Staff Reports
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides a lifeline for low-income New Mexico residents, will soon stop sending payments for January. Buckle up, folks! The countdown is ticking with just 16 days left before the gravy train of benefits comes to a screeching halt for the month.
Food stamps, the bread and butter for struggling families, start flowing into the hands of New Mexico residents at the beginning of the month and wrap up by the 20th. Sneaky little details like the last two digits of a beneficiary’s Social Security number determine the exact day when the SNAP benefits hit their wallets.
Diving into the nitty-gritty, if a lucky recipient’s Social Security number ends in 11, 31, 51, 71, or 91, they should have scooped up their SNAP benefits on Monday. Meanwhile, those ending in 01, 21, 41, 61, or 81 scored on Tuesday. And don’t forget the special Wednesday deal for those ending in 12, 32, 52, 72, or 92. Households blessed with a Social Security number ending in 00, 20, 40, 60, or 80 will have to wait until the 20th of the month to cash in.
Now, the cash flow depends on the size of the household, income limits, and any fancy assets they’ve got lying around. A solo act can snag a max payment of $291, while a team of five rakes in a cool $1,155. And if there’s a whopping eight folks living together, they can expect to see a whooping $1,751 in the bank. And for every additional member after that magic eight-ball, an extra $219 slides into the mix.
But wait, there’s a twist in the SNAP tale! These benefits are delivered via an electronic benefits transfer card, allowing recipients to swipe away at grocery stores for essential food items like fruits, veggies, bread, meat, and drinks. But don’t even think about trying to use those benefits to buy Fido’s kibble, some beer for the game, or household goods like paper and soap. That’s a no-go, folks!
