Does having SNAP make people not care about food costs?

[icoupon2]

For the first time since he was about 6, I allowed my son to have ramen noodles this summer....I HATE them, the smell makes me sick. Those were the dark years and I never want to go back there.

:hi5: No one is allowed to cook Ramen when I am in the house.

Duh! Commute to Kentucky or Kansas (too lazy to go look back to see which one it was) or go get a lucrative job working for Andys Towing!

:giggles:

 

[lf5058]

So what's a family to do? Quit farming? TRY to sell off thousands and thousands of acres of farm land in SD that's been in the family for generations? And to whom? Independent farms are falling by the wayside. Most just shutter their operations and try to hang onto their land and their homes. Which no one else wants to buy and work either. And I noted that it has been the last few years. They are no different than anyone else. The last few years have turned all of our worlds upside down financially.

Lots and lots of peeps here have said they are $100K upside down on their mortgages. We don't pat them on the back and tell them its time to throw in the towel. When you farm you take the good years and the bad years but you keep going.

Not in the Midwest! Farm land has double its price in the last ten years. Even if you have money/financial mean to buy farm land, you have to be connected and quick!! Our relatives were out bid a couple of times last year!

 

[Clars]

And for the love of all things holy, can someone PLEASE tell me why for a country that is a trillion dollars in debt do we need to still be pumping 100's of millions into NASA?

We know the planets. We know the moon is not made of cheese. Enough space exploration already. Let's explore what better purposes that money could serve.

Do you like your cell phone? That technology was developed by NASA. Tons of scientific breakthroughs and products that we use come from funding NASA. What they develop for use in space has much more far reaching benefits. Making technology for the masses employs people from the people in the offices of the companies, to the people in the factories, to the people selling me a cell plan at Target.

It is not just going to the moon, that is just the high profile ****.

 

[lf5058]

In the 1960′s, Corning helped NASA develop heat-resistant ceramics for rocket ships reentering Earth’s atmosphere. That invention was turned into a consumer product many of us have in our kitchens: Corningware.

 

[andystowing]

So what's a family to do? Quit farming? TRY to sell off thousands and thousands of acres of farm land in SD that's been in the family for generations? And to whom? Independent farms are falling by the wayside. Most just shutter their operations and try to hang onto their land and their homes. Which no one else wants to buy and work either. And I noted that it has been the last few years. They are no different than anyone else. The last few years have turned all of our worlds upside down financially.

Lots and lots of peeps here have said they are $100K upside down on their mortgages. We don't pat them on the back and tell them its time to throw in the towel. When you farm you take the good years and the bad years but you keep going.

Agreed, I have a friend that runs a milk hauling business he lost many contracts for hauling because Mullins cheese (another HUGE producer) is buying milk for more then the smaller places will pay, so in turn Rick lost almost all of his contracts. I was talking to him and made the suggestion that he call Don Mullins directly to see what could be done, Rick signed on with Mullins as an independant trucking company. This happened in June of this year. Rick is so thankful he did that because Ricks trucks (7 trucks) now have more efficiant runs which in turn his company is making more money then he did when he was getting contracts on his own.
I know several of the independant farmers that surrounded Vandegiest farms now rent and work the land for Vandergeist. Making more then they did in the past. See sometimes on a bigger picture things that are operated more efficiantly are best for everyone. The huge guys really do control the markets, they know that Joe blows land in Nebraska will best be used for whatever and steve smiths land in Wisconsin will best be used for whatever.
Why do you think Fusts (my neighbors) went to raising sperm?? because it was the best way for them to make $. When we first moved out there they raised cows for milk, beef, chickens ect.. Losing every year I can remeber Brians dad Rodger telling me the story of one year he went to Banner banks (the same bank I use) and asked for a loan and was told no he put the keys on the desk and told Clyde (my banker) well we usually milk at 6 but you can milk whenever you want. Needless to say he got the loan. But said right then and there he knew they had to come up withsomething else. And they did sperm..

Yes it does piss me off that they don't pay much for property taxes, sales tax or anything else that they can call farm use. They have more $ then most 5 homes that are paid for says it all. I could go on but I think you see my point. It is a thrid generation farm Brian the top guy is now 49 years old.

 

[ennui]

Do you like your cell phone? That technology was developed by NASA. Tons of scientific breakthroughs and products that we use come from funding NASA. What they develop for use in space has much more far reaching benefits. Making technology for the masses employs people from the people in the offices of the companies, to the people in the factories, to the people selling me a cell plan at Target.

It is not just going to the moon, that is just the high profile ****.

Yeah, but the Jet Propulsion Lab, the folks in Houston, the folks at Cape Kennedy, etc just aren't needed as much now.

Same goes for those previously employed by places like Raytheon working on defense contracts. It has left many, many folks, esp older engineers, unemployed, with few new job prospects.

 

[andystowing]

Duh! Commute to Kentucky or Kansas (too lazy to go look back to see which one it was) or go get a lucrative job working for Andys Towing!

Snide you talk about snide. I am not ashamed of what we built. I am so sick of hearing oh so sorry but this is wrong that is wrong then ****ing fix it. And I highly doubt most could do what we do. People whine and complain about working 2 jobs ect. Ever watch deadlist catch?? those guys whine about working 30+ hours straight, you don't hear me whineing about it I may say we work our asses off and there are MANY times we are working around the clock but hey that is what we do. Yes if my drivers are willing to work they make **** good money. How many of you would be willing to work like that. You seam to see one side I have money yes not loaded but comfortable ask when I get up when I go to bed and the news I watched last night was recorded I watched at 1:00am. Dh got home at 1:30am. his day started at 5)am. What time did he get up this morning for the first call of the day 4:00am. Do we have employees yes can we abuse our drivers by calling them in at 4 and then have them work until 11 or 12 at night?? If anybody thinks that working here is easy you are dead wrong. Run outside if you live near the Mercedees dealer near Pulaski road in Chicago now and see for yourself he will be droppping off a mercedes 6oo. Then ask my driver when he expects to get to Saint Loius to pick up another mercedes 600 and then when he is going to get back here to get it to Karls so he can start the process of getting it ready to ship. Yup he found out late yesterday afternoon that this would be job for the next 2 days. So bring it. Or ask the driver that in a ice storm went to Kentucky with a trailer load of generators because the mill lost all power, or last year when we worked almost around the clock getting generators to northern Illinois because of the storms that went and took power out. Or the time I even went from Green Bay to Cedra Rapids to deliver a generator becuase of the floods?? There i s a price we pay. enough said.
You say walk in a pooor persons shoes one time I have and I will never do it again come hell or high water. period.

 

[atm123]

Late last night I was watching OWN America with Lisa Ling, she was doing a show (middle class ) she did a thing about a man in Lake Bluff Il. that was transfered here from New Jersey and lived in a big beatiful house making a 6 figure income, anyway after being in Il a few months he lost his job, he got evicted from his big house. He is on link et. his inlaws pay his rent, he uses a food bank, he works part time at a church ect. ect. His link amount I believe is 1200.00 for 6 people. His children still attend the lake Bluff school that they did when they lived in that big house.
they showed him shopping at Dominicks and when he checked out he used no coupons.
I too think that education should be enforced. He states that they only eat meat 1-2 a week. Is crazy I think when you are getting 1200.00 per month plus using a food bank.

I DVR'ed this and watched it last night. I really don't understand how one runs out of $950 worth of food stamps. He complained that he had to buy 18 our of 20 items on sale. Even without coupons you can make cheap meals (cereal, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, hot dogs, etc). It might not be the best, but I would think it would be better than going to the food pantry. Also, he was evicted from the house he was renting shortly after he lost his job, which means he had no savings. By the time you are 50 you should have some equity in your home/have it close to being paid off. Where was all the money from the sale of his house? Also, he was the executive of some insurance company so I'm thinking he wasn't at the low end of the six figure salary. Still no savings.... The only reason I felt sorry for this guy is that his in-laws paid for everyone else to fly to their house for Christmas, but didn't pay for his ticket so he had to stay home. The in-laws are mad at him and pay for the house his family is renting.

I did admire the couple who lived on a ranch. They set budgets for their food, baked their own bread which they bartered for other items, and got eggs from their hens.

 

[lf5058]

Farming is not about just farming anymore.

DH's relatives run a very sucessful farm operation. You may call it corporate farming, but the family runs it(three generation of family right now), they have about 5 employees that have worked for them for more than 20 years and hire seasonal Mexican workers during harvest.(actually, they need very few workers because it's all run by high tech farm equipment)

They started with about 100 acres leased land in the 1960s, mostly corn and raised some cattles, DH's aunt also raised chicken and delivered eggs door to door to supplement income. Today, they farm on 6000 acres, mostly corn and wheat, raise a few thousands cattles for meat. They have a subsidiary that owns a proprietary software program and ultrasound equipment for scanning the cattle. They do scanning for other farms and basically paid for the expensive equipment over the years and may be double or triple folded the investment. They used to have another subsidiary that works with John Deere (one of the sons is mechanical engineer), the daughter study crop science and another son has a MBA, they do commodity trading, using options and futures to protect themselves against price fluctuation. They own multi million dollars farm equipment, combine with GPS that run on its own! They just built a silo/bin that cost a million plus.

I always tell DH that they are sucessful for a reason. They work really really hard, have good business sense and they do not spend money like no tomorrow. These are the people that would brag about how they got a good deal for a scratch and dent at Home Depot, and would buy groceries from my stockpile.

 

[skincarekathy]

I coupon not out of a need to not deny myself, but because it/when it makes the most financial sense.

I can buy generic laundry soap a bottle at a time from the Dollar Store for $5 a bottle (lasts about a month, so 12 trips to the store), or I can buy all the quality laundry soap I need for the year for $20 using coupons, all at once, in one trip. That is just smart spending.

Sure the money gets redirected to other things, but for me personally it is not a denial of my desires issue.

I don't hand-do stuff (make bread, garden, etc) because I have to. I do this stuff because I grew up doing this stuff, I pick my battles, and honestly in this economic climate I wholeheartedly feel I need to brush up on these skills to guard against and be ready for darker days. The end result of my efforts is better quality food/goods for my family.

There are plenty of wealthy people on this board. I doubt they use coupons because they feel like they need to save the money. Using coupons is about a) the game/high/gamble or about b) husbanding resources IMHO.

 

[mrs.melton08]

Snide you talk about snide. I am not ashamed of what we built. I am so sick of hearing oh so sorry but this is wrong that is wrong then ****ing fix it. And I highly doubt most could do what we do. People whine and complain about working 2 jobs ect. Ever watch deadlist catch?? those guys whine about working 30+ hours straight, you don't hear me whineing about it I may say we work our asses off and there are MANY times we are working around the clock but hey that is what we do. Yes if my drivers are willing to work they make **** good money. How many of you would be willing to work like that. You seam to see one side I have money yes not loaded but comfortable ask when I get up when I go to bed and the news I watched last night was recorded I watched at 1:00am. Dh got home at 1:30am. his day started at 5)am. What time did he get up this morning for the first call of the day 4:00am. Do we have employees yes can we abuse our drivers by calling them in at 4 and then have them work until 11 or 12 at night?? If anybody thinks that working here is easy you are dead wrong. Run outside if you live near the Mercedees dealer near Pulaski road in Chicago now and see for yourself he will be droppping off a mercedes 6oo. Then ask my driver when he expects to get to Saint Loius to pick up another mercedes 600 and then when he is going to get back here to get it to Karls so he can start the process of getting it ready to ship. Yup he found out late yesterday afternoon that this would be job for the next 2 days. So bring it. Or ask the driver that in a ice storm went to Kentucky with a trailer load of generators because the mill lost all power, or last year when we worked almost around the clock getting generators to northern Illinois because of the storms that went and took power out. Or the time I even went from Green Bay to Cedra Rapids to deliver a generator becuase of the floods?? There i s a price we pay. enough said.
You say walk in a pooor persons shoes one time I have and I will never do it again come hell or high water. period.

Since you directed this whole rant, yet again to me, I guess I might as well respond.

You need to understand I have completely different priorities in life than you and therefore do not in any way relate to anything you are saying. My priorities in life and on this earth are my husband and my 3 children. So no I can not say what it is like to work 30 hours straight doing whatever it is you are talking about because I instead work my butt off rearing my children 24/7 and making sure my husband can work to sustain our family, making sure a meal is not missed, my work is done, my clients have my undivided attention. I dont sit back and complain about the world, I go out and try to actually foster the change.

These people who work for you like this choose to and that is fine. But somehow you seem to have this way of speaking to others that says if you do Someone has to set in an office to make all the stuff you do work and why do you constantly find the need to put those people down?

I worked my behind off in school for 10 years of college so I can comfortably be home at home and care for my family and go out and work only 10 hours a week and make $1000. Short of my brain no longer working, I will have my "skills" with me for life. This is the route I chose rather than skills that might not be as lucrative if I loose my physical health, this was my choice and I am not putting you or your workers done because you chose the former. I am self-employed, I pick what I do because I made choices to go this route. One route is not better than the other, but it constantly seems to be that you put down anyone who does not choose what you consider to be the right route.

If I never work outside the home again and my family chooses to live in this small home so that I can be. You dont hear me whining about my job that has no monetary pay and if I can survive 2 toddlers and and a teenager, homeschooling high school and working outside the home building my own practice, while getting a meal on the table....I have no doubt I can do whatever it is you are talking about. You dont hear me whining either, so go direct your disdain for all of these people you happen to just always encounter who are nothing but freeloaders to those people. I didnt say walk in a poor persons shoes...but I will say tell your workers to come try to work a week in my shoes and see how they feel then.

ETA: I was shopping at Dominicks until 9 last night (on the south side of Chicago 45 minutes from my home). Went to pick up my kids, bathe them, tuck them in, get rid of monsters, read stories, pray and get them to bed, change my husband dressings on his lgs, give him his evening IV, clean out a freezer, put the 70+ lbs of meat I got into bags and in the freezer, label it all and make sure it is also all written out on the freezer, fix my husband dinner, feed the dog and walk the dog. THEN leave and drive to Ohare at 10:15, pick up my son from his plane, drive back home in construction falling asleep numerous times because my day started at 4AM that day. Got home at 1AM, changed wet bed linens and put my 3 year old back to bed after cleaning a mattress at 3, up at 5 for prayer meeting, making breakfast, getting the dog ready for the vet appt at 7, taking my husband to the dr to have some stitches removed at 8am. Running to take some shoes to a kid who got 10 days in the juevenile center while my husband gets his titches out, then to therapy and back home to finish doing Algebra II with my son. I am actually pretty jealous of the night your husband had.

 

[icoupon2]

People whine and complain about working 2 jobs ect. you don't hear me whineing about it I may say we work our asses off and there are MANY times we are working around the clock but hey that is what we do.

So you "say it" and everyone else "whines and complains" come on....

No one is begrudging what you have built. But you seem quick to say that others don't deserve what they've built (i.e. successful farms) and that still others should abandon what they've built (farmers going through hard times).

Do farmers get government subsidies? Yes, most do. But the government has a greater say so over their businesses, their crops, the yield price for those crops etc.

That's not the same for you and your business.

 

[lf5058]

I DVR'ed this and watched it last night. I really don't understand how one runs out of $950 worth of food stamps. He complained that he had to buy 18 our of 20 items on sale. Even without coupons you can make cheap meals (cereal, peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, hot dogs, etc). It might not be the best, but I would think it would be better than going to the food pantry. Also, he was evicted from the house he was renting shortly after he lost his job, which means he had no savings. By the time you are 50 you should have some equity in your home/have it close to being paid off. Where was all the money from the sale of his house? Also, he was the executive of some insurance company so I'm thinking he wasn't at the low end of the six figure salary. Still no savings.... The only reason I felt sorry for this guy is that his in-laws paid for everyone else to fly to their house for Christmas, but didn't pay for his ticket so he had to stay home. The in-laws are mad at him and pay for the house his family is renting.

I did admire the couple who lived on a ranch. They set budgets for their food, baked their own bread which they bartered for other items, and got eggs from their hens.

I bet he has second or third mortgage on his house before the market tanked. I am not surprised at all that people who made six figure income are living paycheck to paycheck. Some people just don't have financial sense and are living well over their heads.

My in laws got really lucky that they sold their house in 2006 before the market tanked. They would have been in big trouble if they didn't, they still have two mortgages on the house and were counting on the sale of the house to finance majority of their retirment.

 

[lf5058]

I coupon not out of a need to not deny myself, but because it/when it makes the most financial sense.

I can buy generic laundry soap a bottle at a time from the Dollar Store for $5 a bottle (lasts about a month, so 12 trips to the store), or I can buy all the quality laundry soap I need for the year for $20 using coupons, all at once, in one trip. That is just smart spending.

Sure the money gets redirected to other things, but for me personally it is not a denial of my desires issue.

I don't hand-do stuff (make bread, garden, etc) because I have to. I do this stuff because I grew up doing this stuff, I pick my battles, and honestly in this economic climate I wholeheartedly feel I need to brush up on these skills to guard against and be ready for darker days. The end result of my efforts is better quality food/goods for my family.

There are plenty of wealthy people on this board. I doubt they use coupons because they feel like they need to save the money. Using coupons is about a) the game/high/gamble or about b) husbanding resources IMHO.

I use coupons because it doesn't make sense to pay more when you can get it cheaper. It's also a fun game for a math person.

I do gardening and cook from scratch not because I have to or to save money, sometime it can cost more! Like you, I used to do this stuffs growing up and think it's better quality/healthier for our body.

My neighbor and I were just talking about the 99 cents blueberries in Aldi the other day. They have some blueberry plants, just spent $100+ on netting to protect the blueberries from Japanese bettles. That's like 100 cartons of blueberries from Aldi. :lol:But, their children could pluck the berries off the branches and eat them, not have to worry about chemical.

 

[skincarekathy]

I get what Peggy is saying. There is no bailout money for her business, but the catch there is the US doesn't "need" her business per se to feed their collective families or fuel their cars.

And Mrs Melton I like you bunches and don't want to get you offended but there is one post you made where I can see why Peggy would have taken offense to it. Not your issue, just saying.

Lots of times we all have to consider who's posting, we all have our quirks.

Kumbaya! :hug:

 

[andystowing]

Since you directed this whole rant, yet again to me, I guess I might as well respond.

You need to understand I have completely different priorities in life than you and therefore do not in any way relate to anything you are saying. My priorities in life and on this earth are my husband and my 3 children. So no I can not say what it is like to work 30 hours straight doing whatever it is you are talking about because I instead work my butt off rearing my children 24/7 and making sure my husband can work to sustain our family, making sure a meal is not missed, my work is done, my clients have my undivided attention. I dont sit back and complain about the world, I go out and try to actually foster the change.

These people who work for you like this choose to and that is fine. But somehow you seem to have this way of speaking to others that says if you do Someone has to set in an office to make all the stuff you do work and why do you constantly find the need to put those people down?

I worked my behind off in school for 10 years of college so I can comfortably be home at home and care for my family and go out and work only 10 hours a week and make $1000. Short of my brain no longer working, I will have my "skills" with me for life. This is the route I chose rather than skills that might not be as lucrative if I loose my physical health, this was my choice and I am not putting you or your workers done because you chose the former. I am self-employed, I pick what I do because I made choices to go this route. One route is not better than the other, but it constantly seems to be that you put down anyone who does not choose what you consider to be the right route.

If I never work outside the home again and my family chooses to live in this small home so that I can be. You dont hear me whining about my job that has no monetary pay and if I can survive 2 toddlers and and a teenager, homeschooling high school and working outside the home building my own practice, while getting a meal on the table....I have no doubt I can do whatever it is you are talking about. You dont hear me whining either, so go direct your disdain for all of these people you happen to just always encounter who are nothing but freeloaders to those people. I didnt say walk in a poor persons shoes...but I will say tell your workers to come try to work a week in my shoes and see how they feel then.

ETA: I was shopping at Dominicks until 9 last night (on the south side of Chicago 45 minutes from my home). Went to pick up my kids, bathe them, tuck them in, get rid of monsters, read stories, pray and get them to bed, change my husband dressings on his lgs, give him his evening IV, clean out a freezer, put the 70+ lbs of meat I got into bags and in the freezer, label it all and make sure it is also all written out on the freezer, fix my husband dinner, feed the dog and walk the dog. THEN leave and drive to Ohare at 10:15, pick up my son from his plane, drive back home in construction falling asleep numerous times because my day started at 4AM that day. Got home at 1AM, changed wet bed linens and put my 3 year old back to bed after cleaning a mattress at 3, up at 5 for prayer meeting, making breakfast, getting the dog ready for the vet appt at 7, taking my husband to the dr to have some stitches removed at 8am. Running to take some shoes to a kid who got 10 days in the juevenile center while my husband gets his titches out, then to therapy and back home to finish doing Algebra II with my son. I am actually pretty jealous of the night your husband had.

Never in any of my posts did I directly point a finger at any 1 person.
And you choose your life. I wish I could have had yours I have said many times I wish I could have had kids.

Do I agree with a person on snap spending 200.00 on a cake no way.I never said anything but thought about when I read your post. I don't care how they budgeted thier FREE money it is wrong. Why should we as a society pay 200.00 for a cake??

 

[atm123]

I bet he has second or third mortgage on his house before the market tanked. I am not surprised at all that people who made six figure income are living paycheck to paycheck. Some people just don't have financial sense and are living well over their heads.

My in laws got really lucky that they sold their house in 2006 before the market tanked. They would have been in big trouble if they didn't, they still have two mortgages on the house and were counting on the sale of the house to finance majority of their retirment.

I am not really surprised either. It is hard to feel bad though for those who earn so much and then overextend themselves. It seems as though no one has any personal responsibly anymore. Yes, life is going to suck if you don't have an emergency fund and you lose your job. You chose to live it up instead of saving...

 

[andystowing]

So you "say it" and everyone else "whines and complains" come on....

No one is begrudging what you have built. But you seem quick to say that others don't deserve what they've built (i.e. successful farms) and that still others should abandon what they've built (farmers going through hard times).

Do farmers get government subsidies? Yes, most do. But the government has a greater say so over their businesses, their crops, the yield price for those crops etc.

That's not the same for you and your business.

I have to deal with more government agencies then you would ever think.
we get department of transportation inspections 1 time a year, we get state audits for workmans comp, we get federal motor carriers audits, the list goes on and on. There are also federal standards for the price we can charge. Another thing not know the government also sets our prices for tows done for banking and lending institutions, and storage fees.Also we can not charge the state or any government agency any money for inspections (when there is a fatality accident and they (saftey, transportation ect) need to perform inspections at my shop they need for me to provide them with a wrecker and operator for thier inspections this can take 4-12 hours) I know most think of a towing company as the fat cigar smoking guy sitting on a rusted out truck as the image of a towing company sorry it is not at least in our case.

 

[icoupon2]

I have to deal with more government agencies then you would ever think.
we get department of transportation inspections 1 time a year, we get state audits for workmans comp, we get federal motor carriers audits, the list goes on and on. There are also federal standards for the price we can charge. Another thing not know the government also sets our prices for tows done for banking and lending institutions, and storage fees.Also we can not charge the state or any government agency any money for inspections (when there is a fatality accident and they (saftey, transportation ect) need to perform inspections at my shop they need for me to provide them with a wrecker and operator for thier inspections this can take 4-12 hours) I know most think of a towing company as the fat cigar smoking guy sitting on a rusted out truck as the image of a towing company sorry it is not at least in our case.

Is that really your impression of what our collective impression of you and your business is Peggy? You keep saying things like this. We don't all think you are sitting on a mountain of money smoking a cigar. No one (to my knowledge) is jealous of you, or begrudges you any success. It's actually kind of insulting that you are implying that there is a whole lotta ill will towards you for what you have. No one thinks you don't work hard or deserve the fruits of that labor.

 

[skincarekathy]

There may be people who think that way about her business, they may just not be here.

When you run a business, there is always a lot of pent up frustration. I can't tell you how many times a week someone says to me some version of "hey you are so lucky you're rolling in it and don't HAVE to WORK......." and so on. Why do you only pay THIS, I know you are selling it for THIS... that type of thing. How many times I would just love to say hey, if you're the expert and it's your stuff, then YOU sell it! LOL. I would not say that to people here on purpose because I don't have issues with people here, my issues are more IRL people, but if something sparks my **** button, then...

Sometimes that frustration just builds up over time, then gets sparked by a discussion and is simply projected on the available audience. I know I do it!

:giggles: