I'm repulsed by the videos we all see. I don't blame anyone for being angry about this program. I want to share my experience though, because I suspect there are a lot more people like me, than those we see on the tiktok videos.

SNAP should only be for American citizens. That dovetails into other topics so I'll leave it at that.

I'm a combat veteran with several health issues. I was illegally discharged from the military, which ruined my life. I've had some heart attacks and other health problems.

I have a family member that I help. When I'm not around things go downhill. When I had a job here, just being at work was enough time for things to gradually decline. The job market in my location is awful. When I left to work elsewhere I was homeless, but I had a job. This person went back into the hospital so I came back. I've applied for over 200 jobs, most of them federal since I have a lot of federal time. Trump froze hiring and all of those jobs disappeared. Not a single call or contact. I have a master's degree, I've been published, and have applied for pretty much everything from being a veteran's service officer with the county to being a janitor. The only interview I got was for the janitor position and I didn't get hired, despite being told the interview went well. I would have gladly taken that job. When I leave this area I get calls, interviews, and offers. Here, I get nothing.

I want a job. Being on SNAP feels like being a failure at life. It's demoralizing. Health issues obviously make things worse. I rarely talk to my friends and I never see them. I don't want them to see how my life has turned out. It's embarrassing. And, I don't want to put my problems on them. They have their own lives to deal with.

I admit to feeling demoralized. I go stretches without even attempting to look for work. I admit that. The days all bleed together. Because of the job market here and my desire to take control of this myself, I've been writing some books to self-publish and I recently discovered the print on demand thing. I have three books written for self-publish. I have to edit then I can publish. The print on demand idea is sort of like a journal design, so the content is lower.

This is the most difficult stretch of my life, without question. From the discharge until now. There are no bright spots. It's just failure.

SNAP is close to $300 per month for an individual but it can be lowered if you have some money coming in. In my area, I believe you are required to start reporting your income once it surpasses $1600/month, so they can adjust SNAP amounts. I don't know if it varies by state. You can't buy hot, prepared food. So, no hot rotisserie chicken, but if it's in the cooler, it can be purchased. Generally, things with a nutrition label can be purchased but not a supplement label. You can get Red Bull but not 5hr Energy, for example, even though 5hr Energy is arguably a healthier choice. Can't get booze (I don't drink) or tobacco products (I don't do that either).

$300 is enough for one person if you don't go for high quality. I shop BOGO as much as possible. Some items like milk are never BOGO.

I purchase zero sugar soda. I will purchase things like frozen pizza. I don't purchase candy that much. I did buy some last month thinking about Halloween but I've only seen one kid in this neighborhood so I ended up eating the candy. No one knocked on Halloween. It was a dumb purchase.

I feel I need to maximize the calories per dollar ratio. That does lead me to buy things like the frozen pizza on BOGO. Last month a chip company had buy 2 get 3 for free. I got 5 bags. I bought them because of the economics. Something I've noticed is that carbs are much cheaper per calorie. The problem of course is that they are not good calories. The bottom line is that I need to have the discipline to not buy those chips, buy better food and get fewer calories.

My eating is definitely worse on SNAP than before. In principle I don't support constraints on what can be purchased. I don't want the govt getting in the business of micromanaging your life based on "this is good for you". We all know what road that eventually takes and it will go beyond just SNAP.

Some areas allow you to use SNAP for restaurant food. That seems absolutely foolish, but I understand the logic for people that are homeless. They can walk up to Taco Bell at hours when a grocery store is closed. Sometimes people talk about fraud or selling items purchased with SNAP. I've never encountered this but I'm sure it happens.

I am very grateful for SNAP. I have to be honest. My life seems ruined and I feel I have no good choices. Job market here is terrible. If I leave I know things will deteriorate for this family member and I can't have that on my conscience. However, not working makes me feel worthless and I increase my odds of work if I leave, plus I would have money to contribute. I feel as though I can't win no matter what I do. In the end, what I foresee is a life on the streets, homeless, and before various factors get me, my only way to get food will be something like SNAP.

I do believe there is only one gear in life, and that is forward. But, my forward progress seems to be awfully slow and like I said, I'm demoralized. I need a job and a purpose in life. I need something that I can look at each day and feel a sense of accomplishment. At the same time, pursuing that has gotten to feel utterly futile. With H1B, AI, etc, I don't feel good about future job prospects. I'm hoping the book thing provides a ray of hope. I want to turn things around and then frame my EBT card as a reminder of where things can go. I never thought my life would be where it is, but here I am.

I have seen it suggested that we should go back to govt cheese and so forth, as if that will serve as punishment or motivation to get off SNAP. I can't speak for everyone, but for myself, that would not motivate me at all. My life already sucks. Making me pick up a box of cheese doesn't move the needle. What motivates me is the desire to live normally once again. There is a BBQ place about 1/2 mile from here. I can smell it during the day. That is motivating - the idea that if I can just get back to normal I can go somewhere like that and live like a normal person. So, going the punishment or minimalist route will not be effective, IMO. The entitled class will make homemade, sugared soft drinks if you ban the purchase, they will dig in out of spite. People like me just want to get back to normal.

Anyway, these are my thoughts. I think most people on SNAP simply need it and are grateful for it, as I am. This is all I really intend to post here at this site. I may respond to this topic, though.

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