General Question

Yellowdog's avatar

What can I do about so often getting "screwed" (taken advantage of) for being poor?

Asked by Yellowdog (12216points) February 19th, 2017

Try not to see this as a list of gripes. I really need help and cannot see a way out of my situation—no matter how much I’ve tried, and how much I’ve gone against the tide to establish a normal life for myself and a safe haven for someone I love.

I am in a phase of life when I am on Social Security Disability from being a victim of crime. During this interim of life—I met a woman who may have mental issues and is on SSI disability who has been further victimized by a very bad family. She had no support system such as a family for help. Together, we rented an apartment to avoid homelessness (I can live with my parents if need be, and my parents need my help—but this woman would otherwise be homeless). We are reasonably compatible.

Our combined incomes ought to work—about half our combined incomes go to the apartment—the rest to other needs and services. Not so hard. But it seems everybody and everything that can, WILL take economic advantage any chance they get,

For instance:

—The utility company charges us a $200 “security deposit” because we are “High Risk” (e.g. might not be able to pay?) due to our income.

—The utility company and the apartment complex BOTH charge a utility connection fee. Double billing? And the utilities were already connected from the previous tenants.

—The utility company includes a ‘water bill’ and the apartment also bills for water, separate from the utility company.

—The Apartment complex requires COMCAST cable T,V, as part of the lease agreement. But if you want anything more than basic cable (such as Internet / WiFi)—you have to pay EXTRA from Comcast (an additional bill)—and that COMCAST bill includes duplicate fees for the basic 40 channels.

—When my cell phone (under warranty) ceased to function, it was replaced with another phone that lasted about a week, and had a similar problem eight days later when the warranty had expired. I was then forced to buy a much more expensive phone because they didn’t make my phone anymore. I was charged a high-dollar “new equipment’ charge for every replacement. When I went back to the basic phone, I was charged a high “restocking fee”

My $30 cell phone bill has accumulated to over $180.00 (not exaggerating) for replacing a phone that was under warranty. Verizon has several times said they were modifying the bill, but it remains unchanged,

As for credit, well, I’ve never missed a bill so you’d think I’d have good interest rates. But I don’t—evidently I haven’t borrowed enough in my lifetime .

I cannot get affordable auto insurance—my friends who DO have affordable rates have high deductibles. I have not had an auto accident since 1997,

Economic subsidies for housing is available but requires knowing how to “work the system,” and seems to mainly be available to “families” with children

There is much more that I could gripe about—but you get the drift. I am trying to live responsibly and build a future for myself and my loved ones. But it seems that I am getting stabbed economically everywhere I try to do business with—and any or all of these crooks have the power to destroy everything I’ve eked a life out of chaos for.

I’ve borrowed from friends and churches who have given me money that I cannot pay back. I’ve paid for lunch with coins contained from fountains. I’ve stolen food from grocery stores. Its a wretched life. It ought to work, but too many services are double billing or overcharging me just because they can.

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36 Answers

Espiritus_Corvus's avatar

Check your PMs.

JLeslie's avatar

I hate Verizon. You might want to check switching to another carrier if you have the time to bother with it. I think Sprint has a deal right now as long as you don’t have a contract with Verizon that you get a free iPhone for switching. If you aren’t in a family plan consider doing one with your parents or siblings who you completely trust and feel confident there won’t be any arguments. Adding your phone to your parents plan is much cheaper than having your own plan.

Don’t pay for more than the basic cable that comes with your apartment, if it really bothers you as being insufficient channel choices maybe try Netflix. If you have a DVD player don’t forget you can borrow DVD’s from the library. The libraries often have TV show series and movies. I caught up to season 4 of Homeland borrowing from the library.

If you don’t really need a landline don’t get one.

You can get unlimited with Sprint and not have cable internet at home if your Sprint connection is good. I think Sprint comes with some hot spot time now also, it might also be included with other carriers. If using a regular computer is necessary for your work you can write off the internet oayment most likely.

jca's avatar

“The utility company and the apartment complex BOTH charge a utility connection fee. Double billing? And the utilities were already connected from the previous tenants.

I would bring that up with management.

As for Section 8 and other government subsidies, yes they do often favor families over single people but they also place priority on disabled people, which is sounds like you are and your girlfriend is.

jca's avatar

As for why the apartment bills for water, have you asked them why?

Maybe the tenants should band together and discuss this with management. If everyone throws their hands up and says “there’s nothing we can do” then nothing will be done.

JLeslie's avatar

I’ve lived in many places where cable was included and then to add channels it was like paying from scratch. I don’t understand why cable companies get away with that. It’s awful.

ARE_you_kidding_me's avatar

I think this is simply an example of “they can get away with it.” I’m not exactly anti-capitalist but this is one of the less savory aspects of it and why laissez-faire does not serve everyone. People who are a little better off often don’t realize how much they’re being screwed over and simply do not complain. When there is no surplus in finances then it becomes more and more important. More often than not B.S. fees and charges can be eliminated simply by calling and complaining. That’s the single best way to deal with most of this.

JLeslie's avatar

^^People with money know they are getting screwed too, it’s part of why they have money. It’s a matter of time and will I think. When I’ve brought it up the argument is always that the cable company gives the cable to the community at a very cheap price, and for those who are fine with basic it’s a good deal. I’ve never actually looked at the numbers in the community financials, but I would assume people who upgrade are definitely getting screwed. I agree with @jca that people need to band together to get a change.

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

Getting off the cell phone contract treadmill helps.

It takes a stretch at the beginning to buy a phone, but it pays off quickly. You can get a really nice used phone for $50 to $100. Or keep your phone when the contract expires. Then a pre-paid plan is cheap.

US Mobile is $9.09/month for 100 minutes, 100 text, 100 MB. If you keep data turned off unless you really need it then 100MB is plenty.

Coloma's avatar

Google Voice is FREE! Unlimited local and near local calling. This is my home phone source.
If you use Google Voice you could, essentially, give up your cell phone or, as@Call_Me_Jay mentions, get a cheap pre-paid phone card for the times you feel you must use your cell phone while you are out of the house.

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

@Coloma Yep. I use Google Voice. I make most of my calls and texts from the computer. Google gave me $1.00 credit on my Voice number in 2009. I still have $0.80.

Nobody knows my actual cell number, they call the Voice number it rings at my computers, my tablet and my cell phone.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I have been where you are at now, so please don’t take this as flippant and uncaring, but no one is trying to rip you off. It’s just the cost of doing business in the world. It feels like you’re being ripped off, because you can’t afford the things.
The deposits they’re asking for are logical. Painful for you, but but not personally directed at you to deplete your funds. And they are refunded in the end.
As far as cable, if you can’t afford it, don’t get it. When my fortunes started sinking, back in Wichita, the first thing I did was cancel cable. But we still got the local channels. Then we moved 60 miles away to a small town, and didn’t even have that much. We had 0 TV for the next 6 years.
Get a landline phone.
I couldn’t afford the $280 it would take to fix the heater in my van, so I drove it for 3 years with no heat.
Couldn’t afford to send the kids to the public pool during the summer, so they didn’t go. They found other things to do that was free.

To me, it just was what it was. The world hadn’t changed, but I had.

“Here is a blog”: Here is a blog written by our very own Auggie. It’s a good read and I sure can relate. written by our very own Auggie. It is titled, “It Costs More to be Poor.” It’s a good read and I sure can relate.

Coloma's avatar

@Call_Me_Jay Yep, a great thing it is. :-)

stanleybmanly's avatar

@Dutchess_III Whether or not “no one is trying to rip you off” is strictly a matter of perspective. People make the mistake of assuming the poor just make bad choices, when the truth is that the system is devised to exploit those with little or no choice. And if you are broke for any extended period of time, you will come to appreciate that the “poor tax” is both huge and incessant.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I understand it fully, @stanleybmanly. I was below the poverty level, with 4 kids to support, for many years after my divorce. Out the other side, it also hit me how many more breaks people with money have, the stuff they get for free.
I’m just saying he needs to do what he needs to do, and it doesn’t help him at all to think everyone is trying to rip him off. They aren’t.

jca's avatar

I just read Augie’s blog post and another thought I had was how I have overdraft protection on my checking account. If I write a check and there’s not enough money in the account to cover it, they advance me the money and although I do pay a fee on it, the check doesn’t bounce, I don’t pay a bounced check fee on the other end (from the recipient) and I don’t have the embarassment of someone knowing I bounced a check (the recipient). This is given to me by the bank due to the balances I have in my other accounts and other money I have with them.

I don’t have any fond memories of when I was young, in college, struggling to pay bills, maintain the old crappy car and just survive. My car payment now is probably more than the cost of maintaining and repairing the old crappy car, but I have the reassurance of knowing the car is not going to leave me stranded somewhere, which was what happened with the old cars that used to break down all the time.

I was also reminded of at our county jail (the county I work in) where I would bring children to visit their parents who were inmates. The county jail does not allow inmates to use shampoo, conditioner, deodorant and other products from the outside. They have to purchase these products from the jail commissary. I understand that, because it’s for safety reasons. OK, but the products they purcahse are “Lander” brand which is in every dollar store. However, the price the jail charges is 3 to 4 dollars, which is way more than you’d get them for at the dollar store (a dollar, obviously). The poor, who are the ones likely to be in jail or visiting loved ones in jail, are not likely to advocate for themselves and write to the head of the County government or the head of the jail and say ” this is ridiculous, this is a ripoff.” They just deal with it and pay.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I got a hefty ODP with my checking account too, because of my credit and my history with the bank. Since I opened that account we’ve opened a few others with them. When we lean on it, which isn’t often, it’s well planned. I take it down to a few cents by transferring whatever is left to another account. Then we jump on it! I compare the fee ($35) to interest. I think you’d pay more on the interest for a loan for $750, than $35. Of course, it gets paid back straight out of the next check so you better be sure you can do that!

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

Overdraft protection at my bank is a high-interest loan, about as bad as you can get from a bank, like 24.6% APR.

If you’re living check-to-check, you’re not going to pay that balance, it’s going to grow. You’re going to be losing $10/$30/$100/whatever every month in interest.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Right. When you’re poor and overdraft is a major issue. No long after I moved here I accidentally bounced a check. I don’t remember the circumstances, but it happened. I went to the bank to see if they could give me a break this time. They couldn’t / wouldn’t help. The lady also proceeded to scold me, admonished me not to write a check if the money wasn’t in there. “What ever you do, don’t write a check!” It pissed me off. I wasn’t a teenager with my first bank account.
The only thing I really remember from that time was I bought a box of Tampex for my daughter. I had no other way to pay for it. Perhaps I didn’t think it would hit before I could get it covered. Anyway, what the hell do you do? Sometimes you really need things.

snowberry's avatar

Agree with not fixing things you can live without, and doing without the things you can’t afford.

As far as overdrawing your bank account, try to live on cash alone. Where they require a check, get a cashier check or money order. There are a few other instances that require withdrawals from your account, but they are few and much more manageable than using a card for every.thing.

And never open a credit card. That’s probably the biggest mistake a poor person can make. It’s designed to keep you poor.

If you have a card, cut it up and inform the company (in writing) you’re doing so. Their system is designed to target “deadbeats” and to send them to collections. However you’re not a deadbeat if you are calling them frequently (at least every month without fail) letting them know your financial status. Send them a letter explaining that you will never be able to pay what you owe them if you cannot meet your basic needs first, such as food, housing, utilities, transportation, medical bills, and other basic necessities. You could even go so far as to lay out for them how much you have coming in where it’s going, and your prospects for paying them off.

I know people who have done this. In one sense it’s humiliating, but in another sense it’s very empowering because YOU are in control, and YOU are telling them what you’re going to do and why and when. Credit card companies are simply not set up to deal with people who behave like this but can’t pay their bills, and they can’t send you to collections.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Can’t agree with @snowberry more. I lived without a checking account for several years. Not convenient, but it worked.

If you can’t afford it and it isn’t a necessity, don’t buy it.

NO CREDIT CARDS.

My fridge broke down once. No way could I get a new one, or even a used one. I ended up buying at least 1 bag of ice everyday to keep in the small freezer section so we could have milk and butter and stuff. That got expensive. But like Auggie said, when you’re poor you don’t have the money to fix it the right way, all you can do is spend the little bit of money you have now, which, in the end, is more expensive.
After a month my church came through. A couple had an old fridge just sitting in their garage and they gave it to me. Refrigerators are, like, a miracle!!

Coloma's avatar

I’m operating on a cash only basis now after being financially wiped out in the recession. I do maintain a checking acct. and ATM card but I no longer use credit of any kind. It can be done. I do miss the safety net of having good credit and a credit card but there is no way I can risk going into any debt these days so I manage and it’s working out fairly well.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I have thousands of dollars of open credit. Don’t tell my husband! I almost never use it.

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

You might need to live a more austere life temporarily to save up for the future economies’ of scale to take effect.

jca's avatar

@Call_Me_Jay: If I get an email that says my account is overdrawn (an “overdraft protection notice”) I go immediately to the bank and transfer money from savings to checking. It’s never more than one or two business days that I am overdrawn.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I check my balances every day. I don’t wait to get notices.

@jca, some banks will do that automatically to cover over drafts.

LOL! This last stretch until pay day was a bitch! But…I escaped with a dollar and some change in the account on payday, so I never went overdrawn.

JLeslie's avatar

The system is set up so the poor often wind up paying more for goods and services than those with money. The two biggest problems are interest rates are higher for people with lower credit scores, and if you have a bad month and miss a payment, or can’t pay a bill in full, the interest and penalty is ridiculous. Then the hole starts getting bigger and deeper. The way to avoid this is save when you can, and get a credit card to increase your open credit, but don’t use it much, and always pay credit cards off in full every month. Never buy something you can’t pay in full when you buy it, even if you put it in your credit card.

Comcast is ripping all of us off in my opinion. They make huge revenue and profits. It’s not just the cost of doing business.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Well, Comcast, all of them, are expendable. Rent and utilities and such is not. But deposits aren’t uncommon, and you get them back at the end of the lease, assuming the house or apartment is in good shape.

JLeslie's avatar

@Dutchess_III The deposit isn’t the big rip off, the paying twice for basic service is.

Verizon made me pay a deposit for my business line, and I want to switch the business lines to personal lines, long story, and they said if I do that I forfeit my deposit, and they get to keep it. Fuck them. Then 6 weeks ago I bought two new phones with $59 rebates each, and now they are saying they don’t qualify for the rebate. Another long story. I am going to write the CEO, and I will write the BBB if I don’t get satisfaction. They are thieves. I would picket their store if they didn’t provide a very specific service I need right now.

snowberry's avatar

Here’s another way you can save some cash. When we move into an apartment or a house that we have rented, we go out of our way to take notice of every single thing that is not right about the place and we write it all down and we take photos with date stamps on them. The damage report is copied and we keep a copy and we place another copy with the rental agent.

My husband ran a handyman service for a couple of years and he’s a pretty good handyman. I ran a cleaning business for many years and I’m an excellent cleaning lady. When we leave an apartment often it’s always in far better condition than when we moved in. We have fixed holes, re-hung doors, patched walls, painted, and in one place I even fixed a hole in the carpet.

Now maybe you don’t have all those skills but I’ll bet you know how to clean reasonably well, and keep things neat and make sure stuff doesn’t get torn up. That will help ensure you get your money back on your deposit.

In our case once our old landlords even offered a letter of recommendation to our future landlord.

Zaku's avatar

Your apartment’s owners sound like scum. How can they require that you subscribe to a TV service? Charges for water service you already pay for? Charging you to connect utilities when the real company already does that?

If you’ve never missed a credit payment and have high interest rates, you might look to see if any other companies would like to be your CC company instead. But work to have no (or as little as you can) interest-carrying debt if possible.

Try to reduce or remove as many other regular payments as you can.

Dutchess_III's avatar

@JLeslie Yes, there are a lot of unfair practices out there. My point is they aren’t treating @Yellowdog any differently just because he’s poor. They treat everyone like shit. It’s just harder to absorb when you’re poor.

One thing I would suggest @Yellowdog, is don’t be shy about letting others know about your financial situation. I know it’s not something you want to discuss with any person on the street, but letting those, who want extra money from you, what your situation is, sometimes helps.

jca's avatar

Is there a tenants’ organization where you live, @Yellowdog? If so, maybe they have meetings and you can bring these topics up. Maybe others feel the same way you do about these issues. Maybe you can organize other tenants to go to management and protest these things.

cheebdragon's avatar

Unless you live in the only apartment building in the entire city or within 50 miles, the only person really screwing you over is yourself. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s true.
Verizon, Comcast, Car insurance, etc…..All bills suck ass for everyone and If you ever hear someone say “yes! My bill finally came, I’m so excited to pay it!” please do the world a favor and murder that person because they are a total fucking psycho.
: P

Dutchess_III's avatar

Well @cheebdragon! Good to see you!

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