COVID-19 has us getting things we didn't ask for

[Vegaswife2011]

I’m glad you’re getting some help, that’s what it’s there for. I hope your hubby finds a job soon. I know it’s not easy right now.

[mojogirl]

I applied for unemployment March 27th and started receiving it about two weeks ago. The good thing was that my first deposit covered the entire period March 27th-May 12th.

I'm going to put in a shameless plug. Please consider using your EBT card at your local farmers market. Most markets have a match program, i.e., run your EBT card for $30/get $60 of tokens to spend in the market. It is a great way to support your local food economy.

I'm not against supporting local farmers markets. However, I've never seen tokens at a farmers market. All markets I've been to you pay in cash or some vendors may be set up for debit/credit, usually on their phone through Square or something like that.
Not to mention we are out of season here for our Farmers Market. Ours typically runs Oct - May but this year they closed it end of March when the city shut down (they are a city sponsored event so they follow city rules).

It's good to know unemployment is paying back pay. We figured they would, but until we actually see it there's always that concern.

Where are you that the farmers market runs Oct-may? That sounds amazing! But I'd sure miss squash and tomatoes during the summer. My market has stayed open. They deemed themselves essential, like a grocery store. Not complaining.

[Anonymous 1]

We only got the economic stimulus check. Thankfully dh is working but its so frustrating to see people getting more than they got while they were working while he continues to work his butt off for the same salary.

[hotspice58]

Not sure what state you’re in but in NY it’s hard finding a doctor who takes Medicaid isn’t easy.

and I'm not complaining.

DH lost his job mid-April due to a Covid related layoff. He right away applied for unemployment. He has been going online and doing his unemployment check in like he's supposed to. We still haven't received a check from unemployment because they are so behind.

In the meantime, DH needed health insurance and when I called to add him to our policy through the Healthcare exchange (healthcare.gov) they said we had to go through Medicaid first because our income was so low (w/o DH's job yeah it would be). I even asked the dude if we could bypass Medicaid and he said no, it had to go through them. Just today I checked the status of the Medicaid application online and it said "enrolled" so I assume that means we are approved and should get cards in the mail soon.

Also just this past week we got a P-EBT card in the mail. We didn't ask for food stamps, and when I was doing the Medicaid application I'm pretty sure she asked about food stamps and I said no we don't need that, we just need the healthcare. But from what's on the card and the document with it, it looks like it's specifically related to having school aged children. Either way, I checked the balance today and it has $315 on it.

I've never in my life been on Medicaid. I've never in my life been on food stamps of any kind. But hey, I'll take it. Especially since DH isn't receiving his unemployment yet, and I bring home about $300 a week, we'll take whatever we can get right now. We don't really need it. We can pay for our own healthcare through the exchange, and we can pay our own groceries. We have my income plus a decent cushion in savings. But they're throwing this stuff at us so why not. Especially since we don't really know how long it will be until DH gets a job. He's finding ones to apply for and is having some interviews, but it hasn't gone any further yet.

Just kind of odd this stuff we are getting, and we never would have gotten had it not been for the pandemic.

[Traci_Momof2]

I applied for unemployment March 27th and started receiving it about two weeks ago. The good thing was that my first deposit covered the entire period March 27th-May 12th.

I'm going to put in a shameless plug. Please consider using your EBT card at your local farmers market. Most markets have a match program, i.e., run your EBT card for $30/get $60 of tokens to spend in the market. It is a great way to support your local food economy.

I'm not against supporting local farmers markets. However, I've never seen tokens at a farmers market. All markets I've been to you pay in cash or some vendors may be set up for debit/credit, usually on their phone through Square or something like that.
Not to mention we are out of season here for our Farmers Market. Ours typically runs Oct - May but this year they closed it end of March when the city shut down (they are a city sponsored event so they follow city rules).

It's good to know unemployment is paying back pay. We figured they would, but until we actually see it there's always that concern.

Where are you that the farmers market runs Oct-may? That sounds amazing! But I'd sure miss squash and tomatoes during the summer. My market has stayed open. They deemed themselves essential, like a grocery store. Not complaining.

Arizona. Way too hot in the summer months for that shit. lol

[Rebeccaraev2]

I hope his unemployment comes soon for you. I’ve heard of it taking this long and I feel bad for those that work within unemployment, honestly.

[WellPreserved]

I'm not against supporting local farmers markets. However, I've never seen tokens at a farmers market. All markets I've been to you pay in cash or some vendors may be set up for debit/credit, usually on their phone through Square or something like that.
Not to mention we are out of season here for our Farmers Market. Ours typically runs Oct - May but this year they closed it end of March when the city shut down (they are a city sponsored event so they follow city rules).

It's good to know unemployment is paying back pay. We figured they would, but until we actually see it there's always that concern.

Where are you that the farmers market runs Oct-may? That sounds amazing! But I'd sure miss squash and tomatoes during the summer. My market has stayed open. They deemed themselves essential, like a grocery store. Not complaining.

Arizona. Way too hot in the summer months for that shit. lol

It is kind of weird. Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, Peoria, Flagstaff, Sedona, Kingman, etc. farmers markets run year round. I don't know where you are but a winter season market only is odd for the Northern Hemisphere.

[Traci_Momof2]

Where are you that the farmers market runs Oct-may? That sounds amazing! But I'd sure miss squash and tomatoes during the summer. My market has stayed open. They deemed themselves essential, like a grocery store. Not complaining.

Arizona. Way too hot in the summer months for that shit. lol

It is kind of weird. Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, Peoria, Flagstaff, Sedona, Kingman, etc. farmers markets run year round. I don't know where you are but a winter season market only is odd for the Northern Hemisphere.

I don't know what to tell ya. I'm not part of organizing ours. I only go to it when it's up and running. I can tell you of the cities you listed, Kingman is the closest to where I am at.

[MistressMonster]

I applied for unemployment March 27th and started receiving it about two weeks ago. The good thing was that my first deposit covered the entire period March 27th-May 12th.

I'm going to put in a shameless plug. Please consider using your EBT card at your local farmers market. Most markets have a match program, i.e., run your EBT card for $30/get $60 of tokens to spend in the market. It is a great way to support your local food economy.

I'm not against supporting local farmers markets. However, I've never seen tokens at a farmers market. All markets I've been to you pay in cash or some vendors may be set up for debit/credit, usually on their phone through Square or something like that.
Not to mention we are out of season here for our Farmers Market. Ours typically runs Oct - May but this year they closed it end of March when the city shut down (they are a city sponsored event so they follow city rules).

It's good to know unemployment is paying back pay. We figured they would, but until we actually see it there's always that concern.

Where are you that the farmers market runs Oct-may? That sounds amazing! But I'd sure miss squash and tomatoes during the summer. My market has stayed open. They deemed themselves essential, like a grocery store. Not complaining.

We have a farmers market almost year round. The spring-fall markets of course overlap. Then the winter one is from beginning of Feb until the end of March. Our holiday market does go from Nov 21st-Dec 20th.

I can't wait to raid them for their cherries, and I should hit them up for strawberries. MMMM!

[Linda_Runs]

Traci, you are not the only one I have heard this from. I have also heard it from small business owners who are losing staff because they are making just a little less not working on CERB benefits than actually working and taking the risks of working. I had one client tell me she is getting about $2,850 per month off federal and provincial funding. That is the equivalent of an $18 per hour job.