tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post8626602159490879190..comments2023-05-17T02:31:23.684-05:00Comments on The Fabulous Follies of a Freaky Family: Eating on Food StampsThe Fearless Freakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18060653763011412692noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-330511420667944942010-08-27T12:27:01.060-05:002010-08-27T12:27:01.060-05:00http://blog.washingtonpost.com/story-lab/2010/08/p...http://blog.washingtonpost.com/story-lab/2010/08/pick_of_the_day_inside_the_sec.html<br /><br />Interesting that we we talking about Aldi's and then today I came across this article about Trader Joe's and Aldi's being owned by the same company. Does that say more about Aldi's or Trader Joe's?The Fearless Freakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18060653763011412692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-75566100294433513992010-08-27T08:58:33.286-05:002010-08-27T08:58:33.286-05:00hWe also eat for far less every month than the foo...hWe also eat for far less every month than the food stamp budget would be. We used food stamps a few years ago, and had far more food in the house during that time than we do now. I bought more extras and always had money left at the end of the month. We budget $500-600/month for 8 people. <br /><br />As for food stamp users buying more expensive stuff, well it's in the budget for what they are given. I used to joke that I could buy steak, but couldn't afford to electricity to cook it with. Millions could probably be save every month, if budgeting was taught and they were expected to shop like the rest of us have to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-57590860642197959882010-08-26T13:21:47.748-05:002010-08-26T13:21:47.748-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.~rachel~https://www.blogger.com/profile/05834433274109247627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-28735097859620603292010-08-26T13:20:59.725-05:002010-08-26T13:20:59.725-05:00When we are being good and actually budgeting our ...When we are being good and actually budgeting our money we don't spend anywhere close to $4.50/day. When we aren't paying attention I spend a lot more, but that's also when we make lots of extra trips to the store and end up walking away with stuff we don't need and wouldn't usually buy.<br />I think they should teach some budgeting shopping kind of classes for food stamp reciepients too! <br />I also hate how they lump together everyone who gets foodstamps. I am pretty sure we would be eligible for food stamps if we applied, but we do fine on what we make so I don't feel the need to do that (and we can afford to eat out way more than we should..)~rachel~https://www.blogger.com/profile/05834433274109247627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-87149534551792562010-08-25T21:57:59.679-05:002010-08-25T21:57:59.679-05:00Ginger, I agree, the system is broken and does nee...Ginger, I agree, the system is broken and does need fixed. However, the people that are getting food stamps often don't know any better so they can't do any better. If kids have better fuel, they stand a better chance of doing well in school. Kids that do better in school, do better in life. Starting with teaching people who live in poverty how to better manage their money and how to eat better with what they have could go a long way towards breaking the poverty cycle.<br /><br />I'd also be interested in hearing why you are opposed to Aldi's. We shop there as our main grocery store and while everything is generic, I haven't anything with a significant nutritional difference, from what I would buy at a more expensive store. Milk is milk, whether I pay $1.99 or $2.59 for it. Of course, it is non-organic, but so is everything else I buy. Our last shopping trip, I spend $102 at Aldi's and had an overflowing cart (plus I bought a birthday gift while I was there). At the other store, I spent $130 (that is what happens when you move and let your pantry dwindle down to almost nothing and don't go shopping for almost a month) and got 12 items. That was mainly meat but still the price difference is staggering.The Fearless Freakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18060653763011412692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-34267607398726602202010-08-25T21:15:03.664-05:002010-08-25T21:15:03.664-05:00I don't think I could feed our family for that...I don't think I could feed our family for that little. We eat no junk, and very very little processed food. We do buy organic meat but we only have that once or twice a month. I do refuse to shop at stores like Aldi's (there's a reason why it's cheap). I make 99% of our meals. And the food stamps we got after my husband lost his job did not cover our food budget. I budget out 200 per week for all grocery items (including nonfood stuff) for a family of five (six really but she's not eating yet. <br /><br />Here's my take: good food is expensive. I buy organic salad greens at 4.00 per pack. I could buy how many boxes of mac and cheese with this? Or frozen pizzas?<br /><br />Just thinking that maybe we shouldn't target the individuals who use food stamps. Seems to me the problem is much much bigger.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09934296564253625199noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-73494068980498882942010-08-25T19:49:28.932-05:002010-08-25T19:49:28.932-05:00I totally agree that $4.50/person/day is very mana...I totally agree that $4.50/person/day is very manageable and can still be healthful. I see too many food stamp recipients buying expensive items like salmon and steak, while my cart has chicken and tuna. In fact, that just happened again today. Food budgeting and nutrition courses should be required before receiving food stamps.Catch Her in the Wryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13052541966405145087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-83016017420570315692010-08-25T12:35:34.121-05:002010-08-25T12:35:34.121-05:00Amen, sister! We live on much less than $4.50 per ...Amen, sister! We live on much less than $4.50 per person per day for our food budget. It's hard for me to imagine that being a challenge, but I know it is for many families. $500/month for food would be luxurious to me. But then I wouldn't be so creative with turning random odds and ends into something edible, I suppose. :-)Mama2SweetBabyJameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17137891301427539760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6559876284991347123.post-58168518148354039742010-08-25T12:32:06.273-05:002010-08-25T12:32:06.273-05:00I had this thought yesterday when all the challeng...I had this thought yesterday when all the challenges kept coming up on the blog, too. My grocery budget is $100 a week, too. But it does not include my HMR products, which are $36 a week. And I know that 30-40 percent of my food bill is fruits and vegetables, and 10 percent is something usually like freaking laundry detergent or a combination of other non-edible household necessities (deoderant, kleenex, toilet paper, etc.) <br /><br />But I do think that teaching people how to use their $100 for healthier purchases would be a great benefit. Because, holy cow, you can get some really crappy, high-calorie, high-fat unhealthy food with food stamps.SunnyDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04899150174103143277noreply@blogger.com