$200/month in free food-it isnt enough

[Lord of Alcohol]

As the title says is as what was told to me by my neighbor. My single ,male ,able-bodied (though stupid), age 42 neighbor told me he gets $200/month in food stamps. And contemptuously said "Man that aint shit" when I questioned how he could have run out of food over 10 days before his card is "renewed" for another $200.

Yes thats where your money is going. Great isnt it! And even better he is getting a grill so he can eat some nice thick steaks to go along with the cases of coca cola and cakes/brand name foods/etc the government buys him. Luckily your not paying his rent or utilities. His mommy does. And has for years.

I did occasionally use him as a laboror on some jobs of mine. While I did not allow him to use electrical or air tools he could indeed handle a shovel, posthole diggers, and carry wood. Therefore is capable of working. Though he did quit working for me (and called his mommy for a ride home) so he is out the big $8/hr I was paying him 2-3 days a month.

So should I-
A) hold a food drive for him

B) drag him down to the nearest highway rest stop where he can eat and work simultaneously

C)tell his mommy. oh wait....nevermind on that

[SpiritWarrior]

I'd steal his foodstamps, personally. After all, in his words "That ain't shit".

[Firestormalpha]

Leave him to wallow in his own self-pity. He's capable of work, but chooses to not even try and get a job. Then complains that the gov't doesn't support him well enough.

My family isn't on welfare and I don't think we even touch $200 a month in food.

I would help him if he were genuinely down on his luck, and incapable of improving his situation on his own. Which doesn't sound like this is the situation.

I know for a fact you don't even need a high school diploma (in most cases) to do janitorial work and it can pay anywhere from $8-12/hour.

[Gabrielles blades]

Wow, i kind of feel like a huge pig then with my 300 dollars a month grocery bill...dont even eat that extravagently either. Id say the majority of the bill is from dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. I cant afford to buy pork or beef very much so 90% of the time its chicken.

As far as the 'well thats where your money is going bit' well, it may seem that way to you on face value, but think of it this way. Unless your friend is buying foreign foods with his money then it is simply going back into the pockets of americans who are producing these necessities. Which just means that the gov is supporting our farming indirectly. Its kind of like that age old arguement of why spend money on the space program when there is so much right here on earth to spend it on....well where exactly are we spending that money? on earth of course after all there are no aliens that we are buying technology or whatnot from so its just recycling our money through people who want to shoot a rocket instead of people who want to shoot someones head.

[ElfBane]

I'm not condoning laziness, but I'm assuming many of the IW population went to college. Some of you may even probably had to work AND attend school full time. Now,,,,get on the Way-Back Machine and try to eat on $50 a week. As GB sez,,,that's a LOT of chicken..if you can afford meat at all. And you will get VERY tired of rice. Ramen noodles anyone?

[Firestormalpha]

You have a point Elfbane, except LoA's neighbor is not working at all from the sounds of the original post. And manages to go through all his $200 in less than 20 days. He buys namebrand foods, and steaks of all things.

If I were him I'd stick to generic or storebrand foods, and beef once in a blue moon towards the end of the month if there funds remaining. From the sounds of it, the guy squanders it and complains.

Granted, I'm not there, so I have no first hand knowledge. I could be completely wrong.

[Lord of Alcohol]

My point is more about the him bitching about it. Getting $200 for free and complaining that "it aint shit" just kinda pisses me off. He told me this a couple weeks ago and I've just been stewing on it and had to vent sorry. I have no idea how long he has been on food stamps (really a debit card now) but I do know its been a long time. He doesnt work, and doesnt look for it. He did used to do odd jobs at this apartment complex but was fired. Twice that I know of. And yes he was on food stamps then also. I do see the need for food stamps for some people, just not for useless ingrates.

[Dragonshadow]

Originally Posted by ElfBane I'm not condoning laziness, but I'm assuming many of the IW population went to college. Some of you may even probably had to work AND attend school full time. Now,,,,get on the Way-Back Machine and try to eat on $50 a week. As GB sez,,,that's a LOT of chicken..if you can afford meat at all. And you will get VERY tired of rice. Ramen noodles anyone?

I eat off about £15 per week. And still don't have scurvy.

[Kezardin]

Originally Posted by Lord of Alcohol My point is more about the him bitching about it. Getting $200 for free and complaining that "it aint shit" just kinda pisses me off. He told me this a couple weeks ago and I've just been stewing on it and had to vent sorry. I have no idea how long he has been on food stamps (really a debit card now) but I do know its been a long time. He doesnt work, and doesnt look for it. He did used to do odd jobs at this apartment complex but was fired. Twice that I know of. And yes he was on food stamps then also. I do see the need for food stamps for some people, just not for useless ingrates.

Howdy LoA,

I can understand how you feel. People who take as much as they can, doing as little as they can, and complain bitterly that it isn't enough.

In one respect though, the system of food stamps is a fairer way to do it. Here in Australia the unemployed get cash into the bank once a fortnight, meaning they can spend it on anything they want.

And that's apart from free health care, reduced rental public housing, travel concessions....

We've now reached the stage of some families being *third generation* welfare dependant, none of them having worked in their lives.

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be any shortage of people who will abuse any support system. The GGGGS mentality - "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, Get Stuffed"

[VulcanRider]

Originally Posted by Firestormalpha Leave him to wallow in his own self-pity. He's capable of work, but chooses to not even try and get a job.

That about sums it up. As long as mommy enables him to be a leech, he'll never change. Why should he? Do yourself a favor and ignore him. Unless he gets an expensive car, then make an anonymous tip to the authorities...