I know that it sounds counterintuitive, but it really is cheaper to be rich than to be poor in a lot of ways.
Those little things add up and minor inconveniences that wealthier people don’t have to deal with do as well.
Being poor is a grind…
What are some examples of “it’s cheaper to be rich than poor”?
Here’s what folks said on AskReddit.
1. Wear and tear.
“Remote work.
I’m practically saving the equivalent in a minimum wage job from reduced wear and tear / gas / servicing / insurance.
And that’s just the quantitative dollars.”
2. Low balance.
“Ran out of money in your checking account?
Well now you have to pay a $50 fine for not having any money.”
3. Think about it.
“Not being able to pay for medical appointments, which lead to accumulating health issues overtime, which is extremely expensive.”
4. Lasts a while.
“Furniture.
More expensive furniture is often made better and lasts longer so you don’t have to keep buying new.
Same with clothes.”
5. Not an option.
“Being unable to take a day off work is not an option when living paycheck to paycheck.
I respect the f*ck out of the hustlers out there, but also keep in mind that free time and mental health are important to your overall well-being”
6. Risky business.
“Entrepreneurship and investing become dangerous territory.
Risk tolerance is too low when funds are low as well.
Becomes almost as risky as gambling at this point.”
7. Teeth problems.
“Dental care.
If you can afford to go to the dentist even once a year, get preventative care, fix cavities early, and it’s significantly less expensive than more complicated restorations and treatment.
I know way more poor people who just wait there’s a serious issue, and just have a tooth pulled, because that’s cheaper.
I know someone who lost a chunk of jaw bone from a bad tooth and needed a bone graft.
Not to mention, dentists in the US have worked hard to prevent dental care being included in health insurance.
You need separate dental insurance, even though oral health is very much connected with your overall health.”
8. No missed payments.
“It’s cheaper to be “not poor” because you never miss bill payments. Poor people are more likely to have late bills, so they get all the late fees associated with that
It is harder to buy groceries and household items in bulk, thus missing out on savings per unit.
Transportation. Being poor means you might not have a good reliable car (assuming you can even afford one), so your 30-year-old junker breaks down regularly and thus costs more money to upkeep compared to a middle class person’s vehicle. And then, if you can’t afford to fix your car, you no longer have a source of Transportation to get to work, then you get fired….and it’s a vicious downhill cycle
There are soooo many things that are small costs that add up and end up being more expensive if your are poor versus rich.”
9. All about who you know.
“Rich people often have connections and can get things or services for free or reduced rates.”
10. One on top of the other.
“$250 ticket for not having your inspection up to date because you cant afford the $80 for registration.”
11. Free stuff.
“I don’t know how to categorize this but when you have/make a lot of money you end up in situations where you just get stuff for free just for being there.
Colleague can’t make it to the game, so here’s two free court-side tickets.
One of your friends has a house in Tahoe you’re welcome to stay at. Your mentor is a successful entrepreneur and asks about funding your venture when you only wanted advice.
The list goes on. Privilege snow balls like crazy.”
12. It’s very real.
“When I worked for a non-profit making less than $40k/year, I worked 45/50hrs per week, and I paid the following:
paid roughly $60/month for my health plan at work, which was basic prescription coverage for $5/per, and limited dental. Nothing else was covered.
paid $20/month for my bank account, with 21% interest on my credit card, .01% interest rate on savings
had no sick days
had zero benefits as far as rrsp, stock, work from home allowance
spent $80/month on bus passes because I had to work from the office
I now work for a large software company, work 25-35hrs per week, make substantially more money and have the following expenses/perks:
$20/month for my health plan which offers full prescription, comprehensive dental and mental health coverage, massage/physio, etc.
pay $0/month for multiple bank accounts and have 18% interest, .05 interest rates on savings
$50/month subsidy for internet at home
free cellphone
stock purchase plan that offers matching stock purchases and discounts
sick days, flex days, and more than 2x the paid time off
$500/year budget for home office expenses
work from home, meaning saving on transit expenses
The high cost of being poor is very real.”
What do you think are some examples of this?
Talk to us in the comments and share your thoughts with us.
Thanks in advance!
