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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Glad you got it sorted out! The ConnectEBT app definitely has its quirks but it's been more reliable for me than the website lately. Pro tip for anyone using it - make sure to refresh/pull down on the balance screen before checking, sometimes it shows old cached data. Also, if the app crashes on you, try clearing the cache in your phone settings before reinstalling. That usually fixes most of the glitches I've experienced with it.
That's a really helpful tip about refreshing the balance screen! I just started using the ConnectEBT app after this whole BenefitsCal issue and didn't realize it might show cached data. I was wondering why sometimes the balance seemed off from what I expected. Will definitely try the cache clearing trick if I run into crashes. Thanks for sharing these workarounds - it's so helpful when people post the actual fixes that work instead of just complaining about the problems!
Just wanted to chime in with another workaround that's been working for me - if you have a smartphone, you can also text your EBT card number to the customer service text line (the number should be on the back of your card or in any paperwork you got). It usually responds pretty quickly with your balance, and you don't have to deal with busy phone lines or app crashes. I know it's not as convenient as having it right on BenefitsCal, but it's been a lifesaver when I'm standing in the grocery store checkout line trying to figure out if I have enough left! Hope this helps someone else dealing with the same frustration.
This is such a great tip! I had no idea there was a text option for checking EBT balances. I've been struggling with the same BenefitsCal issue and the ConnectEBT app keeps glitching on my older phone. The text service sounds way more reliable than trying to get through on the phone lines. Do you know if this text service works for all states or just California? I have family in other states who might benefit from knowing about this option too. Thanks for sharing this - you just saved me a lot of hassle!
Wait, I tried texting my card number to the number on the back of my card but I just got an automated response saying "text service not available" - maybe it's county specific? I'm in San Bernardino County. @Giovanni Moretti which county are you in where the text service works? I d'love to get this working since the ConnectEBT app has been super unreliable for me too. Did you have to register for the text service first or does it just work automatically?
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I'm a security guard working 11pm-7am shifts and just ran into this same issue last month! My deposit day is the 3rd and I've always done my grocery runs at around 2am after work. When my card got declined at the self-checkout, I thought there was a system error or something was wrong with my account. The overnight manager didn't know about the 6am restriction either. It's really tough because by the time 6am rolls around, I'm exhausted and just want to get home to sleep. Plus most of the good sales and fresh produce are picked over by then. I wish they would at least make it 3am or 4am instead of waiting until 6am - that would help us night workers a lot more. Has anyone tried contacting CalFresh directly to give feedback about this policy? Maybe if enough night shift workers speak up they might consider adjusting the time.
I feel your pain as another night shift worker! I'm new to this community but have been dealing with the same frustration. I work nights at a manufacturing plant and had no idea about this 6am restriction until I found this thread. It really does seem like they didn't think about us night workers when they made this change. Your idea about contacting CalFresh directly is good - maybe we should all submit feedback about how this impacts night shift workers? Even moving it to 3am or 4am would be so much better than 6am. I'm going to try that emergency fund strategy someone mentioned earlier, but it's frustrating that we have to work around a system that used to work fine for us. Thanks for sharing your experience - at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this!
I'm also a night shift worker (hospital custodial staff, 12am-8am) and this thread has been so helpful! I had no idea this was a statewide change - I thought it was just my local store having issues when my card got declined at 3am last month. My deposit day is the 22nd and I've been shopping after work for two years without problems until recently. It's really frustrating that they implemented this without better outreach to people who work non-traditional hours. We're already dealing with limited store hours, fewer staff at night, and now this. The emergency fund strategy sounds smart - I'm definitely going to start setting aside $20-30 from each month's benefits as a buffer. Has anyone had success reaching out to their local representatives about this? It seems like if enough of us night workers contact our county supervisors or state assembly members, maybe they could push for at least moving the time earlier or finding another solution that works better for everyone.
That's a great idea about contacting local representatives! I'm also new here but work nights as a home health aide (10pm-6am). Just learned about this 6am restriction from this thread and it explains why my card was declined at CVS last week at 2am - so embarrassing! I thought my benefits were cut or something was wrong with my account. The emergency fund strategy definitely makes sense, and I think you're right that if we get enough night workers to speak up, maybe they'll reconsider the timing. Even 4am would be so much better than 6am for those of us getting off work around that time. Thanks for suggesting the representative route - I'm going to look up my assembly member and send them a message about how this impacts working families on night shifts.
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I'm new to CalFresh and this thread has been incredibly educational! I had no idea about the 274-day rule or that hospitalization counts as "good cause" for missing deadlines. Reading through everyone's experiences and the practical tips like using Claimyr and setting up authorized representatives has really opened my eyes to how the system actually works. It's so reassuring to see a community where people share real solutions and support each other through these challenges. As someone who has chronic health issues, I'm definitely going to look into setting up an authorized representative proactively. Thank you all for creating such a helpful resource - I'm bookmarking this entire thread for future reference!
Welcome to the community! I'm also relatively new to CalFresh and this thread has been like a crash course in all the things they don't clearly explain when you first apply. It's amazing how much practical knowledge gets shared here that you just can't find in the official handbooks. The authorized representative tip is brilliant - I never would have thought of that as a proactive step. It's so smart to plan ahead for potential health emergencies rather than scrambling during a crisis. This community really shows how peer support can fill in the gaps where official resources fall short. Thanks for highlighting how valuable this discussion has been!
I'm really grateful this conversation exists! As someone who's been on CalFresh for about 6 months, I had no idea about so many of these nuances. The 274-day rule, authorized representatives, good cause provisions - none of this was explained during my initial application process. It's honestly concerning how much critical information isn't communicated upfront. Reading about everyone's experiences, especially with medical emergencies, really highlights how important it is to understand these protections before you need them. I'm definitely going to research setting up an authorized representative and maybe even reach out to my local food bank to understand what resources they offer. This thread should honestly be required reading for all new CalFresh recipients! Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences so openly.
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I'm still pretty new to CalFresh myself, but I've learned that those pending dates are basically just administrative processing dates - not when you'll actually get access to your benefits. I had the same confusion my first couple months! The actual deposit schedule is based on your case number and stays consistent. If you're really in a tight spot with groceries, some food banks don't require you to wait for your CalFresh benefits and can help bridge the gap until the 1st. I know it's disappointing when you think you might get help earlier, but at least you can plan around knowing it'll definitely be there on your regular date!
@Yara Khalil Thanks for the helpful perspective! It s'reassuring to know I m'not the only newcomer who got confused by this. The food bank suggestion is really thoughtful too - I hadn t'considered that as an option to bridge the gap. It s'good to hear from someone else who s'recently navigated these same confusing waters. Definitely makes me feel less alone in trying to figure out how all this works!
I'm new to CalFresh too and had this exact same situation happen to me last month! I saw a pending date that was several days before my usual benefit date and got so excited thinking I'd get my groceries early. But like everyone else is saying, that pending date is just when they process everything on their end - your actual benefits still come on your regular schedule based on your case number. I learned this the hard way when I kept checking my card balance obsessively for three days straight! 😅 The whole system is pretty confusing for newcomers but once you get used to it, those pending dates won't get your hopes up anymore. Hang in there until the 1st!
Marcus Williams
This whole thread has been such an incredible resource! I'm relatively new to CalFresh (about 5 months in) and reading through @Marilyn Dixon's detailed experience has me feeling way more prepared for potential system issues. That 3+ hour wait to fix their system glitch while you have kids to feed is absolutely infuriating - the stress of standing there with a full cart unable to pay must have been overwhelming! I'm definitely saving all the amazing resources shared here, especially that Claimyr service @Payton Black mentioned and the genius tip about hitting "remind me later" when you get those automated PIN change prompts. It's completely unacceptable that they rolled out these "security enhancements" without proper testing, essentially making us unwilling guinea pigs for a system we depend on for basic necessities. The collective wisdom in this thread is pure gold - from writing down confirmation numbers to avoiding weekend system changes to knowing about emergency food bank options. It's ridiculous that we need all these workarounds just to reliably access our benefits, but this community support is invaluable when the official system fails us. Thank you everyone for turning a frustrating situation into such a helpful guide for navigating these broken systems!
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Mason Lopez
This thread has been absolutely invaluable - thank you @Marilyn Dixon for sharing such a detailed account of your experience! I'm about 7 months into CalFresh and luckily haven't encountered the PIN change disaster yet, but this has me way better prepared now. That 3+ hour hold time while you're trying to feed your family is completely unacceptable - their system failures shouldn't become our emergencies! I'm definitely bookmarking that Claimyr service @Payton Black shared and all the other brilliant workarounds mentioned here. The "remind me later" tip for PIN changes is especially valuable - I had no idea that was even an option! It's infuriating that they're basically using us as beta testers for their "security improvements" without considering the real-world impact on families who depend on these benefits. One additional tip I'd share from my own experience: if you're ever dealing with EBT issues and need groceries urgently, some WIC-authorized stores are really understanding about benefit card problems since they deal with government assistance programs regularly. The staff at my local store has been super helpful when I've had minor glitches, even offering to call customer service on my behalf while I shopped. It's sad that we need to strategize around system failures just to access basic necessities, but this community knowledge sharing is absolutely essential when the official system lets us down!
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