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Have to check that out. Currently unemployed.

I am currently unemployed as well. I had a bad spell when after the recession of 2008 and we were going to food pantries for a while. We managed to avoid doing food stamps, though at some of the pantries there were people trying to sign us up. I understood, but we never got that desperate.

The funny thing about food pantries is their randomness. We had three young children and were grateful to get anything. So, I would always ask, what don't people want to take? That's what we would take.

Now here's the kicker, food pantry users have different tastes than the general public. The frozen pizzas go first. The $15/pound fresh salmon sits unwanted. What a land where food fit for a nobleman is given away otherwise unwanted.

Now, with that you also get Pumpkin Spice Cheerios in December. Reeses Puffs cereal (something my wife would NEVER feed our children normally) ALWAYS seem to be present. (Since then, two of my children have developed dairy sensitivities, so it would be my job to eat them.) One time we scored locally sourced VENISON! Yum-yum. So with this random assortment we were always able to approach the gifts with a sense of humor and adventure. We are thankful for the generosity of stores and others who helped us out in our temporary time of need.

Luckly, I have a friend who volunteers at a food pantry.

She brings me the foods that people don’t seem to take.

I now have about a dozen cans of Beefaroni! (Ate that like crazy in college)

Remembering the Carter years when gas prices skyrocketed. My Dad’s friend was a trucker and I remember him telling my Dad “Buy food now! It’s gonna skyrocket.”

When Biden stopped our energy flow, I stocked up MAJOR ON STEROIDS. Packed 2 freezers.

The last 6 months I’ve been spending about $10 a month. (My weakness are tomatoes and milk.)

Luckily start work the week after next!!

I’ll break the rules for Christmas dinner but I’m gonna try to stick to the $10 a month rule for a while.