As I went out to my mailbox to retrieve some mail, I received a flyer from a new rent-to-own establishment in a nearby town. Normally I pitch these ads from people who take advantage of those who have little money and even less financial knowledge. I'm not sure why, but I started reading this particular ad. I had always heard that these businesses took advantage of people by promising things people "needed" for "easy weekly or monthly payments." I never realized how immoral these businesses were. For example, you could purchase a new iPad for "only" 19.99 a week for 104 weeks! I mean, what a deal! This makes sense if you really "need" an iPad right? That's right folks! For only $2079, you can buy a $500 iPad!
Or maybe you don't need the latest tech thing. You are looking for a washer and dryer. well, you're in luck! It just so happens another rent-to-own establishment will sell you a washer and dryer for only 69.99 a month over 18 months! In this case, you can buy an $800 washer and dryer combo for the price of $1259!
These ripoffs are keeping so many people from where they could be. These people prey on people's feelings of jealousy and entitlement. They neglect to tell people that if someone saves that $20 a week, they could buy an iPad for that $500, without payments, in less than 6 months. Or that by saving that $70 a month, they could purchase that $800 washer and dryer with cash in under a year.
In order to drive these shysters out of business, we need to have the discipline to wait. Hebrews 12:11 reminds us that though discipline seems unpleasant, it produces righteous fruit.
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