Can't Afford that Shirt? Layaway!

There is something going on here in America. People have no money. In fact, they have negative money. But in America, this does not seem to stop anyone from buying. See, in America, there's always another way. After all, this is the country that invented debt. If debt isn't working, try something else.

So layaway is back. Layaway is a method of paying for something without having to pay for it all at once. But instead of getting the item and paying for it later, like with a credit card, with layaway, you pay a small amount first plus a small fee for the privelage fo doing so, and then the store puts away your items in some kind of dark, back room until you have paid the entire amount. And then you get your stuff.

On the show Nightline last night, an entire section was devoted to Americans buying clothes from Burlington Coat Factory on layaway. Now I don't know about you, but if I had no money, I would not buy an entire cart full of shirts on layaway. Not only is this irresponsible, but by the time the stuff is paid off and finally able to be worn, it will be completely last season.

My advice? If you're that hard up for clothing, visit a second hand store. That $5 layaway fee at Burlington Coat Factory could probably get you 1 or 2 shirts right off the bat at Goodwill. And yes, the stuff may be last season. But then again, by the time you pay for your layaway items, so will they.