Times are tough, and it's only natural that some people will need help. That's why social welfare programs exist. Unfortunately, these programs don't always cover everything someone needs, or at least thinks they need.
One mother argued that $500 in food stamps was not enough to feed herself and her baby each month.
A TikTok user known as @d_rogers862 recently created a series of videos detailing the assistance he's received from food stamps and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
In her first video, Rogers complained that she wasn't receiving enough benefits each month.
“$500 is not enough,” she said. “We have to raise our prices because food prices have gone up. Grocery prices have gone up.”
Commenting on the video, Rogers' fellow TikTok users wondered why she was struggling so much.
“$500 is more than enough for two people,” one person said. “$600 will feed five.”
“I have a family of 5 and we pay for all our food,” added another. “We budget $500 a month and we make ends meet. We meal plan and use leftovers. You can make ends meet too. Go online and find recipes. You can do it.”
To prove her point, Rogers made a video of herself grocery shopping and showing how she spent her money, which she said totaled about $630.
The stolen items included many name brand products as well as non-essential items such as soda, cookies and doughnuts.
“I look at Chobani and I get it,” one commenter said.
“Soda, name brands and convenience foods can add up quickly when you're on a budget,” another person said.
In another video, Rogers responded to the backlash by saying people were “talking out of their genitals.”
In a later video, Rogers detailed the doughnuts she's “obsessed with.” “I go to a different store to get these,” she said of the doughnuts. “It's like an organic store.” The doughnuts cost $7.99 a pack. Rogers bought about $32 worth.
“You get the taste of caviar on a beer budget,” someone said about Rogers' problem.
There is no evidence to support Rogers' claims.
According to the USDA website, SNAP is not a complete replacement for buying food: “SNAP households are expected to spend about 30 percent of their own money on food,” he said.
The USDA website also says the maximum amount a two-person household can receive in SNAP benefits is $535, meaning Rogers is close to, if not already at, the limit.
USA Today reported, “The average American household spends an average of $475.25 per month on groceries, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2022. That equates to a total of $5,703 spent on groceries in a year.”
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So, according to these statistics, the average American family larger than a mother and baby spends less on groceries each month than Mr. Rogers does.
None of this takes away from the fact that Rogers is in a tough situation — she's trying to make ends meet and raise a baby on her own — and while some may consider $500 on groceries a lot of money, others may not.
Everyone comes from different situations and has a different background, and it would be a mistake to judge a person solely based on statistics or what you think they should do. Perhaps it would be most beneficial to give Mr. Rogers a little more openness.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a YourTango writer covering entertainment, news, and human interest topics.
