While driving around in another part of town today, I spotted a new kind of
shop:

"Tire Rental"
"As low as $3.00/week"

They have sidelines: Wheels (tire won't be much good without a wheel), and
all manner of fancy bling, or rims, or whatever they call it.

HeyBub wrote:
While driving around in another part of town today, I spotted a new kind of
shop:

"Tire Rental"
"As low as $3.00/week"

They have sidelines: Wheels (tire won't be much good without a wheel), and
all manner of fancy bling, or rims, or whatever they call it.


Hint: unless you see things like "gentrification" or "urban renewal"
cropping up in the papers in respect to that particular section of town,
real estate is not a good investment there.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

Yup, they have them in the poorer parts of Phoenix too. Sure wish I would
have thought of it. Hmmm I wonder if one could rent sneakers?



cm


"HeyBub" wrote in message
...
While driving around in another part of town today, I spotted a new kind
of shop:

"Tire Rental"
"As low as $3.00/week"

They have sidelines: Wheels (tire won't be much good without a wheel), and
all manner of fancy bling, or rims, or whatever they call it.

"HeyBub" wrote in
:

While driving around in another part of town today, I spotted a new
kind of shop:

"Tire Rental"
"As low as $3.00/week"

They have sidelines: Wheels (tire won't be much good without a wheel),
and all manner of fancy bling, or rims, or whatever they call it.



In some NC areas it is a common business to rent fancy wheels and tires.
Even have ads on the radio.


Colortyme Custom Wheels Lease-To-Own
www.customwheelsnc.com

Rent-N-Roll
www.rnrwheels.com

This one operates in many US states. Map link shows mostly concentrated in
the southeast quadrant.

http://www.rnrwheels.com/index.php?p...cid=all&vs=all


"Gawwwwwwwww-lee! Well I'll be dammed huh?!!"

Ashton Crusher wrote:

On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:44:18 -0700, "cm" wrote:



Yup, they have them in the poorer parts of Phoenix too. Sure wish I would
have thought of it. Hmmm I wonder if one could rent sneakers?





Yeah, they have been around for several years on the west side. Poor
people seem to have poor money management skills. It's not all that
rare to see $3000 worth of wheels and tires on a car that's not worth
$1000.


Hey, I live on the good side of town.........eventually, and I am very
close, if I replace a tire
on my '84 Buick, the tire is going to have greater value than the car
) Got a little hole in
the roof that I need to repair ... Bondo is the only thing I have heard
of for the purpose, but
I have never used it. And then there is the plastic on the Landau part
of the roof. Lucky me,
they had ladies day at the junk yard (my first time) a couple years ago,
so I got some missing
trim. There is a similar car in the neighborhod that looks better ... I
may have to follow it
home )

Ashton Crusher wrote:
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:44:18 -0700, "cm" wrote:

Yup, they have them in the poorer parts of Phoenix too. Sure wish I would
have thought of it. Hmmm I wonder if one could rent sneakers?



Yeah, they have been around for several years on the west side. Poor
people seem to have poor money management skills. It's not all that
rare to see $3000 worth of wheels and tires on a car that's not worth
$1000.

For years I've seen worthless turds walking
around wearing $300.00 sneakers.

TDD

HeyBub wrote:
While driving around in another part of town today, I spotted a new kind of
shop:

"Tire Rental"
"As low as $3.00/week"

They have sidelines: Wheels (tire won't be much good without a wheel), and
all manner of fancy bling, or rims, or whatever they call it.


Nothin' new. 'Bling' wheel rental places have been around for years. One
summer as a kid, I did FHA inspections on repo houses, to make sure the
windows were all there and there were locks on the doors, etc. Blew my
mind to see these crappy little shacks with shiny Caddies out front,
many with obvious add-on padded vinyl tops and fancy wheels and such.

Guess if you can't afford a decent crib as a show-off item, you go with
what they see when you are out and about showing off.

--
aem sends...

i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.

----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.


That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same building
where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the low income
families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly payments at 22%
interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it again.

Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.


That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same building
where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the low income
families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly payments at 22%
interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it again.

you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need
is an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Ashton Crusher" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:44:18 -0700, "cm" wrote:

Yup, they have them in the poorer parts of Phoenix too. Sure wish I would
have thought of it. Hmmm I wonder if one could rent sneakers?



Yeah, they have been around for several years on the west side. Poor
people seem to have poor money management skills. It's not all that
rare to see $3000 worth of wheels and tires on a car that's not worth
$1000.

Don't ferget that $2,000 sound system.

Steve

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.


That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.

you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down payment
on the new one.

Steve

SteveB wrote:

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.


That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.

you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do
to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works, how
apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc.
Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to check and
change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't
get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a requirement
for graduation.

--
aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:

Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do
to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works, how
apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc.
Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to check and
change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't
get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a requirement
for graduation.

Of course "getting ripped off" is somewhat relative and something needs
to be done to kill this trend of disrespecting skilled "manual" trades.

Pete C. wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down payment
on the new one.
Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.
That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do
to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works, how
apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc.
Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to check and
change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't
get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a requirement
for graduation.

Of course "getting ripped off" is somewhat relative and something needs
to be done to kill this trend of disrespecting skilled "manual" trades.
Oh, I respect the hell out of skilled manual trades, and I have no
problem paying fair compensation for actual needed repair work, done
properly. But in my younger days before I caught on, and in talking to
siblings and coworkers about the experiences of them and their
relatives, I find 'wall jobs' to be epidemic. Lotta crooked tradesmen,
shops and shadetree guys out there, and their favorite prey are the
inexperienced and untrained people who have no idea what the hell is
going on. Most females get NO training in house and car repairs growing
up. Most guys that think they are experts, aren't. I grew up in
construction, and have turned a wrench or three, but am still clueless
about a lot a specialized or modern stuff. But when I call BS when they
try to rip me off on the things I DO know about, I have to wonder about
what is going on with the things I know nothing about.

'Caveat Emptor' came about for a reason.
--
aem sends...

aemeijers wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No
cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that
(well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you
need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not
paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down
payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do
to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works, how
apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc.
Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to check and
change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't
get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a requirement
for graduation.

--
aem sends...

Add in something like "how to make a beat up fridge/filing
cabinet/dishwasher front/whatever look like new with some 320 grit, a
sanding block, and a rattle can of appliance epoxy" and I'm with ya.

I actually take some perverse satisfaction in taking something two steps
away from the dumpster and making it look respectable again. That, and
a lot of older stuff is more quality made than new stuff...

Of course, taken to an extreme, you end up like... well, me. Drives the
girlie nuts, because there's half finished projects all over the damn
place just waiting for a nice warm day to be dragged outside and
sprayed. "Why can't we ever have new stuff?" Well, 'cause I don't make
$150K/year. Wish I did, but I don't.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

"Pete C." wrote in message
ster.com...

SteveB wrote:

"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.


That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash,
no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.

you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that
(well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need
is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down
payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

I think it's lots of other things. If many of these people were suddenly
thrust on an island, ala Robinson Crusoe, they may work out just fine. Or
maybe they'd be dead in a couple of days. My brother in law is illiterate,
and his construction company did $12 million last year. Go figger.

Steve

"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3 times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No cash,
no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that
(well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you need
is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not
paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down
payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents obviously
are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a course, at least
a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do to survive'. Basic
personal finance, how health insurance works, how apartment and car leases
work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc. Maybe throw in a week on
basic car care, like how (and why) to check and change oil, and how to
change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't get ripped off the first
time that comes up. Make passing a requirement for graduation.

--
aem sends...

It's up to the person. My little sister in law got a used green Datsun 210
in about 1978 for her sixteenth. Dad showed her how to check the water and
oil. He told her that if she didn't keep them full and the car burned up,
she'd be the one paying the repairs.

One day, she got ready to go. She came back in and said that her car was a
quart low, and she was going to put oil in it. Good girl. About half an
hour later, we were leaving, and she was STILL putting oil in the car. We
investigated, and found that she found a tiny funnel, and was slowly pouring
it into the dipstick tube. We showed her the oil filler cap, but she
thought out a solution of her own that worked.

Some things you cannot teach.

Steve

aemeijers wrote:
HeyBub wrote:

While driving around in another part of town today, I spotted a new
kind of shop:

"Tire Rental"
"As low as $3.00/week"

They have sidelines: Wheels (tire won't be much good without a wheel),
and all manner of fancy bling, or rims, or whatever they call it.

Nothin' new. 'Bling' wheel rental places have been around for years. One
summer as a kid, I did FHA inspections on repo houses, to make sure the
windows were all there and there were locks on the doors, etc. Blew my
mind to see these crappy little shacks with shiny Caddies out front,
many with obvious add-on padded vinyl tops and fancy wheels and such.

Guess if you can't afford a decent crib as a show-off item, you go with
what they see when you are out and about showing off.

--
aem sends...

We have had those wheel/tire rentals here (San Antonio) for probably at
least 15 years. The OP as I recall is in Houston, so I can't beleve they
are anything new there. Besides the utter stupidity of the deal, if I
ever bought a vehicle with those ugly pieces of crap, I'd have them off
of it so fast it would make a Nascar pit crew look like slow motion.
A few years ago the owner of a fair sized strip center in an
older/poorer section of town had us service all the furnaces. They were
all regular residential type furnaces, upflow in closets, so I was
inside each business. One was a furniture/appliance rental place that
had two suites. I had never actually been inside one before-- it was
mind boggling. In the furniture section they had lamps-- just plain
ordinary table lamps-- for $2.00/month. I have seen nicer ones at yard
sales for that much or less. For that matter I've even seen them at the
curb for the trash pickup.
There is not just one simple cause for this type of thing. With some it
is just plain stupidity. There are a lot of HS grads that couldn't tell
you what 10% of 100 is without a calculator, and probably about as many
that couldn't WITH a calculator. The worse thing is that a lot are
second or third generation stupid. Kids follow examples and if the
parents have absolutely no sense with money, it's pretty likely the kids
will be the same. The other thing is that they want everything right
now, and think they have some God given right to have it. The idea of
saving up for something is totally foreign to them. AEM is
right on point about requiring basic everyday skills being taught, and
learned, in HS. Most, but certainly not all boys know the basics about
car upkeep and such, but everyone should also have to know basics of
food preparation, including buying and storage of foods as well as just
cooking., and also how to do basic laundry using a standard W &D. I
gotta give them credit for one thing tho-- you'd be hard pressed to find
one out of a hundred that doesn't know every single function and feature
of their cell phone. Got plenty more
to rant about, but will save it for another time. Larry

Lp1331 1p1331 wrote:

We have had those wheel/tire rentals here (San Antonio) for probably at
least 15 years. The OP as I recall is in Houston, so I can't beleve they
are anything new there. Besides the utter stupidity of the deal, if I
ever bought a vehicle with those ugly pieces of crap, I'd have them off
of it so fast it would make a Nascar pit crew look like slow motion.
A few years ago the owner of a fair sized strip center in an
older/poorer section of town had us service all the furnaces. They were
all regular residential type furnaces, upflow in closets, so I was
inside each business. One was a furniture/appliance rental place that
had two suites. I had never actually been inside one before-- it was
mind boggling. In the furniture section they had lamps-- just plain
ordinary table lamps-- for $2.00/month. I have seen nicer ones at yard
sales for that much or less. For that matter I've even seen them at the
curb for the trash pickup.

Amazing/sickening...

There is not just one simple cause for this type of thing. With some it
is just plain stupidity. There are a lot of HS grads that couldn't tell
you what 10% of 100 is without a calculator, and probably about as many
that couldn't WITH a calculator. The worse thing is that a lot are
second or third generation stupid.

That last part is a big one, and it's effects are seen very widely, not
just poor and minority, but middle and upper class levels as well. All
end up spoiled, be it by welfare or by parents stroking their own egos
buying the kids ridiculous stuff.

Kids follow examples and if the
parents have absolutely no sense with money, it's pretty likely the kids
will be the same. The other thing is that they want everything right
now, and think they have some God given right to have it. The idea of
saving up for something is totally foreign to them. AEM is
right on point about requiring basic everyday skills being taught, and
learned, in HS.

Most, but certainly not all boys know the basics about
car upkeep and such,

Perhaps in Texas, but certainly not in a lot of places. A friend of mine
is a science teacher at a "magnet" school that supposedly gets the
"gifted" kids. The horror stories he's told about these "gifted"
students who have no idea how to use a socket set, or worse yet, have no
idea how to use a ruler! I mean, come on, didn't you learn how to use a
ruler in elementary school or earlier???

but everyone should also have to know basics of
food preparation, including buying and storage of foods as well as just
cooking., and also how to do basic laundry using a standard W &D.

Absolutely, no discrimination or sexism, everyone needs to get the full
spectrum from Baking to Welding, Woodworking to Sewing.

I
gotta give them credit for one thing tho-- you'd be hard pressed to find
one out of a hundred that doesn't know every single function and feature
of their cell phone. Got plenty more
to rant about, but will save it for another time. Larry

On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:31:31 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

e.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.

Girl in front of me at the PO asks the clerk if they have 1 cent
stamps. She says yes, how many do you need. Ten. We only have nine.
OK, I'll take nine. How much do I owe you? Place went silent to see if
the clerk could hold her composure. The only thing that would have
made it better was the clerk using the calculator.

"Andy Asberry" wrote in message
Girl in front of me at the PO asks the clerk if they have 1 cent
stamps. She says yes, how many do you need. Ten. We only have nine.
OK, I'll take nine. How much do I owe you? Place went silent to see if
the clerk could hold her composure. The only thing that would have
made it better was the clerk using the calculator.

Don't keep us in suspense, how much did she owe?

aemeijers wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3
times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No
cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment
forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed
on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and
sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and
search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do that
(well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you
need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for
cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around
$50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor
people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and not
paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down
payment
on the new one.
Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy, but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.
That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do
to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works, how
apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc.
Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to check and
change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't
get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a requirement
for graduation.

Of course "getting ripped off" is somewhat relative and something needs
to be done to kill this trend of disrespecting skilled "manual" trades.
Oh, I respect the hell out of skilled manual trades, and I have no
problem paying fair compensation for actual needed repair work, done
properly. But in my younger days before I caught on, and in talking to
siblings and coworkers about the experiences of them and their
relatives, I find 'wall jobs' to be epidemic. Lotta crooked tradesmen,
shops and shadetree guys out there, and their favorite prey are the
inexperienced and untrained people who have no idea what the hell is
going on.

They're everybody's favorite prey.



Most females get NO training in house and car repairs growing
up. Most guys that think they are experts, aren't. I grew up in
construction, and have turned a wrench or three, but am still clueless
about a lot a specialized or modern stuff. But when I call BS when they
try to rip me off on the things I DO know about, I have to wonder about
what is going on with the things I know nothing about.

'Caveat Emptor' came about for a reason.
--
aem sends...

On Nov 30, 3:01*am, Ashton Crusher wrote:

Poor people seem to have poor money management skills. *It's not
all that rare to see $3000 worth of wheels and tires on a car that's
not worth $1000.

That's because there's a huge cultural perspective difference between
those in poverty and those who aren't. When you are stuck in poverty
(often for generations in the U.S., where the adults today grew up in
poverty, as did their parents, and grandparents) you don't believe
you're ever going to be able to get out - you're going to be stuck in
a crummy low-paying job and never going to get a job that pays a
living wage, never going to be able to get out of where you are so you
live for the moment, buying the big screen tee-vee and the satellite
service and the bling-bling for the 1972 Datsun beater and the like.

begin shameless plug
That's why I'm such an advocate of Habitat For Humanity: because they
help families in poverty see a way out, not just by helping them get
an affordable home of their own but also in teaching them basic life
skills like budgeting and financial planning. But most importantly
they give a family a sense of hope, a belief that there IS a way out,
and then they start looking at life and the world differently, start
thinking about saving for a future they believe could come. I know
from experience, having worked for H4H in seminary, and my wife is
Dir. of Development for our local affiliate.

So this holiday season, instead of giving yet another bland sweater to
Aunt Mary or yet another variation of Zelda to your nephew for his
Nintendo DS, make a donation to your local Habitat affiliate in the
name of family members, and change some lives.
end shameless plug

Kyle wrote:
On Nov 30, 3:01 am, Ashton Crusher wrote:

Poor people seem to have poor money management skills. It's not
all that rare to see $3000 worth of wheels and tires on a car that's
not worth $1000.

That's because there's a huge cultural perspective difference between
those in poverty and those who aren't. When you are stuck in poverty
(often for generations in the U.S., where the adults today grew up in
poverty, as did their parents, and grandparents) you don't believe
you're ever going to be able to get out - you're going to be stuck in
a crummy low-paying job and never going to get a job that pays a
living wage, never going to be able to get out of where you are so you
live for the moment, buying the big screen tee-vee and the satellite
service and the bling-bling for the 1972 Datsun beater and the like.

I totally agree. There were those who were displaced from New Orleans
because of Katrina and found themselves in places like Salt Lake City or
Billings, Montana - a completely different culture. Some even said: "You
mean all I got to do is stand behind the counter and make Slurpees? And I
get PAID for it? Damn, man, that's cool!"

Presto! The cycle is broken!

curly'q wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing
3 times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No
cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment
forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed
on the
low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with weekly
payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it and
sell it
again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and
search
craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I do
that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All
you need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for
cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for
around $50.
More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps poor
people
poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22% interest, and
not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the
down payment
on the new one.
Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing
schools. The
ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the economy,
but
due to the lack of education in basic life skills like balancing a
checkbook or budgeting.
That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to do
to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works, how
apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided, etc.
Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to
check and
change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so you don't
get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a
requirement
for graduation.
------------------
It is even more basic..... No respect or interest in education. You can
offer all the classes you want, and GED requirements, but too many folks
don't value, or see a need for education. School is just a place to dump
the kids when they are young, and a social hangout when they are older.
It is families that value education, demand learning from their kids,
make sure their kids struggle with homework and school projects, that
pull ahead. Why go to school when the government will pay you to stay
at home and have babies? - paul

On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:28:29 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Andy Asberry" wrote in message
Girl in front of me at the PO asks the clerk if they have 1 cent
stamps. She says yes, how many do you need. Ten. We only have nine.
OK, I'll take nine. How much do I owe you? Place went silent to see if
the clerk could hold her composure. The only thing that would have
made it better was the clerk using the calculator.

Don't keep us in suspense, how much did she owe?


tap, tap, tap, kaching! 9 cents??

"Andy Asberry" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:28:29 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Andy Asberry" wrote in message
Girl in front of me at the PO asks the clerk if they have 1 cent
stamps. She says yes, how many do you need. Ten. We only have nine.
OK, I'll take nine. How much do I owe you? Place went silent to see if
the clerk could hold her composure. The only thing that would have
made it better was the clerk using the calculator.

Don't keep us in suspense, how much did she owe?


tap, tap, tap, kaching! 9 cents??

Sorry, the kaching! was your time expiring. Please try again later.

"Andy Asberry" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 22:28:29 -0500, "Ed Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Andy Asberry" wrote in message
Girl in front of me at the PO asks the clerk if they have 1 cent
stamps. She says yes, how many do you need. Ten. We only have nine.
OK, I'll take nine. How much do I owe you? Place went silent to see if
the clerk could hold her composure. The only thing that would have
made it better was the clerk using the calculator.

Don't keep us in suspense, how much did she owe?


tap, tap, tap, kaching! 9 cents??

Ah, you must have one of those calculator things.

Andy Asberry wrote:
On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:31:31 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

e.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools.
The ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the
economy, but due to the lack of education in basic life skills like
balancing a checkbook or budgeting.

Girl in front of me at the PO asks the clerk if they have 1 cent
stamps. She says yes, how many do you need. Ten. We only have nine.
OK, I'll take nine. How much do I owe you? Place went silent to see if
the clerk could hold her composure. The only thing that would have
made it better was the clerk using the calculator.

I love clerk stories! Here's one:

During the 1st week of the 1st Gulf War I'm in the grocery check-out.

Ding-Ding!
Female Clerk: "Congratulations sir, you've won a loaf of Randall's famous
French Bread!"
Me: "I don't like the French. Can I have a loaf of pita bread?"
Clerk: "Uh, no. We only have French."
Me: "San Francisco sourdough? Mexican cornbread?"
Clerk: "Just the French..."
Me: "Anyone in line want a free loaf of perfidious French bread?"
(one hand goes half-way up)
Me: "Give it to the fellow in the orange shirt.
Clerk: "(fluster, fluster) Ah, will that be paper or plastic?"
Me: "I don't care. I'm bisacksual."
(Clerk runs away)

"SteveB" toquerville@zionvistas wrote in
:


"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
Pete C. wrote:
SteveB wrote:
"Nate Nagel" wrote in message
...
Ed Pawlowski wrote:
wrote in message
...
i wonder if thats like renting appliances,it ends up costing 3
times
more than if you just bought it.

That is one of the things that keeps the poor people poor. No
cash, no
credit, so they rent for the same monthly (or weekly) payment
forever.

You can buy a new refrigerator for about $450 today. In the same
building where I worked was a used appliance dealer that preyed
on the low income families. He'd sell a used model for $300 with
weekly payments at 22% interest. Miss a payment and he'd repo it
and sell it again.
you'd think that people would clue up and go to the library and
search craigslist and/or just go to the salvation army. Heck, I
do that (well,
craigslist, not SA) for non-essentials and I'm not poor. All you
need is
an old pickup truck and you can get all sorts of stuff for
cheap/free.

nate


--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
I seriously doubt that's what keeps poor people poor.

Anywhere in the US, used washers, dryers, and fridges go for around
$50. More if you have to have newer or side by sides. What keeps
poor people poor is having to have that $600 fridge, pay 22%
interest, and not paying
the payments when they could have owned one for less than the down
payment
on the new one.

Actually, it all comes down to parental apathy and failing schools.
The ranks of the poor are rapidly growing not just due to the
economy, but due to the lack of education in basic life skills like
balancing a checkbook or budgeting.

That has been a pet rant of mine for years. Many or most parents
obviously are not up to the job, so the High Schools should teach a
course, at least a full semester, on 'Stuff you HAVE to know how to
do to survive'. Basic personal finance, how health insurance works,
how apartment and car leases work, why 'Rent to Own' is best avoided,
etc. Maybe throw in a week on basic car care, like how (and why) to
check and change oil, and how to change a tire and jump a battery, so
you don't get ripped off the first time that comes up. Make passing a
requirement for graduation.

--
aem sends...

It's up to the person. My little sister in law got a used green
Datsun 210 in about 1978 for her sixteenth. Dad showed her how to
check the water and oil. He told her that if she didn't keep them
full and the car burned up, she'd be the one paying the repairs.

One day, she got ready to go. She came back in and said that her car
was a quart low, and she was going to put oil in it. Good girl.
About half an hour later, we were leaving, and she was STILL putting
oil in the car. We investigated, and found that she found a tiny
funnel, and was slowly pouring it into the dipstick tube. We showed
her the oil filler cap, but she thought out a solution of her own that
worked.

Some things you cannot teach.

Steve



Well, it makes perfect sense if she had one seen someone putting in
transmission fluid.