Food Stamps Questions

[Charmie981]

I really hope this is a moot point and DH has a job too soon for any of it to matter, but...it isn't looking promising in that department.

He has been out of work since November, but his severance package ended on January 1. We have a little bit of money in savings that we had accumulated over the course of his severance, but it's only enough for about a half a month's expenses. It is under the amount of resources allowed by our state for food stamps applicants, and given that he no longer has any income to speak of, we will now qualify for food stamps. I'm not sure, though, that we can be considered in dire straits enough to have our application get the 4-day expedited treatment. That will depend on what their deductions are for our utilities.

Anyway...my question is this:
Do I
1. pay bills (car payment, insurance, etc) and wait for food stamps come through
2. save money to buy groceries when we need them and possibly default on bills

My fear with the second option is that we'll spend our savings on groceries then get money for food in the form of food stamps later and have more than enough food but still not be able to pay our bills. Eventually something has to give, I know, and unless something changes in the next two to four weeks, we're going to be behind on everything and living on food stamps anyway, but right now I'm trying to use what we have saved in the smartest way possible.

[Drummer's Wife]

I'm not sure how long it takes to get approved for food stamps and be able to use the card, but if I were you I guess I would just buy enough food for a couple days at a time? That way you don't deplete all your savings on food if there's a chance you'll get benefits anytime soon.

For the bills, how are you going to be able to pay them next month if your DH doesn't get a job? I guess I just am wondering if it makes sense to pay for the car and insurance if it means you are completely broke after that. Does he get unemployment?

Best of luck figuring it all out.

[EarthyMamaofDaisy]

Have you applied yet? I know sometimes to get expidited you have to have less than $100 in cash. I'd apply tomorrow and if you can't get expidited then I'd just get a few basic items to last a few days, just in case you get approved soon. Also you could spend down your money on bills before you apply so that you have less money in assets when you do apply. And you can try to get into a food pantry in the meantime.

[KatWrangler]

It took over 6 weeks for us.

[Mommabean]

It took us 7 and a half weeks to get our FS to go through. It is all in the case worker you get, AND if you can qualify for emergency assistance. The emergency assistance will get you approved that day if you have less than a set amount to your household. For us it had to be less than 500 dollars and we had 700 at that time and well 300 in bills due two days later, didn't matter to them we were rich

But I would buy just little at a time, eating what we could make on 25 a week until that amount finally came to us because we weren't making more than 85 a week during that time.

[mommy2maya]

in pa if you bring EVERYTHING to the dept public welfare office, they will take care of it same day. A friend's dh is out of work and this is what she did and had a card same day, that was loaded next morning. Hers wasn't 'expedited' as they did have cash on hand, but no income coming in.

[treegardner]

angel food ministries is another great resource for food.

[Norasmomma]

It was instant for us-it took a couple days to get my appt, and I brought in everything they asked for(and more) just so we would get them instantly. I guess I didn't have all my income stuff for the month before, but I just said whatever on that. I think now though it may be more backlogged in WA, it really varies from state to state.

[mommy2maya]

most of the times, if you add up and look for the same stuff angel foods is selling, you can get a better deal, and quite possibly better quality on your own.

[AlwaysByMySide]

I reapplied for food stamps in late November, right before Thanksgiving, online. I was told I would hear from them to set up an appointment within 10 days. 11 days later, I called the hotline, and they sent an email to the caseworker, and said I should hear from them in 24 hours. 2 days later, I called the hotline again, they said they'd be sending an email to the caseworker's supervisor, and I should hear from them in 24 hours. 24 hours later, I got a call from the state office (not in our county), and that person told me to just do a walk-in appointment.

I did my walk-in appointment two days before Christmas Eve, and we qualified for expedited processing. I was told I would receive my card within 5 days. (For the record, the caseworker said she had just set up appointments for the people who applied online three days before I did. What a system!) I kid you not, I got my card in the mail this past Saturday.

The point of my story is twofold - do the walk-in appointment, don't bother doing it online, in case your office is as backed up as mine is. You might have to wait a few hours, but they will see you that day (or my office guarantees that they'll see you the following day if they don't get to you), and make sure you bring all of your bills, proof of income, birth certificates for the kids (mine are unvaxed, and I had to have medical records in lieu of a vax record as proof of identity for them), social security numbers, etc. And second, even if you are expedited, that doesn't mean you'll get your card within the five days that they say you will. (My food stamps were backdated to the date of my initial application in late November, but I still had to buy groceries in cash for a month and a half, and I really could have used that cash elsewhere.)

Personally, I would call the people you have bills with and see if you can negotiate a later payment, and then get down to your food stamp office today.