Rachelle Williams ofDo you often run out of food stamps doc

by Rachelle Williams of Do you often run out of food stamps before the end of the month? Are you struggling to keep your family fed each month? You can find the solution to these issues inside this free eBook. Please enjoy this eBook, and feel free to share it with anyone who might benefit from the tips inside. Email this book or send them to the Food Stamp Guide at the address below to download a free copy: http://www.foodstampguide.blogspot.com/ Table of Contents About the Food Stamp Guide………………………………………………… Page 3 The End of the Month Food Stamp Dilemma………………………………… Page 4 Grocery Shopping on a Food Stamp Budget……………………………………Page 5 Using Coupons with Food Stamps……………………………………………… Page 7 Budget Friendly Holiday Shopping with Food Stamps………………………….Page 10 In Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….Page 12 About the Author……………………………………………………………………Page 13 About the Food Stamp Guide The Food Stamp Guide is a blog that was started in 2009, at first, to help people learn how to apply for and maintain food stamps in each state. The blog has since evolved into a resource to help people who struggle with all types of financial issues. My name is Rachelle, and I am the owner of the blog and the author of this eBook. I grew up in a low-income household, and I know what it is to struggle, so I want to do what I can to help. One thing that has always stood out in my mind was how my family always seemed to run out of food towards the end of the month. Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches and Ramen Noodles were staples during the last week of the month for us, and it was the same scene for almost everyone in my neighborhood. Food stamps have grown up, gotten a new name (SNAP Benefits - which nobody actually uses), and they come in a digitized form on a fancy debit card (EBT card). However, some of the issues have remained the same. I wrote this free eBook, How to Stretch Your Monthly Food Stamp Benefits, because I know that food insecurity in the last week of the month is still an issue for people who receive food stamps. The news reports show that food banks are seeing a huge surge in the amount of people who come to them seeking food, especially during the end of the month. I understand a big part of the reason for the issue, I know how to prevent it, and so I created this eBook specifically to combat the issue. I truly hope that you use these tips to help stretch your food stamp benefits, so you and your family will always have enough food to eat. The End of the Month Food Stamp Dilemma When most people get their monthly food stamp benefits, they usually spend them all at once and end up not having enough to last until the end of the month. The problem is that people do not equate food stamps with real money. The solution to running out of food by the end of the month is to think about your food stamp deposit allotment as an actual money deposit. The next part of the solution is for you to concentrate on saving as much as you can. When you learn to stretch your monthly food stamp benefits, you will not have to worry about what you will feed your family during the dreaded last week of the month. Many people do not even realize that it is perfectly okay to have unused food stamps each month. As long as you do not allow your SNAP benefits to stay unused on your EBT card for more than a year, you should be fine. The good news is saving money (food stamps) on food does not have to be a big headache. If you start to implement small changes, you will immediately see positive results. You will eventually find that cutting back on food costs does not have to mean cutting back on quantity or quality. There are a few relatively easy tips and tricks that go along with thinking of your food stamp benefits as money; keep reading to learn about these simple tricks. Grocery Shopping on a Food Stamp Budget If you receive food stamps and you constantly run out of food at the end of the month, there are two things you need to know. First, you are not alone, and second, there is a legitimate reason for your grocery dilemma (beyond not thinking of your food stamps as real money). The issue of not having enough money to meet your monthly grocery budget is not just a problem unique to food stamp recipients. There are plenty of people out there who cannot afford the cost of food, they run out of food prematurely, and then they have to scrape by until their next payday. The problem with food stamp allotments is the fact that once it is gone, it’s gone until your next allotment. People who spend cash money at the grocery store can usually dip into other bill money to buy more food - this is not so easy for food stamp recipients. Furthermore, there is a good reason why many people tend to run out of food before the end of the month. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the cost of groceries has increased, and it is expected to keep increasing. Since there does not seem to be an end in sight to the high price of groceries, we need to make changes in the way we shop for groceries so we can keep our families fed; especially, those of us who receive food stamps. The following list will give you some concrete ideas for how to go grocery shopping on a food stamp budget:  Always Shop with a Well-Planned Grocery List. If you stick to the items on your list, you will be less apt to spend your food stamp dollars on impulse buys. Also, you will find that you are spending less of your food stamps when you do not have to make multiple grocery runs for forgotten items, this is why your list needs to be well planned. Set aside time on the weekends to sit down and carefully plan out your grocery list.  Skip the Convenience Foods. Many of us fall victim to the pre-washed, pre-cut bags of vegetables and fruits. The problem is we pay for the convenience of not having to wash and cut up our foods. Leaving these grocery items behind will net a huge savings in our monthly good budget.  Skip the Brand Name Food Items & Opt for Generics. We all know that brand name items cost more than generic brands for most grocery store items. Somehow, we continually fall for the clever marketing schemes, and we grab the brand names and never even consider the generic brands. If we want to stretch our food stamp dollars, we really need to buckle down and choose generic brands whenever they are available.  Join Supermarket Discount Clubs, Cards, Programs, etc. Just about every supermarket chain has some sort of discount program. When we join their clubs or programs, and actually use the benefits, we will find huge savings at the cash register, and these savings will really rack-up over a month’s time.  Buy Locally Grown, In-Season, Produce. Locally grown produce is usually fresher and less expensive than the stuff that has been shipped in to your state. In addition, it is a good idea to learn how to shop for the produce that is in season while you are currently shopping.  Do Not Buy In Bulk Just for Savings. If you have a huge family, buying in bulk is a smart idea. However, many of us fall victim to buying items in bulk simply because they are on sale. If you know you are not going to use a lot of a particular item, do not buy it just because there is a huge deal on the item.  Never go Grocery Shopping on an Empty Stomach. This is the quintessential grocery shopping no-no. If you go grocery shopping on an empty stomach you are more likely to throw all kinds of foods into the grocery cart. Make sure that you fill up before you take your trip to the grocery store so you will not be tempted to buy unnecessary items.  Comparison Shop at Different Grocery Store Chains. Many times the cost difference at grocery store chains is enough to warrant shopping at more than one store. Pull out the weekly grocery store circulators from your Sunday newspaper, or your mailbox, and compare the sales at the local grocery store chains in your area. Using Coupons with Food Stamps When I was doing the research to complete this mini eBook, I was surprised to learn that many people do not know that they can use coupons with food stamps. This might be another reason why people run out of food stamps before the end of the month. If you are not already using coupons with your food stamps, you are throwing money right out of the window. You absolutely can use coupons with your food stamps, and you should use them every time you go to the grocery store. Remember, when we think about food stamps like money you will start to really appreciate any amount of savings. According to the Promotional Marketing Association Coupon Counsel, if you spend just 20 minutes each weak clipping coupons, you can save up to $1000 a year. Now just imagine for one moment how $1,000 a year might affect your monthly food stamps allotment. $1,000 a year equals about $83 a month and $83 might make the difference between a week with Ramen Noodles, and a week with healthy nutritious food for your family. An another thing… have you actually ever taken a moment to sit down and watch those shows about extreme couponing? I know it sounds a little cheesy, but these people use the power of coupons to walk out of the grocery store with two full shopping carts full of groceries that they have spent only about $30 for… I have seen some episodes where the grocery store actually owes the customer money back. Granted, that is not going to happen with food stamps - because you cannot get money back, but I’m sure you catch the message in what I’m saying here. No matter how cheesy it sounds, extreme couponing can save you far more than $1,000 a year, so it might be worth your while to spend a little time checking out the concept. Even if you do not get into extreme couponing, I hope by now, you can see how clipping coupons would significantly cut down on the amount of food stamps you spend each month. But…before you start getting clip happy, you have to know that there is a trick to using coupons to your advantage; so, pay close attention: Manufacturers use coupons to get you to buy items you would not normally buy and new items they are trying to introduce to consumers. The trick to saving money (food stamps) with coupons is to only use coupons for items you would normally purchase. It really is that simple, but there are a few more tips that I can give you so that you will save as many of your “food stamp dollars” as you can with coupons:  Set Up a Simple System. Pick one specific day of the week to sit down and scour the Sunday newspaper coupons and choose only the items you would normally buy. Obviously, Sunday is probably the most popular choice because of the big coupon section in the Sunday newspaper, but you pick the day that is best for you.  Sort the Coupons. Once you have chosen and clipped your coupons, take the time to organize them according to the aisle they would likely appear in your grocery store(s).  Join the Mailing Lists. Grab a paper and pad and jot down the items you buy the most for your family. Then go to the Internet and locate the manufacturer’s website for those items. Each manufacturer usually has a mailing list that you can join that will allow them to send you coupons. Sometimes they are physical mailing lists, and sometimes they are email lists (so you have to print out the coupons), and sometimes the lists can be a combination of both. Either way, this is an extra measure of savings for you because these particular types of coupons are usually not the same ones you find in the Sunday paper.  Double Your Savings with Store Promotions. Check the weekly flyers that grocery stores constantly send to your mailbox. Most people toss them on the trash on sight, but you could be tossing away a lot of savings. Scour the weekly grocery store flyers and combine those savings with your coupons and you will really start to see the true power of doubled savings. Likewise, you should do the same thing with supermarket discount card programs (rewards club, shopper cards, etc.).  Pay Close Attention to Coupon Directions. Be sure to read the expiration dates, rules, and regulations that go with each coupon. You do not want to end up at the checkout with a lot of coupons that you cannot use for one reason or another.  Double Check those“Two- For-One” Deals. Sometimes when we see two-for- one deals, we automatically assume that we will get half off if we only purchase one item. A lot of the time, this is assumption is not true. You might have to pay the regular full price for one half of a two-for-one deal, so you might actually save more money if you go ahead and buy two items instead of one. Clipping coupons might, at first, seem like more work than what it is worth, but when you learn how to beat the manufacturers at their own game, you will see the savings start to pile up. I have heard that some people are actually embarrassed to “hold up the line” while using coupons. To them I say, “Honey, please!” Who cares about what the next person in line thinks about your coupon stash? All that really matters is that you can really stretch your monthly food stamp benefits by using coupons. Keep that thought in your mind ahead of what others think and you will be much better off for it, and you will find that you are not running out of food stamps before the end of the month. However, if it really bothers you that much, you could consider claiming a self check-out stand where you will generally have a little more privacy with your transaction. If you spread out all of your stuff, and appear to be taking your time, most impatient people will avoid getting in line behind you like the plague. Budget Friendly Holiday Shopping with Food Stamps For many of us, the holidays are a time when food is the focal point of the celebrations. [...]... to buy food If this has ever happened to you before, you should make sure that it does not happen again It goes back to that concept I keep preaching about how you should start to think of your food stamps as money Outside of the specific items you cannot buy with food stamps, they spend just like money, so you should not let anybody coax you into thinking that you should part with your food stamps. .. party foods - these things all cost money, or in the case of many people, they cost a lot of food stamps Have you ever been in a situation where the holidays or a birthday comes around, and your family members think that you are supposed to contribute more food simply because they know you get food stamps? They somehow think that you should bring a lot of food because you receive food stamps, so you. .. to do because we use EBT cards now instead of actual food coupons But, if it helps any, you can think of swiping your EBT card as though you were swiping a debit card attached to your bank account If you would like to get more food stamps saving tips, learn how to apply for food stamps in your state, keep up with the news regarding food stamps, and/or learn about other low-income help options (low income... for your holiday meal items Remember, you do not have to spend gobs of money or food stamps to enjoy a nice holiday or birthday dinner Besides, special occasions are supposed to be about spending time with loved ones, make sure you do not overspend so that you can actually enjoy your special days without having to worry about your finances Yes - I said “finances,” because food stamps are a big part of. .. most of the food for a holiday function or other get-together, tell them you cannot do it Let them know that you only have enough food stamps to feed your family on a monthly basis, and you cannot afford to spend them on too many unnecessary items Contribute whatever you can, and call it a day  Budget Well If you use some of the tips you pick up from this eBook, you should be able to save enough of your... benefits, you can make sure you and your family are well fed throughout the entire month, and you will not have to worry about the last week in the month, or make monthly visits to the local food pantry Remember, always think about spending your food stamps as though you were spending dollar bills, and you will soon see how easy it is to start saving your “money” every time you take a trip to the grocery... shoot me an email when you are ready, and I will send you a series of free training documents that I created to get you started making money as soon as possible I encourage you to think about your personal financial situation If you do not make enough money to live comfortably - and without the aid of any type of government assistance, you should start planting the seeds to change your future today For... holiday food item shopping done ahead of time If you plan to save as many of your food stamps as you can, do not go this route According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), grocery stores heavily mark down the cost of whole, frozen turkeys the closer it gets to the “turkey holidays.” The same is true for most other traditional holiday food items, so wait until as long as you possibly... would love to steal the content from my niche sites and piggyback off my income But, I digress If you have a lot of knowledge about a particular subject, or if you have a hobby that you love, you can be an infopreneur, and turn your knowledge into a profitable website If you have something to sell, that might make you even more money, but you do not have to sell anything at all to make money on the Internet... easily than you should part with your money Check out the following list for some tips you can use if you want to save the next time a holiday or birthday comes around and your family is looking at you to cater the function with your monthly SNAP benefits:  Just Say No Just like our former First lady, Nancy Reagan, always used to say, just say no The next time your family members ask you to supply . by Rachelle Williams of Do you often run out of food stamps before the end of the month? Are you struggling to keep your family fed each month? You can find the solution. thinking of your food stamp benefits as money; keep reading to learn about these simple tricks. Grocery Shopping on a Food Stamp Budget If you receive food stamps and you constantly run out of food. coupons with food stamps. This might be another reason why people run out of food stamps before the end of the month. If you are not already using coupons with your food stamps, you are throwing