Posted on 08/18/2014 11:34:16 AM PDT by GraceG
Okay, So I know of a few people who are shall we say very Lower middle class who used to be Mid-Middle class until recently due to the wonderful economy as of late.
I know they are wanting to prep, but are unable to make ends meet and I have been rotating out my own personal prepping stock to just keep them fed day to day. (don't worry I am not giving them expired food, just food that is nearing expiration).
The question recently arose about if they should get an EBT card and use it to buy their own reserve, stuff like canned food and easily storable food like oats, rice, etc...
They hate the idea of getting on EBT/SNAP, but the question is if things are going to go haywire anyways is it a bad thing to do this?
Or should they go to private food pantries to slowly stock up on having a stash in case SHTF....
I have offered to help with their preps but they are too prideful to take my prepping food for prepping purposes. The only way I could actually give them food for day to day living has been to use the excuse that the food that I have that is nearing expiration and they are doing me a favor by taking it...
Hruumph, .gov buying preps with some of the FSA's "entitlements". What decently "cautious" person couldn't see the seething irony/humor in this? If only o'bummer could know somehow. His head would implode. Hehehe. d;^)
If my state agency (WA DSHS) finds out that SNAP proceeds are being used to purchase food for storage (not immediately consumed) they will reduce or suspend the benefits. I don’t know if this policy derives from state or federal law. But if this is the plan best to not make it known (as with almost any prepping).
How about this - apply for the card and ONLY use the benies for your prepper stockpile... :)
I’d rather see my tax dollars go to someone being responsible and preparing rather than the usual crowd stocking up on chips and garbage. Yeah, let them have a SNAP card and help them prep.
I’d say wring every last dime you can from this worthless government. You’ve paid for all these programs these many long years. It’s high time you got something out of them besides the joy of enabling another generation of parasites.
The way I look at it, if you’ve have worked and paid into the system for decades and now are having hard times, you are not the problem. Get what you can now, because what you’ve been promised probably won’t be there later. It’s the people who have never worked and suck out of the system their whole lives that are the problem.
But not if it’s nacho cheese.
[ I’d say wring every last dime you can from this worthless government. You’ve paid for all these programs these many long years. It’s high time you got something out of them besides the joy of enabling another generation of parasites. ]
At some point I see myself comming to this same feeling/conclustion, I am not there yet, but inching closer...
At some point I can see one last Harumph of people just needing to SWARM the EBT system before it all collapses and all hell breaks loose...
Excellent.
[ If my state agency (WA DSHS) finds out that SNAP proceeds are being used to purchase food for storage (not immediately consumed) they will reduce or suspend the benefits. I don’t know if this policy derives from state or federal law. But if this is the plan best to not make it known (as with almost any prepping). ]
if that is the case could they shift day to day food expenses to EBT/SNAP and pay cash for prep foods?
I’d start worrying about being on EBT (I’m not)when the banks stop worrying about bailouts, or the crony capitalists or farmers stop worrying about subsidies.
First of all, thank you for being there for these folks. Second, the EBT/SNAP program is there for a reason. I don’t have an issue with the hand UP that these folks could likely qualify for. The fact that they were middle class tells me they have likely paid an awful lot into the system over the years, of course they should be allowed the assistance in this, their time of need. And, like many on this post, I agree that I would MUCH rather see the benefits going to help someone get prepared.
Had a pastor opine from the pulpit that there are no poor in America: world median income is $2/day; hard to live in USA and _not_ make significantly more than that. If you’re earning more than half the people on the planet, you’re not poor.
They paid into it. The Feds literally owe them. Unlike the situation with lifelong welfare recipients who have never worked a day in their lives (unless walking to the welfare office is considered working).
Stop it. If it is not appreciated, use it yourself. I just had part of a can of expired July 2013 Spam for lunch. I await my demise. I won't even talk about how old some of my home canned meat is. I'll have "experts predicting my death.
When I was a kid - about 10 or 11, my dad walked out on my mom leaving her with five kids - one a baby. She was forced to go on welfare/food stamps. It was humiliating for her, but she had no choice. She made the most of those food stamps, buying canned goods on sale and stocking up, marked down meats, bread at the bread outlets, etc. She never bought goodies, instead baking us cookies, cupcakes, etc. We did not eat grand, but we had basics. She could make a heckuva good meal with cheap ingredients, and we did not starve. She got off welfare as soon as she could, when she got a full-time job at the local university in the maintenance dept. By then I and my twin sisters were old enough to babysit. That was back in the 60’s, so 13 and 14 was old enough to take care of younger siblings. NONE of us five kids are on welfare. We knew mom did what she had to do. Meanwhile, I get my frugal ways having watched her. I think the prepper thing comes from that experience.
Bottom line, if you need the foods stamps, and use them wisely, then go for it. They can tide you over until your circumstances improve.
So long as you’re “getting” less than you “put in” (accounting for other services you are legitimately paying for like road infrastructure, police, legitimate “safety net” for others, etc), I’ve no problem with taking fair advantage of those services you’ve funded. It’s just a different form of taking all the deductions you can when filing taxes, something which _nobody_ should fault you for.
This year, I’m enjoying my free electric car. No qualms about the tax credit, given how much taxes I’ve paid.
Point is: don’t abuse the system, use it fairly as you honestly see fit/moral/responsible. Don’t get greedy, don’t misuse it. Government has legitimate purpose, use it legitimately.
Do beware the hooks it could get into you. Don’t become reliant on it, don’t let it master you, be ready to bail fast.
Prepping is a way of life. It’s not just stocking away separate “what if” supplies, it’s _living_on_ those supplies so that when SHTF you don’t have to change your ways (and yes, unemployment is a personal SHTF event). When the “Y2K bug” debacle was looming, I described the potential for SHTF in as thorough detail as possible; he listened carefully, understood the issue, shrugged, and said “so I’ll throw another log on the fire and go back to my book” - all SHTF should really do is make resupply & travel more inconvenient, if you’re properly prepped.
EBT/whatever is just another way to retrieve money taken from you. Absolutely, apply it to filling the pantry in a sensible prepper way.
Your story tugged at my heart. Your dear mom sounds like (she is/was) a wise and loving mom. Her/your family’s appreciation of food stamps and whatever you had (income, food, clothing and, most importantly, family) is exactly how the system SHOULD work. Thanks for posting that.
Exactly. The program has since morphed into "anything goes" with a debit card washing away the stigma. The FSA runs amok with it.
Hadn't thought about that. Thanks for the suggestion.
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