What can you use ebt cash for

With gas prices approaching $4 a gallon in some regions as we head into the weekend, individuals on a fixed income may be struggling to make ends meet. You might even wonder if you can use your EBT card, from the program formerly known as food stamps, at a gas station.

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The answer to that is, “Maybe.” Depending on the government benefits you receive, you may even be able to use EBT-Cash — but not EBT from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — for fuel and other gas station purchases.

Understanding TANF vs. SNAP

First, let’s go over a quick review of the programs available to help low-income households across the U.S., including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, is administrated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and provides benefits to families on an electronic debit card that can be used to buy food, non-alcoholic beverages, ingredients for meals and seeds at grocery stores and other retailers that accept EBT as a form of payment.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program also offers an EBT card (called EBT Cash), and it can be used for a wider range of living expenses, including fuel, housing, home maintenance supplies, personal hygiene and other living expenses. You can also withdraw cash from an ATM using your ETC Cash card.

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Can You Use Your EBT Card at Gas Stations?

Many gas stations across the U.S. accept EBT/food stamps and EBT-Cash cards. According to FoodStampsnow.com, more than 50 gas stations across the country accept EBT, including large chains like 7-Eleven, Circle K, Cumberland Farms, Flying J and Exxon Mobil.

If you are using an EBT Cash card at a location that accepts EBT, you can use it to fuel up your vehicle and purchase virtually anything in the store, including personal hygiene products or food. You will not be able to purchase cigarettes, alcohol, vaping products, lottery tickets and scratch-offs, or anything that cannot be legally purchased by children under the age of 18.

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However, if your EBT card is only good for SNAP benefits, you’ll be even more limited to the things you can buy. In addition to the above “adult-only” items, you cannot purchase fuel, prepared convenience foods, such as pre-cooked hot dogs from a 7-Eleven gas station, or foods to go, like an ice cream cone from Cumberland Farms. However, you can purchase milk, bread, butter or any of the other groceries commonly sold at gas stations or convenience stores.

Foodstampsnow.com advises readers to call ahead to ensure the gas station near you accepts EBT, since rules may vary based on the franchise owner. You can also look for the sign in the door or window saying that EBT is accepted at that location.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Food Stamps: Can You Use Your SNAP EBT Card at Gas Stations?

Many people are familiar with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly called food stamps, which delivers money in the form of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to low-income families. The program allows low-income families to purchase food, non-alcoholic beverages, seeds, and ingredients used to make meals at home.

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Find: What is SNAP & Is it The Same as Food Stamps?

However, you may not have heard of the EBT Cash Benefits program, which provides funds to low-income families to use for a variety of living expenses. The most common EBT Cash program is the federally managed Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

The program is federally funded but run by individual states. Previously known as welfare, TANF delivers funding to eligible individuals and families to help pay for food, housing, home energy and other utility bills, childcare, job training, transportation, and other living expenses. The funds are designed to help families and individuals who have fallen on hard times get back on their feet and recover financially.

TANF funds are distributed through an EBT Cash benefits card, which can be used for purchases at any store or website that accepts EBT as a form of payment. An EBT Cash card, unlike the EBT card issued for SNAP benefits, can also be used to withdraw cash from an ATM.

Who Qualifies for TANF or EBT Cash Benefits?

Income qualifications vary based on the state where you live. To qualify for TANF, you must be a resident of the state in which you are applying. Individuals who are either U.S. citizens, legal aliens, or qualified aliens may apply for TANF benefits.

Additionally, according to Benefits.gov, to qualify for TANF you must:

• Have a child 18 or younger or,

• Be pregnant or,

• Be 18 or younger and qualify as a head-of-household.

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How Can You Apply for EBT Cash?

To apply for TANF benefits, you’ll want to reach out to the Department of Social Services or Family Assistance for your state. Each state has a different name for the administrators of the TANF program. You can find the contact information, including a phone number and website, for each state at the Office of the Administration for Children & Families website.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What Are EBT Cash Benefits and How Can You Apply?

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