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The Cost of Being Poor is a well known comparative study of the urban poor in Indiana, United States that addresses this directly. There have been numerous othe

The Cost of Being Poor is a well known comparative study of the urban poor in Indiana, United States that addresses this directly. There have been numerous others. These are people who definitely could not get together the $8,000 for a 7 year old car in good condition, or get a loan at all besides a Payday one. They live paycheck to paycheck. The question is not just a quantitative one of the car cost, depreciation, years of use. It’s a qualitative one, as in quality of life. A poor person who can only afford to take the bus loses time sitting on a bus instead of grocery shopping, taking care of their kids, etc. and needs to exert mental energy to plan their day around bus rides and schedules. They generally “pay” in numerous ways besides the pure value of the vehicle vs. some other more expensive vehicle. Above all, they pay in mental bandwidth. They spend most of their mental energy worrying, planning, and stressing about being poor. That distinction can help clarify this argument a lot, and that old boot example doesn’t capture that.

macintux 6y ago
Not to mention the fees that you typically face when poor, like bounced checks and exorbitant payday loan interest charges. Or medical costs because your low-paying job offers minimal health insurance. Or extra costs because the government system designed to help those with low income is crushed under the weight of COVID, so your benefits take months longer to arrange and arrive (something a friend of mine is battling right now).
unishark 6y ago
> These are people who definitely could not get together the $8,000 for a 7 year old car in good condition, or get a loan at all besides a Payday one. They live paycheck to paycheck. I also thought it was a bit funny that the parent poster cited an $8k purchase in a discussion about poverty. But either you're being a bit disingenuous yourself here or else you are similarly out of touch. Since you should know one can get a well-functioning used car for a lot less than that. Also in many countries, people take public transit at all income brackets. I've done it in the US for long periods myself. Personally I find it less stressful than driving in traffic.

macintux 6y ago

Not to mention the fees that you typically face when poor, like bounced checks and exorbitant payday loan interest charges. Or medical costs because your low-paying job offers minimal health insurance. Or extra costs because the government system designed to help those with low income is crushed under the weight of COVID, so your benefits take months longer to arrange and arrive (something a friend of mine is battling right now).

unishark 6y ago

> These are people who definitely could not get together the $8,000 for a 7 year old car in good condition, or get a loan at all besides a Payday one. They live paycheck to paycheck. I also thought it was a bit funny that the parent poster cited an $8k purchase in a discussion about poverty. But either you're being a bit disingenuous yourself here or else you are similarly out of touch. Since you should know one can get a well-functioning used car for a lot less than that. Also in many countries, people take public transit at all income brackets. I've done it in the US for long periods myself. Personally I find it less stressful than driving in traffic.