We are struggling as a nation with the constant rise in the cost of living. Rents are going up and properties are scarce. In Victoria it is getting worse as the government has imposed a tax on landlords which has resulted in a lot of potential rentals properties being sold. It is very obvious here.
Christmas is around the corner and the telly is full of ads and "news" content encouraging people to spend money to "show them you love them". All this while we are being told to rein in our spending or face further interest hikes in the new year.
The last few days have seen a resurgence of pay day loan ads and I am beyond furious.
This one was just on ...
... let's throw health into the mix as well.
These ads are meant to be funny.
Yeah, right. Tell that to the desperate people who get sucked in by them.
Yes, I thought this one was a bit ‘off’ when I first saw it. With the cost of procedures going up it’s no joke if you aren’t being treated public.
ReplyDeleteOff topic - years ago when I was involved in the medical side of life I would defend fee rises. Dr’s needed to cover costs, Medicare rebates were low etc etc but even I’ve become sceptical now. I use a bulk billing practice - The Golfer doesn’t. Not only does he have to pay full fee - no discount for aged pensioners (on the day) then wait for the rebate - his practice has just had the cheek to add a surcharge to fees paid by credit cards! Who carries that amount of cash ($82 for a standard consult) so you don’t have to pay the extra 82c.
There’s no wonder those on low income are looking for loans to pay for treatment.
Golfer only pays $82, and gets $40 back. He is doing well. We are paying close to $100 now.
DeleteI found it offensive that they started replaying this right before Christmas and dressed it up as paying for necessities.
DeleteA lot of clinics won't take cash, they ask that you pay by card so the medicare refund can be done immediately by the same card.
DeleteI totally agree. I have actually been known to yell at the television during adverts
ReplyDeleteThey can’t hear me. But it makes me feel better
You and me both!
DeleteYou may remember back to the time of hire purchase, the loan man making a weekly visit to your home, bank overdrafts, the credit card debt and now we have pay day lending. I don't like, but I have used some in the past.
ReplyDeleteI've watched the ad now. If he swallowed a trumpet he would be a priority patient at a public hospital at no cost.
DeleteHire Purchase, Layby, bank overdrafts ... not pretty but at least regulated. And you had to prove you could pay them back. Pay day loans are available to all and sundry regardless.
DeleteI wonder if the ad was originally intended for America where swallowing a trumpet would bankrupt you - or send you to the circus.
What an incredibly stupid, crappy ad. We have pay day loan places. It says a lot about our society that so many people are forced to use them. I hear military base towns are full of them.
ReplyDeleteThese are all done on line - even easier. And so wrong in so many ways. The govt warns against using them but does nothing to regulate them.
DeletePayday loans are disgusting. The amount of interest they charge can be defined as usury.
ReplyDeleteThey make my blood boil.
DeleteStalker
ReplyDeleteAny kind of loan other than for a house is generally dodgy.Even home loans can be too.
The motto don’t spend when you don’t have is quite easy for some of us to say but for young people trying to get a start in life it is the only way they think they can get that start .Pay day loans look easy particularly for people who have limited income but want to have a their best Christmas ever….and then they are trapped in a vicious cycle of never ending catch up
I just wonder why consumer affairs doesn’t ban these ads and payday loans .
My feelings exactly, Stalk. At least if you put something on layby and defaulted you lost what you had paid and the item. You weren't sucked into a spiral of never ending debt. I know of people who have ended up in dire straits as a result of company credit cards and Humm and AfterPay. They should all be banned. Kids need to be taught financial responsibility at school as not all get the example from their parents.
DeleteA totally agree. Our last government put penalties on landlords and many sold. The new government is taking these off thankfully. Spending at Christmas is out of control and it always upsets me that families go into debt, especially due to commercial pressure to buy.
ReplyDeleteRent, groceries, petrol, rates ... everything is going up.
DeleteI hate those ads. HATE HATE HATE. And I hate that people get sucked into them and spend forever trying to get out.
ReplyDeleteRiver, it makes me sick to my soul. I hate them more than gambling, grog and tobacco ads.
Delete