Posted on 01/16/2019 6:27:47 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
State agencies are warning food stamp recipients to carefully budget their grocery purchases once they receive their February benefits weeks earlier than normal due to the partial government shutdown.
The Department of Agriculture's backup plan for paying out Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits amid the lapse in funding means it could be 40 days — or longer, in some cases — before additional money is added to recipients' benefit cards. There is also no guarantee about when nearly 39 million low-income Americans will next receive another payment to help them buy groceries.
States that have large populations of food stamp recipients — including California, Texas and Florida — are already warning recipients that they need to make February benefits last, as the early payments are issued this week. For some recipients, the accelerated timeline will result in them getting their February benefits a full month earlier than normal.
"Unless the federal shutdown is resolved, benefits for March MAY NOT be available," read a sample message California officials sent to county welfare directors to help spread the word to recipients. "We are waiting for federal guidance and will keep you informed."
When USDA officials unveiled the backup plan last week, they did not say how they intended to fund March benefits, if the spending impasse continues.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Most of these EBT/food stamps recipients will blow the money.Not all but most.
“Scratch-off and blunt sales will plummet.”
I disagree. CRIME will go up due to more theft for scratch-offs and blunts, though. ;)
I used to invest in, ‘The Vice Fund.’ It was a stock group that invested in alcohol, tobacco, casinos, firearms and military armament.
Conventional Wisdom is, the LAST things people give up in any downturn are smokes, alcohol and gambling. ;)
“What,no lobster for their pit bulls next month?”
So it seems. I got bit on the arm by one of them a few months ago. But I was wearing a thick sweatshirt so no damage.
You can buy a boatload of rice, beans and tortillas for $150.
Most will be broke before valentines day
It’s even cheaper if you make tje tortillas yourself, and better tasting, too.
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