone is disabled and has no ability to make more money, then we just say "*** you."
I was so quick in reading it, now it makes sense. It may be that way for every state then, the maximum and as you said the income to benifit amount varies which is what I was referring to.
I think typically and this is just an opinion, that they hope you will buy good fruits and veggies and quality food that will be far more expensive. As everyone can see all of our budgets are so different and probably because we all eat so differently. If someone coupons as well that could weigh in on how much someone would actually spend each month.
I guess it isn't unheard of for people to spend that much for a family of 3, as a lot of people have stated here, mainly the ones that eat organic foods.
I don't know how much they actually care. I've known foster families that bought 100% prepackaged junk food
One day maybe they will disallow crap like Little Debbies, Soda, Twinkies, and so on.
I like the way WIC runs things for BFing/pregnant moms. I cannot say that I agree with no option to make your LOs own food...but people would probably take advantage of that, too. Those types of people are out there. It is sad. But I will gladly fight for those that are in need. I am not religious, but I was raised with christian values. I worked in blood banking, and we would always say "Giving Is Good." Simple & true.
I am not fond of stingey people.
In reality people that are upset that others get different sort of aide are actually jealous. If they don't get it, then others should not. To those people: I guarantee you that your life is far better than the person getting $500+ in food stamps, so be happy with what you have. Seriously, be thankful. Bad life choices can add up to being poor, but so can circumstance. Have compassion. When you are on your deathbed you will not be thinking about how much money your earned, or how much money others received.
So in a way, stingey people, you win. Your life is the better life. Congratulations!
*round of applause* Well said.
I think you miss the point. The point of this post is people who abuse the sytem/too lazy to work/want to sell their food stamps. If that makes me stingey then oh well.
I think maybe where it is confusing is that you didn't say that was the point of the post. Not saying anything bad, just being unbiased. I see both points, just saying it could have been confusing because it just mentioned people who receive foodstamps, not abuse the system/too lazy to work/want to sell their food stamps type of people. Had that been specified I am sure everyone would agree noone who is doing that should receive the aid.
This topic may have been inspired by a person taking advantage, but nothing after that would convey that it was you merely being upset b/c families were "working the system." Everything you typed practically screamed "I don't spend this MUCH, so why should they get this for FREE." After all that, I just imagine you stomping your feet and crossing your arms along with a pout.
I can go back and re-read everything, and reply if anything at all sounds like the *point* of what you were saying was only in regards to people taking advantage.
What is almost comical to me is that you tend to reply to what people say, such as my suggestion to write to congress, and twist what was actually typed, then when you type something, and the overwhelming response is others NOT agreeing, then you twist your own words and meanings to make it more acceptable. I guess it gets lonely up there on your pedestal, so you decide to go down a few levels to be more popular. Obviously I am not basing this just on this one post, or this one subject.
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FWIW, even though I'm in Canada, I'll put in my $0.02.
Just to make things fair, I took the minimum wage from the state with the highest amount, and thus the most likely to have people requiring the maximum amount. Their min wage is $9.04. Ontario min wage is $10.25. That's 13.4% higher. So, I adjusted the max amount for my household. $793 becomes $899.
$899 would NOT feed my household. We have 3 adults, and 2 children under 2. We spend $160/month on just meat, because we buy locally sourced, cruelty-free meat from a local butcher. That $160 just barely gets us through the month. We usually have to buy a few extra roasts or chicken breasts, or some ground beef to help get us through. Taking away the minimum $160 we spend on meat, that leaves us with about $165/week to feed FIVE people. We buy mostly organic, non-processed foods, which as we all know, tend to be more expensive. We shop sales when we can, and stock up if we have room in the cupboards and freezers. We eat out MAYBE twice a month, and that is also factored into our budget. We also spend $15/week on formula, because we don't have a program like WIC to pay for it. I was physically unable to BF because of a breast surgery, so we have no choice in that matter.
Now, I know someone's going to pop in and say "well, you CHOOSE to buy local, organic products", and to that I say: Why should the poor be punished by forcing them to buy inferior, less healthy food? Should we not strive to let everyone eat healthy? Do we not relentlessly judge those we see buying processed foods on foodstamps? How many times has a UO, or FFFC been posted about judging people with a cart full of freezer meals and pop who pays with food stamps?
Let's look at a price comparison for just ONE meal. Let's say I want to make roast beef, with mashed potatoes, and green beans on the side. For 5 people, I need about a 4lb roast. On sale, I can get a cheap cut of roast for $1.99.lb. That's $7.96. I usually make about a pound and a half of potatoes for all of us. At $0.70/lb, that's $1.05. I would probably use about a pound of green beens, so add $1.50 to my total, All told, it's $10.51 for just one meal. I can go into the same store, get 5 Hungry Man dinners on sale for $1.49 each. Even with taxes (13%), since freezer meals aren't tax exempt, it's $8.42 to feed my family, AND they get a brownie for dessert. That's a $2.09 savings PER MEAL. I'm saving myself almost $15 a week by feeding my family crap! Not to mention the fact that I can pay $4.99 for a gallon of milk, or $2.99 for a 12-pack of Coke. Brand name, even. $1.50 for a good sale on store brand.
Yay, right? OR NOT, because my family gets fat, unhealthy, and judged whenever we grocery shop. So, make a choice - you can either b*tch and moan about the amount of money given out for food stamps, or you can judge those who try to feed their families on those amounts when they have to buy cheap, processed foods. You can't have it both ways.
And Then There Were Three...
Married: 08/14/10
Baby #1 Born: 06/18/11
June Moms Blog
ITA that it doesn't "pay" to eat healthy. Prepackaged junk and soda costs less than fruits, veggies and milk (forget trying to be organic). I will say that it is possible to eat healthy for less, we only spend $600 per month for a family of 7 and I have to say that we don't eat much junk and fruits and veggies take a big bite out of the budget. However I do spend a lot of time searching for coupons, looking for sales, and we have a huge pantry and storage freezer so we can stock up when things are on sale. I don't think many people on food stamps have that option.
I think SOME people on food stamps go for the "quick and easy" because it's just that. They don't have time, or don't know how to cook a good meal, or use a crock pot (who knows maybe they don't have one). Some people really need this benefit, and it truly pi$$es me off that there are people out there that take advantage of the system because it does make me feel like we shouldn't offer things like this if it's going to be misused.
Exactly