It isn’t cheap to be poor.

In this volatile economy, many people find the checkbook feels lighter than in the past and they’re a bit stingier when it comes to doling out spare cash. Stashing away a little extra is easier said than done, as evidenced by a buck slip we received in the mail the other day.

“BANKRUPTCY: You have options!” it declares. “Low fees, payment plans, evening and weekend appointments.” The entire right side of the buck slip is a coupon for $100 off bankruptcy filing. The fine print reads, “New clients only. Certain restrictions apply.”

Well. Clearly this is the end-all solution for anyone considering bankruptcy. I’ve (thankfully) never had to go through something as emotionally draining as declaring bankruptcy, so I acknowledge that I can’t possibly understand what it’s like to make the decision to say that enough is enough and admit you’ve hit bottom. Nonetheless, I can’t imagine any real relief comes in the form of a 2”x2” coupon offering a discount on services you can’t afford in the first place. I don’t know how much it costs to declare bankruptcy, but I can just imagine the conversation in the attorney’s office:

“Mr. and Mrs. Jones,” the attorney says, sipping his four-dollar Starbucks afternoon latte, “it is clear from all these unpaid bills and debtor notices that you have little choice but to declare bankruptcy. I can help you keep creditor harassment at bay and minimize the likelihood that you’ll need to go into foreclosure. All I need is for you to sign on the dotted line. Oh … and of course we need to discuss payment for these services.”

“We have a coupon, your royal attorney-ness.”

“Excellent. Though it may be cheaper to give up your least favorite appendage or perhaps your next-born child.”

How can it be so expensive to admit, in the most ego-crushing, integrity-diminishing way, that you have nothing and that you owe even more than that? I suppose that in a time when nothing is untouchable—our homes, our cars, our worldly possessions—it shouldn’t come as a shock that, regardless of the coupons and “help” that land in our mailboxes, people on the brink of bankruptcy are also expected to give up their dignity and pride. We should never be able to put a price tag on that.