Living it up on food stamps.... [View All]

[ejpoeta]

Was I living it up on food stamps? You'd think so to hear all the talk about buying candy and marshmallow peeps with them. But when I had them, along with cash assistance, several years ago.... it was no picnic.

First you had to go sit for hours in the social services. Fill out the application form and provide proof of income, residency, citizenship. We also were required to prove we were looking for work. Bob and myself. IT didn't matter if it would cost me more to work because of daycare. I had to find a job too. So we started looking. And we went in to use our food stamps to get food.

Now, these weren't the EBT cards you see today. These were actual food stamps. I was very diligent in my purchases. Making sure we had things we needed to get us through the month. As i waited to have my items rung up I pulled out my book of food stamps. You could see the stares. You could see the judging of every item I had on the belt. I am not being paranoid here, people were judging everything I purchased. Right down to if it was generic or a name brand.

Having to apply for assistance is humiliating. But you bite the bullet and do it because you have to take care of your kids. We had one kid at the time. Then each time you go in to use your food stamps you get to see the ire in others eyes as you count out paper bill by paper bill. Because people will judge you. No matter what they will judge you. It didn't matter that there was nothing fancy on the belt. It didn't matter. Somehow I was taking something from them.

Now I hear people saying how people on food stamps are just buying candy and pop. Well, beyond the occasional ice cream on sale, there was no living it up on food stamps. For some reason though it seems to be something open to everyone's input. But you only get so much and it has to last a whole month. Somehow people on food stamps are too stupid to be able to decide what food they need to last through the month. OH!! but they might buy JUNK FOOD!!! so damned what. what they get has to last them a whole month. This idea that folks with food stamps are out there stocking up on chips and candy and pop is just a creation so some can feel better about treating them like they are nothing.

No I am not on food stamps today. We have a house and pay our taxes just like everyone else. But we are $300 over the limit for food stamps. And I say, I am a person. Just like everyone else. And people with food stamps are no different than everyone else. And they buy the same groceries as everyone else. So what if they buy some chips. Just like you and I do. They are not out there just buying crap. They may have a bag of chips, but they have the same groceries as everyone else. Why don't you quit worrying about what someone else is buying. They pay taxes too. Just because it isn't property taxes doesn't mean they don't pay taxes. It costs more to be poor than to not be poor. Through taxes, and just the cost of living.