California EBT Discounts and Perks [2019 Edition]
(Last updated 12/16/19)
If you have Calfresh benefits, your Golden State Advantage card gives you FREE or discounted admissions to awesome destinations across California. See our list of top California EBT discounts, perks and free services that come with your Calfresh card.
Most California EBT card holders are not aware of the awesome benefits that come with their Card.
This includes discounted admission to museums, zoos, and aquariums, more than 50% discount on Amazon Prime Membership.
Also, your Gold State Advantage card gets you discounted cell phone and home internet plans, discounts when you shop at farmers markets and more. See the full list below.
Below is a list of all the discounts and perks that are available to you through your EBT card. We have grouped them by category. The top part is discounts and perks available to all EBT cardholders across the United States.
Next, you will find EBT perks and discounts that are specific to EBT cardholders in the state of California. With your EBT card, you can take advantage of both national and local discounts.
We will continue to add more perks and discounts as we discover them so be sure to check back to get the most up to date list to help you get the most out of your EBT card.
National EBT Discounts:
Below are the discounts that are available to all EBT Cardholders across the United States, that can also be redeemed by California EBT Card Holders.
Amazon Prime EBT Discount
If you have a California EBT Card, you can now sign up for Amazon Prime EBT Discount and get all the great benefits that come with Prime membership, at a fraction of the cost.
The regular Amazon Prime membership is $12.99 a month. However, if you have an EBT Card, you can get Prime Membership for $5.99. That’s over 50% off the regular price.
Given that Amazon is part of the USDA pilot of vendors approved to accept food stamps online for delivery, prime membership is going to be a great thing to have because you will be able to order groceries through Amazon Pantry when the program is rolled out nationally.
Sign up for Amazon Prime EBT DiscountIf you are not sure if the Amazon Prime EBT Discount is worth it, here is a summary of the what you get with your Amazon Prime membership:
FREE, Fast Delivery on Millions of Items
With Amazon Prime membership, you get fast, free shipping on over 50 million eligible items on Amazon.com. They have also rolled out a program recently that allows people who live in certain metropolitan areas to get FREE Same-Day Delivery on over a million items and FREE 2-hour delivery with Prime Now on daily essentials and groceries.
Instantly Stream TV Shows and Movies
One of the most popular features is the instant streaming of TV Shows and Movies. Your Prime membership includes instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows at no additional cost. You can stream all these on select Smart TVs, Roku, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV, iPhones, tablets, and Android devices.
Other Benefits of Amazon Prime
- Over two million songs. Thousands of playlists and stations (On-demand, ad-free music streaming)
- Books, Magazines & More (Unlimited reading on any device)
- Original audio series from Audible (Unlimited listening to original audio series)
- Twitch Prime (Get free game content every month, exclusive discounts, plus loads more)
- All your photos, together at last (Free unlimited photo storage)
California EBT Discounts:
Lifeline Program
If you are currently on Food Stamps/EBT Cardholder, and your income is below a certain level, you may qualify for FREE or low-cost home or cell phone service for you or a member of your family through the Federal Lifeline Program, which serves nearly 13 million Americans.
The Lifeline program helps to lower the monthly cost of phone and internet service. Eligible customers will get at least $9.25 toward their monthly bill. You can only use Lifeline for either phone or internet service, but not both.
Discounted Cell Phone Services
Below is a list of cell phone providers that participate in the Lifeline program in the state of California.
| Company Name | Phone |
| Safelink Wireless | 800-723-3546 |
| Air Voice Wireless | 888-944-2355 |
| Access Wireless | 866-594-3644 |
| Truconnect | 800-430-0443 |
| Life Wireless | 888-543-3620 |
| Assurance Wireless | 888-898-4888 |
| Boomerang Wireless LLC | 866-488-8719 |
| StandUP Wireless | 800-544-4441 |
| Safetynet Wireless | 877-312-1691 |
Discounted Home Phone Services
Below is a list of home phone providers that participate in the Lifeline program in the state of California.
| Company Name | Phone |
| ConnectTo communications | 800-804-4603 |
| TDS Telecom/Winter Haven Telephone Company | 888-225-5837 |
| Frontier Communications | 800-921-8101 |
| Ponderosa Telephone | 800-682-1878 |
| Blue Casa | 800-360-1902 |
| TDS Telecom/Hornitos Telephone Company | 888-225-5837 |
| Sebastian | 559-846-4868 |
| Sierra Telephone Company, Inc. | 877-658-4611 |
| Pinnacles Telephone Co. | 831-389-4500 |
| Ducor Telephone Company | 888-539-5234 |
| Siskiyou Telephone | 866-467-6001 |
| TDS Telecom/Happy Valley Telephone Company | 888-225-5837 |
| Calaveras Telephone Company | 800-253-2511 |
| CAL-ORE Telephone | 800-858-2399 |
| Volcano Telephone Company | 888-886-5226 |
| AT&T | 800-288-2747 |
| Consolidated Communications of California Company | 844-968-7224 |
| Cox Communications | 866-961-0027 |
Internet Service
Your EBT card may qualify you for discounted home internet service under the Federal Lifeline program for low-income families and individuals. The program currently provides $9.25 a month per household toward phone or internet service.
Discounted Museums Admission
One of the great benefits of the California EBT Card is access to great tourist, cultural, educational and adventure museums. You get discounted admission to museums, zoos, aquariums and many more.
The California Museums listed below all offer individual admission fees ranging from FREE to $3.00 to individuals and families who have an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, and a valid form of photo ID.
The offer covers up to four individuals per EBT card, which means that if you have a family of 4, you can use your California EBT card to get the special discounted rate or the free admission for all four members.
These rates are available during all normal operating hours. We advise that you call the museum first before you go – so that you can find out what their special rate is for EBT Card holders (whether it’s free admission or $3).
Here is the list of participating Museums:
ImagineU Children’s Museum
210 N. Tipton
Visalia, California 93277
559-733-5975
Website
Directions
The Children’s Museum at the Paso Robles Volunteer Firehouse
623 13th Street
Paso Robles, California 93446
805-238-7432
Website
Directions
Monterey County Youth Museum (MY Museum)
425 Washington Street
Monterey, California 93940
831-649-6444
Website
Directions
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
180 Woz Way
San Jose, California 95110
408-298-5437
Website
Directions
San Jose Museum of Art
110 South Market St.
California 95113
408-271-6840
San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum
1010 Nipomo St.
San Luis Obispo, California 93401
805-544-5437
CuriOdyssey
1651 Coyote Point Drive
San Mateo, California 94401
(650) 342-7755
Chabot Space & Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd.
Oakland, California 94619
510-336-7300
Bakersfield Museum of Art
1930 R Street
Bakersfield, California 93301
661-323-7219
Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak St.
Oakland, California 94607
510-318-8400
Lawrence Hall of Science
1 Centennial Drive
Berkeley, California 94720
510-642-5132
Habitot Children’s Museum
2065 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, California 94704
510-647-1111
Museum of Craft and Design
2569 Third Street
San Francisco, California 94107
415-773-0303
Children’s Creativity Museum
221 Fourth St.
San Francisco, California 94103
415-820-3320
Exploratorium
Pier 15
San Francisco, California 94111
415-528-4444
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, California 94118
415-379-8000
Richmond Museum of History
400 Nevin Avenue
Richmond, California 94802
510-235-7387
Bay Area Discovery Museum
557 McReynolds Rd, Fort Baker
Sausalito, California 94965
415-339-3900
Vacaville’s Imagine That!
848-B Alamo Dr.
Vacaville, California 95688
707-474-5317
Children’s Museum of Sonoma County
1835 West Steele Lane
Santa Rosa, California 95403
707-546-4069
The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center
5250 Aero Dr.
Santa Rosa, California 95403
707-579-3004
Zimmer Children’s Museum by ShareWell
6505 Wilshire Blvd., #100
Los Angeles, California 90048 United States
(323) 761-8984
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
5801 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90036
213-763-3499
Kidspace Children’s Museum
480 N. Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, California 91103
626-449-9144
Southern California Children’s Museum
459 East Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91101
626-657-0357
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
213-763-3466
Victor Valley Museum
11873 Apple Valley Road
Apple Valley, California 92308
760-240-2111
Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center
7621 Granite Hill Drive
Jurupa Valley, California 92509
951-685-5818
Riverside Art Museum
3425 Mission Inn Ave.
Riverside, California 92501
951-684-7111
San Bernardino County Museum
2024 Orange Tree Lane
Redlands, California 92374
909-798-8608
Pretend City Children’s Museum
29 Hubble
Irvine, California 92618
949-428-3900
Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert
71-701 Gerald Ford Dr.
Rancho Mirage, California 97720
760-321-0602
Museum of Making Music
5790 Armada Dr.
Carlsbad, California 92008
760-438-5996
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
47900 Portola Ave.
Palm Desert, California 92260
760-346-5694
California Center for the Arts, Escondido
340 N. Escondido Blvd.
Escondido, California 92025
760-839-4138
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
320 North Broadway
Escondido, California 92025
760-233-7755
San Diego Archaeological Center
16666 San Pasqual Valley Rd
Escondido, California 92027
760-291-0370
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
2300 Expedition Way
La Jolla, California 92037 United States
(858) 534 3474
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego La Jolla
700 Prospect St.
San Diego, California 92037
858-454-3541
San Diego Art Institute
1439 El Prado, Balboa Park
San Diego, California 92101
619-236-0011
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park
San Diego, California 92101
619-232-3821
San Diego History Center
1649 El Prado Suite #3
San Diego, California 92101
619-232-6203
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Downtown
1100 Kettner Blvd
San Diego, California 92101
858-454-3541
The New Children’s Museum
200 West Island Ave
San Diego, California 92101
619-233-8792
Sequoia Park Zoo
3414 W Street
Eureka, California 95503
707-441-4263
Morris Graves Museum of Art
636 F St.
Eureka, California 95501
707-442-0278
Clarke Historical Museum
240 E Street
Eureka, California 95501
707-443-1947
Farmers Markets EBT Match
A great way to stretch your food stamps benefits is to shop at farmers markets. There are many advantages that come with buying produce and other food products at farmers markets. One of the biggest of those benefits are farmers markets that match EBT card spending.
Here’s how it works. Participating farmers markets will match what you spend with your EBT card, up to a certain amount per visit. This means you are doubling your buying power – allowing you to get twice as much food and you only pay half the price.
The following farmers markets in California offer the EBT matching program (also called Market Match or Double Up Food Bucks) – up to $10 per visit, meaning that if you spend $10 on your EBT card, you get $10 more in produce. Therefore, for the first $10 you spend per visit, you get $20 worth of food.
Typically, when you get the farmers market, you swipe your card for $10 and get $20 in tokens to be used to purchase produce and food products at the market.
Here is the list for the farmer’s markets in California that offer EBT matching.
Alameda CFM |
| 710 Haight Ave |
| Alameda, CA 94501 |
| Year Round |
| Saturday, Tuesday |
| 9:00am – 1:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Downtown Berkeley |
| Center St & Martin Luther King Jr. Way |
| Berkeley, CA 94704 |
| Year Round |
| Saturday |
| 10:00am – 3:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
North Berkeley |
| Shattuck Ave & Rose St |
| Berkeley, CA 94709 |
| Year Round |
| Thursday |
| 3:00pm – 7:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
South Berkeley |
| Adeline & 63rd St |
| Berkeley, CA 94703 |
| Year Round |
| Tuesday |
| 2:00pm – 6:30pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Castro Valley Farmers’ Market |
| 21013 Redwood Rd |
| Castro Valley, CA 94546 |
| Year Round |
| Saturday |
| 10:00am – 2:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Dublin Certified Farmers’ Market |
| 4201 Central Parkway |
| Dublin, CA 94568 |
| Apr – Sep |
| Thursday |
| 4:00pm – 8:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered from April to September, up to $10 per visit. |
Irvington Farmers’ Market |
| 4039 Bay St |
| Fremont, CA 94538 |
| Year Round |
| Sunday |
| 9:00am – 2:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Kaiser Fremont Farmers’ Market |
| 39400 Paseo Padre Parkway |
| Fremont, CA 94538 |
| Year Round |
| Thursday |
| 10:00am – 2:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Hayward Farmers’ Market |
| 777 B St |
| Hayward, CA 94541 |
| Year Round |
| Saturday |
| 9:00am – 1:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Livermore Farmers’ Market – Sunday |
| 2155 3rd St |
| Livermore, CA 94550 |
| Year Round |
| Sunday |
| 10:30am – 2:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered year round, up to $10 per visit. |
Livermore Farmers’ Market – Thursday |
| 2155 3rd St |
| Livermore, CA 94550 |
| Apr – Oct |
| Thursday |
| 4:00pm – 8:00pm |
| Accepts |
| CalFresh, WIC & Senior FMNP, WIC F & V checks |
| Market Match offered from April to October, up to$10 per visit. |
We hope you found our list of California EBT discounts helpful. If you have any comments, suggestions for other perks or EBT discounts to add, please tell us in the comments section below or contact us.