People Are Sharing Examples Of "Unofficial Taxes On The Poor" And It's Accurate As Hell

On Friday, Reddit user u/TX7441107 asked, "What is an unofficial tax on the poor?" People provided sad, but accurate examples of how there are charges, fees, and financial ramifications that affect/target lower-income people.

Here's what they said:

1."Rent-a-Center and other similar business models. Financing something because you can't afford it, but ultimately paying more over time."

—u/ShaLyn98

2."Not buying/having an in-home washer and dryer. Laundry will cost less in the long run if you have your own washing machine."

—u/SuvenPan

3."The biggest poverty trap is the inability to take risks. When you're poor, you don't want to take risks (even with favorable odds), because the downside means homelessness and starvation. But taking those risks is how everyone gets ahead. You take a risk when you do something like change jobs, open your own business, or move to a new housing situation. There's often an upfront cost, and there may be unseen costs or negatives, but there's potentially greater rewards. If you're skating on the ragged edge of poverty, you often don't want to take a risk of falling off the edge."

—u/lijiyiy251

4."If there is one thing I've learned as I have advanced in my career and earned more money it's that, as you make more money, things become cheaper. Buying bulk and buying higher quality saves you more money in the long run."

—u/GfuKxuWhC6ZHg285

5."Pay-as-you-go gas and electric meters. Those things should be banned. They're usually only given out to the poorest households who have trouble paying bills, and it costs more to use them."

—u/markslucky7

6."TayZonday on Twitter said it best: 'Can't pay to clean your teeth? Next year, pay for a root canal. Can't pay for a new mattress? Next year, pay for back surgery. Can't pay to get that lump checked out? Next year, pay for stage 3 cancer. Poverty charges interest.'"

—u/wemahi1149

7."Your bank account charging no fees if you have thousands, but if you are broke you get charged monthly fees."

—u/FriedeDom

8."The gig economy. Not only do you get none of the benefits of a full time worker, but you assume all of the costs of a company that you don't hold any shares in. It's a good thing the hours are flexible, since you'll be working for pennies until the day you die."

—u/grayskull88

9."A time tax for transportation. You have less money, so you live in a cheaper apartment. It's cheaper because it's not near anything. If you have a car, you're spending an extra 15 minutes commuting, basically anywhere you want to go. If you can't afford a car, now you're on public transportation time. I can drive into the city in about 20–30 minutes depending on where I'm going. When I take public transportation, I'm looking at 40 minutes, minimum, easily over an hour when I have to transfer."

—u/wemahi1149

10."Any crime where the punishment is a fine. Even where it isn't, a good lawyer with good connections can do some magic. But not for the poor."

—u/Illustrious-Mix-8877

11."The regular inability to shop the sales. If you are poor, you wait until you absolutely need something before you buy it. This means you miss out on good deals at the store, which could be perceived as a kind of unofficial tax."

—u/wemahi1149

12."'Oh you overdrew your account? Welp, time to pay money you don't have for trying to use money you don't have.'"

—u/PlayedKey

13."The lottery. It's a tax on people who are bad at math and statistics."

—u/davev9365720263

14."Healthy food. It is cheaper to buy quick/instant meals than to cook them. This goes double for when you are out. And yes, I know you can buy lentils, beans and rice to live on, but is that really living?"

—u/comfortablynumb15

And lastly:

15."Student debt. I was told my entire life that I should go to the best school I could get into, and if I worked and studied hard the jobs would be there and I'd pay off my debt. With interest, it's impossible."

—u/moonpi314159

Did they miss any? I'm sure there are many more. Let me know in the comments below!

Responses edited for length/clarity.