Reply to Why is "money management" always brought up and used against the poor?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Dh and I have lived really really poor, and we have lived middle class (now).

One thing we noticed when we were poor is that there are opportunities to be wiser with money when you have more to spend.

For example:
In a given month, I might run out of paper towels, dish soap, and diapers. I stop by Walmart but I only have $25 to spend. -A big box of Luvs diapers costs 19.79+tax.
-I see there's a two pack of paper towels for 2.50, and if my budget were larger, I could spend $12.50 and be set for 6 months... but I don't have that 12.50.
-same with dish soap, I buy the smallest/cheapest bottle and it's 1.19.

At checkout it comes out to 25.24 including tax. Whew! So glad it was basically just $25.

Because I didn't have an extra 10-15 in the budget, im *back in the same spot next month.* next month I still need paper towels, diapers. I don't need soap but I need laundry detergent and a $5-10 gift for my child's best friend. So I have to go over $25 budget and cut into my grocery bill.

This, and
-paying car insurance in a lump every 6 months. The poor can't justify that, so they pay the overall higher amount, monthly. 
-being cool with bad timing on refunds/exchanges (just by example, I changed car insurance companies. But my old company payment was about to go through. They couldn't stop it, and refunded me. But the refund took 3 weeks. I was out 700 for 3 weeks. Now, in the middle class I can handle that. A poor person might go negative or have to pay on high interest credit for their other expenses).
-getting a great deal on great quality tires because 1) you have a Costco membership, and 2) you could buy all 4 new tires and get their promotion. They throw in the high mileage warranty and free tire rotation. A poor person = struggles to buy just the one or two tires needed, but they do it anyway)
-I've seen it all, but all I can think of are car examples at the moment!

Every month is like that.

Again, when you're poor, you notice that if you just had $20 more here and there, you'd be able to make better decisions with money--buying in bulk at a better unit price. Or choosing detergent that actually works (saving your clothes from stains and so you don't have to replace your work-shirt).

On and on. [/quote]

This is so true.  I lived on very little money when I was in college, and this made a big impression on me.  Now, I'm all about stocking up and getting the "deal," but I remember when it was like not having the money to do it. [/quote][/quote]

If you are so poor you show up at the store with $25, then you forgo the paper towels and use towels/rags.  It's not the end of the world.

If you have a washer/dryer you cloth diaper with prefolds/flour sack towels.

This is exactly the sort of thing poor people have trouble with - it's like saying they could be getting a better deal if they bundled media services, but because they are poor, they pay a premium.  Um no.  You reduce until you can start saving.[/quote]

Op here, this is the kind of response I'm talking about. Because someone is poor, they shouldn't have the luxury of... paper towels and disposable diapers? I've been on both ends of the money spectrum and honestly, do you really think working poor people have all the time in the world to wash (and often pay out the nose at a laundromat) cloth diaprs and rags?

Obviously if you are truly struggling, the best cable/internet package  may not be a priority, but how much stuff should they cut until they're just living in a hollowed out shell of a home? You could easily say that various other things around the house are "luxury" items. Btw most people (even poor people) need internet access at home. [/quote]

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