I've been doing gig work with DoorDash and Uber Eats for about 8 months while on CalFresh and I completely understand your confusion! When I first started, I was panicking about whether to report every single week too - thankfully that's not necessary. Here's what works for me: I keep a simple system where I track daily earnings in a small notebook I keep in my car, then transfer everything to a spreadsheet weekly. The key is only reporting if your COMBINED monthly income from all gig apps exceeds your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). My biggest tip: Email your caseworker to get your exact IRT amount and reporting requirements IN WRITING. I've had different workers tell me completely different things over the phone, but having that email documentation protects you from conflicting advice later. For expenses, definitely use a mileage tracking app like Stride or Everlance - they automatically log your driving and the 58.5 cents per mile deduction adds up incredibly fast! Also track gas, car maintenance, phone charges, even things like hand sanitizer and thermal bags since they're legitimate business expenses. When you do your SAR7, create a clean monthly summary: "Month 1: $X total income - $Y expenses = $Z net income" for each month. Caseworkers really appreciate organized documentation and it makes the whole process smoother. Don't stress too much - once you establish a consistent tracking routine, it becomes second nature! The system definitely wasn't designed with gig workers in mind, but thousands of us are managing it successfully with good record keeping.

I've been doing gig work with DoorDash and Grubhub for about 14 months while on CalFresh and I totally get your stress about this! When I first started, I was calling the county constantly thinking I needed to report every little income change - turns out that's definitely not the case. Here's my foolproof system: Keep a small notebook in your car and write down your daily earnings and miles immediately after each shift (this is crucial - don't wait until later because you'll forget). I use the Stride app for automatic mileage tracking which has been a lifesaver. Every Sunday, I update a simple Google Sheet with my weekly totals from all apps. The most important thing you can do RIGHT NOW: Email your caseworker asking for your exact Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) amount and what specifically triggers reporting requirements, and ask them to respond in writing. I learned this the hard way when I got three different answers from three different workers. Having that email saved me from a potential overpayment situation. Monthly process: Add up ALL your gig income (DoorDash + Uber Eats combined) and only report if it exceeds your IRT. If it doesn't, you wait until your SAR7 every 6 months. For expenses, track EVERYTHING - gas, car washes, phone charges, maintenance, even air fresheners since you're delivering food. The mileage deduction alone (58.5 cents per mile for 2025) makes a huge difference. You can either itemize all expenses or take the 40% standard deduction - whichever saves you more. SAR7 tip: Create a monthly breakdown sheet showing "Month X: $XX gross income - $XX expenses = $XX net income" for each month. Makes everything super organized and caseworkers love it. Don't let this overwhelm you - with consistent tracking it becomes automatic! Thousands of us gig workers are successfully managing CalFresh despite the system not being designed for our type of work.

Raúl, this is such wonderful news! I've been following your posts and was so worried about you sleeping in your car. Finally getting that hotel voucher must be such a relief. I wanted to add something I haven't seen mentioned yet - when you go back on the 17th, ask about the "Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program" (HHAP) funding. It's different from the other programs people mentioned and sometimes has shorter waitlists. They can help with rental assistance, security deposits, and even temporary financial assistance for work-related expenses like gas money for job interviews or apartment viewings. Also, since you mentioned having a part-time job, make sure to bring recent pay stubs with you. Sometimes they can fast-track your application if they can verify steady income right away, even if it's not full-time. One practical tip from my own experience - start calling apartments during your lunch breaks or after work to ask about their application process and timeline. That way when you do find "the one," you'll know exactly what paperwork they need and how quickly they can move. Some places take weeks just to process applications, while others can approve you in 24-48 hours if everything checks out. You're doing all the right things by planning ahead. Having stable housing is going to change everything for you! 🏡

Raúl, I'm so happy you finally got some help! I went through a similar situation last year and wanted to share something that really helped me during the apartment search - create a "housing assistance packet" to bring with you when viewing apartments. Include copies of: - Your income verification/pay stubs - A letter from your case worker confirming you have housing assistance approved (ask for this on the 17th!) - Your ID and Social Security card copies - A brief personal statement explaining your situation professionally Having everything ready in a folder made landlords take me more seriously and showed I was organized and prepared. Some landlords who were initially hesitant about county assistance changed their minds when they saw I had all my paperwork together and could explain the process clearly. Also, don't forget to ask about the difference between "rapid rehousing" and "homeless prevention" programs - you might qualify for both depending on your situation, and combining them could give you more comprehensive assistance. The restaurant meals program someone mentioned is a lifesaver - I lived on Subway and Jack in the Box for weeks while apartment hunting. It's so much better than trying to survive on snacks from gas stations! You're going to get through this. Having that hotel voucher is the first step, and you're already asking all the right questions. Keep us updated! 🙌

I've been on CalFresh for about 2 years and dealt with this exact same issue when I was working overnight shifts at a hospital. The 6AM restriction is unfortunately set in stone - I learned this the hard way after multiple failed attempts at different stores between midnight and 6AM. What ended up working best for me was a combination of strategies: I started doing grocery pickup orders scheduled for 7AM (most stores let you place the order online the night before), kept a small stockpile of shelf-stable foods at home for emergencies, and on really desperate nights I'd just wait in my car at a 24-hour Walmart until exactly 6AM and then do a quick shop. It's frustrating that the system doesn't accommodate night workers better, but once I adjusted my planning around it, things got much more manageable. Hang in there - the struggle is real but you'll find a routine that works!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! I work 10PM-6AM at a manufacturing plant and it's so frustrating when my benefits load on a workday because I can't access them until my shift is basically over. I've tried a few different approaches - sometimes I'll stop at a 24-hour grocery store right at 6AM after work, but shopping when you're exhausted is rough. I've also had success with placing online grocery orders during my dinner break (around 2AM) and scheduling pickup for 7AM, which works great since I can just swing by on my way home. The key is finding stores that let you schedule pickup slots early in the morning. It's definitely not ideal that the system doesn't account for night workers, but with some planning ahead you can make it work!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I was in the exact same situation last month! I was completely out of food and really nervous about trying to use my benefits at midnight. I ended up going to a 24-hour Walmart and my CalFresh benefits worked perfectly at 12:02am on my issuance day. The cashier told me that food benefits are definitely available at midnight, unlike the cash side which has the 6am restriction. One thing that really helped me was downloading the ebtEDGE app beforehand so I could check my balance right from my phone before leaving the house. It showed my benefits had loaded at exactly midnight. Also, if you're worried about any potential delays, you could always call the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) around 11:55pm to double-check your balance before heading out. Hope your shopping trip goes smoothly and you can get some real food for your family!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been managing CalFresh for my elderly parents - yes, the food benefits are definitely available at midnight on your issuance day! I've done countless midnight runs to stock up their fridge when benefits load. One thing I've learned is to always have the EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) handy to check the balance before leaving home. Also, if you're planning to shop at a 24-hour store, I'd recommend sticking to major chains like Walmart, Safeway, or Kroger since smaller stores sometimes have their payment systems offline overnight for maintenance. The ebtEDGE app is also super helpful for real-time balance checking. Hope you're able to get groceries for your family without any issues!

As someone who's been helping folks navigate CalFresh for a while, I just want to say you're asking all the right questions! Don't feel silly about not knowing this stuff - the system really isn't intuitive for newcomers. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet: if you ever have issues with your card being declined even though you think you have benefits, sometimes there's a 24-48 hour delay between when benefits are "issued" and when they're actually available to spend. This is rare but can happen, especially around holidays or weekends. Also, make sure you're using your card at authorized retailers - not all stores accept EBT, and some that do only accept it for certain items. The fact that you're being proactive about learning how to check your balance and budget carefully shows you're going to do great with managing your benefits! Welcome to the CalFresh community.

Just wanted to add something that helped me a lot when I first started with CalFresh - you can actually text your EBT card number to 511-227 to get your balance sent back as a text message! It's super quick and you don't need internet or an app. Just text your 16-digit card number and you'll get your current balance and last transaction info within a few seconds. Really handy when you're out shopping and want a quick balance check without having to ask the cashier or find a machine to check it on. This feature isn't widely advertised but it's been a lifesaver for me!