Food Stamps

[offroad]

There is an online tool in my state of South Carolina where you can enter in your income, and your household expenses, and then determine if you can get access to the FOOD STAMPS (they call it SNAP) program.&nbsp; You do not have to register to use the tool and see if you can get benefits.<br /><br />Did a sample calculation with their tool, and if you have a resulting zero income (rent, electric and telephone use all your money) then you could get $175 in food stamps per month (or more).<br /><br />Am surprised they is not more discussion of this for Van Dweller types.&nbsp; What can you get in Nevada, for food stamps?<br /><br /><br /><br />

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Just out of curiosity i did this for my state, my income was 140$ too much to qualify <img src="/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; I wonder how much they'd give you for foodstamps, some people might be better off cutting hours at work if they get more in food stamps.&nbsp; I make less than a dollar over min wage....

 

[offroad]

the number are all screwed up for support. Minimum wage is not enough to pay for an apartment (lets say $6000 per year). and food ($2500 per year), and transportation, and insurance ($6000 per year).

since it is not likely that people can do this alone, there must be a lot of UNDER THE TABLE economy, and working two or three jobs.

How do people make it on $12000 a year in a typical support structure for a living?

 

[SoulRaven]

The answer is they come together as a group and share expenses, thus spreading the bills around to all those in the group... Say electric at $100/mo, with a group of 4 the bill per person drops to $25.00/person... You have to give up some privacy for this and ask your self is it worth it...<br /><br />As for food stamps, each state is different and the rules vary... Most require you to be a resident as the money comes from taxes raised by the state... For mobile van-dwellers who pop in and out of states this makes it very difficult to get state help/food stamps...<br /><br />

the number are all screwed up for support. Minimum wage is not enough to pay for an apartment (lets say $6000 per year). and food ($2500 per year), and transportation, and insurance ($6000 per year). since it is not likely that people can do this alone, there must be a lot of UNDER THE TABLE economy, and working two or three jobs. How do people make it on $12000 a year in a typical support structure for a living?

 

[VanTrekker]

I have been on them ($200 / month) for a while.&nbsp; Even though I have some inheritence, while being unemployed they don't count that as income.&nbsp; It's almost tough to think about working - most of my expense is food and it's pretty much all paid for.<br /><br />Of course, I cannot expect to be on food stamps forever - or even post election.&nbsp; The plan is to start working minimally and ease back into it again.<br /><br />I really like the SNAP program.&nbsp; Using it has helped me take some time off and lose weight, get healthier, etc.&nbsp; Otherwise it would have likely meant trying for total disability which would have cost a lot more money.<br /><br />If a person uses them wisely, food stamps can pay a large portion of the expenses.&nbsp; I think it's a good program given how the country has let the minimum wage sag so far behind the cost of living.