With different denominations, I think $20, $10, and so on, tearing them off in the checkout lane, so many years ago...

in front of them in the checkout aisle pulled out one of those booklets. It happened almost every time, an audible expression of disapproval, intended to be heard by other shoppers AND the person with the booklet. Pissed me off every time I encountered that behavior.

Sometimes, people are ugly and cruel. Shame on them!

My mom never said anything, but I bet she heard it

We had welfare, food stamps, public housing, you name it. Many people don't realize what single women bringing up children go through.

And in the end, she brought up 3 children without police records who became productive, tax paying decent citizens. Thank you mama.

Thank you, and thank your mom!

here.

They did more than just sigh. Mom was in tears when we left the store.

I spoke sharply to a few such people. I have no patience for mean people.

Back in the early 1990s we were on WIC for two years. (The program was well run and I was truly grateful for it). Back then you actually had coupons that you tore out of a book. I remember getting nasty looks at the grocery checkout a few times. It was so demoralizing.

In her memoir, “Maid”, by Stephanie Land, Ms. Land told of how, when she once paid for some groceries with food stamps, some guy was standing off to the side watching her, and as she started to leave with her bags, he made a point of saying loudly to her so all could hear, “You’re Welcome.”

was going to have to pull some items from a shopping trip because there wasn't enough money or when something didn't qualify for whatever program they were using. It was never much money. I always showed my debit card to the checker and then swiped it. If I could, I did it without the shopper seeing me, but if not, I just said, "Never mind. I'm glad to help." when they tried to thank me.

I can't imagine being in that position in a public place and having to deal with comments, etc. What a sad thing! If you can't help, folks, at least don't add to the problem.

Not to diminish or compare to something far less meaningful than nutritional sustenance, but it was a time when many collected such store-sponsored stamps to save for something in the future that they could not readily afford at the time.

I was very young, but I do remember these (admittedly, I had to Google to remember what they were called and how they worked).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%26H_Green_Stamps

I still have a pair of decorative flying geese my mother bought with green stamps back in the 1960s. They're hanging on the wall in my house as a reminder. I took those when my parents died in 2021. Those and a couple of other item nobody seemed to want.

Do you really think I don't know the difference? I even apologized for any inadvertent comparison. Geebus.

I remember Green Stamps very well.

and call it food stamps. No big deal.

I also sometimes call my fridge an icebox.