As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, I'd applied for SNAP (Food Stamps) and didn't have high hopes of getting approved since many moons ago I applied, during my first Black Winter Crisis towards the beginning of the 1990s, and was denied. The country was in a recession then but it was likely my age and the short term of my unemployment (only a couple of months) which played heavily into their decision, I'm sure. I really was broke then and I was living on cheap bread and peanut butter for a bit that winter. And I had to endure, gasp, downgrading to Old Milwaukee.
Well now, unemployed pretty much consecutively (not counting those two weeks last October and this horrible Monday, which I doubt I'll get paid for) for almost three years to the day may have helped Uncle Sam loose his purse strings a tad for me. Also, being almost 57 doesn't hurt, including avoiding a series of periodic checks on a recipient's work search efforts if they are under age 49. Ugh, that'd suck.
So, yeah, I got approved for $234 a month effective from mid March thru to the end of August. No interview, just a brief questionnaire detailing the economic picture I'm in and, let me tell you, as long as I leave one small, black, rectangular compartment and another even smaller wooden, felt-lined one, out of the picture, I'm in dire straits. Seriously though, if I'm going to continue on my dream of this lifestyle of enjoying my life without all the BS, I really do need this help.
I shopped using my new EBT card at Walmart and bought $149.16 worth of good, solid food. Chicken thighs, chicken breasts, pork butt roast, the country style pork ribs I enjoyed tonight, sausage, bacon, eggs, shrimp, sirloin steak, ground beef, along with fresh spinach, romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, sweet onions, cucumbers, various cheeses and a couple jars of Victoria pasta sauce and a couple pounds of imported spaghetti (at only 25 cents a pound...and it's really good...don't know why they sell it so cheap). Other than the pasta, pretty much sticking with my very low carb eating plan, healthy whole foods, no junk. And no alcohol. It's amazing how far you can make your dollar, I mean the taxpayer's dollar, stretch when you buy just the basics.
I did a revised budget and if I can continue on past August when I come up for renewal, I just might... just maybe, I might be able to stay sane and asshole workplace horror free for over two more years. By then I could start extracting from my IRA without penalty which could well hold me over until social security. As long as I stay humble and keep my head down.
Oh, and avoid those nasty vultures that would swoop down and bite the hand that feeds me.