Thank you all so much for the great advice! I'm definitely going to try the Market Match program. One last question - does anyone know if the doubled amount counts against your monthly CalFresh limit? Like if I get $20 matched, does that take $20 off my monthly benefits?

This is such valuable information! I'm new to CalFresh too and had no idea about Market Match. Just wanted to add that I called the Sacramento Central Farmers Market this morning and they confirmed they do participate - they're open Saturday mornings from 8am-noon under the freeway at 8th & W streets. The staff person I talked to was really helpful and said they usually have match funds available through the whole season, but it's first-come-first-served each market day. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing!

I'm new to CalFresh and this thread is so helpful! I had no idea that EBT cards don't actually lock at midnight - good to know for future reference. I work odd hours too and was worried about when I could use my benefits. Quick question though - is there a way to tell if it's a store system issue vs a card issue before trying another location? Like are there specific error messages or codes that come up? I'm still learning how all this works and want to be prepared if something like this happens to me.

I've been using CalFresh for about 2 years and this happened to me once at a Walmart around 1am. The cashier told me the same thing about cards being "locked after midnight" but I knew that wasn't right. Turned out their EBT processor was down for maintenance. I went to a 24-hour CVS down the street and my card worked perfectly. It's really annoying when store employees spread misinformation like that - makes people think there's something wrong with their benefits when it's just a technical issue on the store's end. Always worth trying a second location before panicking!

Thanks everyone for the advice! I just checked and my next benefit date is Feb 11th. I'm going to submit my SAR7 early and make sure everything else is updated in the system. I still have nightmares from the last time when they reduced my benefits without warning because of some "calculation error" during all the shutdown chaos.

As someone who's been through multiple shutdowns with CalFresh, I wanted to add that you should also consider signing up for text alerts from your county's DPSS office if they offer them. During the 2019 shutdown, some counties sent out emergency notifications about benefit schedule changes via text before they posted anything online. Also, if you have young kids like I do, start reaching out to local food pantries NOW to see what their requirements are (some need proof of income, others don't). Better to have that information ready than scramble during a crisis. Many churches and community centers also do emergency food distributions during government disruptions. One last thing - if your benefits do get delayed, you can often get emergency food assistance through your county's General Relief program. It's not much, but it can help bridge the gap.

Just FYI - once they recalculate your benefits with the correct expenses, they should give you retroactive benefits back to when you applied if you're owed more. So make sure to ask about that when you call!

Hey there! I went through something similar when I first applied. The whole process is really overwhelming, especially when you're counting on those benefits to feed your family. From reading through all the comments here, it sounds like you have several expenses that might not have been properly counted - the after-school program alone could make a big difference in your benefit amount since childcare costs are a major deduction. When you call (and definitely try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if you keep getting disconnected), make sure you have all your documentation ready. I learned the hard way that they need proof of everything. Also, don't be afraid to ask them to walk you through exactly how they calculated your benefits - they're supposed to explain it if you ask. You've got this, and it sounds like you could potentially get a higher benefit amount once they have all the correct information!

Just wanted to update everyone - I had the same issue last weekend and finally got through to someone at the county yesterday. The rep told me there was a system-wide issue with EBT cards at farmers markets using certain wireless terminals (just like someone mentioned above). They're aware of the problem and working on fixing it. For now, she said you can ask the market manager if they have a manual voucher system as a backup. Also, some vendors have the updated terminals that work fine. Hope this helps someone!

I'm dealing with the exact same issue! My card has been working fine everywhere else but got declined at three different vendors at the Midtown Farmers Market last Saturday. Really glad to see this isn't just me - I was starting to worry my benefits got suspended or something. The Market Match program is such a lifesaver for stretching our grocery budget, especially with fresh produce being so expensive lately. Going to try calling the county office tomorrow morning right at 8 AM like someone suggested. Thanks for posting about this - it's reassuring to know others are experiencing the same technical problems and that there might be a fix coming soon!