People on Food stamps?

Question

I am a cashier. In Illinois, there is the Illinois "Link" card, which is foodstamps for the poor. Certain items are accepted by Link, and certain items are not (i.e. toilet paper, paper towel, alcohol to name a few). So why is it after customers pay for groceries with a Link card that when it comes time to ring up the items not covered by link they whip out a wad of cash and pay for their non Link items with big bills ($50's and $100's). It really irritates me because I work two jobs, my husband works a full time job and we don't carry arround money like that. We can't even afford to buy cell phones, and these people are yacking on a cell phone with a wad of "Benjamins" in their pockets. What IS up with THAT!

OK Bootyis...I do contribute EVERYDAY, when I'm working my a$$ off so I can give half of my paycheck to a woman with a Coach purse on foodstamps as she buys $100 worth of meat products. I don't eat like that and most of us working our a$$es off don't. I am not judging, and I am well aware there are people in need of the money. Those people I am happy to give. Why are you so criticle? Are you on foodstamps and feeling guilty. Am I a paying for your holiday feast this year!?

Furthermore, I have a co-worker who was abandoned by her husband. She has NOT been able to get on foodstamps and really DOES need them. We too have a Chineese family that owns a resturaunt and is on foodstamps and pulls out a wad of cash to pay for their boose. Wise up Bootyis...Your living in a dreamworld!

it most certainly my business. their money comes out of our paqychecks!

Answer 1

I too work for a grocery store (in California).. Our food stamp card is called "Advantage." My coworkers and i see the exact same thing you are talking about day in and day out.
About a month ago (on my day off) some women came in to the store dressed nice with Coach handbags, paid with EBT (food stamps) and as they walked out to their Mercedes or BMW ( I can't remember but it was some fancy car) our Loss Prevention (security) stopped them because they stole some items...food items!
We also have a customer who OWNS an Indian or Afghan restaurant who buys meat, produce, soda, etc for her restaurant sometimes with hundred dollar bills sometimes with her food stamp card. she even invites some of us to her restaurant. I've work for three different stores (same company) in three different areas for about 8 years... I've seen it happen many times and it disgust me more and more. some people need food stamps, but the govt says that they don't qualify. the saddest part about it is that there really isn't much we can do about it.

BE strong my cashier sister and good luck when everyone comes at the last minute to shop for their Christmas Dinner.

Answer 2

I've been on food stamps in the past. I made sure to make that dollar stretch by using coupons, buying groceries on sale and making food to stretch (I was raising three teenagers at that time) baking your own cookies is a good way to save money and spend quality time with the kids AND have sweets in the house. If I were to be frivolous, I'd buy the good ice cream at the grocery store, but certainly not at 7-11....Especially since someone is giving you charity you ought to be more careful about how you spend that.

Answer 3

There are always some people who abuse the system and that sucks. I think you are a little quick to judge though. You don't know those people and you don't know why some of them have so much cash on them at the time or if/why they need food stamps. They may have just gotten paid and haven't paid their bills yet. They may be on their way to a pharmacy to buy expensive medication that they need. They may have borrowed money from a family member so they could buy Christmas presents for their kids or something. The point is, you don't know.

I know it's annoying to know about people getting everything handed to them when they could be out earning a living like you and I, but don't forget that things are not always like they seem and although there is plenty of people abusing the system, there is also plenty who really need it.

Answer 4

You don't know what that person's situation is. How dare you judge someone becaue you see that they have cash and they have foodstamps. Alot of these people you see with 'big wads of cash' have messed up credit and can't get a bank account, so whatever little money they have(yes some of them do have jobs, you know) that they may have cashed at the check cashing place, they have to carry around in their pockets. You can't determine what someone's situation is just by looking at their possessions-like I said you don't know what's going on in their life. If you want to get mad at someone, try getting mad at your local government. Those are the ones that are responsible for getting the food stamps to the people who need it most. Alot of people are under the impression that if you work, you can't get foodstamps-untrue. They do it according to your income vs. expenses, so for example-I may make $60,000. annually, but I have 6 kids and I may have used to have a double income, but my husband left me, and cleaned out my bank account...Now the only thing I have left is the family vehicle and the little jewelry I have left after the repo guys came and took everything I own...I still have utilities, rent, and numerous bills my hubby left behind. Now my family and I are living check-check and it would be nice if I had some help---foodstamps would be cool in THAT situation, right?

I know that's an extreme example, but things like that happen everyday...who are you to judge? Do you know these people? Relax-you don't have a choice where your tax dollars go anyways, so don't complain-why don't you do something in your community to help?

Why are you so defensive? Are YOU feeling guilty because you're afraid some of the things I said may ring true? Like I said-get mad at your gov't for not getting the money to the people who need it most, I am. The point is, yes, there are a few people who abuse the system-but the majority actually need it...and YES I do have foodstamps, but sweetheart don't flatter yourself because I have worked my entire adult life on the books and they have KILLED me in taxes(sometimes more than $300 a paycheck)-so the way I see it-I'm paying for my holiday feast this year..thankyouverymuch....

Answer 5

There are people who work the system. It's sad but it happens. I know a few people myself who work the system and it irratates me also. My family was very poor growing up to the point of living in a motel for a while. We stayed on food stamps for a short while. My parents worked very hard and they live a decent life right now. All though there were many times we still could have used those food stamps my parents refused to use it more then they thought necessary. I'm proud of them for that. When people mooch of the system like that it makes me angry. There are other people out there that could really use it and yet they don't care they would rather be selfish.

Answer 6

I agree. I used to work at Safeway here in Concord, CA. I also used to work at Walmart. People are so lazy they would try to use thier food stamps card to buy McDonald's. They would always buy the Alcohol and cigarettes with cash and that really pissed me off. They can easily go ahead and waste government money and then spend thier welfare money on cash.

People need to stop relying on others for once and take care of thier damn self.

Answer 7

Usually people in that situation do not have checking accounts or credit cards so that may be all the money they have, all of it! Yes there are users of the system, but think of how much money goes out of your account(s) that you never touch. If you had to pay for everything in cash you would carry around big bills too.

Answer 8

I think the food stamp program is being exploited. The state government is doing nothing about it. I agree with you totally.
I've seen the same. These people have gold jewelry and fancy suv's to drive. Well, we could too maybe if we didn't pay for food.

Answer 9

I understand completely! Maybe though they also got paid right then for the month and haven't paid any monthly bills yet, such as rent, utilities, etc.

Answer 10

good ol exploiting the stupid GOVT. Us working saps are paying for this crap. Hopefully the politicians will get their noses out of the coke drawers and realize what is going on. F'ing joke isn't it??