Thank you, and I'm pleased to meet you, iam124c.

I never heard Psalm 23 spun quite that way before. Clever work, starguy.

Obama is my Shepherd; I shall not work.
He maketh me to lie down and watch Oprah:
He leadeth me beside the still factories.
He restoreth my bling:
He leadeth me in the paths of idleness for Barrack's name sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the sharing of the wealth,
I will fear no workfare: For thou art funding me;
Thy ghat and thy blade, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of people who actually produce;
Thou annointest my teeth with gold;
My pipe runneth over.

Surely rebates and Earned Income Credits shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Obama forever.

Not to come down al biblical, but "As you sow, so shall you reap" Or, "The road to hell..." etc. Like Obama's second term -- we did it to ourselves. OK, not you and me, but the good-hearted fools who wanted to do something about poverty, who didn't want little kids to starve, but who couldn't see beyond the immediate what the results of their generosity would be. Besides, they had other problems in the 60s. Since the USA is unique in history, there's no way to tell whether the country can be salvaged, but it sure doesn't look good.

I don't have a website but I am compiling a book. It will be a sort of "Cheapskate's A-Z", but definitely not like similar books that have been around forever--no "extreme couponing" or techniques the average person could not use. It's going to be a while before it is finished. I want it to be the proverbial "1001 ideas" and am not quite there. I do hope to have the material assembled by the end of the year.

A somewhat surprising source of information: people who live in low-rent housing. In my area, that means a lot of young couple "starting out", students, and disabled people (definitely not "the projects" though there are similarities at times). These folks learn by doing--often because they don't have enough money to do anything differently. I've also gotten a lot of material from "old timers" and from growing up in a farming area (and doing a certain amount of farm work). The whole thing will be written from the point of view of those who, when faced with a problem, solved or repaired it. Cell phones are wonderful things and yes, they can be a money-saving tool. But they are no replacement for the human mind.

I have thought of organizing a Facebook group for people to exchange ideas. For the moment, I am concerned about what that might do to copyright status of my material. Then again, facts cannot be copyrighted. There will, however, be a lengthy chapter on attitude and general approaches which will be necessary to get the most out of the "helpful hints".

Wow, Dave, great point of view piece. I was really poor for a time - lived off $1.65 per day back in 1986 (for me and a big black lab). I was not on foodstamps because I had just gotten a job and I knew that if I were careful I could dig myself out of the economic hole I was in (and it never actually occurred to me...though it probably would have if I had remained on that budget much longer).

Do you have a website so that we can take advantage of your grocery bang-for-buck expertise?

Jan

Jbrenner, as usual you are dead on target & ;>)

Food stamps/SNAP can be used to buy fruit and vegetable seeds to grow your own food. I wonder if anyone has ever used them for this purpose? Anyone with access to a rooftop or a lawn can cobble up some sort of a garden.

The modern-day EBT program is not what it was. Originally, only America-made products were eligible, providing an indirect subsidy to American agriculture and food-related industries. That is no longer true--indeed, I'm not sure if it would work, since store shelves are packed with foreign-made products. Mind, staples, meat, dairy, produce (at least some of it), etc. would all be eligible. Isn't that the basis of a healthy diet?

Food stamps could not originally be used to purchase "junk food" and soda. This could be re-implemented by making taxable items ineligible. Would you believe you can buy bottled water with an EBT card? And I don't think anyone "needs" diet soda.

I am not an advocate for government subsidies of any sort. But since we have one that is already in existence, why not begin by modifying the program so it is used to maximum benefit (nutrition) and so that the money spent goes, as much as may be possible, to American producers? Surely the net cost would go down, a benefit to every taxpayer.

I was on food stamps at one time, back in the day when they were "food stamps" and came in little booklets. I was seriously ill and unable to work, but I do remember how much pride evaporated each time I pulled out those little books of coupons. As soon as I was able I was back on my financial feet again.

EBT cards look pretty much like credit cards and it's not that obvious when someone is using one. I see no reason to overtly shame people who genuinely need a "hand up". But I do wonder how many receiving EBT/SNAP benefits regard them as an entitlement and, as the article cited here describes, an essential part of life. A man is quoted in the article as being angry because he was planning a picnic and wanted to buy hamburger and go-withs. How much does a few pounds of hamburger, buns, and some condiments cost? Evidently he had a way to get to the picnic and a way to cook hamburgers. Did he truly have no money to buy them?

I now give informal workshops (and often work one to one with people), open to anyone, on how to get the most bang for your grocery buck, how to take advantage of bargains you probably never imagined existed....in short, how to live on less than a shoestring if need be. They are free of charge. I do not regard it as a sacrifice of my skills. There was a time when the community bought me food. I believe I have a debt to repay, and I am paying it.

...and THEY are the victims?!?
This is the end-of-the-road for this country.
50 years of generational dendency coupled with a disconnect between ownership and achievement...(as if what I own fell like manna from heaven and I was just "lucky" enough to be there when it fell .......).
My husband says that when they seize our property it will take 5 years or less before it looks like Starnesville.

On p. 769 of AS, Francisco d'Anconia and John Galt are having a conversation. "John, could we notify those outside (the Gulch) that Dagny is alive ...?" Galt responds, "Do you wish to give any outsider any relief from the consequences of remaining outside?" Sorry, Robbie, but in a Galtish world, bubbles get popped.

Martial law is his goal. He wants it so bad he
can taste it. The p...k of all p...ks....And doesn't
he always get his way??? Have always felt
this p...k is unstoppable. GOD help America!

Many of them are too lazy to vote, but that is why Democrat get-out-the-vote campaigns actually drive moochers to the polls.

Don't feed the animals for they will become dependent. Same holds true for capable people. We are seeing the results of generations of people that have been fed via handout and have lost their ability to survive through their own ability.

Um...noooo...they're only too lazy to WORK, or have a vested interest in the betterment of their own lives.

One of many great lines from The Golden Pinnacle. :)

Well said, straightlinelogic. That was one of my favorite parts of your book, but also one of the most scary. I can't think of anything that could be said that is more contradictory to Ayn Rand values than what Lady Barrows said in your book. You personified the evil of the welfare system.

The real reason for welfare, from The Golden Pinnacle:
"It's not enough, to simply dispense charity to the poor," Mr. Palos said. "They must be taught skills, so that they can acquire jobs and help themselves."
Lady Barrows said, "If you give a man a fish, you must give him another on the morrow, but teach him to fish, and he'll feed himself for his lifetime."
Eleanor approached the group and placed her hand on her daughter's arm. "Excuse me for interrupting, dear, but I was wondering if I could impose upon you to play the piano."
"I'd love to hear you play!" Palos said with too much enthusiasm.
Laura smiled shyly. "Yes, I'll play, Mother." Palos in tow, she went to the grand piano in a corner of the drawing room. Palos sat in the closest chair. Mrs. Durand shepherded the knots of people, and Lady Barrows was again alone with Will.
She smiled. "I didn't have an opportunity to finish that old fish adage."
"What's that?"
"Once you've taught that man to fish, he might be better at it than you and drive you out of business. Therefore, it's better to give him his fish a day until his initiative and industry are destroyed and he's dependent upon you. Then you've eliminated the threat."
Will smiled. They understood each other.

EBT is an attempt to hide reality. A = A. BTW, I loved your acronym tirade.

As I have said previously, Obama's greatest skill is a Moe (Three Stooges) Howard-like eye poke.

And how long it takes to riot... how quick martial law can be enacted... It's all false flag practice. Studying the masses? (Will they revolt if we have the IRS target them and then play stupid and say our dog ate our emails. Will they revolt if we ignore an ambassador and his men while they're being attacked and killed and respond with false promises and then crazy shit like "at this point what difference does it make" while being questioned by congress? If we raise gas prices to 15 bucks a gallon. Will they revolt if we shut them off? If we stop electricity?
It's all a toe in the water. And no one makes any waves about it...(the only ripple has been from the threats of moochers...i-fuckin-ronic ain't it?)

Yes, LetsShrug, we had this discussion before, and you remember it accurately.