Aspirin on food stamps? Don't think so!

[jjc927]

A woman on the Uscan had just one item- a box of aspirin. She scans it and goes to pay for it with her EBT card and hits the food button. It doesn't work because... aspirin isn't food or drink. She stands there blankly after her card is rejected.

Me: Miss, how are you paying?
Woman: Food Stamps.
Me: Oh I guess you hit the food button by accident, slide the card again and hit the cash button.
Woman: But doesn't this count for food?
Me: No, only foods and drinks can be paid for by food stamps.

Her response to this?

"Well you put it in your mouth."

[Dave1982]

By that logic, you should be able to buy cigarettes with food stamps, too. Because you put those in your mouth.

[Food Lady]

You can buy gum 'cause you put it in your mouth. I did it once (was expecting to shell out cash for it andit just went through).

[Sunshine]

yeah, the food stamp rules are weird. but they TELL YOU the rules when you get the ebt card. so no excuses, unless she was asleep during....oh yeah. forgot where i was. dangit

[Amina516]

By that logic, you should be able to buy cigarettes with food stamps, too. Because you put those in your mouth.

So a gigolo would count too i guess.

[MiloMorai]

EBT must work at the liquor store too.

[Dave1982]

So a gigolo would count too i guess.

That was the first thing I thought of but I decided to restrain myself.

[ArcticChicken]

That was the first thing I thought of but I decided to restrain myself.

But where's the fun in that?

[tropicsgoddess]

An Flexible Spending Account card, yes, but EBTs...no.

[Food Lady]

yeah, the food stamp rules are weird. but they TELL YOU the rules when you get the ebt card. so no excuses, unless she was asleep during....oh yeah. forgot where i was. dangit

Well, sort of. I tried to buy one of those protein bars, and my EBT was declined. I guess it's considered a supplement, since it's merchandised with the protein powders and such. But I didn't throw a fit. I just paid out-of-pocket.

[telecom_goddess]

Food stamp rules are weird for sure. Not sure if it's still true but in the past you could use them in Subway for cold subs but not hot. And you could buy pop but not in a cup with a lid and straw. Not sure what the hell the difference is. I think the reasoning is "ready to eat" foods. But then what about cold subs? chips? cookies? etc? there are tons of things you don't have to "cook".

[taxguykarl]

Those and WIC are complicated enough without scamming SC's. An earlier incarnation of this board had a section entitled (no pun intneden) Fun with Food Stamps.

[telecom_goddess]

. An earlier incarnation of this board had a section entitled (no pun intneden) Fun with Food Stamps.

Hey I remember that!

[Jay 2K Winger]

That was the first thing I thought of but I decided to restrain myself.

Hey now, by restraining yourself, you're putting dominatrixes out of work!