ULPT Request:How to keep a lease with a storage unit without paying

Posted by SyberKai@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 21 comments

Hey there, I'm behind on bills right now and the $200 a month for a storage unit is killing me. What can I say/do to either not pay or pay less for my storage unit? I can't Downsize, I can't get my shit for a while as It's in FL and i'm in VA, I won't be able to move it to a cheaper unit, and i'm kind of already on the Cubesmart Shit list because i'm usually a week or so late every month.

Reply to Post

21 Comments

[-]

Icy-Platypus6948@reddit

I see bolt cutters in your future. and a ski cap and go liberate your possessions! These storage places are predators: they rip off vulnerable people in their darkest hour (divorce, death, financial disasters....) and then make even more money with their so-called "auctions" when people are late to pay them. My vinyl records are also in storage and I need to downsize to at least half the space I have now. thanks for one of my new years resolutions. and good luck to you.

[-]

redneptune2@reddit

Rent it out on air nb

[-]

trustedbyamillion@reddit

Quit paying for storage and let it go to auction. Everything in there is junk to you because you are not using it.

[-]

_jgusta_@reddit

Not suggesting not keeping the unit, but as a side note, I have lost all my possessions in a storage unit. It was devastating. There were things that were important to me, guitars, jewelry, pictures, original compositions, heirlooms, etc. Whenever I think about the things I lost, I think about my grandmother before she passed. She went through her old pictures and journals and gave them away. Everything else she could give away she did. Honestly she wouldn't have cared if she still had them, she just wanted to get rid of everything. This is the ultimate fate of all the sentimental objects you keep. You keep them, you don't look at them for years, you forget about them, no one else cares about them and then they are gone and then you are. Don't be burdened by your possessions. They will be eclipsed by newer things, and if they are sentimental, you will give them all away before you die. If they were worth something to someone you would have already given them to those people. It's been 15 years now, and while I missed things then, by now I've got newer things I care more about now. I honestly can't say I wish I still had the things I lost. And one thing is for sure, I'm not going to get in that situation again because I will either not let it happen or I will just get rid of the stuff instead.

[-]

SyberKai@reddit (OP)

It's not junk, i moved and I couldn't take it with me.

[-]

trustedbyamillion@reddit

This is the sunk cost fallacy, dump it, move on, unless you got gold bars in there it's not worth it. If you don't need it daily, you don't need it. Things are burdens, always make do with as little as possible.

[-]

SyberKai@reddit (OP)

Yeah no. I have a lot of stuff in there that's important to me, guitars, vinyl records, etc. Unless you want to fork over the money so I can get the stuff, don't be a prick.

[-]

trustedbyamillion@reddit

I'm not trying to be, and I am sorry you feel that way. I understand that you have sentimental value to these items. What I am trying to convey is that these items serve you no utility since it's in long-term storage.

[-]

SyberKai@reddit (OP)

It's in storage because of a long line of issues. Medical, family, etc. I don't like being defensive but this post is more about fucking over cube smart for a overtly expensive box than the validity of my items

[-]

trustedbyamillion@reddit

Do you have room for this stuff where you currently live?

[-]

SyberKai@reddit (OP)

Yes

[-]

trustedbyamillion@reddit

K, not unethical but it should cost you less to have it delivered to you now than the cost of storage for six months. Borrow the money to have it done and you will be ahead. The unethical part, book an empty unit with the storage company and don't pay. When they open it for auction they will realize they are put three months rent.

[-]

SyberKai@reddit (OP)

Gotcha, yeah I've been putting away money to get my stuff but it's not easy. It's around 2K to get a pod and get it shipped up here. About the same for a Uhaul Thank you and sorry for the hostility earlier

[-]

trustedbyamillion@reddit

No problem! There is value for short term storage when moving but long term it gets expensive. Long term storage can make sense for some, I used to live in a van and rotated what I had in storage depending on what I needed that week. it can also make sense to keep inventory for a business. See what you can do for a cheaper option for delivery (Friend with a van, etc.)

[-]

f1ve-Star@reddit

Let it go. I bet you could replace the entire contents by replacing with used items for less than 6 months rent. Used mattresses, kitchen crap and window AC units are not that expensive.

[-]

Spiritual_Level667@reddit

Not unethical, but if someone else is on the lease with you or even just has access to your unit, they might be able to get a promotional price on a new separate unit under their name. Then they can move your items into their unit and you can close out your account. (unethical part: If they don’t let you close out your account, just stop paying since there won’t be anything for them to auction)

[-]

AugustusReddit@reddit

Wait until Cubesmart declare your storage unit as "abandoned" and they sell the contents. Buy it at a fraction of the actual storage fees and PROFIT! (Obviously you'll need to be there in person and remove your ~~crap~~ treasured possessions to a new location, but you can recycle this method to infinity and beyond!) 💯

[-]

Barbara300james@reddit

No funny business allowed here!

[-]

East_Fruit2535@reddit

Steal the key, fake the lock.

[-]

SyberKai@reddit (OP)

That's the hardest part is getting down there!

[-]

AccurateShoulder4349@reddit

Wait until your stuff goes to auction, get a prepaid debit card and bid a stupidly crazy high amount for it that nobody will outbid you on (and will obviously get declined at the end of the auction when the system goes to charge your card because you wont have enough on the card to cover it). That will buy you an extra 2-3 days to get the money to pay your balance and get your stuff before they re-auction it again. Otherwise, pay your bills with a credit card and just go on a shopping spree and file for bankruptcy afterwards.