Why bother paying your obligations?
Bankruptcy is at an all-time high in this country.
The average American it is said carries $5,000+ in credit card debt.
People bought houses they knew they couldn’t afford but diluted themselves into thinking their $9/hr job at Wal-Mart was able to make the payments!
And why not? Where is the personal harm in it? None.
Sure you may loose your house but I guarantee you go to apply for another mortgage and someone will give you one! You may be in collection on your credit card but I guarantee you’ll get another card application in the mail soon enough. And they can not hold your bad credit or non-payment against you for future housing, current or future job, going to school, healthcare etc etc etc.
So why bother doing the right thing and worrying about paying your bills on time?
I’m in this mood today because the rent is due today and I haven’t as yet received it. Not my rent. My tenant’s rent.
My house has a legal apartment. We’ve had 5 tenants in it so far. We don’t run it as a business. It helps pay the mortgage and the soaring property taxes. That’s all.
The first tenant was a young woman in her mid-20’s with a daughters about 4 years old. She came with the house when we bought it. She was divorced and her hubby paid the rent each month. No problems there. Eventually she and her new boyfriend decided to get a place of their own and left. I wish them well (she had a bit of a mean streak and he was a easy going guy – I hope the sex is worth it!).
The next tenants was a real prick! A guy and his “wife” who we later found wasn’t really married but that didn’t stop them from having 2 kids together. The first month’s rent was paid on time and in full. But was down hill from there. Each month payment got later and later and in dribs and drabs. After a year he just stopped paying and we had to evict him. Not a pleasant (or cheap!) process. He’ll be the subject of another blog story at a future time.
The next tenant was great. A middle-aged divorce mother with an 8 year old son. A professional, hard worker, on the road a lot. She paid in full immediately every month. No complaints. But alas, she bought her own house and moved. It was a good move for her (though the timing in the housing market was off) but still can’t fault her for it.
The next tenants was almost like déjà vue all over again. A couple claiming to be married but turning out not to be. And the woman had a 7 year old boy too (by someone else). Rent paid but often several days late. Both had a real attitude problem. Looking back on it all I think they were on drugs. That would account for the emotional and attitudinal swings (some other people who came to the house while they were there also thought drugs were involved). That association climax when the cops were called to my house by the woman because her “husband” hit the kid. How he failed to get arrested I’ll never know! (but if I spanked my kid in a supermarket for throwing a tantrum I’ll be in jail!!!). Soon after that they told us they were moving (we were going to ask them to leave anyway) and said “Since we’re moving at the end of this month there’s no need to pay any more rent”!! What bullshit!!! So they stuck it to me. I could have sued I suppose but I just wanted them gone.
In all these cases nothing happened to the non-payers. Sure the left and had to find a new home. But so what. Did they loose their jobs? Did they loose their cars? Did they really loose anything? Nope! I and my wife lost money and time from work having to deal with this Barbara Streisand (BS) but they walked away scott-free! Probably laughing too. I wouldn’t blame them for it.
(If any renter reading this wonders why their landlord is such a hard ass it is stuff like this that turns good people into them!)
So now I sit here on the first of the month and rent is due but have no check in hand. The day isn’t over yet. If it were I being the renter I would have left the rent check before going to work in the morning. Guess I’m just too responsible that way. It’s possible the check could be there when I get home or given to me this evening.
Or not at all.
After all, why bother?
Bankruptcy is at an all-time high in this country.
The average American it is said carries $5,000+ in credit card debt.
People bought houses they knew they couldn’t afford but diluted themselves into thinking their $9/hr job at Wal-Mart was able to make the payments!
And why not? Where is the personal harm in it? None.
Sure you may loose your house but I guarantee you go to apply for another mortgage and someone will give you one! You may be in collection on your credit card but I guarantee you’ll get another card application in the mail soon enough. And they can not hold your bad credit or non-payment against you for future housing, current or future job, going to school, healthcare etc etc etc.
So why bother doing the right thing and worrying about paying your bills on time?
I’m in this mood today because the rent is due today and I haven’t as yet received it. Not my rent. My tenant’s rent.
My house has a legal apartment. We’ve had 5 tenants in it so far. We don’t run it as a business. It helps pay the mortgage and the soaring property taxes. That’s all.
The first tenant was a young woman in her mid-20’s with a daughters about 4 years old. She came with the house when we bought it. She was divorced and her hubby paid the rent each month. No problems there. Eventually she and her new boyfriend decided to get a place of their own and left. I wish them well (she had a bit of a mean streak and he was a easy going guy – I hope the sex is worth it!).
The next tenants was a real prick! A guy and his “wife” who we later found wasn’t really married but that didn’t stop them from having 2 kids together. The first month’s rent was paid on time and in full. But was down hill from there. Each month payment got later and later and in dribs and drabs. After a year he just stopped paying and we had to evict him. Not a pleasant (or cheap!) process. He’ll be the subject of another blog story at a future time.
The next tenant was great. A middle-aged divorce mother with an 8 year old son. A professional, hard worker, on the road a lot. She paid in full immediately every month. No complaints. But alas, she bought her own house and moved. It was a good move for her (though the timing in the housing market was off) but still can’t fault her for it.
The next tenants was almost like déjà vue all over again. A couple claiming to be married but turning out not to be. And the woman had a 7 year old boy too (by someone else). Rent paid but often several days late. Both had a real attitude problem. Looking back on it all I think they were on drugs. That would account for the emotional and attitudinal swings (some other people who came to the house while they were there also thought drugs were involved). That association climax when the cops were called to my house by the woman because her “husband” hit the kid. How he failed to get arrested I’ll never know! (but if I spanked my kid in a supermarket for throwing a tantrum I’ll be in jail!!!). Soon after that they told us they were moving (we were going to ask them to leave anyway) and said “Since we’re moving at the end of this month there’s no need to pay any more rent”!! What bullshit!!! So they stuck it to me. I could have sued I suppose but I just wanted them gone.
In all these cases nothing happened to the non-payers. Sure the left and had to find a new home. But so what. Did they loose their jobs? Did they loose their cars? Did they really loose anything? Nope! I and my wife lost money and time from work having to deal with this Barbara Streisand (BS) but they walked away scott-free! Probably laughing too. I wouldn’t blame them for it.
(If any renter reading this wonders why their landlord is such a hard ass it is stuff like this that turns good people into them!)
So now I sit here on the first of the month and rent is due but have no check in hand. The day isn’t over yet. If it were I being the renter I would have left the rent check before going to work in the morning. Guess I’m just too responsible that way. It’s possible the check could be there when I get home or given to me this evening.
Or not at all.
After all, why bother?
(PS- They did pay the rent finally. I sooooo hope this isn't a new habit!)
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