I worked in retail as a cashier for a year or so and I would ring up customers who paid with a food stamp card (so much money for food only purchases so much for cash items like diapers and clothing). Many would buy DVD's and televisions and digital cameras with their cash allowance or buy shrimp and crab legs with their food allowance, there were actually some instances where food would get put back so the dvd could be purchased. I see these as luxury items and should not be allowed to be purchased with gov't provided money. Why should I be working to get luxury items when these people can get them for free? Is there some way to regulate purchases or somewhere to contact to look into this? I realize it would be tedious to monitor everyone's spending but I think its beyond rediculous to get taxes taken out of my paycheck to provide an entertainment system for the "needy".
2006-09-12 17:55:28 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Here in michigan you get a card, similar to a debit card- food allowance for food only purchases (non food items cannot be purchased) and cash (for items like diapers) the register does not monitor what is necessary for the cash purchases, only for what is food and what isn't food. Plus, technically crab legs are food, just unnecessary!
2006-09-12 18:02:28 · update #1
Once again, I cannot NOT allow the dvd's to go through. You are granted so much money for food purchases and so much for cash purchases, legally the dvds can be used under the cash allowance, I could get fired for saying "this is morally wrong to buy a dvd when you're supposed to be buying diapers for your child".
2006-09-12 18:08:06 · update #2
to answer the question yes there are things your state could do to stop it however it would cost money and no one wants to pay to put those systems in place and as it is when it comes to government run wel-fare programs no one wants to pay for any thing due to the people who take advantage of the programs the cure for what you are talking about would be to disable the government run wel-fare and give the money to privet non profit places and make people go to there churches and other places like the red-cross for assistance in the form of vouchers for specific items
2006-09-12 18:30:29 · answer #1 · answered by Glen M 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Food stamps can be used to buy food only, not even prepared food. In Mich the people that get assistance get a card like a debit card to use. Some do get some cash but very little and I doubt that the card would approve purchases like electronics. Welfare fraud does exist though but the government looses more money from tax cheats.
2006-09-13 01:11:14 · answer #2 · answered by Bigboi47 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most states regulate food stamp usage so that it isn't abused in the way you just described. I remember being in line at the grocery store and the woman in front of me was buying food items using food stamps and the register actually kicked out some of the things she bought as not being eligible. That would be a perfect system for everywhere!
2006-09-13 00:59:26 · answer #3 · answered by wldntulike_2know 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you the employee are suppose to not allow anyone to buy anything not food with foodstamps. Here in Washington i have to talk the cash registerers into even letting me buy a 20 oz. soda with the card. You cannot say that we shouldn't buy nice food though, what are we suppose to stick to top raman and low grade generics? foodstamps are to let us "needy" (WTF?) people get to eat nutriciously and healthfully as those foods are much more spendy, if it weren't for food stamps all i would ever get to eat would be off the dollar menu.
EDITED: Alright, who's the asshole who gave me a thumbs down? What am i suppose to say huh? Eating is for rich people?
FIY: i doubt you would be fired for denying someone with food stamps to buy something that isn't food,unless they put that enough food not completely covered by the amount on the card back so they could spend the rest of THEIR hard earned cash on a dvd player, is that what you are actually talking about? dvd players are not that expensive and you are saying that since they are poor they should have to go without any movies. Anything a poor person owns i GUARANTEE that he or she had worked his *** off to buy it, unlike you spoiled people with rich parents who still support your lame *** until you're thirty.
2006-09-13 01:15:45 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I work at a grocery store and that bugs me as well. It doesn't make sense why I work my butt off at work get taxes taken out so some oversived man/woman can eat steak and crab legs while I eat $1.00 t.v dinners while I'm trying to save money., and for being so "needy" some of those people dress and wear flashier jewerly and drive a better car than I do.
2006-09-13 01:10:41 · answer #5 · answered by gerbaga84 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You are supposed to refuse to ring up DVD's and no-food items. As for crablegs and stuff, that's allowed, though.
2006-09-13 01:01:24 · answer #6 · answered by nursesr4evr 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Let the food through and not the DVDs. Be grateful you do not need to feed your family that way.
2006-09-13 01:05:32 · answer #7 · answered by Bart S 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Maybe a little Anthrax in the glue? Wouldn't be long and nobody would be using them :-)
2006-09-13 00:59:02 · answer #8 · answered by Major Toescurl 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is why food stamps are a bad idea.
2006-09-13 01:07:14 · answer #9 · answered by cashcobra_99 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋