Posted on 10/02/2010 4:21:32 PM PDT by STONEWALLS
HOUSTON—At midnight on the first of the month, a scene unfolds at many Wal-Mart Stores Inc. sites that underscores the deep financial strains that many low-income American consumers still face.
Parking lots come to life after 11 p.m. as customers start to stream into the stores, cramming their shopping carts full of milk, infant formula and other necessities.
Then at midnight, when the government replenishes their electronic-benefit accounts with their monthly allotments of food stamps, nutritional grants for mothers with babies or other aid for needy families, they head for the registers.
"We're not starving or anything, but we come every month at 11:55," said Tyrel Fogle, 26 years old, early Friday morning as he loaded a cart with frozen food at a Wal-Mart here on the northwestern edge of the nation's fourth largest city.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
about 22 yrs ago my wife and I were on food stamps between the two of us we got $198 and we bought meat to last at least a month plus all the other staples, now days we spend about 300 or so, but have meat to last a month and 1/2 plus all the staples, and any extras we care to pick up. the greats joy I had was buying food without the stamps!! laying out a 100.00 was the best!!
I manage a convience store. They spend their food stamps (ebt) on junk, they go to the other side of the counter to pay cash for lottery scratcher tickets and cigarettes.
Pisses me off big time, how they waste my tax dollars. None are looking for work.
“But for many I do not think that shopping at midnight is a hardship.”
I guess we agree then. That’s what I am saying. There are times when people need help. But if you are shopping at midnight at Wal-Mart ... it’s because you are a poor manager.
This article wants people to feel pity. I feel annoyed.
yo, homes. wtf?
Can’t add anything to what you said :)
So true about the bizarre occurrences in the poor liberal people! I have an perpetually poor in-law; they have some of the most peculiar things happen. It appears to be a lack of forethought, and general common sense. It may be, too, that such events help them get the sympathy/support they think they require, so there’s no reason to avoid them.
just imagine shopping at any time when free enterprise legislated out of business.
I am sure you were on food stamps to get you through a rough patch. That is what the program should be for. Not the ones that feel entitled to it.
Many folk don’t realize what’s out there in terms of help. Also, some folk have some pride and don’t want a handout unless it’s truly dire.
I know my parents were like that back in the day.
Those are the kind of people that it is truly a pleasure to help. They are the ones that will volunteer in the soup kitchen and help finance the soup kitchen when they get back on their feet.
Houston has a huge number of churches with this type of ministries. Many of these good folk go between many every month to “shop”.
Once our church required speaking to someone for possible counseling many stopped coming.
Also since going to the debit card many buy items then go sell them to a bodega shop to get $ to buy drugs.
I’d be willing to bet that the majority of these folks drive fairly decent cars, have either cable or sat TV, probably HD TVs, a computer with a DSL connection. And, I bet they don’t use coupons or shop at second hand stores.
I don’t mind that people get help IF they really need it and are willing to budget, use their money wisely, try to find work and GET OFF food stamps/welfare when they do find work, but this monthly aid for those that DO NOTHING to improve their status fries my bacon.
Or did, can’t afford bacon anymore!
...if I get too focused on this kind of stuff I get depressed...when I want to get cheered up, I listen to the Dave Ramsey show...there’s always callers there who want to improve their lot, rather than rely on handouts.
....I’m off to watch the Alabama-Florida game....Roll Tide!
Midnight is party time for this crowd. But moved over to Walmart one night per month when the EBT/food stamps/swipe cards come rolling in. They run into all their stoner/idler/rap thug wannabe/tattooed friends there and catch up on things
My state had 10 days of (bullshyte) pre-voting and the line wrapped around the library they were so eager to vote for their messiah. That line looked same as these midnight WallMart shoppers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2600520/posts?page=1
I wonder if these 2 writers know each other??
This article wants people to feel pity. I feel annoyed.
I go wwwwwaaaaaayyyyy beyond annoyed these days.
Or that many people, from SNAP to WIC, get their benefits at the first of the month, and these shoppers are coming in at midnight to ensure they get food before it runs out at stores that accept these cards.
You think those 2 writers know each other?
There ARE people who need help and use it wisely.
The people at Wal Mart at midnight on payday are not THOSE people.
In 1973 my husband and I were on food stamps for about 4-6 months. We had moved to an area and the job fell through. It was the height of the gas crisis and we could not find any steady work. We finally found pick up jobs cleaning chickenhouses and shoveling roofs. I got a job in a factory (which was much more of an education than the college degree I obtained years later).
In the meantime we used food stamps We got I think, 27 dollars per week or two. I was embarrassed to use them. I learned then to budget shop as a young bride. We learned to like mackrel and smelts which were about thirty cents a pound. We also ate pasta, potatoes and lots of tuna. Dried milk worked well. It was the best training any young person could have...you have this to spend and no more. Kinda focuses you.
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