Inflation – Has it arrived?

[bearishgurl]

[quote=CONCHO]. . . If they would just shop at Whole Foods like I do, they could cook nice, fresh prepared foods. BTW I just picked a great new pan from Sur La Table, everyone should get one. It normally sells for $199 but I got it on sale for $129 because I’M A FREAKING GENIUS.

Back to sleep everyone. . . [/quote]

FWIW, CONCHO, I’ve never set foot in a “Whole Paycheck” market in my entire life. And the most expensive “pan” I’ve ever purchased was a $100 cast-iron skillet on the Macy’s clearance table for $32. With a small scratch, WTH?? It’s lasted me 16 years so far.

This thread has nothing to do with “morality of the poor.” It has to do with the effect inflation on everyday commodities has on the poor. Topics I brought up were food-group ignorance and to a lesser extent, not having the proper kitchen facilities, access to or resources to purchase “top-quality” ingredients.

We are all fortunate in this region, even the poor. We have a vast agricultural region beginning 150 miles north of here that grows a wide variety of produce. We can live without heating our homes. We have “almost adequate” TANF payments, a Section 8 voucher program and other rental programs that adjust rent to a worker’s income.

See: http://www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=ca&topic=renting

This is not the case in all parts of the country. Many poor families in other regions cannot exist without resorting to illegal activities if they can’t get consistent help from relatives. Their only other option is to leave their children behind with a relative and leave the area in search of work but this also requires money for travel and food AND a contact person to stay with for several months while they search for work and save up enough to get settled. It isn’t easy being poor in rural America, even though housing there may be cheaper. Utilities and (lesser-quality) food are often HIGHER than here. There is little to no competition in supermarkets in many areas.

All of my particular posts here have addressed the “function of being poor” and the various types of help that IS available to them. Sometimes poor people feel like they have to do desperate things when they have children. You have to put yourselves in some of these parents shoes to understand their actions.

Even the unfortunate “3-striker” incidences are just a function of being poor … nothing else. At the time of being “sprung” from a Big House in CA to your local parole office, you are given 3-5 things by the CDC:

-a clean change of street clothes if no one has brought you any

-money for one-way bus ticket (if no one is there to pick you up)

-an advance payment of about $200 in “General Relief” to be paid once per month for 6 months (may be renewable)

-an EBT card with an advance deposit on it of about $67, refilled once per month with same

Edit: add a 4th (6th) item: large folder of paperwork with name, address and phone number of parole officer and an Order to contact said officer within a certain number of hours of arriving back home (to set up appt).

**********

Down the line, after settling in with a relative and getting a job (typically manual labor and often “under-the-table”) due to a felony record, these parolees may get their kid(s) back. Then lose their jobs or business is slow and/or they have burned thru living with relatives and may be on a waiting list for subsidized housing. They know they can’t sell drugs because they will end up using again and they can’t test “dirty” or they will certainly end up back at the Inn. When they become desperate enough to feed their kids before EOM again, they’re back in the store trying to score a half-gallon of milk under their clothes w/o paying. For a felon, it’s EASY AS PIE to get a second and third strike against you, even for a (very costly) pack of gum.

It’s just a function of the combination of our screwed up legislature and “being poor.” It’s a terribly vicious cycle. :={

[bearishgurl]

[quote=briansd1]We need family planning and contraception.

We know that there’s a problem when the grandparents are in the 40s or 50s.[/quote]

brian, try a 34-year old “grandparent.” It’s not that simple. MediCal and MediCaid already PROVIDE contraception for $2 – $3 per month. Planned Parenthood (in cities) provides it free to the poor. You can’t police whether a recipient uses it, or uses it correctly … or not :=!

[bearishgurl]

[quote=briansd1]We need family planning and contraception.

We know that there’s a problem when the grandparents are in the 40s or 50s.[/quote]

brian, try a 34-year old “grandparent.” It’s not that simple. MediCal and MediCaid already PROVIDE contraception for $2 – $3 per month. Planned Parenthood (in cities) provides it free to the poor. You can’t police whether a recipient uses it, or uses it correctly … or not :=!

[bearishgurl]

[quote=briansd1]We need family planning and contraception.

We know that there’s a problem when the grandparents are in the 40s or 50s.[/quote]

brian, try a 34-year old “grandparent.” It’s not that simple. MediCal and MediCaid already PROVIDE contraception for $2 – $3 per month. Planned Parenthood (in cities) provides it free to the poor. You can’t police whether a recipient uses it, or uses it correctly … or not :=!

[bearishgurl]

[quote=briansd1]We need family planning and contraception.

We know that there’s a problem when the grandparents are in the 40s or 50s.[/quote]

brian, try a 34-year old “grandparent.” It’s not that simple. MediCal and MediCaid already PROVIDE contraception for $2 – $3 per month. Planned Parenthood (in cities) provides it free to the poor. You can’t police whether a recipient uses it, or uses it correctly … or not :=!

[bearishgurl]

[quote=briansd1]We need family planning and contraception.

We know that there’s a problem when the grandparents are in the 40s or 50s.[/quote]

brian, try a 34-year old “grandparent.” It’s not that simple. MediCal and MediCaid already PROVIDE contraception for $2 – $3 per month. Planned Parenthood (in cities) provides it free to the poor. You can’t police whether a recipient uses it, or uses it correctly … or not :=!

[bearishgurl]

[quote=zzz]…What we need is a better WELFARE system in providing aid that obligates them to go to classes on parenting, diet, budgeting/credit cards/ finances.[/quote]

zzz, this is how the military Family Service Centers are set up. As a condition to receiving emergency funds to tide you over until the next paycheck or travel to visit a dying relative, you will sign a promissory note with a repayment plan and assignment rights of the member’s base pay, if defaulted on. There are (or were) required attendance in free classes on budgeting and money management as a condition, also. A member or spouse may also be able to actually get one-on-one financial mgmt help at the FSC by appt if they request it.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=zzz]…What we need is a better WELFARE system in providing aid that obligates them to go to classes on parenting, diet, budgeting/credit cards/ finances.[/quote]

zzz, this is how the military Family Service Centers are set up. As a condition to receiving emergency funds to tide you over until the next paycheck or travel to visit a dying relative, you will sign a promissory note with a repayment plan and assignment rights of the member’s base pay, if defaulted on. There are (or were) required attendance in free classes on budgeting and money management as a condition, also. A member or spouse may also be able to actually get one-on-one financial mgmt help at the FSC by appt if they request it.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=zzz]…What we need is a better WELFARE system in providing aid that obligates them to go to classes on parenting, diet, budgeting/credit cards/ finances.[/quote]

zzz, this is how the military Family Service Centers are set up. As a condition to receiving emergency funds to tide you over until the next paycheck or travel to visit a dying relative, you will sign a promissory note with a repayment plan and assignment rights of the member’s base pay, if defaulted on. There are (or were) required attendance in free classes on budgeting and money management as a condition, also. A member or spouse may also be able to actually get one-on-one financial mgmt help at the FSC by appt if they request it.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=zzz]…What we need is a better WELFARE system in providing aid that obligates them to go to classes on parenting, diet, budgeting/credit cards/ finances.[/quote]

zzz, this is how the military Family Service Centers are set up. As a condition to receiving emergency funds to tide you over until the next paycheck or travel to visit a dying relative, you will sign a promissory note with a repayment plan and assignment rights of the member’s base pay, if defaulted on. There are (or were) required attendance in free classes on budgeting and money management as a condition, also. A member or spouse may also be able to actually get one-on-one financial mgmt help at the FSC by appt if they request it.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=zzz]…What we need is a better WELFARE system in providing aid that obligates them to go to classes on parenting, diet, budgeting/credit cards/ finances.[/quote]

zzz, this is how the military Family Service Centers are set up. As a condition to receiving emergency funds to tide you over until the next paycheck or travel to visit a dying relative, you will sign a promissory note with a repayment plan and assignment rights of the member’s base pay, if defaulted on. There are (or were) required attendance in free classes on budgeting and money management as a condition, also. A member or spouse may also be able to actually get one-on-one financial mgmt help at the FSC by appt if they request it.

[sdrealtor]

[quote=bearishgurl]Folks, I’ve already finished my work for today. I’m going up to my attic and closets to clean them out because AMVETS will be around on Friday and I can fill my whole front porch 4 feet high. There’s no reason to keep this stuff around anymore. It’s just taking up space :=][/quote]

Exactly dont talk the talk…walk the walk. Give back to those less fortunate than yourselves every opportunity you can.

[sdrealtor]

[quote=bearishgurl]Folks, I’ve already finished my work for today. I’m going up to my attic and closets to clean them out because AMVETS will be around on Friday and I can fill my whole front porch 4 feet high. There’s no reason to keep this stuff around anymore. It’s just taking up space :=][/quote]

Exactly dont talk the talk…walk the walk. Give back to those less fortunate than yourselves every opportunity you can.

[sdrealtor]

[quote=bearishgurl]Folks, I’ve already finished my work for today. I’m going up to my attic and closets to clean them out because AMVETS will be around on Friday and I can fill my whole front porch 4 feet high. There’s no reason to keep this stuff around anymore. It’s just taking up space :=][/quote]

Exactly dont talk the talk…walk the walk. Give back to those less fortunate than yourselves every opportunity you can.

[sdrealtor]

[quote=bearishgurl]Folks, I’ve already finished my work for today. I’m going up to my attic and closets to clean them out because AMVETS will be around on Friday and I can fill my whole front porch 4 feet high. There’s no reason to keep this stuff around anymore. It’s just taking up space :=][/quote]

Exactly dont talk the talk…walk the walk. Give back to those less fortunate than yourselves every opportunity you can.

[Author]

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