"Rent-a-Center, the way to shop in the new economy...."

[Skidmore]

Just saw this ad on the boob tube. Wnat the heck does tnat mean? In the new economy will people not be no allowed to have personal property? Are we back to the company store version of credit?

[Shandris]

1. No, they mean 'Pay 4 times as much for something as what its worth'.

When I was newly 20 and had my first 'good' job (at $400/wk, I thought I was rich lol) I signed up for a bunch of nice RAC goods. Eventually the job moved on and the items returned to the store.

As I later looked over the receipts, I realized I had paid for each item 3 TIMES over, yet had never 'paid it off'. Lesson learned. :(

[Donnachaidh]

2. it's difficult to keep a credit rating out of the toilet when you are out of work for years

And while I don't like rent-a-center's (and any other business like this) high interest rates -- some people may very well have to make purchases this way.

:shrug:

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. absolutely not! We aren't talking about renting food or some necessity.

Sit on the floor or get it at goodwill rather than paying 4 times its worth.

[Nay]

18. Indeed. With Craigslist and freecycle, I'm surprised rentacenters even exist

anymore. Frankly, they only exist because even poor people would rather have cheapass new junk rather than anything used, no matter how broke they are. They're being played, just like most Americans.

[Donnachaidh]

20. if there had been something concrete done by WASHINGTON about jobs

This company would not be flourishing.

And BTW -- some folks are so decimated they may not even have the cash to *get it at goodwill* -- but I guess it's tough to see that on a high horse. :eyes:

[virgogal]

3. Rent-a-Center has been ebbing and surging for years. eom

[Pholus]

4. Well the company store is a grandly American concept after all.

And we're always trying to make "ownership" more and more exclusive. Witness software and the argument that you're merely leasing an idea instead of buying a physical medium. Probably only a matter of time before that back-propogates into physical items.

I could imagine an IP giant making their phone or tablets "rentables" with the argument that upgrades would be cheaper for the consumer than buying a new item flat out. When Apple first-day sales start to not cause immensely long lines that would probably be a decent idea for them.

On second thought, DirecTV already does that with their DVRs these days. You don't own them, despite having paid a premium for them which is the equivalent of a purchase price for other electronics. So, it's already here.

In the end, though, there is always demand for new ways of distinguising between "Galtian winners" and "ordinary Americans" and that idea is as good as any.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. Huh? Rent-a-Center is still around?

I don't think I have seen one since I was a kid!

[WingDinger]

8. The one Wingers like to bring up is shiny rim/tire rentals.

[Raine]

16. They've been advertising on TV lately

especially on the cable channels.

[hunter]

6. Thrift stores, craigslist, curbs, and dumpsters...

... have higher quality merchandise.

[Donnachaidh]

7. don't forget Goodwill

I was actually pleasantly surprised when we visited our local one the other day.

[truedelphi]

9. We got the TV we had both drooled over back when

it first came out in 2004 for a mere $ 25 in 2009.

And it had a selling price of at least $ 750 those few years earlier. (Marin County California has a great lil Salvation Army store.)

[xmas74]

12. I purchased ten pairs of shorts,

ten pairs of jeans, four dresses, twelve shirts, three cardigans, two skirts, and three purses (one of which was Coach for only one dollar) for my daughter at the local Salvation Army. I spent sixty dollars total and everything is in great shape and all the name brand things the other kids wear at school. (Aeropostale, American Eagle Outfitters, Hollister, and a few others)

I have nothing but good things to say about thrift stores right now.

[SoCalDem]

10. There's an ad on radio our here for a desk top computer

sign a TWO YEAR contract @ $50 a month & at the end you'll own that computer & crappy printer..:grr:

or you can go to http://www.hcditrading.com/and get :
http://www.hcditrading.com/Desktop-Computers-with/GX620/Dell-OptiPlex-GX620-DSK-p7761634.html

for under $300 and you can get a 2 yr warranty for about $40..add a $40 printer & you're good to go..

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. The person who stole my identity back in 1985 tried to buy stuff at a Rent A Center

Rent A Center called me to verify my address. That's how I found out my identity had been stolen. Rent A Center only had my name - they looked me up in the phone book to call cause they thought there was something fishy about my identity thief. And Rent A Center also called the police for me and asked the detective to come to my house so I wouldn't have to drive all the way across town to their store.

I've had a soft place in my heart for them ever since. :)

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. hell no! Get it at goodwill if you can't afford a new one (bed, table, chairs)

Electronics - not a necessity. Don't rent computers and TV.

[Raine]

15. Just this past week I got a beautiful chair from Habitat for Humanity

for $5.00. They have all kinds of things, not just building things like doors and windows but appliances, rugs, beds, couchs, TVs etc. Not only do you get a great bargain but you are helping to recycle things instead of trashing them and the money goes for putting people in homes.

I know not every area has a Habitat for Humanity but go to the second hand store like Goodwill etc or a yard sale. Those Rent-A-Centers are nothing but a HUGE rip off! :mad:

[jakestake]

17. Rent-a-Center is a really bad deal.

People need to have patience and instead of going to Rent-a-Center, they should just save up for 6 months and buy the same stuff themselves.

That's what I do. I'm currently going without a lot of things other people see as luxuries because I can't afford it. If I want to buy something I have to save and buy it.

[Raine]

19. You're doing it the smart way. Too many people have to

have instant gratification, have it right now instead of learning to save for what they want. Having it instantly gets you into trouble later on.