I do not think badly of people who qualify for food stamps, receive them, and use them wisely to purchase food for their families. Food stamps were created to help those in need get the food necessary for survival.

I do not lump every receipient of food stamps into one category either. Just like in every other area of life their are the good and the bad. Sure we can all site to the bad example of food stamp abuse, but you can just as easily point out (or perhaps not notice) those who use food stamps wisely.

The problem I am hearing from many on this point is that everyone is having to pay more for their groceries. Employers have not raised the salaries for the working people to compensate for the increase in food prices. The amount of money we all spend on groceries now probably represents a larger percentage of our take home pay. Yet the food stamp recepients are possibly getting an upward adjustment to their food budget. I think its a bit of envy, which maybe comes across in a harsh way. We would all like that boost, yet the government is only giving it to some.

I read the numbers in the article and I must say that it seems they examples they used as people "suffering" weren't very good. The figures indicated with better planning or use of resources those families highlighted could make ends meet as is with the money received.

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Grace

Wife to Stoney

Mommy of Sarah (8), Hannah (6.5), and John(4.5)

I got food stamps for 6 months a long time ago. I've seen both sides having got them myself and working as a cashier. There are people who use them wisely and people who don't. My sister went to college fulltime and worked fulltime. She lived on her own and was a single mother. She was on food stamps for quite a while. She never bought lobster or anything like that. There are always going to be 2 sides to the coin when it comes to things like that. And I think people who use food stamps are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If they buy quality food (organic or good meat) they are given the evil eye. If they buy food that is cheap but not good for you(tons of carby things or convenience foods) they get looked down at also. So what's a foodstamper to do?

I try my best not to lump people together in one group. I personally feed my family of 6 on $500 a month by using all the 'techniques' I know. We haven't ever recieved food stamps, however there are times that we have def. been strapped. My cousin was in a wheelchair for a while due to illness and she received them. Once she got better and was able to work then she no longer qualified. However her attitude was well I can always get my food stamps if I don't want to work so hard.
Secondly, the people I can't stand are the ones at the grocery store with their children who either have ralph lauren clothes and shoes and are using food stamps or the ones whose poor children don't look like they've bathed or combed their hair in days-mom and dad look about the same and they are buying candy and cookies and that gallon koolaid stuff.
I know that there are people that truely need it. In college I worked full time and went to school full time and there were weeks that I wouldn't have eaten if I didn't work at a fast food place that let me eat free while at work. I qualified for food stamps but I figured I'd muddle through. If I had a family then I would have def. applied-but it was just me.

I understand what you are saying but who is to say that the person got the nice clothes second hand. I can see if they are using their food money to buy clothes or getting them on a credit card but what if they dig for good clothes because they want their kids to feel good about themselves what is wrong with that? I am sorry but if they can afford to buy those clothes brand new they don't deserve food stamps but unless they are lying on their applications they couldn't offerd them in the first place. When I wasn't working and DH was full-time we got $276 for our family of 5. Now I work 20 hours and get 22 dollars a month. Almost not worth it but I try to make it work. You have to meet a certain income critieria. So, either they are getting nice clothes second hand or using a credit card to buy brand new name brand. I find my kids nice namebrand clothes at Good Will As Is for about 29 cents to one dollar. I wouldn't be able to buy them very many new clothes and be able to eat and buy necessities for the household.

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I love hunting deals

Mom to Kellan 12-16-2000
Brooklyn 12-27-2005
Nolan 10-15-2007
Wife to Russell 10-14-2005

The article really made me sad, because hunger is becoming such a severe problem here. I worked as a cashier for a while, and it is easy to look at people, what kind of clothes they have, what car they drive, and judge them, especially if they are on food stamps. Every situation is different, there are always going to be people that abuse the system, but there are people that really need help. I have bought expensive clothes from Goodwill brand new, from Banana Republic and Ann Taylor. But someone could look at me and think I am made of $$$, even though we are barely getting by most of the time. And for some people, buying their kids some snacks now and then is the biggest luxury they will ever have, while many of us are able to take vacations every year, etc...

I Never think nice Clothes Or Jewlery Means NO you Shouldn't Have Food stamps either.

If We Has Something Catastrophic happen tommorow and we Could Get Food Stamps , I Would Have to Shop With them and We Would Still have The Same , " Nice" Clothing as We do today.

I also Agree on Finding Kids Clothes cheap , I Get My Kids Name Brand stuff at garage sale Prices.
My ds Looked So Cute today , In An Outfit I got at Carters Last Yr. for 4.23

I can find name brand at Goodwill and Salvation Army. I've also gotten some at garage sales and at the outlet malls extremely cheap. I can't really go by the clothes. Also, dh's family likes brandname stuff and buys it for the kids. They have also given me nice jewelery and purses so I can't really judge someone on that. Nice nails can also be done at home. I know how to give myself really nice manicures and pedicures. I also know how to make my hair look real nice myself without going to the salon. Just because the kids and parents don't look dirty or unkept doesn't mean they don't deserve foodstamps.

You said everything I was thinking very well!!

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~Happiness is a large family~

I know that Everyone is affected by the higher gas/grocery prices, and for the most part, I don't think that increasing the amount given in food stamps is the best way to handle things. All of us are having to adjust how we spend our money in the grocery dept, to a certain extent I think that no matter how much money someone is given, they will either work with it and be content or they will always want more than what they have. Personally, I would be thrilled to have $500/month just to spend on groceries!

I guess i'm just in the envy category a little bit. It bothers me that i plan, use coupons, sales, make things from scratch and I see people who seem to be abusing the whole food stamp thing. I wasn't trying to offend anyone. I find great name brand things at goodwill and stuff also. It's just a little hard to believe that all THREE of the kids match including shoes, of course maybe grandma did buy it. However, why didn't grandma spend the $200 on food for them? Sorry-just a little rant. Really- I'm not trying to tick anybody off. For those that need it, they deserve it. I def. think that teaching them to plan and budget would be a great help.