WIC..pay for each item separately?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll never forget the time that my family "adopted" a family for the holidays. We were so excited and went shopping and got them all this food and gifts (per the guidelines of the program that we participated in). Anyway, we all went over to their home right before Christmas to deliver all the stuff. We pull up to their nice house, walk through the doors as they tell us to just "put it in the kitchen" and walk past their leather couches and huge big screen tv. They never said thank you and we were there all over maybe 60 seconds. It was so sad.

Oh, so what? Were you expecting balloons and groveling thank yous? To name one of their children after you? Maybe they were embarrassed at having to ask for a hand-out or help. You can't understand that?

Look, you have NO idea why they needed that meal. None. Those programs have standards of eligibility. You can't just sign-up w/o some proof of need.

And, even if they technically should not have qualified, so what? Why are you so concerned w/ someone else getting something for free? There are bad apples in every program, every segment, every demographic.

[Anonymous]

I was in line at a grocery store a few years ago and there was a young mom trying to buy food and formula for her little one. It was freezing out and she wanted to get all that was on the list so she would not have to go out again. Some of the items were not on her wic check and she couldn't exactly pay for all of it with cash so I picked up the tab. She asked me for my address so she could pay me back and as assitant on it. I checked out and found her with the baby walking in the snow. I offered her a ride. I drove her up to a crappy little trailer. Two weeks later I opened my college mail box and there was the money and a thank you note. I was in college in the middle of southern west virginia. I spent 12 dollars and kept her and the baby out of 0 degree weather.

I probably wouldn't do it here but I had a strong feeling I wasn't in harms way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Please do not end sentences with a preposition. [b] You should also try to improve your limited vocabulary in referring to goods for which there is no charge. Do you eat with this mouth or kiss your children? Wash your mouth out with soap.

Please consult your grammar manuals or whatever you're relying on for this statement. This is no longer an absolute rule. Even the "classics" like Strunk and White have concluded as such.

NP.

It may be true that grammar manuals are relaxing the rules on prepositions at the end of sentences. But no authority yet approves the particular case that you wrote. Even today, it is grammatically incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This cranky hag and her husband paid cash for our new car.
no car note . . .

My $800/month goes toward our children's tuition instead.

Cranky Hag - I like it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an adult, I'd never take that as a gift.

Be an adult and pay for it yourself.

Why?

I am not as old as some of you cranky hags so I don't see anything wrong with it.

Drive my old car that keeps breaking down, go into debt just to prove myself, or accept a generous offer.....hmmm tough choice.

I like my car and my debt free status.

Enjoy your $800 a month car payments. I'm glad I can use my money on other things.

And like I said...you are probably a lot older than I am.

It's called pride! Don't you have any? This is what is wrong with a lot of people - younger or older. I just turned 36 - not sure if I fall into the ole' hag category according to you, but your attitude is disgusting. We didn't have a lot growing up and I learned from my parents that even when you don't have a lot you work your ass off and be happy and proud of what you do have. I don't expect help from anyone and would never take something a expensive as a car from anyone and then have your attitude about it.

I think some of us ole' hags have used better life planning skills than you. I know that at any moment everything can be taken from you, but with your lazy attitude you will never get ahead in life. I just hope I can raise my kids to not be like you. I've never expected anything from my parents or any relatives in terms of large gifts - cars, wedding, college, house, etc. My DH and I have paid for everything we have and are damn proud of it.

You sound bitter.

Get some sunshine.

I'd say I have great life planning skills if I could realize that at 22 years old, I don't need to go into debt buying a new car. Especially when someone was offering to replace my clunker. For what? Some foolish pride? I was just getting my life started- why start off behind if I didn't have to?

That doesn't make me lazy. Just because I had help, that doesn't mean that I "expected" my car to be replaced. It was a generous offer and I accepted it. The point was that you can't judge my financial situation from the car I drive because I did not pay for it.

But really, I suspect you just want to vent because it seems as if you missed that point.

BTW, it's not really someone's age that makes them a cranky hag, it's the attitude.

How in the world do you get that I am bitter from my response? I'm not bitter in the least, just hoping my kids don't grow up to be like you. It would sadden me.

I have plenty in my life - both happiness and material things. I have been happy with nothing and happy with everything we have now and even happier knowing that my DH and I did it all with hard work and solid life planning. I would still judge you by the car that you drive. If you bought some fancy car and now can't afford it, bad planning. If you were gifted a car expensive enough for someone to judge you on then it also seems irresponsible that you would accept a gift so expensive when you can't afford the basic such as food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It depends. I havent been on it in around 6 months. I stopped going because, even though we qualify I hate the whole experience. But when I was going they broke it down into checks for each person on the program and then further into categories: I had checks for food items as a nursing mother until DS was 12 months, then I had milk on a separate check. Then DS got checks with food on it, and separate checks for his milk. THEN DD got checks with her food allotment and separate checks with milk.

And to make it even more fun, when DD was an infant, she stopped nursing at 6 months. So it was my checks, DS's and then DD got separate checks just for formula and then separate checks with just Baby cereal, and another set of checks just with baby juice.

All that on top of the aggravating and dehumanizing experience I had every frakking time I had to go to the WIC center to recertify for checks and I said screw it. My husband doesn't understand, but then he never had the pleasure of going with me.

So, you deny your children the nourishment the need because of your false pride? Humility is a lesson most of us have to learn in life and it seems that you are still arrogant and too good to use services that will give your children food. Don't worry, one way or another, you will learn humility.

You know what? Screw you. It's called having a budget, cutting coupons, buying things off brand and on sale, foregoing updating my wardrobe except to get rid of frumpy maternity crap, living with dents on my car because who cares how it looks as long as it runs well, foregoing replacing things that were destroyed in a recent basement flood unless they were absolutely necessary, signing my kids up for medicare - another head bangingly frustrating process - since it would cost $500 more than we can afford to put them on DH's employer's insurance .... I could go on. You don't know me or the first thing about my family, so I'd appreciate you not judging or lecturing me about how to raise my children. Be assured that my children want for nothing and I do indeed know the meanings of the words Humility, Economy and none of the 3 posts I've made to this thread have been to invite anyone's pity or anything at my circumstances. My point was to illustrate that not everyone is trying to game the system, and that if they are, they must have the patience of Job. It's not as easy as showing up somewhere, sticking your hand out, and saying *Where the free shit at?*

Please do not end sentences with a preposition. You should also try to improve your limited vocabulary in referring to goods for which there is no charge. Do you eat with this mouth or kiss your children? Wash your mouth out with soap.

Really? REALLY? Your only response to me is to disparage my use of grammar? I wasn't expecting an apology, but I was expecting a better response than grammar snobbery. And for the record, ignoring the message of a post to complain about grammar or mock a poster's punctuation or lack thereof, is a tacit admission that you're a flaming troll who loves to sow misery and discord all over the Interwebz yet lacks the wit to do so effectively. I have an excellent vocabulary which I mostly utilize when filling out official forms, writing professional letters, resumes, or in my personal writing. Unlike you, I don't feel the need to use it to make myself appear superior in an argument on an informal social site. If it bother's you that much....... well tough titties, sweetheart. We all have our crosses to bear in this life, be glad yours is so insubstantial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lincoln Navigator!?!?!?
That annoys me.
I don't have a Lincoln Navigator - and I would love one. Maybe if I cheated the system, I too could afford one.

UGH

15:32 here. And how do you know that's what she's doing? I worked, and paid taxes, for 16 years before I had kids and had to sign up for WIC. If the experience of getting checks wasn't so frustrating, and the choices so limited and in some cases unhealthy (I can't have Giant brand organic apple juice, but JUICY JUICE is OK!?! Really?), I'd have no problem taking everything I could get out of the system. I paid enough into it, now that I need help the system can damn well pay me back.

You sound bitter for someone who is getting something for free! You may not think it's for free because you "paid" into it for 16 years, but there are many people who pay into the system for many more years than that and don't ever get anything back. You sound ungrateful!! It people with this attitude- "I'd have no problem taking everything I could get" - that hurt the system.

I've never been on WIC, but my sister has been and while I understand the system's not perfect she actually APPRECIATED the help and busts her ass every day to stay off welfare now that the kids are a little older. She takes what she needs for now, but understands it's help while she's getting on her feet.

Well you and your sister can have my share because I'm not in the program any more. If our fortunes take a dip again, who knows? Right now, I'd rather find other ways to cut corners and live within our means than put up with the government headaches that go along with the help. As far as having an attitude of taking all I could get, you are very much mistaken. I paid into it for years, and very much hope to be into a position to be paying into it again. When I needed it the most (for formula) it was a wonderful resource, even if it came with a bunch of hassles. As far as taking everything I can get...... I probably qualified for foodstamps and cash assistance. In fact they asked me about it point blank at WIC but I didn't think our situation was that desperate. We still had a roof over our heads and DH still had a job.

What I wish I had known was that the county has some kind of reimbursement program for those who can't afford childcare.

As far as being bitter, its more frustration at the inflexibility of the program. When I left it seems that regulations had changed. There were new choices for things like whole wheat bread, but it was only 100% stone ground. Tortillas could only be whole wheat or corn. At our house ww tortillas are a non starter, but at my supermarket out of all the brands of corn tortillas, none were on the approved list. One of the good things was that in the summer there were vouchers for fresh produce from farmers market and iirc there was a check for up to $6 worth of vegetables at the supermarket. I shouldn't have to tell anyone that $6 won't go very far. I think that would maybe cover a few bananas, 8oz of button mushrooms, a green pepper and maybe there'd be a little leftover for an onion. So I could make an omelet and maybe give the baby bananas. No organics, which I understand since they tend to be more for less sometimes. But diary is milk and cheese, and the allowable options included processed cheese slices? Why no yogurt?

[Anonymous]

Just FYI, you don't have to be poor to qualify for WIC or medicaid. My good friend has a developmentally delayed 3 year old. Her husband makes upper 6 figures and she stays at home in their $1M+ house.

As a result of her child's delay, he gets Medicaid (it pays for ALL his medical expenses, including unrelated things like ear infections, not just therapies. Anything their insurance doesn't cover, it pays. They are out of pocket NOTHING, not even copays.) She also gets WIC, but only for items for the affected child. He also gets free county preschool. BUT the real kicker is that she gets 42 hours per week of FREE (county paid) childcare.

She files for all of these benefits legally and completely truthfully - this is just how the system is set up right now. I don't agree with it at all, but if she is eligible, I guess she'd be silly not to take it. I still find it really frustrating given how much money they make.

[Anonymous]

https://www.angelfoodministries.com

If you are struggling from time to time try this organization anyone can use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just FYI, you don't have to be poor to qualify for WIC or medicaid. My good friend has a developmentally delayed 3 year old. Her husband makes upper 6 figures and she stays at home in their $1M+ house.

As a result of her child's delay, he gets Medicaid (it pays for ALL his medical expenses, including unrelated things like ear infections, not just therapies. Anything their insurance doesn't cover, it pays. They are out of pocket NOTHING, not even copays.) She also gets WIC, but only for items for the affected child. He also gets free county preschool. BUT the real kicker is that she gets 42 hours per week of FREE (county paid) childcare.

How do you mean this? He gets free preschool AND also another 42 hours per week of childcare??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just FYI, you don't have to be poor to qualify for WIC or medicaid. My good friend has a developmentally delayed 3 year old. Her husband makes upper 6 figures and she stays at home in their $1M+ house.

As a result of her child's delay, he gets Medicaid (it pays for ALL his medical expenses, including unrelated things like ear infections, not just therapies. Anything their insurance doesn't cover, it pays. They are out of pocket NOTHING, not even copays.) She also gets WIC, but only for items for the affected child. He also gets free county preschool. BUT the real kicker is that she gets 42 hours per week of FREE (county paid) childcare.

She files for all of these benefits legally and completely truthfully - this is just how the system is set up right now. I don't agree with it at all, but if she is eligible, I guess she'd be silly not to take it. I still find it really frustrating given how much money they make.

In some states, if a child is eligible for Medicaid, he is also elibigle for WIC assistance. I find it difficult to believe that someone making upper 6 figures income finds it worthwhile to go through all the hassle just to get the free government cheese. They might not be doing as well as you think -- or, they might have all sorts of expenses for therapy, etc. It is expensive having a special needs child. Or can be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And this is WHY staying at home can potentially harm the entire family.

Anonymous wrote:Cheating the system... how?

My sister was 8 months pregnant, had a 2 year old and a 5 year old, and was a SAHM when her husband, a government lawyer who had just started his new job (at trainee pay for 6 months) was about to be laid off due to budget problems. At the last minute they found the money to hire him and some other lawyers, but only part time. Well part time trainee salary, even for a lawyer, was minimal enough that my pregnant sister and her kids qualified for WIC and they got some free milk, cheese and eggs. WOW! The hassles they had to go through -- people were nice enough, but the process was demeaning to her and the other "cleints"of the program -- asi fthey were idiots, when all they were, was poor.

All for some $40 worth of free dairy products. There's no way anyone could use this assistance to get rich and buy an expensive car.

Well, fair enough. In her situation, both she and her husband had been employed in a different city. He got the new job offer when she was about 6 months pregnant -- they both quite their jobs, moved to the new city to have him take the job offer... and she didn't immediately look for work, being pregnant and all. Shame on her, of course.

Still, they managed to get by. Although they were quite poor for about 6 months, she says in some ways it was a wonderful experience. Not the WIC parts, but being home with the kids and having her husband home part time as well. He and she both got to see their children a lot more than they had, when they were both working. Although they didn't have a lot of money, they were able to do frugal things and enjoy each other's company.

And when the third baby was born, of course she went back to a new job, as soon as the baby was old enough for daycare.

[Anonymous]

I'm the poster that talked about the Christmas family and a simple thank you would have made it a lot better. I'm sorry but no matter how embarassed they might have been (which they clearly didn't seem embarassed with their smug attitudes) it's not too embarassed to have simple manners and say thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How in the world do you get that I am bitter from my response? I'm not bitter in the least, just hoping my kids don't grow up to be like you. It would sadden me.

I have plenty in my life - both happiness and material things. I have been happy with nothing and happy with everything we have now and even happier knowing that my DH and I did it all with hard work and solid life planning. I would still judge you by the car that you drive. If you bought some fancy car and now can't afford it, bad planning. If you were gifted a car expensive enough for someone to judge you on then it also seems irresponsible that you would accept a gift so expensive when you can't afford the basic such as food.

Hey lady. I don't know what's going on in your life, but it sounds to me like you should hope your kids don't grow up to be a twaffle like you who goes around judging people by the car they drive. Do you only judge people who have a better car than you, or are you one of those "hard workers" who judges people who have a car that you wouldn't be caught dead in?

It would sadden me to have more little twaffles running around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And this is WHY staying at home can potentially harm the entire family.

Anonymous wrote:Cheating the system... how?

My sister was 8 months pregnant, had a 2 year old and a 5 year old, and was a SAHM when her husband, a government lawyer who had just started his new job (at trainee pay for 6 months) was about to be laid off due to budget problems. At the last minute they found the money to hire him and some other lawyers, but only part time. Well part time trainee salary, even for a lawyer, was minimal enough that my pregnant sister and her kids qualified for WIC and they got some free milk, cheese and eggs. WOW! The hassles they had to go through -- people were nice enough, but the process was demeaning to her and the other "cleints"of the program -- asi fthey were idiots, when all they were, was poor.

All for some $40 worth of free dairy products. There's no way anyone could use this assistance to get rich and buy an expensive car.

Well, fair enough. In her situation, both she and her husband had been employed in a different city. He got the new job offer when she was about 6 months pregnant -- they both quite their jobs, moved to the new city to have him take the job offer... and she didn't immediately look for work, being pregnant and all. Shame on her, of course.

Still, they managed to get by. Although they were quite poor for about 6 months, she says in some ways it was a wonderful experience. Not the WIC parts, but being home with the kids and having her husband home part time as well. He and she both got to see their children a lot more than they had, when they were both working. Although they didn't have a lot of money, they were able to do frugal things and enjoy each other's company.

And when the third baby was born, of course she went back to a new job, as soon as the baby was old enough for daycare.

Oh nuts to that poster. You don't need to justify your sister's staying home to that salty cow or anyone else for that matter.

[Anonymous]

Different people have different values - some budget very well and use their money wisely regardless of their income or not but that makes no difference on benefits as when it does people just put the cars and fancy belongs in someone else's name - problem solved.

As for the time it takes in line - I'm a huge couponer - how is wic checks any different from the manuf. formula checks or regular coupons that take a while - they are such a help.

As for wic or food stamps - I don't care how humbling or nasty staff is and I know as I used to work in those offices and lost my job having my son as my boss would not let me come back (so yes I really know) as I needed to take 2 more weeks of my annual leave as my day care which she recommended changed my start date due to my son's medical issues (medical day care) - we'd take it in a heart beat as I spend $250+ a month on formula as my son can only take a specific type of liquid/actually we had to mix two when he was younger and are just now getting him off the meds at one but need to keep him on formula. Food stamps for three would be several hundred more than I'd spend on food and I could really stockpile when you combined that with my coupons.