Food Stamps | Imamother

amother

Lime

Sun, Jan 20 2019, 10:31 am

amother wrote:

I looked on the website to apply for food stamps and it says you cannot have more than 2000 in savings. Is this true?

Are you looking at the accurate government website?
It may vary by state, but you are allowed to have money in savings at least in New York.

amother

Gold

Mon, Jan 21 2019, 7:38 pm

I get a little money for food from food stamps .we both work.I wish I had money in my savings account .The whole purpose of food stamps is because you can't afford to buy food .the rest of our food bill we have to put on c.c. that's why they don't let you have much savings .if you have more then that amount , you really don't belong on the government program .

amother

Tan

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 5:02 am

amother wrote:

Why would the state pay for someone's food if that person has 3100 dollars in savings?

This is such a stupid question. So that someone would have a slight cushion in case of emergency? Medical emergency, loss of job, or a million other things that can come up unexpectedly? Retirement funds? Saving up for a down payment?

I see you have never been in the position to get food stamps. May you never be in that position.

monseymom25

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 6:59 am

Quote:

This is such a stupid question.

That was a mean thing to say!
I received food stamps for many years and I understand the question. Food stamps isn't tzedaka or people being nice, it's the government providing relief to hungry people. Why they should do what you said and help fund your retirement or downpayment or cushion is a very valid question.

amother

Cyan

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 11:28 am

amother wrote:

It's not my question that is stupid. Your answer is. Savings are for bad times. They are supposed to be used. When exactly are you planning to use that money? What is it for if you use taxpayers money for food?
I was on food stamps for 2 months... When I had NOTHING left in my bank account. I had used my savings for our daily needs. And that's what money is there for. It's extremely chutzpadik to save money and let others pay for your food.

amother

Hotpink

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 11:30 am

amother wrote:

Its extremely chutzpadik to tell someone to walk away from social assistance that they are entitled to.

amother

Slategray

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 11:39 am

3100 was enough to pay for one months rent utilities, gas, childcare, food, groceries, medical. Then it would be zero. I was trying to apply because I know how long it takes for food stamps to be set up. Do you have to wait until your at zero and have no money to buy bread before applying for gov assistance that will only kick in in two months? ( The gov office is very incompetent) I told the woman I was trying to be honest on my application at this point my account is allot lower! She said so apply again! ( Aka another month till they respond). Bh bh bh past that kind of desperation.

oneofakind

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 11:43 am

If your boiler breaks or you need savings to pay your mortgage (you bought the house when you were able to afford it) or your car dies so you can't get to work (many places there is no adequate public transportation), there is no govt. program that will pay for it. A person shouldn't have to have 0 in the bank to get food stamps. Whoever works on the books pays into the system and should be entitled to the help when they need it.

amother

Tan

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 11:53 am

amother wrote:

Yay, you were on food stamps for two months. What happens when you're 55 years old, let go from your job that you were working at for the last 20 years, your unemployment ran out, and there's no new job on the horizon? When they have no idea if they will ever get off food stamps? Never be able to live normally again? Should someone have to dig into their (small) retirement fund so that when they are really old they will not be able to pay copays for medicine? For simple clothing?

This is an actual story that is now happening to a friend of mine. Be grateful that you are not in her shoes.

Even for regular everyday living - what happens if you have to move and you need a security deposit? What happens if you own your house but your boiler breaks? Your car breaks down? Food stamps only pays for food, they don't pay for clothing, utilities, rent or mortgage - isn't it smart that someone has some money in savings as a backup plan? Or do you think that people who are on food stamps should live in the street?

amother

Cyan

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 6:37 pm

amother wrote:

1. Noone said it's a bad idea to have savings. Obviously one should take care of that BUT the government should make sure that only people in NEED get money for food, housing etc. And having thousands in the bank means there's something there.
I'm thankful I'm not in her shoes. And I wish her the best. But saved up money should be used in crisis and needing food and not having an income is a crisis. So that's what it's there for

SixOfWands

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 6:57 pm

amother wrote:

Why would the state pay for someone's food if that person has 3100 dollars in savings?

Because that person's income is sufficiently low that we, as a society, have determined that their current income cannot meet their nutritional needs.

Because those savings may be needed for rent and other necessary expenses if the person is in need of assistance because of decreased income.

I suppose its possible that there are people out there with hundreds of thousands in savings who apply for SNAP when they have a temporary income reduction. But the cost of ferreting out those few people isn't worth the hassle. And feeding the hungry -- especially hungry children -- is just a no-brainer for me.

amother

Tan

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 7:08 pm

amother wrote:

No you obviously don't wish her the best. Because you can't seem to fathom that having money in a retirement fund is not money that should be pulled out for food if it can be avoided. Not everyone has a crisis that can be resolved in a day. She's in her fifties - maybe her dh will never find another job in his field. Actually, probably not.

No, retirement funds should not be pulled out in a crisis. It's there for when you're old and sick and can't work at all anymore. It's there to help you with copays on medicine. Aid care. A haircut. That kind of thing. It sounds like you are young enough that you can't fathom what its like to be old.

And if she has money in the bank - maybe she will need it for a medical crisis. Copays. Deductibles. Or should someone die because they spent their last penny on food?

SixOfWands

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 7:10 pm

amother wrote:

Oddly enough, even the Heritage Foundation opposed the application of asset limits to retirement funds.