Being Poor Is Expensive

[Soph0571]

Indeed. It is very expensive to get out of poverty, to expensive for many to manage

[Pendrench]

1. Hi Soph0571 - Thank you for posting this.

I was wondering if you knew the source of this excerpt - I would like to read more of this.

I tried a Google search, but did not find anything.

Wishing you well and peace!

Tim

[Soph0571]

2. Firstly please call me Soph!

It is no wonder that you could not find a reference... I used the wrong name cause I am and idiot. I have fixed it now. But here is the source info for you https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/penalised-poor/22/12/

[Pendrench]

6. Hi Soph - Thank you very much!

Greatly appreciated

Wishing you well and peace!

Tim

[Hekate]

10. The author of the quote is the late British author Sir Terry Pratchett and can be found in ...

.... "Men at Arms."

“The Sam Vimes "Boots" Theory of Economic Injustice runs thus:
At the time of Men at Arms, Samuel Vimes earned thirty-eight dollars a month as a Captain of the Watch, plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots, the sort that would last years and years, cost fifty dollars. This was beyond his pocket and the most he could hope for was an affordable pair of boots costing ten dollars, which might with luck last a year or so before he would need to resort to makeshift cardboard insoles so as to prolong the moment of shelling out another ten dollars.
Therefore over a period of ten years, he might have paid out a hundred dollars on boots, twice as much as the man who could afford fifty dollars up front ten years before. And he would still have wet feet.
Without any special rancour, Vimes stretched this theory to explain why (Lady) Sybil Ramkin lived twice as comfortably as he did by spending about half as much every month.”

I recommend starting the series with "Guards! Guards!"

[Martin Eden]

3. My wife (who used to be poor and does all the shopping) always said you need money to save money

She can afford to buy in bulk and look for the best sale price for items we don't need now but will in the future.

Can't do that when you live paycheck to paycheck.

[Turbineguy]

4. I remeber a conversation

where if you just ponied up for a Rolls-Royce, you'd never have to buy another car for the rest of your life.

[KentuckyWoman]

5. Paying the bank to keep your money

Millions of Americans bottom out the account every month. Below a min balance there are fees.

Juggling the money so tight you have to western union the bills same day as due. Higher interest rates. Higher car insurance.... simply for living in more affordable zip codes. Groceries tend to cost more. Gas is higher.

Having a job without medical insurance and ending up in the ER with a bill that costs 3 yrs wages. No disability benefits.

Terrible schools. Even marginal jobs an hr or more away.

Many of these are working 2 or 3 jobs. Plus the "side hustle" they call it now. Working their asses off to MAYBE squirrel away a couple thousand.

People born at 3rd base aren't going to get it.

[Polybius]

7. I pay a flat rate

Whether there is $1 or $10,000, I get charged $5 a month. Their other plan is $15 if it goes under a certain amount, and it did a lot so I changed.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. "rigged system that props up the rich"

“The man in the White House is not the cause of what is broken, he is just the latest – and most extreme – symptom of what’s gone wrong in America, a product of a rigged system that props up the rich and the powerful and kicks dirt on everyone else. So once he’s gone, we can’t pretend that all of this never happened.”

-- Elizabeth Warren
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/feb/09/elizabeth-warren-rigged-system-2020-launch-massachusetts

[misanthrope]

12. Ain't that America?

It was even worse until the reforms of the 20th century helped out. Starting with Reagan, the GOP has been slavishly trying to turn back the clock to that awful era.

[Blue_true]

9. It is not a revelation that more expensive stuff typically last longer,

and is cheaper longterm than buying cheaper stuff. The issue is getting people to understand that and somehow apply it, even when doing so is hard.

[eppur_se_muova]

11. Plus, it takes up all your time. nt