How to Use Your Electronic Benefits Transfer Card on Amazon
Amazon is a government partner for the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a program that helps low-income individuals and families afford groceries. This means that Amazon accepts EBT cards as a form of payment for eligible items.
Specifically, Amazon Fresh and Amazon Pantry items are able to be purchased using an EBT card. SNAP benefits can also be used to purchase other household items such as baby food, pet food, and certain personal care products.
The program has proved itself to be extremely useful in combating things like extreme child poverty. And, more generally, help struggling families get out of the forever debt trap.
Amazon is the leader in online grocery shopping, and they are committed to making it easy for those who receive SNAP benefits to shop for their families. But there are some caveats that are hard to know about if you haven’t used your EBT card on Amazon before.
In this article, you are going to learn everything you need to know about using an EBT card on Amazon. You’ll learn how to use your EBT card, what you can and can’t do with it, and how to make sure you’re getting the most out of your benefits.
What Can I Buy With My EBT on Amazon?
As we mentioned before, you can purchase groceries and other household items with your EBT card on Amazon.
This includes both fresh and dry goods, including baby food and pet food.
You can also use your EBT card to purchase eligible Amazon Prime memberships. In fact, Prime for EBT holders is cheaper, at just $6.99 per month instead of the usual $14.99.
This membership gives you access to free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more.
If you have an EBT card, you can also use it to purchase other things on Amazon, like books, clothes, and toys.
You can also use your SNAP benefits to pay for Prime Now delivery if you have an Amazon Prime membership. This is a two-hour delivery service for Prime members that costs $12.99 per month.
What Can’t I Buy With My EBT on Amazon?
There are some things you can’t buy with your EBT card, even on Amazon. These items include:
- Alcohol
- Tobacco products
- Prepared food
- Hot food
Moreover, you can’t use your SNAP card to pay for things like tips, delivery, shipping, and service fees, or gift wraps. Basically, if you couldn’t buy something in a regular store with your SNAP card, you can’t buy it with your EBT card on Amazon.
This is because the SNAP program is designed to help people purchase food that they will cook and eat at home. It’s all about creating a culture of responsibility. You can’t use your SNAP benefits to fuel your vices, or to pay for poor eating habits. That’s not what they’re for.
How Do I Use My EBT on Amazon?
Obviously, you need an Amazon account to use your EBT card there. Once you have an account, just add your EBT card as a payment method. You can do this by going to Your Account > Payment Settings > Add a New Payment Method.
From there, just select EBT Card as your payment method and enter your information.
You’ll also need to enter the amount of money you want to spend. You can do this by going to Your Account > EBT Eligible Items.
Once you’ve done that, just add the items you want to purchase to your cart and checkout like normal. The only difference is that you’ll be using your EBT card to pay instead of a credit or debit card.
It’s really that simple. Just remember that you can’t use your EBT card to purchase anything other than food and household items. If you try to buy something else, your order will be canceled.
Here’s a video that shows how to buy things with your EBT card on Amazon:
You also need to make sure you have enough money on your card to cover the cost of your purchase. Amazon will not let you overspend, so if you don’t have enough money, your order will be canceled.
Editor’s note: You can use your EBT card on Amazon in any state that participates in the SNAP program. This includes most states, as well as Washington D.C., Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The only 2 states where even a valid SNAP EBT card won’t be accepted by Amazon are Alaska and Hawaii.
Advantages of SNAP EBT Cards on Amazon
Thanks to the SNAP program, millions of Americans are able to put food on the table that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. The program has been around for decades, but it’s only recently that Amazon has started accepting SNAP EBT cards.
Amazon offers various extra benefits to EBT cards holders. It understands that many people who rely on SNAP benefits may not have the means to pay for a Prime membership or Amazon Fresh.
Here are the main benefits you get by using your SNAP EBT card on Amazon:
- You can get a discounted Prime membership.
If you have an EBT card, you can get a discounted Prime membership for just $6.99 per month instead of the usual $14.99. This membership gives you access to free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more.
- You can get free shipping on orders over $25.
If you don’t want to pay for a Prime membership, you can still get free shipping on orders over $25. To make the most out of this, make a list of the things you need and try to find them all in one go. This way, you will easily spend more than $25, saving you money and time.
- You can get Amazon Fresh for free.
Amazon Fresh is a grocery delivery service that’s usually only available to Prime members. And yes, an EBT card would give you discounted Prime, but many people don’t care about it. If you have an EBT card, though, you can get Amazon Fresh for free. This service allows you to get your groceries delivered to your door in just a few hours.
As you can see, Amazon offers many benefits to those who use SNAP EBT cards. Not only does it make shopping easier and more convenient, but it also helps you save money. So if you’re someone who relies on SNAP benefits, be sure to take advantage of these benefits the next time you shop on Amazon.
What About Other EBT Cards Like TANF/WIC?
Unfortunately, Amazon only accepts SNAP EBT cards as of now. Other EBT cards, such as TANF or WIC, cannot be used on the site.
This is a shame, because while Amazon does offer many benefits to those who use SNAP EBT cards, there are some drawbacks. For example, you can only use your EBT card to purchase food and household items. This means that if you want to buy something else, like a new book or clothes, you’ll have to find another way to pay for it.
It’s also worth noting that Amazon is not the only place where you can use your SNAP EBT card. There are many other retailers, both online and offline, that accept SNAP EBT cards. So if you can’t find what you’re looking for on Amazon, be sure to check out other retailers that might have what you need.
But there’s a way to use your TANF EBT card on Amazon. Simply use it to withdraw cash from an ATM, and then use that cash to buy Amazon Gift Cards in shops. That’s right, you can use your TANF EBT card to buy Amazon Gift Cards in stores like Walmart! Once you have the gift cards, you can then use them to shop on Amazon as normal.
This workaround might not be ideal, but it’s the only way to use your TANF EBT card on Amazon. And please, only use this to buy what you need. Do not abuse this workaround just because you can. You risk losing your benefits if you’re caught spending your TANF EBT card on non-essential items.
As you can see, there are some benefits and drawbacks to using your EBT card on Amazon. But overall, it’s a great way to save money and make shopping more convenient. So if you have an EBT card, be sure to take advantage of these benefits the
Conclusions
As you can see, Amazon offers a lot of benefits to those who use EBT cards. From discounted memberships to free shipping and grocery delivery, there are many ways to save money and make shopping more convenient. So if you have an EBT card, be sure to take advantage of these benefits the next time you shop on Amazon.
This is also a huge opportunity for you. You can use your EBT card to save money and learn to cook your own things at home. That’s a skill that’s going to last you a lifetime, and save you money even when you solve your financial woes. In fact, cooking your own meals is one of the best ways to save money, period. It’s also way healthier, because you never know what ‘s really in those processed foods.
So if you have an EBT card and you’re looking for ways to save money, be sure to check out Amazon. With a little bit of planning, you can make the most out of your EBT benefits and start on the path to financial independence.
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