South Carolina Food Stamps Benefits Are Scheduled for These Dates in January 2023

South Carolina residents who are eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will receive payments on their regular monthly schedule in January. As usual, the payout will be split into her two installments, depending on when you first started receiving benefits. SNAP recipients can also expect a significant cost of living adjustment (COLA) approved in 2023, increasing her benefits by 12.5%.

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SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is a federal program that provides food-buying assistance to low-income families. Although part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the program is administered at the state level. In South Carolina, it is operated by the Department of Social Services (DSS), which deposits monthly benefits into the South Carolina Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card.

To apply for SNAP online in Palmetto, please visit the DSS Benefits Portal. To apply in person, by mail or fax, contact your DSS county office. To check if you are eligible for SNAP benefits, please select “Are You Eligible?” on the DSS Benefits Portal.

SNAP recipients in South Carolina can use their EBT cards to take advantage of additional benefits, such as discounts on certain products and services. For example, SNAP recipients can sign up for an Amazon Prime EBT discounted subscription for $6.99 per month. EBT cards can also be used for free or discounted admission to hundreds of museums, aquariums and zoos nationwide. Free or low-cost landline or cell phone service is also available through the Federal Lifeline Program.

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If you submit a new SNAP application, your benefits will be available the day after your case is approved. For ongoing SNAP cases, benefits are shipped on the same day from the 1st to the 19th of each month. The date you receive your SNAP benefits depends on the last digit of your case number.

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Therefore, South Carolina has two different SNAP schedules. If you started receiving benefits after September 1, 2012, your January 2023 deposit will be:

If you continue to receive your SNAP benefits before September 1, 2012, here’s the January 2023 schedule:

EBT cards can be used at most grocery stores and certain other retailers. You can also use your SNAP EBT card to purchase fresh produce at participating farmers markets. USDA’s Food Nutrition Service provides a monthly list of market names and locations nationwide that are currently authorized to accept SNAP benefits.

You can use your SNAP benefits to purchase the following groceries:

• fruits and vegetables

• meat, poultry, fish

• dairy products

• bread and cereal

• Snack food and non-alcoholic beverages

• Seeds or plants that produce food for domestic consumption

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Items that cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits include alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vitamins, medicines, supplements, live animals, pet food, cleaning supplies, paper products, and cosmetics. South Carolina is also not a participating state in SNAP’s restaurant meal program, so EBT cards cannot be used to purchase hot store-prepared meals.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: South Carolina Food Stamp Benefits Scheduled for These Dates in January 2023