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Got an Iowa EBT card? You may also qualify for free internet, discounted veterinary care and more! Most people don’t realize just how many perks you can receive with an Iowa EBT card… so we rounded them all up into this list!
6 Things You Need to Know about Iowa EBT
After years of reporting on low income and food stamps topics, I’ve learned that there are several things that most people don’t know about their Iowa EBT benefits.
- Apply for Iowa EBT online on the government website. This is the fastest and easiest way to apply for food benefits.
- You can buy fruit trees. Food stamps can be used to buy seeds, plants and fruit trees! We’ve found several surprising things you can buy with food stamps.
- Shop smart. You may be able to get more food for your money at farmer’s markets and You-Pick Strawberry Fields!
- You may be eligible for more. Don’t get enough food stamps to get by? You may be able to get more! Here’s what you need to know.
- You can get cash back (it’s legal)! We’ve helped users get hundreds of dollars back just by shopping with food stamps. It’s completely legal and very easy. Here’s how it’s done.
- You can shop at a lot of places! Iowa EBT can be used at Costco, Schwans, CSAs, Farmer’s Markets and so much more. Check out our complete list!
Statewide EBT Discounts
No matter where you live in Iowa, you can take advantage of these incredible deals!
50% off Amazon Prime
Amazon
FREE Cell Phones & Service
Free cell phones and monthly service plans re available FREE for individuals and families who receive these benefits. Find out what’s available in your area.
FREE Computers
We’ve found organizations that help low income families get free and low-cost computers, laptops and tablets. If you need one, check this list.
FREE Hunting & Fishing Licenses
If you meet the income requirements for Iowa EBT, you may also qualify for this incredible deal! The state’s Department of Natural Resources provides FREE hunting and fishing licenses to eligible low income households. In order to qualify, you must meet income limits AND be either permanently disabled or over age 65.
$5 Internet
You may be eligible to get internet for just $5 per month! We’ve found a series of low income Internet discounts from providers like Comcast, CenturyLink, AT&T and more!
YMCA Discounts
YMCA organizations typically offer discounts for low income individuals and families. If you qualify for Iowa EBT food stamps, then you may qualify for a discounted YMCA membership! Contact your local YMCA for details.
Other Discounts
If you’re looking for EBT discounts in Iowa, then you may also be eligible for these assistance programs:
- Homebuyer assistance programs (including down payment assistance, Habitat for Humanity, Dollar Homes and more!)
- Legal aid
- Property tax exemptions
- Student loan assistance ($0 per month payments!)
- Summer meals (free for kids ages 18 and under!)
- Tax filing assistance
- Utility assistance(help paying electric bills, free weatherization assistance and more!)
- Pet care assistance (veterinary care grants, free pet food, free boarding and more!)
Get Free Admission with Iowa EBT
It’s true! We’ve found some incredible deals for people with food stamps. Before we delve into the details, though, there’s a few things you should know.
You can’t pay for admission with your EBT card. Some attractions offer free admission with a food stamps card, but others just provide a discount. You cannot pay for admission with your EBT card. You will show the card to receive the discount. You’ll need a different form of payment to pay for admission, if there’s a charge.
Check nearby states! Don’t forget that you can use your Iowa EBT card to get museum discounts in other states, too! We have a full list of discounts in every state right here. The museums and venues with green titles are Museums for All participants, and accept out-of-state EBT cards.
This list is alphabetical for your convenience. It’s organized alphabetically by city.
Ames
Reiman Gardens – FREE
If you have an Iowa food stamps card, you can visit the Reiman Gardens completely free! This deal is valid for up to four people per card.
Bettendorf
Family Museum – $3 per person
Explore the people and places of the Quad Cities with engaging interactive exhibits like Fox Hollow, George’s Farm and Little ‘Ssippi. If you figure out the correct path, you can even make the little silver balls fall over the bells to the tune of Somewhere Over the Rainbow! The 28 foot water play table in Little ‘Ssippi offers fun of a completely different kind. Explore it all today!
Cedar Rapids
African American Museum of Iowa – $1 per person
The African American Museum of Iowa has joined Museums for All! Admission costs just $1 per person for up to four people per EBT card.
National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library – FREE
Explore the history of the Czech and Slovak people through informative history lessons, interactive workshops and exhibits. The museum features the one-and-a-half story immigrant home of the Sleger family.
Coralville
The Iowa Children’s Museum – FREE
The Iowa Children’s Museum provides free memberships to local families who are experiencing financial hardship. You will need to pick up an application from one of the agencies on this list.
Davenport
Putnam Museum & Science Center – $1 per person
With an EBT card, you can visit the Putnam Museum for just $1 per person! This discount is valid for up to two adults and up to three children per household.
Des Moines
Des Moines Children’s Museum – $2 per child
The Des Moines Children’s Museum has traveling exhibits and a temporary location inside the West Valley Mall. The museum charges $2 admission for children between the ages of 1 and 10. Anyone under age 1 or over age 10 can visit for free!
Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden – FREE
Up to four people can visit the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden free with an EBT card! There are seven acres of beautiful gardens, including an iconic geodesic tropical conservatory, a native savanna, a rose garden, water garden, gravel garden and more.
State Historical Museum of Iowa – FREE
Learn all about life in Iowa at the State Historical Museum! Exhibits include information about Iowa’s natural resources, life in Iowa before it became a state, and so much more. Only about 1,500 of their 80,000 artifacts are on display at any time, so visit often!
Dubuque
Dubuque Museum of Art – $2 per person
The Dubuque Museum of Art was founded over 140 years ago and showcases more than 2,000 works of art. As a Museums for All member, the Dubuque Museum of Art charges $2 per person, for up to four people per EBT card.
Sioux City
LaunchPad Museum – $3 per person, Discounted Annual Memberships
Families who find “the price of admission or membership is a burden” are encouraged to contact the LaunchPad museum. If you are low income and can’t afford to visit, please contact the museum directly for details on a discounted membership! Also, since our last update, they have become a member of Museums for All and individual visits are just $3 per person, with EBT card.
Waterloo
Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens – $2 per person
The Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens feature 20 gardens over 40 acres. They help guests learn about the wonders of of nature and welcome low income families for just $2 per person with an EBT card.
Grout Museum District – $2 per person
The Grout Museum District provides a discount for visitors who have EBT or WIC. Simply show your card alongside an ID to get admission to the Grout Museum District locations including:
- Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum
- Grout Museum of History and Science
- Carl A & Peggy J Bluedorn Science Imaginarium
- Rensellaer Russel House Museum
- Snowden House
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum – $3 or less per person
This museum, named after wrestling legend Dan Gable, tells the story and history of wrestling through film, exhibits and more.
Phelps Youth Pavilion – $3 or less per person
The Phelps Youth Pavilion at Waterloo Center for the Arts is a children’s museum! Enjoy everything from simple projects to high-tech interactive experiences.
