Ed Murrieta, Former Food Critic, Lives Off Food Stamps

Once a food critic with a monthly expense account that allowed him to restaurant hop, Ed Murrieta now finds himself unemployed and living off food stamps. When his efforts to start his own business failed, Murrieta began searching for work -- applying for jobs ranging from restaurant critic to carpet cleaner. He is willing to do almost any job, but as the months go by, he still cannot find work.

Now, he does his best to stretch the $200 a month he receives on a Electronic Benefits Transfer card, making creative, healthy and tasty meals.

The Seattle Times reports.

WATCH:

Comments

[chariotridden]

02:17 AM on 06/10/2010

Ed is not worth the salt I season with. Going back to one of the first posts, humble pie and crow are hard to swallow. Try dishwashing Ed...
p.s. where are your buddies now???

[marytudor]

04:33 PM on 06/07/2010

Eating crow is never tasty...especially when it's washed down with a pint of bad karma. I'm sure he was compensated for this story and is trying to find a way as we speak to spin this into a new career for himself. Humble pie Ed???

[MilwaukeeMike1985]

02:56 PM on 06/04/2010

The guy shouldn't complain too much... He was a food critic... He got paid to eat food all day and bit*ch about it. At least he wasn't digging a ditch or picking people's garbage... Jeezz

[MilwaukeeMike1985]

02:55 PM on 06/04/2010

Irony!

[yappnmutt]

12:04 PM on 06/04/2010

we feed our family of 4 on 400 bucks/month including 100 dollars in fresh veggies and we eat very well. 200 bucks/month for one person's appetite is an extravagance.

[markinaz]

02:59 PM on 06/03/2010

That's $200 more than I make.

[Teresa Rump]

11:31 PM on 06/02/2010

Rice and beans with onion and hot sauce. Braised greens. You can get a 50 lb bag of rice from Sam's Club for $16.00! These are survival skills we should acquire before we need them. We'd be a lot healthier if we were forced to give up processed food and most meat.

[Morena]

02:42 AM on 06/03/2010

"...These are survival skills we should acquire before we need them"

FANNED!

[condor101]

11:37 PM on 06/03/2010

Be careful what you get at those discount stores. Almost all of their food products come from Pesticide Laced China. The cheap prices can actually cost a fortune in illness later in life.
I buy at farmers markets and organic foods at my local natural food stores. I never buy canned goods and I always read the labels on Everything.
There is a lot of poison in the supermarket aisles. It's buyer beware.

[cybersense]

09:25 AM on 06/04/2010

Yeah, but those who are on a budget can't afford a lot of produce. Sometimes canned or frozen is the only option for making a budget stretch, but I have to tell you - you know the difference. Your body knows the difference from fresh to crap. You just don't feel like you are getting enough nutrients.

[ntbshfn]

09:49 PM on 06/02/2010

Most of us are just one mistake or mishap away from food stamps. Too bad you can't live on a degree.

[Kalila97]

04:21 PM on 06/02/2010

I love him.

[RayJ2010]

01:17 PM on 06/02/2010

Braised meat and tortillas, yum!

[condor101]

08:48 AM on 06/02/2010

It's interesting that illegal immigrant women who are pregnant apply for food stamps.....And they qualify because they are carrying a baby whom will be born a US citizen. So basically they are receiving food stamp benefits because of they apply for benefits for their their unborn american child. They also get Medicaid benefits for the baby too.
Oh, and the Food Stamp benefits for the baby and mother (2 people in the household) is $396 per month on a debit card, which can be used for any food/beverage item at the supermarket. That's $4,752 a year of Free Money for food.
It's no wonder that people from poor countries come to the U.S.

[quindy]

01:43 PM on 06/02/2010

Well, I'd rather see them fed than dying of hunger.

[Ankhorite]

02:24 PM on 06/02/2010

Better the fetus should starve, eh?

I won't guess at your position on abortion.

[cybersense]

08:36 AM on 06/02/2010

Healthier poor food options:

Brown rice instead of white.
Oatmeal in meatloaf does well, and the texture is pretty consistant. I used oatmeal to make leaner hamburger meat stretch better.

[AgathaX]

08:34 AM on 06/02/2010

There is certainly a romance in living off a pittance. It can be very satisfying when done well. Books from the library and ice water are luxuries in their way. A pot of split pea soup. Homemade bread. Pesto with basil from the garden, Trader Joe's olive oil, a handful of walnuts and a half portion asiago substituted because Parmesan is too expensive. Oatmeal with brown sugar. Potatoes and onions. Hot tea with milk and honey. Frozen banana smoothies.

But not to be tried with family. The romance goes right out the window.

[Kalila97]

04:30 PM on 06/02/2010

After 50 years on this planet believe me, there is no "romance in living off a pittance" and certainly not in an affluent society.

[ntbshfn]

09:56 PM on 06/02/2010

Living off a pittance only makes people angry which may lead to I'm going to get what I want by any means necessary. Poverty is not romantic especially for children. Good luck to all struggling. Fight the good FIGHT

[BrandonBoston]

10:38 PM on 06/02/2010

Actually, I do understand what you mean. While I do not aspire to live on a pittance, I do see an element of a 'reward' of making more from less. I started appreciating the library, a nice cold glass of homemade lemonade as well as having a pot of tea in the afternoon LONG before the current economic crisis hit. I have been unemployed about a month now and greatly appreciate how I can make a negative thing into something relatively positive. It's not my choice to love poorly, but will do my best to make the most out of it all.

[condor101]

07:35 AM on 06/02/2010

By the way, that threshold is $1174 Gross Income on a monthly basis. Medicaid qualification for a single person is based on a Monthly Gross Income of $700.
So basically you need a job that pays you less than $700 Gross in order to qualify for both benefits.
The health insurance and food stamps are worth approximately $15,000 a year.
If you are a working stiff, you would need to earn about $20,000 pre-tax income in order to pay for the same benefits in food and healthcare.
BTW, Medicaid includes Dental Care too.

[Kalila97]

04:25 PM on 06/02/2010

I don't know any private dentists who take Medicaid -- we go to a hospital clinic.

[ntbshfn]

09:57 PM on 06/02/2010

Good luck finding a decent doctor who takes medicaid and god forbid you need a specialist, Dentist too.

[condor101]

10:51 PM on 06/02/2010

Actually, you're wrong. Medicaid pays for a health plan in your county, which includes a network of doctors and dentists. Nice try to spin lies.

[Teresa Rump]

11:23 PM on 06/02/2010

Oh, no that's not correct. I've worked for many fine doctors who took Medicaid, (and did pro bono services at the community clinic as well). If you are having trouble finding a doc check out the many Community Health Centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers... even if you don't qualify for Medicaid they will accept payment on a sliding fee schedule... services sometimes only cost a $1.00 depending on your current income. Believe me, when patients are in trouble and need an expensive service they can always find a doctor willing to provide... its the blood sucking hospitals, labs, and diagnostic centers that stand in the way.

[condor101]

07:30 AM on 06/02/2010

In order to qualify for Food Stamps you need to demonstrate an income. For a single person, the federal threshold is a Gross Income of $1174. Also, you cannot have any bank accounts and you have to indicate that you have less than $50 on your person. These are questions asked on the application form. Basically you have to indicate that you are dirt poor and making a very low income in order to qualify for the $200 benefit debit card.
People who receive un-employment benefits do not qualify for food stamps or Medicaid because they make too much income, above the poverty threshold. Amazing!
So, if you go to work at a job with a salary of $30,000 and no health benefits, you are worse off than someone making less than $1000 a month. Why? Because you would pay 1/3 of that salary in Income Taxes, then pay over $12,000 a year for health insurance, and also pay over $2000 a year out of pocket for Food shopping.
So basically, when you work your tail off at a $30,000 a year job, you spend more than 2/3 on taxes, insurance, and food.
You're better off taking a part/time job with little income and applying for government benefits. I heard stories of people making money from side work (in cash) and keeping it to themselves. If you're an IT freelancer, or writer, etc, this would make the most sense.

[Kalila97]

04:27 PM on 06/02/2010

"People who receive un-employment benefits do not qualify for food stamps or Medicaid because they make too much income, above the poverty threshold."

A lot of info here is not accurate -- mayble it goes by state.

[ntbshfn]

09:58 PM on 06/02/2010

You are correct for my state nj

[condor101]

10:56 PM on 06/02/2010

You know nothing. Medicaid and Food Stamps are federal programs. The Gross Income Threshold is the same throughout the U.S. $1174 for qualification for Food Stamps and $700 for qualification for Medicaid. If a person receives $200 or more a week in an un-employment check, they do not qualify for Medicaid (but Food Stamps=Yes).

[BigGuy]

01:41 AM on 06/03/2010

Most people prefer the structure of a full time job with regular hours, even if the income ends up being less than what could be obtained with a part time job, medicaid, and food stamps.

[condor101]

11:32 PM on 06/03/2010

If the Full Time job pays more than $50,000 a year and it includes a health plan and it supports a single household and not a family, then it's OK.
Otherwise, why bother making more money on the books when you would have to spend 70% of your hard earned dollars on taxes and healthcare insurance?
Oh Yes, I forgot.....it's needed to support 2 wars in the middle east and our corrupt healthcare system.
It's interesting that the countries in Europe, such as Norway, France, Italy, etc that are not engaged in any war have free healthcare for their citizens and other social benefits. Yet, over 40 million americans don't have health insurance and are one illness away from financial ruin.