Financial Misadvice...

(Sorry about the lack of posts the last few days.  Real life got in the way of a blog.  Somehow, Jesus is to blame for all of this)

During the week, I work at in a collections centre.  It is not a particularly fun job, even though my job consists entirely of doing paperwork.  I mostly hear collectors yelling at debtors unwilling to pay the money they owe - it doesn't always present you with a vision of humanity as its finest. 

Add to that the fact that I process bankruptcies as one of the key components of my job, and you can see why my opinion of humanity is beginning to sour. 

It's not that I'm upset these people can't pay my company the money they owe - it means nothing to me whether they do or don't.  What bugs me is that, as part of their bankruptcy process, they have to provide the reason for their financial difficulties.

The people that have reasons like "my husband died and I couldn't pay my bills and funeral costs" get my sympathy, as does the occasional "I have cancer".  But, 90% of the reasons are just excuses that blame others for the debtor's problems.  And these debtors provide their monthly income and their monthly expenses - most of the bankrupts live better than I do! 

"I can't pay my bills because I didn't know lenders charged interest."  Well, buddy, read the damned contract before you sign it. 

"I am unable to meet my debt because my job won't pay me enough money"  (You make more than I do.  I am not bankrupt, or in any real financial crisis.  You have no kids.  So, tighten your belt, buddy.) 

"I can't pay my bills because I lost a month of work, and now can't keep ahead"  (maybe you should cut back - do you need to spend $200 on your telephone bills?  Or $200 a month for tobacco?  Or $300 a MONTH on clothing?)

Those are, by the way, actual excuses I've been given (the exact quotes have been changed, of course).

I can understand.  Times are tough.  I live in a city where things are getting pretty desperate.  The number of people asking me for change on the street is increasing, and they're finding increasingly clever ways to ask, this being a competitive capitalist society and all.  When you hear homeless men on the street, complaining about the recession, you know things are bad.  Add to that the fact that Victoria has always been an expensive place to live (for a variety of reasons), and, well, yeah.

Which brings us to the excuse given me today, on a bankruptcy form:

REASON FOR ENTERING BANKRUPTCY:

* Moved to Victoria.

I kid you not.  And, unfortunately, I kind of see the guy's point.