The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal nutrition program that provides low-income people and families with benefits that allow them to shop for food at participating merchants around the country.
Though the particular benefits vary by state, a household’s income must be at or below 130 percent of the poverty level to be eligible. That works up to about $1,830 per month for a household of three.
While SNAP payments offer much-needed food assistance, inflation is already driving up the cost of foods and services, affecting SNAP recipients more than the typical family. We spoke to several professionals about how to get the most out of your SNAP benefits in this article.
Seeds or seedlings can be purchased.
According to Gerrid Smith, Director of E-commerce at Joy Organics, one method to stretch your SNAP funds is to buy food-growing seeds or plants that generate food. “This is permitted under the program’s rules and has the potential to stretch your budget a bit farther than it would otherwise. This is a great step toward food sovereignty, and it has the potential to be the most profitable investment choice available right now.”
Make a grocery list.
Making a shopping list, rather of buying on impulse, “can help you to buy exactly what you require and avoid overpaying at the store,” according to Ricardo Pina, a money expert and founder of The Modest Wallet. “You may use the shopping list function in Fresh EBT to figure out how much is in your basket by adding prices to products as you add them to your cart, or you can use the calculator app on your phone.”
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Look for Meat Specials.
“Look for the manager’s deals on meat,” says Caleb Chen, a financial preparedness advocate at Am I Prepped? If your family eats a lot of meat, “look for the manager’s specials on meat.” “Avoid beef; instead, purchase pork and fowl,” he adds. Specifically, 10-pound sacks of chicken quarters, which have increased in price by more than 15% yet are still available for less than $1 per pound across the country.”
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Walmart’s Clearance Items may be found here.
“Always have their discount shelves positioned near the dairy area,” Chen adds of Walmart, which is already a low-cost store.
Costco should not be overlooked.
Costco may not be the first place that comes to mind when considering SNAP benefits, but according to Chen, they accept EBT and provide bulk grocery discounts, allowing you to save money.
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Small, individually wrapped items should be avoided.
Individually packaged things are frequently more costly, according to Provider.com. Instead, they suggest purchasing larger quantities of food and wrapping them yourself. If the food is about to expire, try freezing what you won’t be able to consume right away.
