A few local people in my area are in an endless cycle of asking for money in FB groups, starting gofundme campaigns so that they don't lose their furniture/phone/tv, etc. I found out today after asking some questions that most of these people are using companies like Easy Home. They're basically paying a "small" monthly fee for everything in their apartments. The problem is that they're spending almost all of their income to pay for their big screen TV, iPhone, couches, beds, etc. Some are on ODSP and don't even make enough to cover their rent-to-own stuff.

One woman posted about losing her TV and phone unless she could get $150 to handle her monthly payment for those. I messaged her offering her my 4 year old 55" flatscreen LED TV and my Samsung S7 smartphone for free. She declined and said that she only had a couple more years left to pay off her TV and iPhone, had already put a couple years of payments into them, and also didn't want to downgrade. Fortunately, I offered the same to another person using Easy Home and they accepted my offer.

Please, if anyone has a friend or relative that uses these predatory companies. Explain to them that they're paying 3x the cost for most of their items, and if you miss one payment you'll have nothing at all to show for it.