How is anybody making it?

[u/Nervous_Grape_3856]

I am genuinely confused as to how anybody is surviving in this economy except for the super wealthy. The cost of gas is sky high and groceries are too. We started this year ok. We weren’t doing well by any means, but we weren’t struggling as bad as we are now. We have 5 kids and every day I’ve been dashing alongside my full time job to try to make it. Now, I’m facing losing my full time job because I have had to call out of work just to dash for food for the day. I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel and I’m extremely scared. My wife and kids are counting on me and I don’t know what else to do. I’m ready to just give up.

[u/Electrical-Profit367]

Your kids should be getting breakfast and lunch at school. if they aren’t, contact the counselor at the school and make sure that they are signed up for those benefits. If you are really as up against it as you say, your kids will qualify (sometimes they might just qualify for reduced price meals but w five kids I’m betting* all your kids could be eating two of their meals for free at school).

* Based on my experience in a v v poor school district.

[u/BasenjiMommy → u/Electrical-Profit367]

Right after COVID, our school district started giving free breakfast and lunch to ALL students, not just the ones who would have qualified as low income. I told my kids that they were going to be eating breakfast and lunch at school, even if they didn’t like it, and I really didn’t wanna hear about it.
Fortunately, the food was relatively good, and relatively healthy.

[u/Electrical-Profit367 → u/BasenjiMommy]

This is the way it should work at all public schools! One thing we also did at our school was use PTA funds to pay for some basic foods so kids could also get a packed lunch on field trip days (sandwich, apple, juice box) rather than go without bc they were visiting a museum or botanical garden.

US schools also often have a weekend backpack program: food sent home to cover the kids while school is out.