As a first-time mom using WIC, it was hard for me to find the information I was looking for to explain all the benefits that were available to me when they would be available, and what options I had. I could find it listed what I would be receiving or examples of the benefits being used. I muddled my way through the first few months and did not get as much out of my benefits as I could have because I lacked the knowledge I had gained over the last six months. So let me share my mistakes with you so you can get the most out of your benefits!
* I fully acknowledge that I am still learning as a first-time mom with a six-month-old. If you have been at this longer than me, comment with your tips and mistakes so we can all continue learning together*
Mistake #1 - Not signing up during pregnancy
I did not realize until after my daughter was born that she or I would be eligible for WIC. We are a middle-class family around the median American household income. It wasn't until speaking with a friend who encouraged me to apply that I realized I might be eligible. I had the incorrect impression that WIC was only for families in poverty, which now I've learned is far from true. It is important to note that WIC receives funding based on how many participants have it, so signing up if you are eligible actually helps increase access for more families. I had been worried about that, too; if I sign up, will someone else who needs this service more than me not get it? Thankfully this is not true, so there truly is no reason not to apply! If I had known I was eligible, I would have received benefits during my pregnancy as well, which could have helped out to save some money for all the baby-related purchases.
Mistake #2 - Not Downloading the WICShopper App
The WIC program has an app called WICShopper that lists all your benefits, appointments, and other helpful resources. I did not download the app before my first shopping trip and was trying to reference everything from my email on my phone. That was way harder than it needed to be! WICShopper has a barcode scanner that allows you to scan any item, and it will immediately tell you what is part of your package and what is not. This helps avoid any last-minute whoops! moments at the register when you thought something was covered, only to find out at the register with a line full of people behind you that it is not covered.
Mistake #3 - Not familiarizing yourself with your package before shopping
I spent so long in the grocery store the first time I bought food using my WIC benefits because I hadn't looked into what was and was not included in my food package. It could be a bit complicated with certain brands being included and others not, and I would have saved some time in the store if I had looked into things more at home first. I have a bit of anxiety, which would have helped me to feel less anxious about the trip. Check out my resource page or the aforementioned WICShopper App. Both have links to lists of allowed foods.
Mistake #4 - Not customizing my package earlier
You will be given customization choices for some categories in your first appointment. For example, would you like four cans of beans or a pound of dry beans? I did not learn until later that more categories may be customizable than they brought up in that first appointment. I didn't learn until six months in that I could customize my milk option. In my original package, I had five (FIVE!) gallons of milk every month. No matter how hard I tried, I could not use all five, and I felt like was wasting my benefits. I asked at my next appointment if there were any substitutions and learned I could get a combination of milk, evaporated milk, and tofu instead. Now I am getting more value out of my benefits because I don't have any that go unused every month.
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