If you have an EBT card and are looking to purchase something from Amazon, there’s good news – you may be able to use your EBT card to pay for some items on the site. This means that even if you don’t have a traditional credit or debit card, you can still buy things online.
Amazon currently accepts EBT cards for purchases of food and groceries. This includes items such as groceries, snacks and more. Continue reading to learn more about buying items online using your EBT card.
An EBT card is a type of debit card that’s issued by the government to people who receive certain public assistance benefits. It stands for Electronic Benefit Transfer, and it allows people to access their social services benefits in a more convenient way.
In the past, government benefits were given out as checks or “stamps,” but now they are issued through EBT cards. If you’re eligible to receive government benefits, then you may already have an EBT card.
If you don’t have one already, you’ll need to apply for public assistance programs. The following programs use EBT cards to send benefits to qualified people:
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) – This program provides money for families and individuals to purchase certain types of food if they struggle to put food on the table.
- WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) – This program helps qualified women, infants, pregnant women and children up to age 5 to get nutritious food and formula.
- TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) – This program provides temporary cash assistance to qualifying families with children.
To qualify for these programs, you typically must demonstrate financial need and be able to provide information about your income, family size and need. If you are approved for one of these programs, you should receive an EBT card from your state that you can use to purchase items at participating retailers.
EBT cards can only be used to buy specific items that have been approved by your state. The purpose of these programs is to provide money for qualified individuals and families to purchase healthy, nutritious foods or become more self-sufficient.
Examples of approved foods often include things like:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and poultry
- Fish
- Dairy products
- Breads and cereals
- Snacks
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Seeds and plants (only for eating)
For example, most states do not allow you to buy alcohol, tobacco or supplements with an EBT card.
Each state is responsible for choosing which items are approved for EBT purchase. In most cases, you can find a list of approved foods and items on your state’s Social Services website.
Likewise, you may not be able to use your EBT card everywhere. Most states limit the stores and retailers that accept EBT cards. To find an approved store in your state, you can use the Retailer Locator tool on the USDA’s website.
However, all states – except Alaska – allow you to use EBT cards online. Can’t make it to the store? You may be able to use an EBT card to buy food and other approved items from stores like Amazon, Walmart, Target and more.
Continue to the next slide to learn more.
By Admin –
