Lifestyle

Do Food Stamps Roll Over?

DO FOOD STAMPS ROLL OVER

It’s nice to know that in the United States of America, assistance is available if you need it. Whether it is for medical purposes or groceries, the government provides help through their welfare program for those who have a hard time making ends meet, depending on their income of course. Those who utilize food stamps, otherwise known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), receive a certain amount to use each month. But, what happens if you do not use all of your benefits? Do food stamps roll over? And how did food stamps begin?

The History of Food Stamps

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), President John F. Kennedy initiated food stamps pilot programs after years of attempts by others to start a food assistance plan of action, with the first one being used in 1939.

“By 1964, the pilot programs had expanded from eight areas to 43 in 22 states with 380,000 participants,” the organization states in their article, which was last updated November 20, 2014.

Once the program was made permanent in 1964, changes would occur throughout the years, both positive and negative, causing the enacting of cutbacks, recognizing the domestic hunger problem, and so on. But, during 1988-2004, the USDA mentioned that Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) was implemented, which is an electronic system hosting an account with the participant’s name where funds are deposited automatically each month. A debit-type card is provided to the recipient, which helped to reduce fraud as well as costs in printing and distributing paper stamps. We now simply refer to this as an EBT card.

Do Food Stamps Roll Over?

After doing extensive research, finding a straight answer proved to be difficult. However, here is what we found:

Each state has their own application for applying for food stamps, many being similar in following guidelines for maintaining a job (unless medically or mentally unfit to work) or losing all or some benefits should your household income increase. You are also responsible for reporting honestly to the government these changes to your income and proof of employment. Should you fail to do so, you will be subject to be banned from the program, a fine or jail time, particularly if you lie or withhold information multiple times.

Despite what many people may think or deduce, food stamps roll over will be carried over into the next month, AskTheExpert.com, a USDA online service, claims. In fact, FoodStamps.org states that even if you do not need food stamps anymore and do not use your EBT card, your SNAP benefits will remain on that card for up to one year. With no activity for a year, the state will remove the benefits from your card, AskTheExpert.com adds.

When benefits start does vary, though. States will typically go by case number, when you signed up, or the last digit of your social security number as Louisana does. You can review the full list of states on the USDA website here. How much you receive also varies and is dependent on net income of your house and household size.

In addition, FoodStamps.org also notes that in order to qualify your gross monthly household income must not exceed 130% of Federal poverty guidelines and your net monthly household income cannot exceed 100% of Federal poverty guidelines.

Going through tough times can be discouraging and defeating. The good news is that there is always hope. There are ways you can improve your credit and overall net worth. It does take time and dedication, but a supplementary income may help as well.

Have you ever had to use SNAP benefits? Did you ever have any left in a month? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or how you were able to stop using the program. 

Do You Tip House Painters?

do you tip house painters

House renovations can be exciting but equally daunting. Not to mention, they are also often time-consuming. Saving time by hiring outside help alleviates the stress of giving your home a makeover. One professional you might consider adding on to the process would be a house painter. But, it is often standard procedure to tip individuals providing a service, like you would your barber. So, do you tip house painters?

Do You Tip House Painters?

Perhaps you’ve never thought about this before, but it is a valid question. You might also wonder this if your home has high ceilings or there is a lot of ground for the painter to cover. Regardless, it’s not common practice to tip your plumber, so what is the rule of thumb for house painters?

After searching the web for a standard answer, here is what I found:

Varying Opinions

Because the painters are often employed through a company that sends them out on jobs, some people do feel tipping is justified.

“Anytime I think, ‘should I tip?’ I aways do,” one commenter said in the forum FootballGuys.com.

Another user in the same forum recommends tipping in the form of food, providing the workers with lunch, beverages, and so on.

Conversely, in another discussion group on City-Data.com, a user who hs been on both ends of the business (owner and employee) mentioned that those who go into this field do not expect to be tipped. House painting jobs begin with an agreed upon payment in advance, of which the company owner or manager determine rates based on overhead costs, labor, and profit. Of course, he adds, tips are always appreciated.

“If you think the painter is doing a job that is better than expected or that he is putting [in] extra effort, then a tip may be a nice way of showing him that you do see the extra he is doing,” he said.

Other than going above and beyond, you may also want to think about tipping when the painters complete the job early. Then, of course, the question is, “What is the appropriate amount to tip?”

How Much to Tip

If you do decide to throw in some extra cash, how much do you tip house painters? Typically, when tipping for service jobs, 15-20% is good practice. Of course, anything would be a nice surprise for the professional. As stated previously, you could also provide lunch, other meals, or a “thank you” in the form of gift cards or something similar. In hot weather, you should always offer a cold drink like ice water or lemonade out of common courtesy.

More specifically, though, a 2014 article from the Omaha World-Herald by Paige Yowell, states that the average tip for house painters is $26.

Conclusion

Tipping your house painter comes down to personal preference. A common argument is that the more we tip service professionals where it is not common practice, the more it becomes expected. Where do we draw the line? For those of us on a strict budget, the pressure to tip can become overwhelming. Therefore, if you feel compelled and are able to give a little extra, there is nothing really wrong with doing so. Otherwise, try not to stress out about it. In fact, sometimes, the company you outsource through includes a gratuity in their quote to you. Others, on the other hand, may restrict employees from accepting tips for various reasons.

Overall, tipping does encourage positive relationships. Whatever you decide to do should happen because you wanted to and not because you felt forced to.

Do you tip house painters? Comment with your thoughts below. 

Blue Apron Free Trial Review

blue apron free trial

Many evenings after a long day of work, I dread going to the grocery store. Planning to make new recipes can also be particularly time-consuming when you may not have all the ingredients already sitting in your cupboards. I heard about Blue Apron several months ago and have always been intrigued to try the program. So, when I was asked to write a review about a Blue Apron free trial, I was pretty excited (and hungry). I just finished my last recipe with them, and here is what I thought.

First, How Does Blue Apron Work?

Blue Apron sends you recipes and all the ingredients needed for them each month through their subscription program. Food is received weekly, which maintains freshness. You choose between a couple different membership options, depending on the amount of people you are looking to feed (a couple or a family of four). The company actually partners with farms to provide fresh produce to its subscribers as part of its dedication to quality and fresher food, according to the Blue Apron website. Additionally, they claim their process measures portions out a little more accurately, which helps in reducing food waste.

To get started, all you have to do is sign up. You’ll get a code for a free trail, and you will be prompted to enter in a credit or debit card to continue your meal deliveries. If you do not enter your card information, your account will be canceled within the week, but you will still receive your free trial.

The Recipes

When I signed up for my trial, Blue Apron notified me of my three defaulted recipes I’d be receiving. I had the option to switch them out for others, but I decided to keep their suggestions. After finding my Blue Apron box over the weekend, roughly five days after signing up, my boyfriend Ryan and I began planning out our meals for the next three days, which was nice because it gave us an excuse to try something new each day.

We started with the spicy shrimp coconut curry with green cabbage and rice.

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For this meal, I had to work with lemongrass, an ingredient I’ve never cooked with before. I had a little difficulty knowing whether or not I was cutting it correctly or using too much (in case you don’t know, it is a plant with a strong scent and taste). The description on the card was a little confusing, but I got through it.

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For the most part, our first night went pretty OK.

The second night, we opted for the Moroccan chicken with prunes and brown rice. I was unsure of the prunes, as I never cook with them, but I felt open to anything.

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Ryan’s cousin, Rachel, who tried Blue Apron herself last year, saw me post my leeriness of prunes on Instagram and said it was wise to trust “the Blue Apron process” because they really know what they are doing. Fair enough, I thought. Game on.

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Guys, Rachel was right. Those prunes were magnificent in this recipe.

They brought a touch of sweetness and blended right in with the sauce as if they were never once a plum nor a separate entity. You put in as much spice as you want from their conveniently prepackaged spice packet they also included in my box. Not only was it something I never made before, but it was easy to do (and my favorite of the three).

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Finally, we came to the home-style meal, and what felt like the biggest feat of all the meals in our Blue Apron free trial: the Chipotle glazed meatloaf with crispy potatoes. I don’t know what it is about meatloaf that seems overwhelming to me…perhaps that it is a loaf of meat that can go terribly wrong (and dry). But, the recipe provided through Blue Apron was none of that. In fact, it was Ryan’s favorite of all the recipes.

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It has been a long time since I have cooked or even eaten a meatloaf. So, I was a little skeptical. But, their recipe was easy to follow, and it did turn out delicious. Even the crispy potatoes were a hit (despite not having a non-stick pan big enough to fit all the potatoes).

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The meatloaf took the longest to cook, but it was worth the wait.

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Is It Worth It?

Pricing varies depending on which subscription option you choose; however, it is broken down to a weekly charge, which runs seemingly high. I wanted to outweigh the costs, so I compared my recent grocery bills to a plan.

For the two-person subscription, you receive three meals per week at $59.94 per week. For a family of four plan, you can choose two days a week at $69.92 or four meals a week at $139.84. In my case, I would pick the $59.94 plan since it is just my boyfriend and I living together. Typically every Sunday, we do our grocery shopping for the week. Sometimes we have to stop a second time in the week for quick items like produce since those go the quickest. We also run out of meat fast.

So, for my basic subscription, it’d come to $239.76. My boyfriend and I alternate on buying groceries each week, and our grocery bills come out to roughly $112 on average. That total equals $448 per month for our meals with our food budget capped at $500. Let’s say we spend $16 each day on food ($112 divided by seven). Based on the three meals a week plan, if we subtract the amount we would spend in those three days ($48 per week per month), we would actually only spend $256 on meals for the rest of the month ($448-$192). With a Blue Apron account, our total grocery bill would come to $495.76, right below our budget max.

I’m not going to lie; having all the ingredients correctly portioned and delivered to me was incredibly convenient. Despite the fact that I still had to prepare it, I feel I would be less inclined to want to order take-out or delivery since half the work would be done for me three nights a week. And, we all know how ordering food-to-go can add up.

Conclusion

The Blue Apron free trial does well in convincing me of signing up. Getting all the ingredients delivered right to your doorstep for a recipe you may have never even made before is undeniably favorable. Not to mention, their packaging is on point. From the branding to the ice packs included in the boxes, they thought of all the fine details to really make an impression on you. I do also love their overall mission in facilitating fresh food.

Nevertheless, I have quite a few friends who are moms with picky eaters for kids. They told me they would love to sign up for Blue Apron but know their kids would not eat the meals, leaving most of it wasted. During the Blue Apron free trial sign up, I could only choose from a few available recipes, so it is hard to say whether or not the recipes would also be kid-friendly in the family plan. Perhaps it is something for the company to think about in the future.

Overall, words I would use to describe Blue Apron are:

  • Convenient
  • Delicious
  • Detail-oriented

I would recommend anyone to give the Blue Apron free trial a try because you can’t go wrong with the recipes. And, if it fits in your budget, you should definitely consider joining, especially if you love trying new recipes or want to become a better cook. Plus, they offer a wine delivery subscription plan as well. Oh yes, you read that correctly. AND you get $30 off your first order by using this link. It’s definitely worth a try!

Have you ever tried Blue Apron? What were your thoughts? 

Check out Blue Apron reviews from our friends, Cleverdude and Thousandaire.