Mammoth AwardsGrocery and gas prices are skyrocketing, along with rent and other expenses. This has many families struggling and scrambling to find ways to buy the items they need. What is one way you may use to try to buy things you need, such as gas? Your EBT card, which you have if you are a recipient of benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
If you have an EBT card since you receive food stamps, you probably use it at the grocery store to buy food. But as your bank account runs dry and your credit cards max out, you may wonder if you can use it at the gas station to fill up at the pump or buy other things. Let’s find that out now.
The Difference Between SNAP And TANF
Two of the most popular programs for low-income households are SNAP and TANF. SNAP, which some people still refer to as food stamps, gives you funds each month on an EBT card to buy groceries. With your SNAP EBT benefits, you can pick up essential food-related groceries like meat, milk, cereal, fruits, veggies, non-alcoholic beverages, etc.
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, aka welfare) also gives you an EBT card that functions like a debit or credit card. However, unlike your SNAP EBT card, the TANF variety lets you pay for various living expenses, such as:
- Utility bills
- Food
- Transportation
- Childcare
- Personal hygiene items
- Housing supplies
- Gas
- And more
Even better, you can use your TANF EBT Cash card to withdraw money from an ATM.
Using Your EBT Card At The Gas Station
So, getting back to whether or not you can use your SNAP EBT card at the gas station, the answer to that is it depends on what you want to buy. As you can tell from what was listed above, SNAP EBT is meant for food essentials, while TANF EBT Cash is a lot more flexible and can be used for other purposes.
Most major gas stations (7-Eleven, Cumberland Farms, Exxon Mobil, Circle K, etc.) will accept SNAP EBT (food stamps) and EBT cash cards. The card you have will determine what you can buy.
For instance, if you have a regular EBT card since you are a SNAP recipient, you can use it at the gas station to purchase basics like bread, milk, butter, and other groceries covered by food stamps. You will not be able to buy cooked hot dogs, nachos, or other prepared items, as SNAP does not cover them in grocery stores or gas stations.
However, if you have an EBT Cash card since you are a TANF recipient, you will be able to buy fuel, most foods, personal hygiene products, and more at the gas station. Off-limits items include alcohol, lottery tickets, cigarettes, vaping products, etc.
Before you head out to your nearest gas station, give them a call to see if they accept EBT. Then be prepared by knowing what you can and cannot buy with your specific card, so you do not come up short at the cash register.
