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Original poster

Pay to be Poor

230 replies

LetterBug · 09/12/2021 07:58

Got sent into an un- arrangement overdraft and it costs £30. So you are fined for having no money. Meaning when I'm paid I will be £30 down from the off. Meaning I will more likely run out of money again. costing another £30.

Pay to be poor.

OP posts:
Dumbitdown · 09/12/2021 08:01

Yep that's the poverty tax for you. Cant afford to pay your car insurance in one go, then for an extra 10% you can pay monthly! And of course, the further up the ladder you go, the more free stuff you get. If you're really well off, you can even get free food!!

Skyll · 09/12/2021 08:02

Yup.

I’ll add. Rent house so have to have prepayment meters so pay more for gas and electric

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2021 08:03

Sadly that’s how banks make their money.

I was trapped paying £1+ a day for my overdraft with no way of reducing it or getting out of it. So at least £30 a month. I had signed up for it but out of sheer desperation.

Never got out of it. That account ended up being frozen and I still haven’t sorted anything.

HollowTalk · 09/12/2021 08:04

Try calling the bank and asking them for help with this. I know several people who did it and got that money refunded.

Hodl · 09/12/2021 08:04

Is it the first time you've been overdrawn op? If you speak to your bank customer services they may be able to waive the charge for you if you explain your situation. (More likely if its the first time overdrawn.)

MLMshouldbeillegal · 09/12/2021 08:04

the further up the ladder you go, the more free stuff you get. If you're really well off, you can even get free food!!

??? Waitrose having a secret deal where if you show them your bank statement you get a 25% discount?

Would love to know how this works.

Burnt0utMum · 09/12/2021 08:05

Definitely speak to the bank ask explain your situation. They will normally remove the charge. Also ask them to put a control on your account so you can't go overdrawn.

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2021 08:06

And years ago I was paying off a debt at the post office (I had no internet - was about 16 years ago) and I was charged £2.50 to just make the payment.

I was a really poor single parent. Even the lady who worked at the post office agreed it was a way to kick people while they’re down.

Original poster
LetterBug · 09/12/2021 08:08

I will, thanks hollow.

It is exactly like renting. Pay more to own nothing. and the pay weekly stores.
I used to think my mil was mad to go there! But I can see the appeal.
payday loans.

Thankfully I could probably borrow money from family, except my dads been hinting at borrowing money from us. Blush

We are much better off than previous years but after an isolating covid period around Christmas, we just fell under the wagon never mind off it.

OP posts:
DameCelia · 09/12/2021 08:08

@Dumbitdown where do people sign up for free food???!!!

fluffythedragonslayer · 09/12/2021 08:10

Oh yes, it's expensive being poor! We have to pay everything in installments rather than one upfront payment and so many things cost extra that way. Even Scout subs. We can't afford 3x£75 in one go, so we pay 3x£30 in three installments. And end up paying £45 more than those rich folk who don't have to count. Literally everything is cheaper if you can pay it all in one go. Which we never can.
When we got our mortgage we had a crap rate because we had low income and not perfect credit score.
Yup. It's expensive being poor.

Jessie75 · 09/12/2021 08:10

It’s the moving every 67 months that kills me to be honest with you my brother looks at me like a mad don’t get kicked out of the next place will you well when you get a section 21 unfortunately there’s absolutely nothing you can do, two grand pop to move.

Cottonheadedninymuggins · 09/12/2021 08:10

I'm assuming the food is a tongue in cheek joke about food banks 😔

Jessie75 · 09/12/2021 08:11

[quote DameCelia]@Dumbitdown where do people sign up for free food???!!![/quote]
In 1998 I had an American Express expenses card I literally didn’t pay for dinner for nearly 2 1/2 years

Jessie75 · 09/12/2021 08:12

One of my friends is a medical rap and she takes lunch to the doctors surgeries every single day and naturally it would be rude for her not to buy yourself a sandwich and eat alongside them wouldn’t it.

Bathcubesfromthe80s · 09/12/2021 08:13

I don't understand the overdraft costs. If you have an arranged overdraft then you only pay minimal intetest. My arranged overdraft is £1k. I used it all last month and only got charged £10 for the month, which I thought was reasonable. My agreed overdraft limited used to be £500 and got using all that I would only get charged around £4 for the month.

Original poster
LetterBug · 09/12/2021 08:14

@Cottonheadedninymuggins I know of someone who goes to food and to save money. Not because they need it.
when people are too embarrassed and miss meals for weeks before giving in and asking for help. They ask for it not feeling embarrassed because they feel they are playing the system and winning. why be embarrassed of you dont need it?

OP posts:
Original poster
LetterBug · 09/12/2021 08:14

@Bathcubesfromthe80s unarranged overdraft.

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 09/12/2021 08:16

Also if you’re better off you can buy things in bulk - nappies and the like in particular are much more expensive in smaller packets.

Own a big fridge freezer and you can get loads of bogof deals and freeze what you don’t need now.

It’s even little things like this

nellly · 09/12/2021 08:20

@Cottonheadedninymuggins

I'm assuming the food is a tongue in cheek joke about food banks 😔
No I didn't take it like that! If you work in business or politics etc businesses are always having corporate events with free food etc and don't MPs get subsidised meals
MLMshouldbeillegal · 09/12/2021 08:22

People who work at McDonald's get free food.

And if you haven't noticed, there has been a distinct lack of "corporate events" over the last 2 years. Hmm

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 09/12/2021 08:22

When we moved and had a garage a chest freezer was one of the first things I bought. £60 at Iceland can fill it if I do it right.

I also bulk buy household stuff now I have space to store it. Saves me loads and I don’t have to worry about running it.

I think storage space is a privilege. I couldn’t have done this before.

Loopyloulou007 · 09/12/2021 08:23

@fluffythedragonslayer

Oh yes, it's expensive being poor! We have to pay everything in installments rather than one upfront payment and so many things cost extra that way. Even Scout subs. We can't afford 3x£75 in one go, so we pay 3x£30 in three installments. And end up paying £45 more than those rich folk who don't have to count. Literally everything is cheaper if you can pay it all in one go. Which we never can. When we got our mortgage we had a crap rate because we had low income and not perfect credit score. Yup. It's expensive being poor.
My boy goes cubs, we only have to pay £10 a month. Not open in school holidays, so costs get spread over the year, go have a word or complain higher up, that's terrible.
icedcoffees · 09/12/2021 08:24

@Cottonheadedninymuggins

I'm assuming the food is a tongue in cheek joke about food banks 😔
Not at all.

Many well paying jobs come with free or subsidised work canteens, free business lunches, expense accounts etc.

honeylulu · 09/12/2021 08:24

Yes I agree and it is shocking. When I was much younger and in a job paying not much more than minimum wage (had left home so also covered all my own living expenses) was trying to change my life for the better and get a qualification going to law college in the evening. I got turned down for a career development loan and an overdraft "because my outgoings would be more than my incomings". Well no shit Sherlock, that is why I needed a loan.

Luckily I switched banks and secured the loan. 6 years later I qualified as a solicitor and 20 years after that I am a partner in a City firm. I am plagued with offers of loans and credit cards, including from the bank that turned me down, which I don't bloody well need. Madness.

The free food thing is also very true. So many catered meetings or work dinners (outside Covid times). Some weeks I barely needed to go shopping.

Car is another one. For years I drove a rust bucket of a car that broke down frequently at great expense and cost approx £300 of welding to get through its MOT. I just couldn't save enough to replace it. Now I have a car I bought brand new for cash, never had anything wrong with it, insurance is a piddling amount as I've been driving so long. It feels like it costs next to nothing.

I am now quite well off but I will never forget those years of struggle and how unjust it felt!