I should've loaned the lady in front of me at the grocery store $1.
I've done it before but this time something stopped me. I judged her need based on her purchases.
We were in my favorite 10 items or less lane that ended up being an express lane to three days of guilt.
She put the purchases on an EBT card but didn't have enough money to pay for the things that weren't eligible to go on the card.
Her purchases:
toilet paper $2
cinnamon candle $3
cigarettes $5
bulk beef $8
frozen vegetables $2
paper towels $2
When she and the cashier realized she was short by $1 on the difference, I looked away as if distracted by the Altoids display.
She went out to her car to look for $1 between the seats and the cashier apologized for the delay. I commented that I guess I could've given her a dollar, as if the thought had just occured to me. Then the lady in line behind me verbalized my thoughts, "Well, we're paying for all of it anyway."
I spent a few childhood years eating beans and cornbread and thinking paper towels and gasoline were luxuries. Why that make me think I can judge someone else's needs, I don't know. Regardless, right now, I wish I would've just given her the dollar. It would've saved her a little embarrassment and saved me from the guilt.
Comments (13)
Add commentWell...
...you can feel guilty if you want, but last time I checked a scented candle and box of smokes weren't necessities.
REALLY
Don't you know anything you have to have the candle to cover up the smoke smell from the cigs. Cigs are required because you setting around not doing anyting so you have to smoke.
Come ON get with the program.
Cigs?
You'd think I would've turned my nose up at the cig purchase but really it was the candle that was just too much for me to support.
And this is the problem with the '47%'
You can't purchase over-the-counter medicine with a FSA (cafeteria plan) account. But, you can buy cigarettes with EBT.
Flawless logic.
If the government really cared about the poor, they would ban cigarettes from EBT purchases.
I know, I'm just "judgmental" like that.
Not only were you judgemental
You were wrong. The items she COULD NOT purchase with her EBT card were the
cigarettes
candle
toilet paper
paper towels
If you had read the post more carefully, you would have known that she was a dollar short to pay for the things that WERE NOT eligible for the EBT card.
Just for future info: http://www.ebtcardbalance.com/buy-food-arkansas-ebt-card-el40
read it again
The bulk beef and vegetables should/could have been eligible, she must have exceeded the balance before those hit the card.
And EBT is not just SNAP, it's also unemployment benefits, which are not subject to item approval.
My statement stands, regardless of the OP.
Knowing is Half
The battle
Non Eligible EBT Benefits Household Food items
- Beer, wine, liquor
- Food that will be eaten in the store
- Cigarettes or tobacco
- Hot foods
- Vitamins and medicines
- Non foods like:
- Soaps and paper products
- Pet foods
- Household supplies
right
And vegetables and bulk beef are ELIGIBLE.
RIF, people, RIF.
YEAH
What Terri said
Wake up and at least read the article before commenting
Geee Whiz I_Blunder
ok so . . .
I think we all agree the candle is the one item that probably wasn't necessary, whether it was covered by EBT or not. If she was short $1, and the candle was $2, she could have put it back and still been able to eat, smoke, and wipe things.