Don't Be Afraid of Food Banks

This blog kind of assumes that you are a low income person.

With that in mind, please accept this as a given and the absolute truth. There is nothing humiliating or embarrassing about going to a food bank. I have done that for a couple of years and always been treated with respect and as a regular human being; not as a bum, low life, cheater or criminal. Just go, you will find out.

The first step is to find out where the food banks are. If you are reading this I am sure you can Google it. I go to two once a month and another occasionally. They fall into the following categories. Those that are:

1. Associated with religion (not always a specific church). I have never experienced a person pushing me to pray, be born again, go to church or anything else. If they did that, I would leave.

2. Non-government organizations that are usually left leaning. Again, I have never been pushed about politics.

3. The U.S. government. This is done through the FDA nutrition commodities program.

All three types require a statement of income and a social security number. Upon completion of this step you will be given assistance immediately. However, some locations are only open on specific days. The Christian food bank I go to is only on Saturday morning and allows you to go once a month. The commodities program is done once a month on a specific day.

Here are two links:

Commodities: http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=11&tax_level=2&tax_subject=394&topic_id=1774&placement_default=0

My local Christian food bank is called Loaves and Fishes. They are non-denominational.

Computer Help Free

You have a software issue on your computer. (No one has problems anymore, just issues.) It is, say, both a display and font issue on your monitor. You have Googled (notice how that has turn into a verb) until you are blue in the face.

You can't fix it, because when you fix the display problem the font problem gets worse and when you fix the font problem, the display problem gets worse.

What are you going to do? Have your friend fiddle with it. OK. Good idea. Suppose he can't fix it either?

Ladies and gentlemen there is a solution. A free solution.

That solution is Protonic and it's easy............yes free, and yes, they will most likely be able to help you.

Using a fair number of volunteer geeks (thank you good geeks) they offer advice and usually solutions to your issues .......problems even.

Go to their website. Sign up. Ask your questions.

They aren't going to hassle you, put stuff on your computer, send you unwanted emails or anything else.

Plainly put, they are good folks whose goal in life is to help you.

You can find them at: http://www.protonic.com

Please Use Your VA Medical Benefits

If you were in the military and have not applied for your medical benefits you are, plainly put, making a huge mistake.

First, my personal testimony.

I have no health insurance because of my income. I am at the poverty level. Fortunately, at the age of 19, I joined the Navy and did four years. I had no idea, of course, how much that would help me later.

A couple of months ago I fell and broke my hip. Because I am a stubborn idealist, I didn't go to the Dr. for three days, thus making the situation far worse. When I did go, I needed fairly major surgery. That, along with the rehab, medications, necessary things like wheel chair and walker, was provided to me at no cost by the VA. If it was billed to me, it would have cost approximately $100,000. That would have taken me nearly ten years to pay off if I used my entire monthly income.

Second, what you should do.

Go to your local VA facility with your DD214. Apply.

You will qualify. What your benefits are depends on a lot of factors, like your income, whether you have a purple heart and what not.

Please note there are benefits that you may not be made aware of. One I just found out about is:

Travel pay. If you live any distance from the VA facility, they will pay you. They give me $25 for every appointment I have.

Also, a non-health related benefit you may be eligible for is a VA pension. Please inquire about this too.

Regardless of how much or how little your income, please apply for your VA benefits. In life, we never know what may happen.

Thanks to the good people of the USA for providing these benefits.

Total Wastes

For my son's 10th birthday I quit smoking. I told him all I would promise was one day. That was going on two years ago.

A couple of weeks after that, I quit drinking. I did the one day at a time approach again.

I have not smoked or drank since. I still make no promises about tomorrow.

I am not here to do some anti-smoking and drinking rant. I don't mind if my friends do it. They are adults and can make their own decisions. I even go into bars occasionally, but have a soft drink.

What I am here to tell you is this; even though that's pretty obvious too. Quitting just ONE of these habits will save you a staggering amount of money. Quitting both is out of sight.

Do you have a budget problem but bad habits? Good. You can do some real saving.

Deep Cuts

Well, after cutting my food stamps out entirely, the next step was to cut my MediCal entirely. Those things hurt.

I thought it was kind of a drastic measure since it was based on my income increasing by a huge $200 a month.

Oh, did I mention the $50 a month increase in the space rent at my mobile home park. That's a hundred dollars in the past year.

My old pellet stove crapped out on me. Have a guy coming to look at it this afternoon. Say a prayer for me. There is no way I can buy a new one to the tune of 3-4000 dollars.

Other Stops

Grocery Outlet is a chain that has some pretty good deals on food. You never know what is going to be there, but it's is certainly worth a stop.

Also, the 99 Cent stores have food with some real good food deals. Don't forget them.

Don't forget the monthly USDA distribution of free food for people. Check the internet to find out where and when it is in you area.

Tea and Me

Well, I didn't drink any tea today, but that is nothing new. I don't drink tea anyway.

Yep, it was tax day and some folks thought they would have a tea party. I have never been to a tea party in my life. Just not the type.

I think, to be frank, we need to remember poor people, be kind and help them. If we did that, maybe there would be something to celebrate, rather than something to protest.