Increase food stamps spending

[Modelworks]

Looks like the stimulus bill had some good results in the food stamps spending area. $9.20 return for $5 paid.




http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124691958931402479.html

The president's stimulus plan has been aimed primarily at the top of the economy, pumping money into banks and car companies and state and city governments. But it also has put more money into the hands of the poorest Americans by boosting monthly food-stamp allocations. Starting in April, a family of four on food stamps received an average of $80 extra.

Money from the program -- officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program -- percolates quickly through the economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calculates that for every $5 of food-stamp spending, there is $9.20 of total economic activity, as grocers and farmers pay their employees and suppliers, who in turn shop and pay their bills.

While other stimulus money has been slow to circulate, the food-stamp boost is almost immediate, with 80% of the benefits being redeemed within two weeks of receipt and 97% within a month, the USDA says.

 

[EagleKeeper]

And stimulus money to support helping those people out of that need has not shown up (if it will):brokenheart:

 

[Genx87]

Heh like I said before, expansion of govt. If the numbers are as great as they claim. Why not expand the program to everybody? We could see massive amounts of growth purely from food consumption.

I'd also like to know how much this effects inflation pressures on food prices. Food prices should be lowering due to lower consumption and increased supply. People buying more groceries with govt aid will keep the prices higher for the rest of people purchasing food.

And 606 bucks a month for food? How many kids does she have? My wife and I spend about 450 while eating pretty well. Maybe I should get on this program and increase my food consumption by nearly 40%.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Yea, because poor people should go hungry so the rest of us can get cheap food. That's just awesome reasoning right there...

Obliviously, such a program would have diminishing returns the more you increase it. Once you get past giving people who have to choose between food and paying bills you're not going to see any sort of payback to the economy.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: AyashiKaibutsu
Yea, because poor people should go hungry so the rest of us can get cheap food. That's just awesome reasoning right there...

Obliviously, such a program would have diminishing returns the more you increase it. Once you get past giving people who have to choose between food and paying bills you're not going to see any sort of payback to the economy.

You seem to have a great knock for hyperbole. Congrats!

My question is legitimate because in other area's where govt intervention is done using the same mindset as yours we have seen rampant inflation.(Healthcare,High education).

I dont expect it to be as rampant as the above but what inflation does this add into the system? More people buying food at increasing rates will increase the cost of food, possibly to the detriment to the very people it is supposed to help.

I am still curious how many children she has to justify 606 dollars\month in food stamps, which is supposed to supplement, not fufill her entire food requirement. How much more is she buying on top of that?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[waggy]

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

 

[Phokus]

Out of every strategy to combat recession (with either tax cuts or spending increases), food stamps has the highest GDP multiplier, thus it's the most efficient tool to help combat a recession:

http://www.econbrowser.com/arc...0/pocketfull_of_m.html

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

Exactly. I pay $600 for a 2 adults and 4 kids, not to mention the 3 dogs and 2 cats we have. My kids get all kinds of veggies, fresh and canned (which are just as good as fresh).

 

[umbrella39]

Yeah. Sure. :roll:

 

[fisheerman]

This is the little secret that no one will get on TV and say. (middle class).

The reason we (middle class) didn't get any (not much) stimulus is that they don't want people spending down their personal debt or saving money for a rainy day. Least not stim money. They want you to be out spending it.

Give money to the poor and it is a guarentee that they are going to save a dime of it or pay off personal debt. They are going out and buying stuff with it.

The trick is how to ween those people off of it once the stimulus has done its job.

The gubment hasn't quite figured that one out yet have they?

There in lies the problem. We have massive amounts of debt that need to be payed down but in order to do that spending has to decrease in every area thus crushing the "consumer economy" that we have created. You can't have both so basically what the fed gov is doing is spending our future to make the slowdown as sloped as possible instead of a huge crash.

either way we are headed down--------< just my opinion.

So which came first the chicken or the egg.

 

[Hacp]

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

If she's getting food stamps, she should only be able to afford flour. If she's buying fresh produce, something is wrong and her benefits need to be reduced. I saw a store yesterday in the bronx advertising that they accepted food stamps. It was a cake shop....

 

[MovingTarget]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

Exactly. I pay $600 for a 2 adults and 4 kids, not to mention the 3 dogs and 2 cats we have. My kids get all kinds of veggies, fresh and canned (which are just as good as fresh).

Well, to be fair, when family budgets get tight due to a variety of reasons, the most expensive parts of that budget gets cut. People go from cable to OTA, from new clothes to consignment, from going to the movies to going to the local library. Skimping on the food budget is another part of that. People switch to store brands and buy the cheaper items. So, fresh produce is often scaled back where canned/processed/refined products are instead bought which aren't as nutritious. Fresh produce are the more expensive parts of a food budget, so it isn't hard to understand why most poor people avoid the produce section even when they are on welfare.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

Exactly. I pay $600 for a 2 adults and 4 kids, not to mention the 3 dogs and 2 cats we have. My kids get all kinds of veggies, fresh and canned (which are just as good as fresh).

You eat Hamburger Helper every night?

 

[MovingTarget]

Originally posted by: Hacp

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

If she's getting food stamps, she should only be able to afford flour. If she's buying fresh produce, something is wrong and her benefits need to be reduced. I saw a store yesterday in the bronx advertising that they accepted food stamps. It was a cake shop....

I can't see cake shops as being allowed to accept food stamps. However, regular grocery stores also include bakeries with a wide variety of cakes, and the food stamp program doesn't distinguish with what one buys at a regular grocery store. The only solution is to implement similar controls to what the WIC program has to where only certain items (real food) are allowed. I can only imagine that there must be some sort of practical reason why this hasn't been done.

If anything, we should be encouraging the poor to get fresh fruits/veggies. The cheapest foods are usually the most refined and nutritionally bereft things on the shelves. This is why poor people often have bigger waistlines. From a public health perspective, fruits/veggies make the most sense. A cake shop accepting food stamps is an outrage, but a farmers market is damned brilliant. Unfortunately, I can only count one in my area. Most small operations like that don't have the resources to get approved to accept EBT.

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

Exactly. I pay $600 for a 2 adults and 4 kids, not to mention the 3 dogs and 2 cats we have. My kids get all kinds of veggies, fresh and canned (which are just as good as fresh).

My wife and I spend about 200$ a month on food. We eat a lot of fresh produce. We also eat alot of beans rather than meat which helps keep cost down. People need to be educated on how to eat properly and cheaply. Unfortunately eating meat in the US is some type of status symbol or sign of manliness or some crap... the idea of eating beans or other proteins instead of meat is unthinkable for some even though it might taste better and is more healthy and much cheaper.

 

[slsmnaz]

Employed by the state as a home aide, she has seen her hours cut and her mortgage payments rise. Still, the food-stamp boost has increased her purchasing power.

I find it interesting she can afford to own a home but not buy food.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: spittledip

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

Exactly. I pay $600 for a 2 adults and 4 kids, not to mention the 3 dogs and 2 cats we have. My kids get all kinds of veggies, fresh and canned (which are just as good as fresh).

My wife and I spend about 200$ a month on food. We eat a lot of fresh produce. We also eat alot of beans rather than meat which helps keep cost down. People need to be educated on how to eat properly and cheaply. Unfortunately eating meat in the US is some type of status symbol or sign of manliness or some crap... the idea of eating beans or other proteins instead of meat is unthinkable for some even though it might taste better and is more healthy and much cheaper.

No eating meat, especially lean meats is healthy and part of a nutritious and balanced diet and it tastes a hell of a lot better than eating beans though I like to have beans as a side dish often.

 

[brandonb]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

You eat Hamburger Helper every night?

Oh please what does that have to do with anything?

I know someone who got fired from his job about 1 1/2 years ago. He was on unemployment for 6 months (with no intention of finding a job, he planned to just live off his credit cards then file bankruptcy). After unemployment wore out he then filed for public assistance (welfare). He now has free health care, and they are giving him foodstamps, etc, and some cash to pay rent or car or whatever he has. With some crap Obama passed about expanding unemployment benefits, he was now able to reclaim an extention from a year and a half ago. So now he has free medical care, food stamps, and is now receiving unemployment AGAIN.

He calls me up 2 weeks ago saying he has $150 on his foodstamp card (EBT) and it's about to expire so he's going on a grocery store spending spreee. He's going to the grocery stores and filling up his freezers with steak. And I said "Thanks alot" (sarcastically) and he says "No, thank you!!!! I'll think of you when I'm enjoying it."

I'm better off doing nothing! It's friggin EBT should get you rice, flour, sugar, salt, basic materials to cook something and nothing preprocessed or expensive meat product. They aren't working, they have all day to cook and prepare meals. Atleast make them have to work for their meals by atleast cooking the shit.

(edit: removed unnecessary personal information)

 

[her209]

I spend $50 a month on food. If you spend over that limit, you are spending too much.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: brandonb

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

You eat Hamburger Helper every night?

Oh please what does that have to do with anything?

That has to do with the poster I was replying too saying that he feeds a family of 5 and 3 pets on $600 a month. Either he's cheap(considering he makes a 6 figure salary) or the cost of food is inexpensive in Texas

I know someone who got fired from his job about 1 1/2 years ago. He was on unemployment for 6 months (with no intention of finding a job, he planned to just live off his credit cards then file bankruptcy). After unemployment wore out he then filed for public assistance (welfare). He now has free health care, and they are giving him foodstamps, etc, and some cash to pay rent or car or whatever he has. With some crap Obama passed about expanding unemployment benefits, he was now able to reclaim an extention from a year and a half ago. So now he has free medical care, food stamps, and is now receiving unemployment AGAIN.

He calls me up 2 weeks ago saying he has $150 on his foodstamp card (EBT) and it's about to expire so he's going on a grocery store spending spreee. He's going to the grocery stores and filling up his freezers with steak. And I said "Thanks alot" (sarcastically) and he says "No, thank you!!!! I'll think of you when I'm enjoying it."

Yeah right, sounds like a bullshit story to me.

I haven't had steak in the last year because I've been paying my bills and working and I'm struggling to make ends meet. In fact I had to borrow money from my mother to pay some bills 6 months ago and I'm just starting to see a recovery on my bank account after cutting a bunch of expenses (cell phones, and ragging on my gf for leaving lights on in the apartment, ) I haven't had health care at work in the past 2 years because again, I can't afford it.

Hmm, maybe you should go off broadband so you don't have to have mommy bail you out. That'll save you some money so you can have a nutritous meal now and then

I'm better off doing nothing! The point of this message is not "Woe is me!" It's friggin EBT should get you rice, flour, sugar, salt, basic materials to cook something and nothing preprocessed or expensive meat product. They aren't working, they have all day to cook and prepare meals. Atleast make them have to work for their meals by atleast cooking the shit.

Sure sounds like a woe is me message, right down to your fictitious story about your dead beat friend

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: her209
I spend $50 a month on food. If you spend over that limit, you are spending too much.

Move out of your parents and it'll cost a lot more than that.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: her209
I spend $50 a month on food. If you spend over that limit, you are spending too much.

Move out of your parents and it'll cost a lot more than that.

Moved out 12 years ago.

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: spittledip

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: waggy

"On a recent shopping trip, she headed straight to the fresh produce section. Before her increase in April to $606 from $525, Ms. Minix said she would rarely even troll the fresh-food aisles. Now, she talks about how she has introduced her two sons to cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers."

WTF! ok great she got a increase. but i agree with Genx how many fuckign kids does she havE? how could she not afford fresh produce with $525 amonth?

fuck im feeding 3 adults and 2 kids on 500 a month and we get plenty of fresh veggies and fruit.


"I can't buy a new car, but I can feed my family," she says

Well boo fucking hoo. let me guess you want the goverment to help with that too?

Exactly. I pay $600 for a 2 adults and 4 kids, not to mention the 3 dogs and 2 cats we have. My kids get all kinds of veggies, fresh and canned (which are just as good as fresh).

My wife and I spend about 200$ a month on food. We eat a lot of fresh produce. We also eat alot of beans rather than meat which helps keep cost down. People need to be educated on how to eat properly and cheaply. Unfortunately eating meat in the US is some type of status symbol or sign of manliness or some crap... the idea of eating beans or other proteins instead of meat is unthinkable for some even though it might taste better and is more healthy and much cheaper.

No eating meat, especially lean meats is healthy and part of a nutritious and balanced diet and it tastes a hell of a lot better than eating beans though I like to have beans as a side dish often.

I don't disagree that lean meats are part of a balanced diet, but we are talking about how best to spend money when you don't have a ton of it... or maybe that is just what I am talking about

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: her209
I spend $50 a month on food. If you spend over that limit, you are spending too much.

Move out of your parents and it'll cost a lot more than that.

Moved out 12 years ago.

I am intrigued by your ideas, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Could you list what an average day of eating, consists off?

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: her209
I spend $50 a month on food. If you spend over that limit, you are spending too much.

Move out of your parents and it'll cost a lot more than that.

Moved out 12 years ago.

So you can survive and eat nutritious meals on a $1.25 a day? Even a can of Albacore Tuna costs more than that.:shocked: