Fed up with malfunctioning power cords

So I've been using Apple computers steadily since 2006. I currently have two Macbook Pros, one 13" and one 17". Before that, I had a basic white 13" Macbook. It lasted a good long time, almost three years, but in that time I had two power cords melt near the power brick, to the point of not working no matter how much I wiggled the wires and the plug and braced the cord against things. I gather this was a problem with some of the older power cords, and that it has since been adjusted so that they don't wear out quite so soon. I don't recall all the details and numbers after the point where I got the newer 13", but I've since had another cord start to show signs of melting near the brick, a perfectly fine cord that was NOT melting instead become useless to me because two of the pins in the Magsafe plug receded into the surface they stick out of, and another one that is suffering from an unknown issue that may or may not have been caused by the laptop sliding off my bed onto the floor, landing on the plug side (and unplugging the cord via impact against the plug).
The point is, I have two laptops, and two cords, and both the cords are on their way towards death. I'm using the one that seemed to have started melting right now, and it's doing what the other melty ones did before they croaked, with a super high-pitched whine coming from the power brick, and a tendency to not provide power unless everything is just so. The other one is the one that may have some busted wires inside from the impact, but it's been fine for a couple of weeks until just a couple of days ago, when it ceased to work for several hours, for no apparent reason. They've both been finicky today, so I've been switching back and forth; on plugging one in when it hasn't been used for an hour or two, it tends to work fine, almost like they're both overheating to the point of not being able to provide power.
Actually I have a second point, which is that I would really like Apple to do something about this, but I'm way out from under the coverage period for both computers, and the automated phone system informed me that I'd have to pay $50 to get help because of that, which I'm not going to do. Okay, the one cord that was involved in the fall is technically on me, but the other FOUR malfunctioned all on their own, all within a year of getting them from new. Apple replaced the very first one, but didn't see any reason to do so with the others (that I was able to contact them about), and I wouldn't mind having to buy a new one for myself if it wasn't so frequent. They shouldn't be failing so soon, especially with the kinds of problems they're failing WITH.
I guess I need a question to make this post worthwhile; can someone suggest how I get in touch with Apple without having to shell out $50 that I don't have, and which could otherwise go towards a new cord, if they're not going to do anything about it? Otherwise; WHY are these cords doing this? 95% of the time I'm in bed with the laptop(s), the extension cord is plugged into the wall, the power brick is on the floor, and the skinny cord is coming up the side of my bed and into the laptop. There's no running over the cord with chair wheels, nothing sitting on it, it hardly ever gets moved or even stepped on (with my bare feet on the carpet). There is no stressor except the passage of time and an inability for the cords to deal with their own heat, apparently.

I just posted on this problem on another thread, before I found this one.
Personally, I am disgusted.
This is not a simple malfunction : it is a SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD!!
NOT a question of owners mistreating their Mac/Apple product but
A SERIOUS DESIGN/MATERIAL flaw.
Now that I have read this thread, I know I am not alone, as Apple support would have me believe.
The Store clerk (sorry I do not buy into the "Genious" thang) politely told me that somehow this
melted power cord was MY FAULT!  Apparently, I have somehow "allowed" the cord to "bend" in
a direction that "stresses" the delicate item, and "caused" too much pressure at the junction which "made" the cord break.
GIVE ME A BREAK APPLE!!!!  I do not care how pretty your power cord is!! I want it to last.
As I mentioned in my other post, I visit enough cafes to check this out.  In fact i have told at least three people
a) not to leave this melted, wire exposed cord plugged in when it is out of their sight (FIRE HAZARD)
b) That they must attempt to at least tape the exposed wires.
Although, again, I DID tape mine and guess what? The standard industry electric tape DISOLVED the rubber on my cord.
What are we to do?  Apple Support (yes, I appreciate their difficulties, and find them always very very polite has whezzled its way out of this question at least three times now!
OH - more on my "CrackBook" later...that's the OTHER Apple flaw I am spending much of my good time on trying to fix....
gosh I want to love you Apple!  You're a nice guy, but NOT reliable marriage material!

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