• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Can you live on Minimum Wage

Can you live on Minimum Wage


  • Total voters
    63

lpast

DP Veteran
Joined
Mar 18, 2011
Messages
13,663
Reaction score
4,633
Location
Fla
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
Can you live on minimum wage or even up to 50% more than the minimum wage, before you decide read this article and look the map.
I am looking for another easier to read graph that shows apt costs in every state which in turn shows that at minimum wage FULL time workers cant pay for an apt
Also keep in mind most Minimum wage and low wage earners are part timers <walmarts>


Rent Affordability on Minimum Wage - NYTimes.com
 
Nope. Living on Minimum Wage is almost impossible. Especially for anyone who has any sort of bills (electric, cable, gas, etc...). Of course, the Minimum Wage was never really intended to be for people to live on for extended periods of time, and definitely not with a family. People who want to see the Minimum Wage as a Living Wage seem to miss that point more often than not.
 
Which leads to this question:

"should minimum wage be different depending on where you live?"
 
Some do. They work 60 or more hours a week, at multiple jobs.
 
Can you live on minimum wage or even up to 50% more than the minimum wage, before you decide read this article and look the map.
I am looking for another easier to read graph that shows apt costs in every state which in turn shows that at minimum wage FULL time workers cant pay for an apt
Also keep in mind most Minimum wage and low wage earners are part timers <walmarts>


Rent Affordability on Minimum Wage - NYTimes.com

I'm from Kentucky. I could live on a flat rock. But I don't LIKE living on minimum wage. That is why I spent so much time and money going to school - so I wouldn't have to.
 
Some do. They work 60 or more hours a week, at multiple jobs.


I did that while my children were in college. Once I learned how much earning power I had, I wasn't about the let it go to waste. Most people who have successful businesses consider working half a day to be 12 hours.
 
Yes, you can live on minimum wage. Thousands (if not millions) of people across the country do it. You just can't live well on minimum wage.
 
I'm from Kentucky. I could live on a flat rock. But I don't LIKE living on minimum wage. That is why I spent so much time and money going to school - so I wouldn't have to.

You most likely couldnt and just think you could
 
You could do it, but your entire frame of reference would have to change.
You would need to share an apartment or rent a room from someone.
You diet would be very limited. You would learn all about real economy.
No cell phone, no cable TV, can't afford to run the AC.
Sort of like life in the 50's!
You get excited if they open a day old bread store within walking distance.
People live among us who struggle with this every day, it is only a temporary station.
This is the beauty of the USA, we are not assigned to a place in life for life.
We can, through hard work, and commitment get promoted and get rises.

As a young man I lived this life, it is hard, but it makes you appreciate the little things.
 
I live on ~1k/month.
 
Can you live on minimum wage or even up to 50% more than the minimum wage, before you decide read this article and look the map.
I am looking for another easier to read graph that shows apt costs in every state which in turn shows that at minimum wage FULL time workers cant pay for an apt
Also keep in mind most Minimum wage and low wage earners are part timers <walmarts>


Rent Affordability on Minimum Wage - NYTimes.com

You can do it, but you really, really won't like it. You'll be eating a lot of ramen and have zero elbow space.

You can get a crappy 1 bedroom apartment in Texas for about 300-400. So you ride your bike to work, buy ramen, and keep the non-necessities low. Meaning 160 hours a month x $7 / hour = ~$1,120.

Buy your clothes at good will, go to garage sales, etc.
 
Can you live on minimum wage or even up to 50% more than the minimum wage, before you decide read this article and look the map.
I am looking for another easier to read graph that shows apt costs in every state which in turn shows that at minimum wage FULL time workers cant pay for an apt
Also keep in mind most Minimum wage and low wage earners are part timers <walmarts>


Rent Affordability on Minimum Wage - NYTimes.com

Living off one person working a minimum wage job on their own, with no other form of assistance what so ever, and trying to live on ones own?

In some places, yes, but it'd be difficult and it'd be basically at bare necessities. In others, no.

Which is as it should be.
 
Last edited:
Define "live".

I'd say one could survive on minimum wage - barely. Taking into consideration if a person had no children, pets or anyone else they had to care for. And if perhaps, a person had a person who was independent and could split expenses... then maybe. Highly doubtful.

I make more than minimum wage and I'm barely 'living', and I work hella hours. I can't imagine a person having to live off of a lot less.
 
With government programs maybe, paying market value you couldn't even rent a room in my city working 40 hours a week..... If you can't even afford to share an apartment within legal occupancy limits of the fire code it is pretty hard to make the argument you could live unless the homeless shelter is what you mean.

And the real problem is people don't get 40 hours on minimum wage, a job will ususally keep them part time so they have to get multiple jobs with no benefits of being full time.
 
Some do. They work 60 or more hours a week, at multiple jobs.

i know people who do this. however, since none of the jobs offer health insurance, they still have to enroll in medicaid. i'd argue that the answer is still "no" in these cases.

just one more great reason to take another long look at our employer-specific health insurance delivery model, IMO.
 
Can you live on minimum wage or even up to 50% more than the minimum wage, before you decide read this article and look the map.
I am looking for another easier to read graph that shows apt costs in every state which in turn shows that at minimum wage FULL time workers cant pay for an apt
Also keep in mind most Minimum wage and low wage earners are part timers <walmarts>


Rent Affordability on Minimum Wage - NYTimes.com

I've lived on minimum wage.

No, it's not fun, but it doesn't change my perspective one ounce.
I do not believe in "living wages."
 
Last edited:
That map is skewed because it references pricing for a 2-bedroom apartment and uses "market rent" which is almost always higher than the actual amount one pays (it's how apartments trick you into thinking you're getting a deal).

Here's a nice complex near my office:
Dana Point Apartments in Dallas, TX | Apartments.com

If I'm single with part-time income from two jobs totaling 40 hours a week, I have no need for anything larger than the 1-bedroom unit.

So here's the total:
$468/month for rent
$45/month for a no-contract cell phone
$40/month for internet (no cable..but why? I can watch TV online for free!)
$90/month for electricity
$150/month for food and toiletries

Total: $793

Now...I could walk to work from that apartment if I were working at many of the local fast food places (about the only places that pay minimum wage), but let's assume I have to take public transit to work. The monthly pass is $80 and gives me access to both the bus and the rail system that covers most of the metroplex.

So that takes me to $873 a month. We'll add another $20 for water/trash and we're at $893.

So minimum wage is $7.25 in Texas. At 40 hours a week, that would come to $290.00/week, or $1256.67 a month [($290 *52)/12]. Or about $1,005.34 a month after taxes.

I'd be left with $112.34 a month to spend on other needs.

Starbucks (about 3 blocks from the apartment) starts you off at around $8.59. If I do that 40 hours a week, I'm at $343.60/week, or $1,488.93 a month ($1,191.15 after taxes). That leaves me with $298.15 a month for other needs.

Wal-Mart starts you off at around $8.50.
Target starts overnight stockers at around $9.50.
The average Olive Garden waitstaff makes between $18k and $23k a year, depending on whether they're part time or full-time.

So yeah...I could survive here on minimum wage, and most of the local stores and restaurants will actually net you more.
 
Nope. Living on Minimum Wage is almost impossible. Especially for anyone who has any sort of bills (electric, cable, gas, etc...). Of course, the Minimum Wage was never really intended to be for people to live on for extended periods of time, and definitely not with a family. People who want to see the Minimum Wage as a Living Wage seem to miss that point more often than not.

That is the crux of the matter. A single person would indeed have a hard time living alone on the minimum wage, that is why it is applied only to entry level, low skilled positions. Hopefully that person can find another person in such circumsances and share a residence, basically reducing the cost of living for both by about 2/3, as basically only the food costs increase by adding a second person to that residence. The other thing often missed about these minimum wage positions is that they are usually temporary, as the employee gains education and/or job skills and moves up in value and pay, or they are used as a supplement for retirement income or as an additional source of household income (where the primary breadwinner has a higher paying position).

My own living situation is fairly low cost: Rent $300/month (single-wide mobile home on 1/3 acre of land), utilities (electric, water and cable/internet) $200/month, transportation (1995 Ford explorer, bought for $1000 seven years ago) about $200/month (gas/insurance/maintanence) and that cost is shared by myself and my girlfriend. We are not rich but live comfortably as long as one of us is working full time, she works 40 hours per week and I about 30 hours per week, scheduling work hours to share a vehicle is tricky sometimes but we get by OK.
 
Instead of complaining about minimum wages equip yourself with the skills and training to find some skilled job which pays higher than the minimum wage.
 
My question is how long would a good hard working employee stay at minimum wage before raises and promotions started increasing pay? I have never worked anywhere that didn't give me a raise or promotion after the first year. Most of the time it was within the first 6 months. Now maybe starting at minimum the increases wouldn't be a big increase, but my point is a hard worker doesn't stay at minimum wage long. It would be tough at first, but living on the essentials should allow for a single person to do ok. If you have a family it's going to be tough. These jobs were never intended to sustain a family. That said as a single guy yes I could live on minimum wage. Not like I live now, but I would be fine. Now that I have a family No I couldn't support all of us on those wages. I wouldn't expect to either, which is why I worked so hard to get the training and connections I have.
 
Instead of complaining about minimum wages equip yourself with the skills and training to find some skilled job which pays higher than the minimum wage.

Assuming you are capable of aquiring said skills and training, how do you fit it in and pay for it while working 3 minimum wage jobs to get by?
 
Assuming you are capable of aquiring said skills and training, how do you fit it in and pay for it while working 3 minimum wage jobs to get by?

You got to make some sacrifices. Nothing is impossible.
 
Assuming you are capable of aquiring said skills and training, how do you fit it in and pay for it while working 3 minimum wage jobs to get by?

I've done it. For awhile, I worked two full time jobs...you do what you gotta do to advance. It sucked, but it was temporary.
 
Back
Top Bottom