Nursing Student using food stamps

caliotter3 · Jul 28, 2012

I know of someone who had to move into a homeless shelter with their kids in tow in the middle of nursing school. The person graduated. It can be done.

jhopper · Jul 28, 2012

I know other students who have had to do the same. You are working your way up - social mobility. Someday you will be making 65k a year or more and will have paid more than your share of food stamp benefits.

mzrainydayz, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2012

Hey do what you have to do to survive. I just got accepted to nursing school that starts in August and I am not ashamed to say that I also applied for food stamps, medical care card, and partial unemployment. I will only be working one day a week for five hours. I say get all the help or assistance you can that's what it's for. We are working part time and attending college to better our future, it's not like we are sitting around not doing anything and getting assistance. I was just thinking the same same thing how am I going to make this small amount of food allowance work, because I have a small child. Going from working four days to one day is stressful. But all in all I trust God and know he will see me through to the end.

WorkingTowardsBSN · Jul 28, 2012

If you learn to coupon you'll be able to save a LOT of money. I often hear people say "there are never coupons for the food we eat!" but you can constantly get toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoos/conditioner/hair products, cleaning products (and so much more) for free, and then you have more to be able to spend on your food.

Try to eat meatless meals at least once a week. Breakfast for dinner is always cheap. Meal planning will save you a TON. For example, my grocery store frequently has roasts for B1G1 free. I know that 1 roast is enough for 2-3 meals for my family, so between the two roasts I can feed us 4-6 times. We'll do BBQ beef sandwiches, spaghetti with roast meat instead of ground beef, shredded beef tacos or quesadillas, or put the meat on a salad.

The crock pot is your friend. You can get tougher (CHEAPER) cuts of meat and after cooking in the crock pot all day they'll be delicious.

FWIW, my family of 4 lives off a $120 grocery budget every 2 weeks (so $240 a month most months). When I was actively couponing, there were trips that I spent $60 for a two week period. $187 is totally do-able.

CrazziiRN913, ADN, BSN · Jul 28, 2012

i've been there...you can do it...then you graduate get a job...and they take it all back in taxes lol

Katie71275 · Jul 28, 2012

Don't worry! You do what you have to do! That is why the aid is there, so that we can use it while we better ourselves.

ToyaB · Jul 29, 2012

Hey! Welcome to Oddles of Noddles Night! I'm a mom with two young kids, going to school full time this fall, which mean leaving my job. I'm gogint to be so reliant on any kind of assistance I can get it's not even funny, but we are going to make it becasue we are survivors and of course because GOD IS JUST GOOD!!!!! How can we fail??? :w00t:We got this! Just buckle down folk and ride this bad boy out because when we're done, they ain't gonna know what to do with us! I feel like huggin' somebody right now, I'm so giddy!!! :hug:

Still Standing · Jul 29, 2012

Don't be ashamed you are doing what you have to do, and at the same time you are in school and you are going to make it just don't never give up. You should see if your local unemployment office has an WIA officer, its a grant given to students that are in health care programs at school, If you get food stamps you automatically qualify for the grant. Good luck.

Still Standing · Jul 29, 2012

Hey! Welcome to Oddles of Noddles Night! I'm a mom with two young kids, going to school full time this fall, which mean leaving my job. I'm gogint to be so reliant on any kind of assistance I can get it's not even funny, but we are going to make it becasue we are survivors and of course because GOD IS JUST GOOD!!!!! How can we fail??? :w00t:We got this! Just buckle down folk and ride this bad boy out because when we're done, they ain't gonna know what to do with us! I feel like huggin' somebody right now, I'm so giddy!!! :hug:

Hugs back at ya! :)

BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2012

It's not easy but it's NOTHING to be ashamed of. I lost my job last year and we're now living on my husband's income and my unemployment. I'm taking my son to the public health department for his immunizations instead of our doctor because it's cheaper. That's just the way it is. You'll be done before you know it and paying high enough taxes to cover anything you've ever used!! Good luck!

Stephalump · Jul 29, 2012

I'm going to go ahead and second everything WorkingTowardBSN said in her post. Although I will admit, I do not coupon and I don't plan on couponing. I did it for about 3 weeks and decided I'd rather drive my car less and save on gas money than commit to that. But I have friends who do it, love it, and save some money.

I decided to eat vegan dishes during the week to lower my meat consumption and I was blown away by the money I saved!

Also, while I do not promote shopping there at all, certain big box stores have a great price matching policy that includes food. I'm not a couponer and I'm not particularly interested in driving around to three different grocery stores to sale shop, but I can sit on the couch and look at the ads and make a list of all the sale items and have it honored at the big box store if I'm in a money crunch.

Meal planning saves me a fortune. My planner has snacks and all three meals written out so when I go to the store I do zero impulse buying, and much less food is wasted. Fridge gets cleaned out the day I make the meal plan and anything we didn't eat from the week before is automatically included in the new meal plan.

When in doubt, spaghetti is always cheap :)