Michigan Food Stamp Challenge

Discussion in 'Business & Economics' started by Orleander, Sep 7, 2007.

  1. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Could you do it? I don't know if we could. Breakfast/Lunch for the kids would be taken care of by the schools M-F. We'd be living on potatoes and eggs. And there would be no leftovers or food in the garbage. Lots of veggie soup.
    Dang! For my family that's only $3 a day per person.

    $21 per week per person is all you get.

    That’s all the average food stamp recipient gets. Three dollars a day, just $1 per meal.Can you imagine feeding your 14-year old growing son on that amount?

    Yet even this small amount is under threat. Congress will vote on proposed cuts to Food Stamps this October. The time to act is now.

    That’s why we’re asking you to take the Challenge. Try one living for one week from September 4-10 on just $21. Get a glimpse of what people living on food stamps face every week.
     
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  3. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    I've lived on less than that. week old bread, picking the mold off it.
     
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  5. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    Can you imagine raising kids on that? I'd be going hungry lots of nights. Raman noodles would be our best friend.
     
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  7. shorty_37 Go! Canada Go! Registered Senior Member

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    We would just eat our best friend! LoL


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  8. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    I wouldn't have that best friend. How could I afford to feed a pet if I couldn't feed the kids.
     
  9. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    I was a kid.
     
  10. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    oooooooo :bawl: That's so sad. I'm so sorry Nietz.

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  11. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    He does got a lot of good meat on him for a lil' dog. Probably getting kinda tough.
     
  12. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    I like it. Plus MIchigan's a good state for that sort of thing - plenty of fresh produce. I need to head down to a Farmer's Market this weekend for some cheap veggies.

    Food stamps are supposed to be help from the government, not total support.
     
  13. cato less hate, more science Registered Senior Member

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    I grew up like that. some days it would be spoon-fulls of welfare peanut butter for dinner because there was no bread to eat it with, no hot water, no heat in the winter unless I cut/split/stacked the wood myself. obviously I moved out the second I got a chance (age 15).
     
  14. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    Welfare would have been nice...my parents were too "proud". fukin idiots.
     
  15. desi Valued Senior Member

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    "Necessity is the mother of invention." Its a good idea.
     
  16. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    No it isn't. I'm anti-welfare even.
     
  17. Xev Registered Senior Member

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    Maybe. But you were spared Catholic Social Services - fat bitches talking about Jesus like you're such heathen scum.
    My mum used food stamps when I was young. I still remember them being awful humiliating things, in the States they used to be brightly colored and I swear, they must have done that on purpose so that everyone in line knew you were using them.

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    Anyways 1$ per person per day is doable, just not desireable, and since when is poverty supposed to be fun?
     
  18. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    I've heard of parents being charged with neglect for doing that. Qualifying for food stamps but pride coming before their children. Did they have jobs?

    I used to buy food stamps off my friend (.60 on the 1.00). She needed gas money to visit her boyfriend in jail. He held a gun to her head and I called 911 on him. She's now married to him.

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  19. nietzschefan Thread Killer Valued Senior Member

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    Dad had a laundromat business that was in the red for about as much money my mom made at mmmmmMMMMMarvelous muffins. Knowing what I know now, I'm pissed. That was a cash business, he could have fuked the government hard on taxes. They sure did to him on his oilrig paychecks and then again when Trudeau gave Alberta the sandpaper ass-rape with the national energy program - killing nearly every oil job in Oiltown Edmonton. A truely hard way(but good way) for an 8 year old to learn politics.

    They were classically "good" people that slaved their asses off, for nothing in my opinion. Hense my generally cynic views on consumer capitalism.
     
  20. shorty_37 Go! Canada Go! Registered Senior Member

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    I never had to experience any of this. I have too much pride and never
    want to ask for help unless I am desperate. It would have been VERY hard for me.

    I grew up with money.....but my mom was abusive I don't know what is worse.
     
  21. desi Valued Senior Member

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    I'm not anti welfare and ramen noodles cost 15 cents where I live. A couple of those and a can of peas and you get calories for a day and a pound of motivation to get a job.
     
  22. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    so, did anyone sign up for it? Does anyone think they could do it? I'm really considering it.
     
  23. Nasor Valued Senior Member

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    Three points here:
    First, it's assumed that most people on food stamps will still be spending some of their own money on food. The average is $1/meal because the average person makes enough that they are expected to still pay for some of each meal on their own. If you are actually getting all of our food money from the food stamps, you will be getting more than $1/meal.

    Second, $1/meal is enough to eat pretty well.

    Breakfast:
    2 slices of toast - about 5 cents/slice
    2 eggs - about 10 cents/egg
    1 small orange - about 50 cents
    8 oz. glass or milk - about 20 cents marginal cost

    That's not a bad breakfast...

    Third, if you're willing to live off rice, beans, and a daily multi-vitamin, you can eat for practically nothing while still getting plenty of calories, protein, and other nutrients. Granted, you will probably get tired of beans and rice very quickly - but you won't be hungry and it will be a healthy diet. I am perfectly willing to have my tax dollars spent to buy food for poor people who can't feed themselves. But I'm not sure how willing I am to have my money spent on interesting food poor people. I mean, yeah, people shouldn't starve, and I'm happy to help with that. But once I'm paying enough to keep them healthy, my generosity regarding buying food for others begins to decline quickly.
     

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