"The first time I swiped my EBT card at the grocery store, I resolved to use the self-checkout line so I could be discreet. We just need milk, I told myself. But as I perused the aisles, a strange lightness overwhelmed me. For the first time in months, I wasn't clenching my jaw at every purchase that chipped away at our savings. By the time I reached the registers, my cart was full."
"Still, I chose the self-checkout line, rationalizing that it wasn't a busy hour. When I went to pay, the screen asked me how many 10-cent grocery bags I needed. I paused for a moment, wondering if I'd have to use a different payment method for the bags. The person manning the check-out stations in case anyone needed help - a kind employee I'd known for years - waved her hand in my direction. "Oh, honey. EBT users don't have to pay for bags.""
The family lost their only source of income when the mother was three months postpartum in 2023. The husband applied to over 200 jobs in a difficult market without success. After depleting savings, the family applied for government assistance and began using SNAP benefits. The mother used self-checkout to be discreet but felt relief shopping without constant financial anxiety. A grocery employee informed her that EBT users do not have to pay for bags, provoking embarrassment. Familiar cashiers offered concerned looks and sympathetic words. The family comes from middle-class backgrounds and had previously been careful with money.
Read at Business Insider
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