Dear All, My Food Stamps come in on the 1st.  As you know, I am awaiting a hearing on my Food Stamps, & I can only provisionally use Oct Food Stamps -- if I lose the hearing, I have to pay the Government back.  I phoned in to find out my EBT balance, & it showed an $18 INCREASE along with the $162 that I had been receiving.  I suppose this is because of the new federal Agriculture Bill increases in amounts of aid.

As I have posted elsewhere, I received word that my Food Stamps have been reinstated for the month of November.  This reassures me that I will certainly win my hearing concerning October.  Thus, I am going to stay on Food Stamps. 

I had made arrangements with Jewish Family & Childern's Services to receive meals & groceries starting today, but have rescinded that most-generous plan.  Trying to ccalculate the worth of that service would just "put a spanner in teh works."

I know that I have said many times that I would prefer NOT to be socking it to the Taxpayers to pay for my food, but, in the event, my love for cooking & baking, & my love for shopping wisely, have pre-empted the idea of getting pre-packaged meals from JFCS.

I will humbly accept any criticism of my decision to stick with Food Stamps.  As I just said, I know that it is making you & you & you & you pay for my food ....

Yours in Him, Deb

Dear All, I went grocery shopping at Cala & Walgreens -- wild deals, & then to Whole Earth.  At Cala, they were selling 1 lb boxes of generic Saltines @ 60cents, expiration date mid-Nov (so I just got one).  At Walgreens, I used my $1 Register Receipt to get a box of dried cranberries.

At Whole Foods, I bought a lb can of sweet potato puree (just being lazy) for a super-duper spice cake that I'll probably bake on Mon for my birthday cake, Knudsens Just Cranberry (quart) juice -- you mix it with apple juice, a 29-oz can of organic tomatoes, cinnamon powder, Go Lean Crunch cereal, vegetable broth for when I just need a few tablespoons -- I have bouillon cubes to make a cup (& of course I make my own stock when preparing soup), just enough bulk pecans to mix in with a 1/2 filled box of nuts, mostly peanuts, for a special treat [I'll hold back half of the pecans, so that when I open & eat up half of a new can of mixed nuts, I can enjoy the balance of the pecans with it], green onions/scallions, mushroom/rice/soy burgers, black seedless grapes (a REAL treat & SO nutritious), 3 sardines = 3 main dishes for a total of $1.72, cilantro, & an organic eggplant.  I spent $38.55, & have $154.28 remaining on my EBT card. 

We cooked brown rice when we got home today.  Tomorrow, I'm cooking Cold Eggplant with Soy Sauce Dressing.  On Sunday, I'm baking whole wheat bread.  I had a good coupon on bread, but thought that it is simply ridiculous to buy the same 100% whole wheat bread that I can bake ...!  Also, thinking that I was losing my Food Stamps, I bought sourdough bread last week (I have the garlic bread in the freezer) & ate it all up -- naughty me, when I am trying so hard to lose weight -- it was my anxiety over the loss of the Food Stamps that made me eat it all up in, guess how many days -- just TWO!  And then I'll be baking the spice cake on Monday.

Yours in Him, Deb

 Deborah, don't be silly. The Food Stamp program is a safety net for everyone, in the event of disaster or disability, and I am comforted by its presence.  I don't think there is one person on here who begrudges food stamp assistance to those who truly need it, especially someone who uses the resources as carefully and wisely as you do; I need to take a leaf from your book myself.  So far, I'm employed and healthy, so I pay for my own groceries, but sometimes find myself making extra trips to the store due to inadequate planning.  And we all know how that goes:  dash into the store to pick up one or two things and come out with $20 or more

Thank you, Carol Maziemom -- I appreciate your reassurance!  This doesn't close the door to criticism by others.  We all can improve.  Yours in Him, Deb

I think in today's world Deb, you're safe from criticism on you getting food stamps. I am always thankful for mine and I believe that as long as you are thankful and respect that choice of receiving them, no one can truly criticise you. (As I know you are thankful for it and buy healthy choices! when you go shopping, not filling it up with junk). 

Was in Walmart yesterday and spotted the Vitamin water 5/$5 so I bought $5 worth. Will be going out today and buying more food... need spaghetti, cupcakes (buying the small premade ones) as dbf's 'birthday cake', tomato paste and garlic bread. (and a b-day card... b-day is on Sunday) I am sitting comfortably on what I have until re-up time.

Thank you, Luvd_Lioness, for your support!  Love in Him, Deb

Anytime Deb!!

Splurged on food today... I was tired and 1/2 way through the store was getting more tired.

• sugar free klondike bars (mainly for dbf when he's over... though I'm getting addicted)
• garlic bread loaf
• can of tomato paste
• can of tomato sauce
• GV spaghetti 2#
• pastaroni
• box of OR popcorn (found out dbf likes, will be giving as his b-day gift)
• cupcakes (the mini ones)
• 12pk of 16.9oz bottles of dt. pepsi (for dbf)
• and fancy shredded cheese (mozz and parmesan: for spaghetti on sunday)

Down to $36.63 until they re-up me around the 13th. 

Deb- enjoy the good food your stamps buy- you have been through a lot, circumstances are such you need them right now, and that is their purpose.  I don't think anyone would question you getting them.

I was in uptown, so we went to my favorite coop, looking for vegetarian marshmellows.  They didn't have them, although they had kosher ones with fish gelatin. Not what I was looking for.  Dh and I and the three little girls we had with us had fun buying some groceries-

a quart of raw honey, $11.79

2 boxes of Cascadian granola-maple and dark chocolate almond, on sale for $2.89 each

taco filling $2.29

veggie sloppy joe mix $2.29

special sugar cubes for a recipe for dd $5.19

thai coconut soup for dh for work $2.39

dried strawberries and bananas for littliest dd $4.79

bulk choc chips $2.59

lots of good bread-bagels, focaccia, roll, crossaint $8 or so

carrot chips $2.89

cottage cheese, 24 oz, on sale for $1.99

Saved $6.60, spent $51.40

I have $193 lft on fs until 10/13.  

I feel stocked on some special food, the kids will enjoy the choc granola for breakfast before a school hike by a river tomorrow. I get to the coop about quarterly, love the food.  We had the focaccia with rotini and sauce for dinner.  We had bread in the car for lunch!  

I also used the 75% reduction in activites to sign up four kids for 7 half hour skating lessons today, none of them skate- it was $66 each, reduced to $16.50.  They start tomorrow.  I spent $66, but feel it is a good skill for them to know, and very cheap for an activity.  

I have lots of food stocked to use until my fs reup at a lower level on the 13h, oldest dd worked ft in August, to make school money.  It will count against us, also , they count all of dh's August income and none of his $700 rent, or the commuting expenses of a two state household.  Should go up in November.

Happy shopping and cooking!  

 Oh, Deb,

Don't do that to yourself, please!  You are receiving food stamps because you need them to survive.  Our country prides itself on being able to take care of all its citizens, and, also, in our religion, think about charity - giving and receiving both, as you know.

Your work here on this board is invaluable to so many, perhaps you can consider that your work, even though unpaid.  You're not "socking it to taxpayers), you're getting what you need from a society that provides for the poor.  And you, just like every living thing on this planet, deserve to live.

I know there's a stigma often to receiving benefits.  But I'm sure I, and you, would never judge anyone for doing what they needed to survive.

You're a wonderful woman helping many others, and I think the world of you.  Your taking of food stamps couldn't matter less to me, and probably to anyone else here.

Thinking of you,

Seaturtle

 Deb,

I have never thought badly of someone on food stamps. It is like Seaturtle said, you so need them. You are so frugal with your stamps, making sure they last you through the month and even carrying over fron the previous month. Anyone who uses their stamps like you so should be admired. You are very frugal by using coupons eventhough you get food stamps. I use as many coupons as I can when I use my stamps, too. 

You also help so many of us on the board with your tips and helpful hints. You pray for us when we need it. Just having your support makes me feel good.