Food Stamps: Massachusetts’ Benefits Schedule for December 2022 and How To Get SNAP EBT Discounts
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Josephine Nesbit
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Cory Dudak
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SNAP is run by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in Massachusetts, helping low-income households expand their food budget by sending out monthly benefits through the Massachusetts EBT card. Like most states, Massachusetts keeps a set monthly schedule for when SNAP recipients get their benefits, including December.
Massachusetts EBT cards can be swiped at card reader terminals at authorized locations with the Quest logo, which can be found on the door or window of the store. If a store with the Quest logo doesn’t have a working EBT machine, the store clerk can write a voucher for SNAP purchases, and then call the agency to see if you have enough benefits to buy the food. After that, you must sign and keep the voucher to subtract the amount from your balance. Keep in mind that it might take a few days for any changes to appear on your SNAP account.
You can use the EBT card to purchase the following food items:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry and fish
- Dairy products
- Breads and cereals
- Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.
Among the items you can’t buy with SNAP benefits are alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vitamins, medicines, supplements, live animals, pet foods, cleaning supplies, paper products and cosmetics. In Massachusetts, you also can’t use SNAP to purchase food that is served hot at the point of sale.
How To Score EBT Discounts
Massachusetts also offers a wide range of benefits and services to SNAP customers, including the following:
- Amazon Prime: Massachusetts SNAP recipients can sign up for an Amazon Prime EBT Discount for $6.99 per month, which is about half the regular cost of a subscription.
- Farmers’ markets: Either $40, $60 or $80 a month is put back on your EBT card when you use SNAP to buy local produce via the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).
- Museums/zoos/aquariums: The Museums for All initiative in Massachusetts gives EBT cardholders free or discounted admission to hundreds of museums, aquariums and zoos nationwide. The Commonwealth also offers additional discounts at museums and cultural institutions through the EBT Card to Culture Program, which also accepts P-EBT cards through 2022.
- Utility bills: National Grid’s Low Income Discount Rate is available to Massachusetts SNAP recipients.
You can instantly check your eligibility for SNAP benefits in Massachusetts by filling out the online screener. After that, you can apply in numerous ways, including filling out the online application through DTA Connect, applying over the phone at 877- 382-2363, or sending your application to your local DTA office by fax, mail or in person.
Here is the Massachusetts SNAP deposit schedule for December 2022:
| SSN ends in: | Benefits available: |
| 0 | Dec. 1st |
| 1 | Dec. 2nd |
| 2 | Dec. 4th |
| 3 | Dec. 5th |
| 4 | Dec. 7th |
| 5 | Dec. 8th |
| 6 | Dec. 10th |
| 7 | Dec. 11th |
| 8 | Dec. 13th |
| 9 | Dec. 14th |
SNAP recipients will also receive another big payment in December which includes the 12.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) approved for 2023. The COLA for 2023 will run through Sept. 30, 2023, which will help SNAP recipients deal with rising food costs.
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