Poor people should not have smartphones, according to....

[Belloc]

The plural of "anecdote" is not "data."

So you're basically saying that it doesn't happen at all and that poor people are poor because of things entirely beyond their control. Good, glad to know that this discussion isn't worth having.

[Baelic]

You can get a smart phone for $20-30 now. Free actually with new cell phone plans....

In any case, I agree that most people are terrible with money and do not need $700 smartphones. This includes poor people and most of the middle class.

Honestly, rich people don't need them either, but at least their phone is not 1/40th or more of their take home income per year.

The moment when you realize that subsidizing your phone costs more than the phone itself...

[Celista]

The moment when you realize that subsidizing your phone costs more than the phone itself...

Yeah, plans tend to have a lot of hidden fees in them. Every year or so I shop around for current cell phone plans, but I never find a better deal than what I'm already paying.

Also not mentioned earlier but I do think that the argument that poor people can afford health insurance if they stop buying stupid shit to be pretty ludicrous, despite my agreement that most people can do better for themselves in relationship to money management. No one needs an expensive smartphone, ipad, $5 coffees every morning.

[Nasuem]

Jason Chaffetz is a known imbecile.

Yes, everyone in America has the god given right to own a $600.00 smart phone even if they are using food stamps!

[Wyrt]

Yes, everyone in America has the god given right to own a $600.00 smart phone even if they are using food stamps!

1. Most poor people don't have $600 smart phones.
2. Refraining from buying a $600 smart phone would not pay for healthcare.

So, yes, Jason Chaffetz is an imbecile. A very big one.

[Nasuem]

1. Most poor people don't have $600 smart phones.
2. Refraining from buying a $600 smart phone would not pay for healthcare.

So, yes, Jason Chaffetz is an imbecile. A very big one.

Really? Because I see freaking refugees with them, so how do poor folks here not have them? (They do) And secondly, yes, refraining from buying certain things will save you money to purchase other things, sometimes, more important things. Great arguments though.

[Christonya]

PREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTY sure the guy implied that buying that $700 phone every year is some thing that falls under personal responsibility, not that you shouldn't go out and buy a working perfectly adequate $40 dollar phone once every few years.

God I love how people always look for offense in every thing.

[Wyrt]

Really? Because I see freaking refugees with them, so how do poor folks here not have them? (They do) And secondly, yes, refraining from buying certain things will save you money to purchase other things, sometimes, more important things. Great arguments though.

They do come much cheaper than $600 with cell phone plans. Sometimes they're even free.

Look, free: https://clickaway.com/products/apple...FYqPfgodQ8UFqw

And $600 would buy you maybe 2 months of insurance. Please tell me more about how that would help their insurance situation.

[Damajin]

And yet, here you are on the internet, missing the point that you couldn't be on the internet without some form of device with which to use it.

Sure you can, there's libraries and internet cafes everywhere. Having the internet at home is a luxury, something that if you're pinching pennies you should, could and would be able to cut out in order to improve your expenses.

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Actually in my line of work (hvac) we need it fo communication since most of our communication is through emails, and pictures of equipment for writing and sending proposals, looking up replacement parts and even literature on certain equipment so I'd say it is much needed in my case

Sure, I can go for that but as an HVAC guy you sure as hell aren't in the poor house, which is what the thread is dealing with.

[Deleted]

Depends. He's not entirely wrong. Poor people tend to spend money poorly (Pun intended). In the US of Afterpay people take 20% interest credit cards to buy a TV they can't afford and don't need. Im not saying they cant watch tv, im saying they shoulnd watch it on a 60 inch oled. fucking stupid. Same goes for iPhones.

[Baelic]

Yeah, plans tend to have a lot of hidden fees in them. Every year or so I shop around for current cell phone plans, but I never find a better deal than what I'm already paying.

Also not mentioned earlier but I do think that the argument that poor people can afford health insurance if they stop buying stupid shit to be pretty ludicrous, despite my agreement that most people can do better for themselves in relationship to money management. No one needs an expensive smartphone, ipad, $5 coffees every morning.

Yup, can't argue with you there

[Sunseeker]

Most people are getting their fancy new phones on a payment plan over a 2+year period. 600/24=$25 per month. Sometimes they have to pay $100-$200 up front, a one-time charge. $25/mo isn't going to do squat towards "investing" in your health. Even if you put it away to save up against catastrophic events, that's only $300/year, which again, isn't doing jack to invest in protecting your health.

[IIamaKing]

Actually in my line of work (hvac) we need it fo communication since most of our communication is through emails, and pictures of equipment for writing and sending proposals, looking up replacement parts and even literature on certain equipment so I'd say it is much needed in my case

Then your company should provide you a phone for doing business. I say this as a guy who worked for Honeywell doing HVAC for 5 years with a father in the field for 50 years. He has had a company phone or pager forever.
So, yes! It is needed for your work, which is why any HVAC company worth a shit provides them for you.

[Draco-Onis]

Yeah, plans tend to have a lot of hidden fees in them. Every year or so I shop around for current cell phone plans, but I never find a better deal than what I'm already paying.

Also not mentioned earlier but I do think that the argument that poor people can afford health insurance if they stop buying stupid shit to be pretty ludicrous, despite my agreement that most people can do better for themselves in relationship to money management. No one needs an expensive smartphone, ipad, $5 coffees every morning.

The low income threshold is 45K / year before tax for the average family, poor is considered 23K and below, healthcare cost 25K+ per year. There is no way poor families can afford healthcare even if they are extreme misers.

[Deleted]

The average cost of health insurance for an average family in the US is $25,826, people who have jobs and still have to pay a portion on average pay $900 / month. The analogy is extremely stupid unless you think poor people are buying multiple Iphones every month.

The analogy was to underline existing problems. It's simply stupid to sacrifice what you need, in favour of what you want. That's what we're discussing.

[Draco-Onis]

The analogy was to underline existing problems. It's simply stupid to sacrifice what you need, in favour of what you want. That's what we're discussing.

There is no way they can afford it regardless of how much of a misers they are, that is the reason the government has to step in. The insane cost of healthcare in the US is the biggest problem here not what people spend, everyone can agree that people should live within their means but this is about something else.

[Deleted]

Y'know how you sort that?

Take a health insurance payment straight out their wages before they're even paid.

You could call it national health insurance. And use those payments to fund healthcare. Hey you could even pool all that cash and use it as leverage when negotiating healthcare costs with suppliers.

Nah too sensible.

[Jetstream]

They can have whatever phone they want. They should not be getting a 500+ dollar phone on tax payer dime though.

Fortunately that never happens! Hooray! Everyone gets what they want!

[Kujako]

Most people are getting their fancy new phones on a payment plan over a 2+year period. 600/24=$25 per month. Sometimes they have to pay $100-$200 up front, a one-time charge. $25/mo isn't going to do squat towards "investing" in your health. Even if you put it away to save up against catastrophic events, that's only $300/year, which again, isn't doing jack to invest in protecting your health.

I always buy my phone upfront, then I have a 30$ a month plan. More money up front if I want the latest iPhone, but better in the long term.

[Skroe]

Yes, everyone in America has the god given right to own a $600.00 smart phone even if they are using food stamps!

(1) A New Cell Phone costs $600
(2) The Average premium in 2012 was $15,745 for a family with average payments of $4316
(3) Do you really think "refugees" (bullshit on your part btw) are buying Iphone 7s or getting old or refirbished iphones for <$100?

In short, no.

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Then your company should provide you a phone for doing business. I say this as a guy who worked for Honeywell doing HVAC for 5 years with a father in the field for 50 years. He has had a company phone or pager forever.
So, yes! It is needed for your work, which is why any HVAC company worth a shit provides them for you.

Many companies shifted to Bring Your Own Phone over the last five years. It cut costs for them, especially since the phone they'd deploy is going to be the android or iphone you own anyway. Furthermore depending on your job you may get a deal on your phone bill through the companies and / or additional money monthly that goes towards your phone plan.