A new survey reports that 42% of households reliant on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP are skipping meals because they cannot afford enough food because of inflation.
93% of SNAP beneficiaries reported problems paying for basic household expenses
In general, inflation will always penalize those with fewer alternatives. For example, a richer family that usually shops at Whole Foods can downgrade to Trader Joe’s and then Sam’s Club. But SNAP beneficiaries who are already shopping at Food 4 Less can’t find a more affordable option without resorting to SNAP.
The share of those SNAP beneficiaries reported eating less out of financial necessity, 55%, more than doubled over the year.
Further, a staggering 93% of SNAP beneficiaries reported difficulty paying for household expenses, just a little more than those households earning between $25,000 to $35,000 yearly. Those earning $75,000 to $100,000 who report the same. By contrast, only a quarter of those earning more than $200,000 reported financial difficulties.
Overall buyer price index has risen by 16% since President Joe Biden took the White House
Food prices are up 19%, electricity is up 23%, and Gasoline is up nearly 54%. SNAP beneficiaries need to budget to survive.
Inflation is the most universal tax of them all, but it doesn’t punish everyone As evidenced by millions of SNAP beneficiaries going hungry to feed their children, the least privileged pay the highest price.
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