High cost credit is usually offered to the poorest in society.
I really hadn’t intended to post today as, yet again, it’s a gloriously sunny day here, and I’m languishing in the race to complete my housework (yawn). I’ve finally got my laundry nemesis, the Sleeping Bag, into the washing machine now that I’m confident that he can fully dry on the line.
Anyway, I only just noticed the junk mail we got a few days ago – two brochures fit yet another pay-as-you-watch/hire type furniture shop. The ridiculous APR credit deals on these things usually make me seethe, since it’s the poorest and least able to afford this steep kind of credit who end up taking it out, but I still had a glance at it anyway. For fun.
TV viewing as a security for credit!
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| Buy As You View seem to use TV viewing as security for credit. |
This company want to bring “life’s essentials” such as ginormous tvs and shiny beds into my reach. They will fit a smart meter to the new tv to ensure that I keep paying, or else “the meter may restrict the use of the television.”
In short, if I don’t pay up on time, I can’t watch tv. And if I don’t buy a tv from them, but instead, buy something else, well then, they’ll fit that smart meter to the tv I already own.
Yes, I have to pay, or I can’t watch me telly.
But what if I don’t have a tv?
I actually don’t.
What? What? It doesn’t work like that. Everyone knows that the proletariat cannot function without television!
Ugh.
This is the poverty premium in action.
If you need these “essentials”, either buy second-hand, save up, or if it really needs to be bought on credit, please, look for an actually affordable line of credit.
I’m going back outside now.
