I felt terrible about myself last night

[happymommy]

This gets me so mad because I know family members who are screwing the system!

My sister is on disability, maybe she is eligable, I'm not sure. I see others suffering way worse and get no help.
Sad I have to think of my sister like this but what I have witnessed is greed through the years.
She was having the local church give her Turkey dinners with all the fixing, then have her adult children financially well off for thanksgiving dinner.

Christmas, they called year after year after someone put her name in for secret santa from church.
Well this was for her, and 3 adult children 21 AND OVER! She would receive boxes of gifts,
brand name clothes, movie gift cards, store gift cards, hundreds of dollars worth of stuff.
Then she would give some gifts to her two other adult kids in their 30's, so it was spread all around. Five adult children stealing from small children and working single parents, made me sick!

Her friend feels sorry for her and gives her electic money each month. My sister starting adding $5 to the bill now is up to $10 last I heard. Greed!

We all have to pay for our property taxes on time, not her she was three years behind and was put on a payment plan of $200 a month, when elderly people are being kicked out of their homes! Yes, I get mad.
Her xhusband pays her mortgage, house insurance, is on heating assitance.

To top it off her last son living at home 28, couldn't keep a job, lazy, no consequences etc.
Racked up car payments, and tens of thousands of credit cards, and gambled.
Solution the family encouraged him to apply for dissability. Told him to lie, and pretend he had majoy mental problems.
He passed the test and now is recieving over $1000. a month plus food stamps.
He lives with my sister, no rent, small board and lives the high life.
Also he now can keeps a job and works constuction under the table for several companies.
The phone rings off the hook for him to work. More cash in the hand.

What makes me so discusted is all the people in real life financial hardships who get turned away because of people like I've mentioned.

Drive by her house she has so many flowers people stop and comment on all her hard work and what a show piece it is.
Forget christmas, she has it decorated outside like she is living in Santa's Village.

I have to stop my heart is pounding.................

For the people who really need assistance, I'm sorry people like this are draining the well from others.

[dianne9106]

I don't judge people for being on food stamps, I mean there are soldiers risking theirs lives everyday and their family has to have some assistance because they don't make enough money. But I know where you are coming from - would they buy that same stuff if they had to fork over the cash - probably so. I don't eat at McDonalds a lot, but my MIL ate there on our way to the Grand Ole Opry last month. I was looking at the extra value menu compared to other things. I commented on how it was so easy for poor people to eat unhealthy! A lot the unhealthy choices are dirt cheap compared to fresh fruit and salads. She lives in a poorer part of Idaho and is a social worker for mental ill people - she explained that the starchy, high fat foods, are cheaper and more appealing for poorer, uneducated people to buy. That's not a slight on anyone at all. But it's true - so many coupons are for microwave, over processed foods instead of fresh milk, veg, fruits, salads, whole grains, etc.... I think we are better than before, but I think more folks need good information pertaining to the right foods to buy. Me - I just need to quit being so dang lazy sometimes!

[rudypoo98]

I had to get food stamps for awhile when I was off work for pregnancy leave ,23yrs.ago,because my husband lost his job.I thought I had everything all planned for having the baby had house payments ahead some money in the bank for elec.bill untill I could go back to work.He lost his job the day after I took leave.I was so ashamed to have to get on them.My brother's father-in -law owned the local grocery store the whole family worked there.So on the nights my brother ran it I'd go shopping after dark and if I was at the counter and someone came to it I'd say go in front of me you don't have much.My brother would also look around when it was all rang up before I handed the food stamps to him to make sure no one saw me.Alot of times I'd go right before closing time and he'd lock the door and ring me up after closing time.I qualify for food stamps and medicade now but I don't get either and won't unless I just have to.My sister and best friend would bring me food anyway if I really needed it.My friend told me just last month anything you need or want tell me I'll buy it for you because I make alot of money now.She's the mail carrier here,I did tell her I want to borrow her tiller so I can get my garden planted.She said she'll send her husband over to till it.She's the best friend ever and don't think I don't tell her she is,even tho she does nag me about not going to the Dr. ever.As long as I'm not having unbearable pain I see no reason to go.I never liked going anyway and didn't before my husband left and had insurance unless I absoluty had to.

[heartofmine]

I'm really glad that you thought about it. There was a time that I had to be on stamps for a while. My husband worked every day but he wasn't making enough. We got a little over a $100.00 and I would take it and buy staples and spend them all at once buying flour, sugar, meal, eggs, powdered milk, macaroni etc. I did have a lot of groceries because I was being very careful to make it stretch and also to use coupons. I got my kids 1 candy bar each as a treat. There was a lady that followed me all through the store and when I went to pay for the food with stamps she stuck her nose up in the air and said hmmmpph foodstamps. I've never been so humiliated in my life. I came home crying. That was the last time I ever got them and I pray to God I never have to again. I know there are people that abuse them but there are those that need them too. I don't judge them because its only by God's grace that I am not there myself.

[ladykemma2]

i teach their children. they all have ipods, expensive cell phones, 200 sneakers, but no paper or pencil for school.

and no lunch either.

[Dad_of_4]

The problem I see, is food stamps have been made too comfortable for some people. They are allowed to buy all name brand foods, top choice meats and have their cash left over for booze and cigs. We should go back to commodities. That was the system before food stamps. Back then the people on aid were given food directly instead of through food stamps. I remember my grandfather being on them for awhile. He would get two big boxes of staples plus some name brand that had been donated.

With the laziness of a lot of people now days, food stamps allow them to be lazy and not suffer any consequences. They can make bad choices and still get their steak and beer. When did we get to the point of making public aid so comfortable. I hate to say it but people on aid should feel a bit bad. It is the only way to motivate some to improve their situation in life.

[Mamaw]

I have been on both sides of the fence. There are some who abuse the system and others who truly need the help. I remember it well so I try not to judge anyone. And honestly, I am usually so busy trying to get the most bang for the buck that I dont pay any attention at all to what others are buying or how they are paying for it.

[savin4disney]

I have been on food stamps and I have not been on food stamps. I have bought some junk and have used coupons etc.

I have said for many years they need to TRAIN people how to use these cards. Hold a monthly class for 6 months. Make them come to get the food stamps. Teach them about coupons, sales, stockpiling and cooking.

The last time we were on food stamps. I stockpiled and froze a lot of stuff. When we had 2 months of no food stamps - I did not have to worry where food was coming from.

I do not think it would be condesending. It is just training. We are not born knowing this stuff and if our families have not taught us it...someone has to.

[cissylu]

I was on them year`s ago my self.

[booboo44]

well i do get food stamps and i try to shop well like today i did meat shopping i bought a pork loin first time i ever bought one costs 20.00 on sale and i got a roast for 8.38 real good size one and hambuger for 10.00 and 2 pk hot dogs spent 64.00 but i got some other items to but i cam home and cut up the pork loin and got 24 pork chops 6 pks of hamburger and sliced the roast in half so i got to roasts but the meat will last of over a month still had some meat in the freezer ibuy stuff to bake from scrath but i stretch mine as far asi can but i do understand people when i see them buying junk and i know u can make so much stuff at home

[Dixie]

its only by God's grace that I am not there myself.

I totally agree!

[Nishu]

Recently I've tried only shopping at places that treat their employees decently. In the past, a lot of my bargain hunting led me to places that give their employees unlivable wages and no benefits. We all know the reputation walmart has, and I've worked at Meijer and can tell you that I'd sooner go through boot camp again- for free- than to deal with the next to nothing pay and poor treatment of that place. Kroger wasn't much better. In either case I can tell you that no matter how hard I'd be working, there's no way I could support myself and my two kids if I were back working there.

Nosirree, you will not find me judging those who use fs while I myself am supporting a business that does not pay livable wages.

I can understand people getting frustrated over people who spend their fs on junk, but buying foods that meet my approval isn't a requirement for people to accept food stamps and as long as we're a society that offers people a hand up in times of need there will be people who abuse the system. It is unfortunate, but remember these people aren't winning. It may be hard to watch them buy crap when you're eating rice and beans 3 days a week, but you're getting ahead. You're working for financial stability and a better future for you and your loved ones. Those who abuse the system aren't going to be any better off in 10 years. There's no reason to feel cheated.

If it's tax dollars you want to get upset about losing, you could always target no bid contracts that cost us billions, people who cheat on their taxes, pork for nonsense projects that benefit very few... I wonder if those perpetrators were as near to you easy to identify as the 'welfare royalty' you see at the checkout, wouldn't they stir up the same kind of resentment?

PS- My kids get lunchables occasionally, whatsittoya?

[SAHM I Am]

While I too have judged and felt bad about it later. You are right to think that people who are not using there resources wisely need help.

Agreed. I don't think it would be a bad thing to require management courses or cooking classes. I think it would be turning a handout into a hand-up.