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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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Welcome to the community! As someone who's been navigating CalFresh for a while now, I just wanted to add that Grocery Outlet is definitely one of my go-to stores for stretching benefits. Yes, they accept EBT at all California locations! One thing I've learned is to bring a calculator or use your phone calculator while shopping - since their inventory changes so much, it helps to keep track of your spending as you go. Also, don't be afraid to ask at customer service if you're unsure about whether something is EBT eligible - they're usually pretty helpful. The combination of their already low prices plus your CalFresh benefits can really make a difference in your monthly food budget. Good luck with your shopping!
Thanks for the warm welcome and the calculator tip! That's really smart - I never thought about tracking spending as I go, especially since their prices can vary so much from regular stores. I'm definitely going to try that when I shop there this week. It's so helpful to have practical advice from people who've been doing this longer. This community really makes navigating CalFresh feel less overwhelming!
Welcome to the community! I'm also pretty new to using CalFresh and this thread has been such a lifesaver. I had no idea Grocery Outlet accepted EBT - I've been sticking to the big chain stores and struggling to make my benefits last. Reading about all these shopping strategies (the Tuesday/Wednesday delivery timing, manager's specials with colored stickers, bringing a calculator) is opening my eyes to so many possibilities I never considered. It's honestly a relief to find a community where people share practical tips instead of just venting. I'm planning to check out my local Grocery Outlet this week and will definitely keep all your advice in mind. Thank you all for being so welcoming and helpful - it really means a lot when you're trying to figure all this out!
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Do you know if this applies to CalWorks benefits too? My sister had money stolen from her cash aid last month and shes still fighting to get it back...
Yes, CalWorks (cash aid) has similar protections, but the process is slightly different. For CalWorks fraud, she should contact her specific county office and ask for the
@629ba60c4776 Yes, CalWorks cash benefits have similar fraud protections! Your sister should contact her county's CalWorks office directly and ask to speak with a fraud investigator. She'll need to file Form CW 8572 (Statement of Facts for Cash Aid EBT Card Transactions) and provide documentation of the unauthorized transactions. The key is getting that form submitted as soon as possible - counties are required to investigate within 30 days of receiving it. If she's having trouble with her local office, she can also contact the CalWorks State Hearing process for additional support. Hope this helps her situation!
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One more tip that's really helpful for budgeting - if you sign up for the ebt.ca.gov website account, you can actually see your transaction history going back several months. This is super useful for tracking your spending patterns and figuring out how to make your benefits last the whole month. You can see exactly where you shopped, how much you spent, and what your balance was after each transaction. It really helped me get better at meal planning and budgeting when I first started receiving CalFresh benefits!
This is such a great tip! I never thought about using the transaction history for budgeting purposes. I've been struggling to make my benefits last the full month, so being able to see my spending patterns sounds really helpful. I'm definitely going to set up that website account now. Thanks for sharing this - it's exactly the kind of practical advice I need as someone who's completely new to all this!
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.
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So glad you got it resolved! This is exactly why I always screenshot or print the promotion details before going to stores - it helps when you need to advocate for yourself with managers. Mother's Market promotions are usually really good for stretching benefits, so it's worth the extra effort to make sure they honor them correctly. Thanks for sharing the update!
This is such a helpful tip about screenshotting the promotion details! I never thought of doing that but it would definitely give you something concrete to show the cashier or manager. I'm still pretty new to using CalFresh and learning all these strategies for making the most of my benefits. It's reassuring to know that other people have figured out ways to navigate these situations successfully. Thanks for sharing that advice!
This thread is so helpful! I had no idea that CalFresh could be used at places like Mother's Market - I've been limiting myself to just the big chain grocery stores. And the tip about screenshotting promotions is brilliant. I'm going to start doing that for any store deals I want to try. It's really encouraging to see how everyone came together to help solve this issue and share knowledge about navigating EBT with different retailers and promotions.
Oliver Brown
Update????? Did you get your benefits back or talk to anyone? I'm dealing with the same thing right now and need advice
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Brielle Johnson
•Small update - I finally got through to someone at the county after using that Claimyr service another commenter mentioned. They connected me with the EBT theft department who confirmed they're investigating both months of stolen benefits. They said I should get May's benefits back within 10 days since it's been over 30 days already. For June's stolen benefits, might take the full 30 days. They also helped me apply for emergency replacement benefits to get some food NOW while waiting. The worker said theft cases have exploded in 2025 and they're completely overwhelmed. Hope this helps with your situation too!
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Eloise Kendrick
This is absolutely infuriating! I'm so sorry you and your kids are going through this. The fact that benefits can be stolen so easily and then families have to wait WEEKS for help is just broken. I went through something similar last year and here's what finally worked for me: I called my county supervisor's office (not CalFresh directly) and explained that my children had no food due to EBT theft. The supervisor's office put pressure on the county CalFresh office and I got a callback within 2 days instead of waiting weeks. Sometimes you have to go above the regular workers to get action. Also, while you're fighting this, see if your kids qualify for free school meals if they're not already getting them. At least that covers breakfast and lunch during school days. Some schools even have weekend backpack programs with food to take home. Keep pushing and don't let them brush you off. You shouldn't have to choose between feeding your kids and waiting for the bureaucracy to do its job!
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Diego Vargas
•This is such great advice about contacting the county supervisor's office! I never would have thought to go that route. I'm definitely going to try that if the EBT theft department doesn't follow through on their promise to restore May's benefits in 10 days. And yes, thankfully my kids do get free school meals, but with summer break coming up that won't help much longer. The weekend backpack program sounds amazing - I'll ask the school counselor about that. It's just so frustrating that families have to jump through all these hoops when WE are the victims of theft!
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