She may be trying to get shop in Arizona , I knw when my sister was on food stamps there , she could go to some place and lawful use her card.

Many shut in's send friends or caregivers into stores to shop for them, so unless one is privy to all aspects of the food stamp recipients lives, they should really not assume anything and mind their own business.

The maximum amount that you can get as a single person on EBT is $196/ month. That allows you about $6.50 a day. If you can survive on that, I salute your shopping skills! I shop at the supermarket every 2-3 days and my average total is over $30. I would run out of food stamps after two weeks if I used them. I am not an extravagant shopper and I make/eat all my own meals unless its a shop. Everything the government does is subject to abuse from health care to defense to education. Mystery shoppers making $10 a shop are indeed good candidates for EBT. Wouldn't it be nice to live in a place where every working person could afford to buy their own groceries without assistance? If anyone knows where this Utopia is, please start a thread! I would love to visit!!

An EBT account can also have cash benefits. I think it is part of emergency funds but am not sure. I have food share (WI term for it) and when scanning the card to "buy the food I don't deserve" it asks you if it is EBT Food or EBT Cash benefits. Clerks often times ask if you want cash back even when using this card. They can not tell if you have just the food benefits or cash and food benefits and Until there is a balance left owed they won't know. Whatever is not covered under your benefits on the card will show as still being owed for. Some shops are to make sure that stores are allowing EBT cash cards to be used and not denying them.
I agree that people should not judge and should treat others as they would want to be treated....but sadly, in the store, it rarely happens. It is the single most embarrassing and hardest thing I had to do was admit I needed help feeding my children (and before you judge me saying "she must have just kept having kids to stay getting benefits" I have two children from my marriage and am divorced because he cheated.) after I became a single parent. Working full time and still needing help to cover necessities says a lot about our economy and what needs to be addressed. sliding off my soap box now....

This is an interesting topic... I actually work full time determining eligibility of SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid... most of the people are needy and use it correctly but of course there is fraud as well. Our fraud investigator is right next to my office so she is always talking to me about her cases. A lot of the fraud we get is at convenience stores, pretty much all of it actually. Unfortunately the cashiers scan bread and milk etc then give the person a pack of cigarettes, etc. Our investigator goes out into the field and witnesses these things first hand however it is not the majority of people. I also worked in a prison for 6 years before that and for child protective services as an investigator so I've seen people down on their luck in several settings but I have not lost compassion thank gosh. It still touches me when someone says "thank you" after authorize their food stamps. Also, I'm in Ohio and each state has different rules on using EBT in regards to convenience meals some allow it but many do not.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2016 03:31AM by Lissymaree.

One of the reasons they send people like me in to do regular evaluations. If a participating store has almost NO staple food for sale (which I verify with diagrams and photos) but is transacting that kind of volume I would presume it would be an immediate red flag.

I have reviewed a number of places that I literally could not understand why they even applied to the program (like a liquor store with only limes and jerky as acceptable food items), but maybe they were hoping to jump on the fraud train.

I don't have anything to do with the regulation end of it so I am not speaking to that, I just document the available foods.

Most of the convenience stores now have fresh fruit. Usually, it's bananas, and fresh cut up fruit in cups so that they can get in on the EBT train.

The people who oppose government aid for food (food stamps) are probably the same ones who eagerly tap into government aid for education (school). Yes, school is a government "hand out" paid for by our tax money. Just like food stamps.

@PasswordNotFound wrote:

If you're genuinely interested and simply not trying to argue, N-town, it's easily found by looking through a search engine, using that phrase.

I find it encouraging that farmers' markets are now able to accept EBT. And, yes, that includes organic produce (wondering why you threw that in when I had previously not mentioned it at all.)

At this point, it's probably six of one and half a dozen of the other ;-)
But sure, I'll bite, I'm always curious. This is what I found. The first link was this thread. The second link was this:

[unqualified-reservations.blogspot.com]

The third link was this:

[www.stirjournal.com]

I'm not sure which of these you were referring to, or if there was another article somewhere you had in mind. I read both, and found them able to explain more clearly what your perspective may be than your comments above did. Thank you!

PS I think everyone should read these two articles. Really important stuff.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2016 03:29PM by N-TownShopper.

Good points and as being homeless myself I understand this scenario. I realize there is fraud in this system as there is in any but not as much as people seem to think.

While the OP was maybe wrong in its original post, it seems that rectification about EBT/SNAP cards has been solved.

@N-TownShopper wrote:

............................................................. One of my friends has two children. He can't work AND take care of them simultaneously. There's a limit to what he can make in a day when being a single dad is a job in and of itself.
.............................................................................................................

I hope you are a male, because that statement alone would not be said or inquired by a female. If a MAN/MALE/DAD cannot work and take care of children simultaneously, then he should have put on a rain coat and made sure that it did not come off. SINGLE (Moms) women have been holding down a job and taking care of children since time. Your friend seems to have a poor excuse for a DAD. Single mom is a job in and of itself,

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2016 09:18PM by sojo917.

@sojo917 wrote:

...................................................

I hope you are a male, because that statement alone would not be said or inquired by a female. If a MAN/MALE/DAD cannot work and take care of children simultaneously, then he should have put on a rain coat and made sure that it did not come off. SINGLE (Moms) women have been holding down a job and taking care of children since time. Your friend seems to have a poor excuse for a DAD. Single mom is a job in and of itself,[/quote]

I think you misunderstood what I meant when I said he can't do both simultaneously. I didn't mean that he doesn't work at all. He does have a job. He can't go to the job and take care of his children at the same time. Someone else has to watch them when he is at work. Childcare is expensive. There gets to a point where it's cheaper to work part time and take care of the kids himself, so that's what he does.
And yea you are right about single parenthood! It IS a job!

For the record, yes I am female. I am a single (new) mother to a 5 month old myself. I am lucky that I am self employed and able to work from home, otherwise I might be struggling with the childcare issue too.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/22/2016 10:32PM by N-TownShopper.

@kwierer wrote:

An EBT account can also have cash benefits. I think it is part of emergency funds but am not sure. I have food share (WI term for it) and when scanning the card to "buy the food I don't deserve" it asks you if it is EBT Food or EBT Cash benefits.

I believe that is referring to TANF benefits, available to families with children with almost no income, for a maximum of two years in my state. Here, the maximum a family person can make is $284 if they have two kids to qualify, and the maximum benefit amount is $204 for the same family if there is only one parent. The program requires single parents to turn over their child support to the State, and they must work with the Workforce Solutions program to become self-sufficient. Sometimes they work with a person to find a vehicle, etc.

When they have earned enough to exceed certain limits, benefits are cut, and the case may close. Some eligible families can get a smaller amount through Work Pays if they were on TANF benefits for at least three months and their case was closed in good standing, but for no more than 60 months in a lifetime, less the time they received TEA. More children doesn't increase the benefit.

@Lissymaree wrote:

This is an interesting topic... I actually work full time determining eligibility of SNAP (food stamps) and Medicaid... most of the people are needy and use it correctly but of course there is fraud as well. Our fraud investigator is right next to my office so she is always talking to me about her cases. A lot of the fraud we get is at convenience stores, pretty much all of it actually. Unfortunately the cashiers scan bread and milk etc then give the person a pack of cigarettes, etc. Our investigator goes out into the field and witnesses these things first hand however it is not the majority of people.

I'm still curious about the question about SNAP benefits being used for other MS companies grocery store mystery shops. All have a certain minimum purchase requirement.

I realize neither poster here is saying they investigate fraud, but if you guys know the answer it might be helpful for a family I know receiving SNAP. If they reported not just the payment but also the reimbursement as income, would it still be considered fraud because it essentially converts SNAP benefits to cash?

I'm not sure if it would affect them negatively or not to do such mystery shops, even using cash, which is something that really bites about our current system. All too often programs either have a cutoff that isn't gradual, or actually end up with the family in a worse situation if they try to make more money. When they had their first child, they qualified for child care assistance, but ended up getting it revoked completely when the wife worked 3 hours of overtime one month.

There's no way 3 hours of overtime at minimum wage would make up the cost of daycare. She'd been hoping volunteering for overtime would lead to getting a promotion (working at a gas station), but had to stop any overtime to get childcare assistance again. Which meant someone else got the promotion a few months later. (And two years later, her husband, working as a driver for a medical transportation service company, was involved in a head-on collision with a cement truck. He's now on disability, and because he hadn't had a lot of earnings the check isn't much, and didn't go up when they got pregnant again.)

I wish there could be a second wave of "welfare reform" that would allow for gradually reducing benefits instead of abrupt termination at a certain income level. Particularly for Social Security Disability beneficiaries -- if someone makes $1000 a month they are considered to meet SGI limits, but if their original benefits were more than that, it's a strong discouragement to even try to get off disability. I think a reduction in benefits equal to the earned income (or maybe 80% of income, because of taxes) instead of abrupt termination would save our country a lot of money in the end.

I have noticed this as well.

@Bec2117 wrote:

Are you sure there is a requirement to use the EBT card? That would be unusual since, by law, they cannot reimburse any amount of money paid using an EBT card. I have seen shops on the MF website that explicitly say that they will NOT pay if an EBT card is used, but none that require the use of one.

Obviously, you've never had to suffer the soul crushing humiliation of asking for state assistance. So, just out of curiosity, when you say staples, do you mean only rice and beans? Are we allowed to buy some meat like chicken or pork, or does that offend your sensibilities and sense of righteous indignation? I'd like to see you feed a family on $180 for food, total per month.
People on food stamps don't eat steak, because every dollar counts and it has to last all month. As for abuse, yea, there are some who abuse the system. Their mostly drug addicts looking for a high. when they get caught, and they do, Then there SOL, because the penalty's for abusing the system are harsh.
NOBODY WANTS TO BE ON GOVERNMENT AID. If you think that they do, your just fooling yourself.

Mod note: Partisan reference removed. The Forum is an apolitical vehicle

@N-TownShopper wrote:

Thank you, @isaiah58.

I have two close friends who use EBT. Yes, they need it. Yes, they buy junk food as well as staples, and organic produce as well. Food is food. Some people have allergies, or picky children. I don't see being poor as a reason to not be able to eat what you'd like to eat. And for those of you griping about taxpayers footing the bill? My friends pay their taxes too.
Try being thankful you're not in their position instead of worrying about someone else getting something you don't think they deserve.

I will say your outlook is not helping the food stamp problems we have in this country. I make 17,000 a year on my regular job and an added 2000 MS. I take care of my 80-year-old mother. She has a digestion system from He##. She can not eat very well because of her teeth. I do not buy her the excellent cuts of meat to eat I grind and chop and pound the lesser cost saving cuts of meat for her to eat. She has colitis and can not process food very well. She throws up two out of ten meals. The rest of the time her stomach makes her a picky eater. She eats pourman potato soup. Made with water and butter instead of cream and bacon. She has a boost drink once a day because it is what we can afford. I work sixteen hours a day to purchase the things we need to live. We get nothing extravagant ever unless you count a half gallon of ice cream three to four times a year. She drinks milk but it is store brand only. I can tell you five to one stories of abuse of our country welfare system. I see the carts ahead of me in line at the grocery store. I see what they buy. I see the same family members with separate cards, Grandmother, Mother, and Daughter all paying with welfare dollars. Then the dad pulls out a wad of cash to send to through western union while the women are checking out in line. It is an ongoing thing and not a onetime dying friend scenario. No one should ever be allowed to purchase any soda drink, candy, chips, or junk food on food stamps. The items needed to live can be obtained in a grocery store with or without a viable place to live. Any Gas station with a food bar will allow you to warm up an item for free or purchase a bottle of milk and use the microwave for free. I do not accept the inevitable argument about need. I live it and do not get any help. I do not stand in food lines I stand in shops working. I do not receive food stamps. I buy my own food and that of my indigent mother. We are happy and have not missed high-quality food bought by others on welfare. We eat at very few places and never eat unless it is a shop. We always take the leftovers home and eat twice with the shop food. I agree and appreciate anyone who needs help. Nevertheless, help is not a family tradition as happen more times than not. How many has the system successfully transferred from welfare to personal success? Not many, I see it every day .Yes, your friends pay their taxes too and have you ever considered the amount you are contributing to the whole as a WORKING taxpayer versus an indigent one, one with disabilities, age-related, or a special needs. They pay pennies on the dollar while a full-time working taxpayer pays dimes on the dollar.
This is only me ranting and I mean no offense by it. I just needed to release some steam and this is one of my peeves in life. It falls in the top six bi##ch#S I carry around with me. Have a goos day I am off to shop its Saturday. Four shops today. Hugs,Bus

You seem to have a lot of resentment toward those dependent on SNAP, and I speculate it's based on envy. There are food pantries where you can obtain the necessary items for you and your mother, and, based upon your income and your dependent mother, you should have no problem qualifying for food assistance or any other benefits available to both of you.
Have you tried to get assistance, and, if not, why ?

Good thing that was sarcastic, I don't believe the government even knows what good healthy food is. Our pyramid has made everyone fat and sick....

Hmmmm, this is a very heated conversation. But here is food for thought.

This dude gets $190 in assistance & every month he sells it for .50 on the $.

However the person that buys his card doesn't qualify for any assistance because the state says she makes too much money. They care less that she is going through a bitter divorce or that her house pymt is $1200, car note $400, student loans $550. Not to mention her utility bills. Her daughter is in college first year and all assistance she was getting from her ex stopped when daughter went to college.

So if I report dude for fraud, the person I really hurting is my friend that has to ration her bread so she can take a 1/2 sandwich to work for lunch. She is stuck paying these bills and struggles to find money for food.

Let the accusations fly!!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2016 03:39PM by snupie.

What you are describing is food stamp fraud. Whether you report this is up to you.
The fact is, your friend has assets and is married. Why should taxpayers be forced to subsidize her lifestyle and the debt she chose to carry ? My suggestion is to direct her to a food pantry and/or help her out with a few bags of groceries.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2016 05:53PM by SS4U.

This post has gone way beyond Mystery shopping so I will ad my two cents which is equivalent to $5 in food stamps or EBT benefits.

@snupie---------->while you want to turn in your friend (Dude) for food stamp fraud, it my take up to if not more two years for the government to take action or to start an investigate. Its like Workmen Comp, the investigation has to take place before any action takes place. So too bad for thinking you were doing something "RIGHT".

Now for his major "customer", the divorced women whose struggling to make sandwiches out of bread ends, I say to her ------->TOUGH TITTY.)  "They care less that she is going through a bitter divorce or that her house pymt is $1200, car note $400, student loans $550. Not to mention her utility bills. Her daughter is in college first year and all assistance she was getting from her ex stopped when daughter went to college."

She should move to a smaller apt, buy or purchase a Hoop-D, pay minimum on utility bills and loans. If her daughter is doing well in school, suggest to her daughter --->TO GET A JOB. If she has $90 to spend on food assistance each month, she has more money then YOU think she has. She is buying the same foods she would be buying if she was spending her OWN cash.

EBT/SNAP/PUBLIC ASSISTANCE is not for the struggling divorced, who can't make a house payment, with a car note, paying off student loans and can't keep her utility on. Also tell her to look at her divorce decree about how long her EX was going to support his daughter-------->18 is usually the cut off date, unless it was specified for 21-24, for college.

EBT/SNAP/PA in the 2016s is nothing compared to the same system in the 1960s or 90. Check out the movie "Claudine"..............Claudine tries to provide for her six children in Harlem while on welfare. She has a romance with Roop, a cheerful garbageman she meets while working on the side as a maid. ( if you need to see the real PA at work.

@bus377 while I disagree with your perspective, I can empathize with your frustration.
Hugs back.

I think no one should judge anyone until you walk in their shoes. Myself and my three children are food stamp recipients. I am not proud of it by any means, but work full-time, supplement some with mystery shops (though I've had to slow down due to my kid's counseling schedules). I pay in for my taxes every year. I will be honest, I receive $382 in food stamps per month for the four of us. Due to sales shopping and heavily using coupons for fill-ins, I feed my family on this budget for the entire month. I will never remember the look on my daughter's face when she was excited in the grocery store line that she got to pick out her cake and frosting for her birthday (each costed me $0.35 after sales and coupons) and the gentleman behind me told my 5-year old at the time that Mommy should learn to close her legs and stop pushing out kids instead of living off his hard-earned money. Perhaps I would have LOVED to know prior to having children that their father was a child molester that perpetrated my own babies... I am asking for each person to think before you judge anyone, and you never know where you may end up at some point. I used to be the one donating right and left to food pantries, etc. Unfortunately, the last year I have been the recipient until I can finish getting my family on their feet surrounded by judgmental people.

That horrible man who said that to your child should thank his lucky stars that I was not present when he made that comment to your child. That was beyond ugly and misogynistic.

@SS4U wrote:

That horrible man who said that to your child should thank his lucky stars that I was not present when he made that comment to your child. That was beyond ugly and misogynistic.

I second that statement. I would have told him he should learn to keep his lips shut and stop popping out comments that make him look like an ignorant fool on my hard earned free time!

I once had $$ big house, nice stuff and the trappings that go with a 6 figure income. Then the housing market crashed. I had a terrible time finding gainful employment, affordable housing, etc. I now know fear and what it's like to have nothing. I have learned that we are our brother's keeper, and that we are either part of the problem or part of the solution. In this country, no one should ever go hungry or make ugly remarks toward those who need help. Life is short and love is all that matters.