SNAP benefits can not only be used in supermarkets, but there is a long list of options to replenish your cupboard. It is true that the first place one thinks of to buy fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and other groceries, but these types of shops do not always offer the best prices. In addition, when you shop there, you will only be able to take home the equivalent of the money you have on your EBT card.
What if I told you that you could double the value of your food stamps money just by changing a simple consumption habit? We tell you how to buy twice as much fresh food by choosing another place, instead of going to the supermarket. With this trick, if you receive the maximum of $1,691, you will be able to buy the equivalent of $3,382. But, how is that even possible? Well, keep reading.
How to double up your food stamps money
Budgeting your SNAP benefits effectively can be challenging. I mean, for sure, you want to make the most out of every dollar in order to provide nutritious food to your family. One of the most effective strategies for stretching your SNAP money is to plan your week’s meals in advance. You could map out your meals and snacks and, with this, you could buy exactly what you need every time you go shopping. But the actual trick to double your money resides in a particular plan called Double Up Food Bucks. This works not only in farmers markets but also in stores, farm stands, food boxes or Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).
Here’s how to do it: When you arrive at the farmers market, locate the information booth. This is where you can make payments using your EBT card, whether it’s credit, debit, or SNAP. Approach the market staff and let them know how much you’d like to spend at the market using your EBT card. The market staff will swipe your EBT card, and in return, they will provide you with paper SNAP bucks. These bucks can be used to purchase any eligible food items available at the market, excluding hot and ready-to-eat items.
The market will match your SNAP bucks dollar for dollar with Double Up Food Bucks. These special bucks can be used exclusively for Colorado-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. For example, if you spend $5 from your EBT card, you’ll receive an additional $5 in Double Up Food Bucks. The market will match your spending up to $20 per day. In the farm stands, the food boxes or the CSA, ask prior if they are participants of the program.
The maximum amount of SNAP benefits for 2023
In the 48 contiguous US states (except Hawaii and Alaska) the maximum that can be obtained from SNAP benefits depends on what is established in the system. Including also the District of Columbia, these are the amounts that eligible individuals and households can claim:
- 1 person: $281
- 2 people: $516
- 3 people: $740
- 4 people: $939
- 5 people: $1,116
- 6 people: $1,339
- 7 people: $1,480
- 8 people: $1,691
- Each additional member: add $211
Alaskan beneficiares can get up to $1,172 for urban families of four, $1,494 for rural zone one, and $1,819 for those living in Alaska rural zone two. Remember that there are three categories: Urban, Rural I, and Rural II.