Hi, Deb,

Thanks for that.   I'll come up with something.  I don't dare do too much, though: this is a very tight, local community, and once you're branded, you're branded and ostracized for life.

Of course, when I lived in NY, anything went - but that's not an exercise in humility there.

Come to think of it, when I go to the Soup Kitchen and stand waiting outside, I do get a lot of stares and disapproving looks from passers-by.  I learned to not mind it by becoming not too proud.

Hope you are doing well, Deb,

Seaturtle

Dear Tracy, You said that dh will be paid a regular salary starting in Feb.  That gives you Nov, Dec, & Jan only to have full food stamps.  (You'll probably be eligible for a minimal amount, as little as $14, even then.)  I suggest that you set aside a full $100/month.  You can use this in one of 2 ways:  just let it build up on your card -- you can then use it in Feb, etc.  OR, the safer way, stock up.  You know how much you bake; spend $50/month on baking supplies.  Spend the other $50 on canned & frozen produce & cheese (freeze the cheese).  Or whatever; these aer just my idese.  Love in Him, Deb

 Deb,

I have been doing just that!  I had cans of veggies and cereal in the cupboard when we were really tight, but not the food we usually eat.  Some things I am stocking on- yes, baking supplies, oil, cocoa, popcorn, taco filling mix, canned tomato paste, butter for the freezer, spices.  Cheese is a great idea. I would also like to get more juice.  

I think it is easier stocking now than carrying over given the economy, I feel prices at the store are not going to go down, despite the price of gas dropping.  I would rather have the food in the house.  

Thanks for thinking of me- I think Dec I will get a good portion as our income this month is so low.  I'll take advantage of all the holiday baking sales to stock further.

Dear Tracy, Yes, you are right about inflation eating up (sic!) the value of the Food Stamps.  You are wise to spend them NOW.  I am chagrinned that I didn't even think about this.

At least, I helped you out about the cheese, apparently.  Hard cheeses (Cheddar, Jack, Parmesan, etc) freeze well.  Cream cheese & ricotta & cottage cheese do not, in my experience.  But I could be wrong.

Love in Him, Deb

 Stopped yesterday, bought nature burgers, buns, fries, cheese, and tator tots for dinner.  Also bought some little cans of mushrooms and olives for the pantry, and a jar of marishono cherries that was on sale. Just a 10 minute shop, that's all I had time for.

Was reupped $542, spent $27,  $515 left until 11/13.  

Went to the store today, posted in Oct. cooking and shopping, bought tons of cheese, bagels, bananas, ice cream.  Lunch things for dh and dd.  Oil, choco chips for baking.  Deb, how long have you frozen cheese before?  Is it a 3 month thing, a 6 month thing?

Spent  $89, have $426 left on food stamps until 11/13.

Starting balance from re-up: $176

Spent  / splurged yesterday:

• 100 cal (4 servings) of NY cheesecake bites (Sara Lee?)
• 2 pkgs of ground buffalo meat ($5.49 + $5.54) ... both ~1lb each
• and 3 navel oranges ($2.45!! )

Balance now is at $160.18.

Will be more careful the rest of the month (no more oranges... I was shocked!). Eating more at home still... and pulling things from freezer. Need to "attack" the pantry more too now.

 Those oranges ae a ridiculous price!  Maybe tangerines?  Same taste, less weight.

Dear Tracy, Regarding freezing cheese, I have kept it for as long as a year -- & I'm only talking about hard cheeses such as Cheddar & Monterey Jack.  What I do is to remove it from the original package, & wrap it well in aluminum foil, then label it (tape on the label) with the type of cheese & date frozen.  BEFORE TRYING TO SLICE IT, KEEP IT OUT THAWING ON THE COUNTER FOR 12 HOURS, & THEN IN THE FRIDGE FOR ANOTHER DAY.  Otherwise, it shreds rather than slices.  Love in Him, Deb

Dear All, We did a big food shopping at Whole Foods, preceded by a little one at Cala/Ralphs/Kroger.  I had $136.38 going in, & $92.81 afterwards on my Food Stamps EBT card.

At Cala, I bought King Arthur whole white wheat for a dollar less than it goes for at Whole Foods (I paid $4.99).  I also got a can of cream of celery soup for 40cents -- I can easily make the soup myself, but I thought that the price was right (this was on the discount table.).

At Whole Foods, I bought:

Kashi GoLean cereal ($1 coupon)

capers

Organic Lime Juice, 16 oz

Org. yellow mustard

Smart Ground Lifeline ($1 coupon) -- the bulk foods section was all out of Textured  Vegetable Protein, which this Forum has persuaded me to change over to.

Extra firm Tofu

Fat-free vanilla yoghurt, 32 oz

3 large comice pears, which we will cut when ripe & apportion carefully

organic cauliflower (we're making Cauliflower, Potato, & Peas curry this aft)

29 oz organic diced tomatoes (on sale for $1.99, & I had a $1 coupon)

4 frozen sole fillets

5 fresh sardines (each large enough for a meal) -- I put them in the freezer for now

Organic wheat English muffins

1 large Russet potato

I paid $38.08, & have $92.81 up until replenishment on Sat, Nov 1st.

Yours in Him, Deb