Mergath Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 You feel that way because we disagree. Some don't like the conservative view (not speaking of the political conservative here, but rather the lifestyle) so I don't expect you to agree with me. I do know that if we are ever on FSs, I would be happy to have them (although I would utilize churches first and the government last) and I would jump through whatever hoops I had to to feed my kids with money other people worked for. Your offense doesn't change the fact that anything "given" by the government was taken from someone else. Most people have no problem helping others, or giving a hand up. It's the continual handout that has become a problem, and the fact that many people are comfortable continuing to take from others forever. No, I feel that way because the "poor people suck and should have to live on dried beans and the juice out of pickle jars" posts were about seven pages back. The "poor people are lazy thieves, whereas I am a hardworking bucket of self-righteous awesome" were several pages back, as well. Instead of regurgitating it all again, why don't you just skim pages one through ten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I am not usually a violent person but.... DIE THREAD DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish there was a way to actually block a thread so that I don't even have to read the title any more. UGH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 FWIW, if the cashier is having to memorize lists and scrutinize to see if a given item qualifies, and is embarrassing the customer and causing delays, the store hasn't done their job up front. When you add new items to a POS system, there's a checkbox for "WIC eligible" and for quite a few other things. The look up has to be done exactly once, when the item is put in, and never again, and since the items HAVE to put put in by someone, it makes no sense to not do so automatically. And, if they're going with a standard software package with customizations for their specific needs, most of the WIC eligible items will already be coded into the software, and updated when the company gets their newest version as part of their contract-because there will be someone, back at the company that made the software, who is programming in those codes, so it's not even up to the local store in most cases. The only thing that requires an extra step is something like loose produce or deli cheese, where the amount is variable, and that can be automated using a local kiosk/printer if a store desires. It would also be a simple matter, in stores that already have bar code scanners available to do price checks for customers, to have those scanners label items as "WIC eligible" so that the customer can check, right then, if that particular jar of Peanut butter is going to come out as eligible at the cash register. Not all stores have these, but many of the larger chains do, because it's simply not time-efficient to be doing price checks at the register or to have customers realize, at the register, that they can't pay for what they've picked up-particularly not when you're talking perishable items. If the system is automated to the extent that most are, there's NO excuse for a customer being embarrassed by using Food Stamps or a WIC check-they should be able to run their groceries through just as if they were paying with a credit card, scan their benefits card, and have it pay what is eligible, just as if they were using pre-loaded coupons on a store discount card, and then give them a bottom line that needs to be paid with another form of payment-because, ultimately, that's all WIC or food stamps are for the store-another form of payment. Things are much easier because of automation now. It's been 25+ years since I worked as a cashier. It was all on paper lists then. However, the store where I worked (a Safeway) and other stores in the area, usually had "WIC approved" labels either on the actual price tags or on another shelf label with the appropriate products, which was helpful to people shopping. WIC had far fewer items approved back then than they seem to now, though. That's a big improvement, too. As I recall, WIC used to be very limited and could really only be called a very modest food supplement program. I realize it's still just a supplement, but it has a lot more capacity now than it used to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 WIC here is paper checks with what is allowed per each recipient printed on the check. The cashier has to look at each item to be sure it matches what is on the check. So if a check says milk (2% or 1%) they have to be sure it's not whole or skim, even if that type of mik is allowed by WIC, it's not allowed for that recipient. If a customer grabs the wrong milk on accident or the wrong product, that's when the cashiers(IME) sometimes get unfriendly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaddon Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Having a society that generally eats unhealthy, tell one that is on food stamps what is healthy seems absurd. How do they know a family isn't on a special diet because of an illness or dealing with food allergies? How can you judge the person in front of you with a nice purse/nice clothing and not know what personal hell they are going through? How do you know that they haven't just lost everything they held dear and are struggling? What if a woman in a nice coat with a coach purse walks up to pay for a cart of groceries with food stamps and you judge her, only to find out that she has lost her husband and was the mom staying at home with no means to work? How do you know that the person paying for a cake is only able to give her daughter a princess cake for her birthday and nothing else? That is her only way to make that day special? Should her daughter suffer? What if the candy they are buying is the only gift that Santa will be bringing this year? What if the person's husband was disabled in war? How dare someone judge another. You have no idea what that person has been through or is going through. We always think the worse and become jelouse. Maybe it is time to step back and look within your judegements :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhaddon Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 Someone on food stamps is screwed either way. If they buy junk how dare them! If they buy healthy meats then no fair because I can't afford it!! So I say buy the lobster, steak, and shrimp... enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 WIC here is paper checks with what is allowed per each recipient printed on the check. The cashier has to look at each item to be sure it matches what is on the check. So if a check says milk (2% or 1%) they have to be sure it's not whole or skim, even if that type of mik is allowed by WIC, it's not allowed for that recipient. If a customer grabs the wrong milk on accident or the wrong product, that's when the cashiers(IME) sometimes get unfriendly. That's how it is in my state too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I gotta say only on the WTM board would I ever be considered liberal, politically or otherwise. Lol Claiming to believe erroneous things like people on FS are spending money other people work for has nothing to do with being conservative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 FWIW, if the cashier is having to memorize lists and scrutinize to see if a given item qualifies, and is embarrassing the customer and causing delays, the store hasn't done their job up front. When you add new items to a POS system, there's a checkbox for "WIC eligible" and for quite a few other things. The look up has to be done exactly once, when the item is put in, and never again, and since the items HAVE to put put in by someone, it makes no sense to not do so automatically. And, if they're going with a standard software package with customizations for their specific needs, most of the WIC eligible items will already be coded into the software, and updated when the company gets their newest version as part of their contract-because there will be someone, back at the company that made the software, who is programming in those codes, so it's not even up to the local store in most cases. The only thing that requires an extra step is something like loose produce or deli cheese, where the amount is variable, and that can be automated using a local kiosk/printer if a store desires. It would also be a simple matter, in stores that already have bar code scanners available to do price checks for customers, to have those scanners label items as "WIC eligible" so that the customer can check, right then, if that particular jar of Peanut butter is going to come out as eligible at the cash register. Not all stores have these, but many of the larger chains do, because it's simply not time-efficient to be doing price checks at the register or to have customers realize, at the register, that they can't pay for what they've picked up-particularly not when you're talking perishable items. If the system is automated to the extent that most are, there's NO excuse for a customer being embarrassed by using Food Stamps or a WIC check-they should be able to run their groceries through just as if they were paying with a credit card, scan their benefits card, and have it pay what is eligible, just as if they were using pre-loaded coupons on a store discount card, and then give them a bottom line that needs to be paid with another form of payment-because, ultimately, that's all WIC or food stamps are for the store-another form of payment. One would think so, but this is not the case. See my above post. I have an MA in lit, and had been on WIC for several years, and STILL had trouble getting the correct items. Things would be labelled WIC on the shelf and then not be accepted at the register. Again and again and again. Oh and when they started allowing bread it was all 16 oz size, when bread is usually packaged in 18 oz. size. I would literally spend 10-15 minutes looking at bread to find something acceptable. The checks have certain things listed on them - if the store didn't have one item on the check you would lose that item. I live rurally and usually could not go to another store and hope they had it. A card with certain things allowed per month would have been great, then I wouldn't have had to get things I didn't need right then or lose items the store didn't have. WIC here is paper checks with what is allowed per each recipient printed on the check. The cashier has to look at each item to be sure it matches what is on the check. So if a check says milk (2% or 1%) they have to be sure it's not whole or skim, even if that type of mik is allowed by WIC, it's not allowed for that recipient. If a customer grabs the wrong milk on accident or the wrong product, that's when the cashiers(IME) sometimes get unfriendly. Yes, checks here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Oh, and the food stamp card won't do that either. Let's say you have five bucks left, it won't just subtract and give you a total remaining. The purchase will be declined, and it will tell the cashier what benefits remain, and then they have to ring it up again, take off the exact amount, and then you can pay the rest. It's hard not to think that the system is designed to shame people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 In Michigan we hav Wic cards so we can get just a gallon of milk and not worry about losing everything else. Though it still expires at the end of the month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 In Michigan we hav Wic cards so we can get just a gallon of milk and not worry about losing everything else. Though it still expires at the end of the month. WIC here doesn't last a month. Each month is divided into four weeks of checks/vouchers and each week expires at the end of that week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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