Can you live on Minimum Wage

Tigger said:

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.

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exactly. The 20 y/o single me could have lived on minimum wage. the 25 y/o married with 2 kids me could not have. fortunately i was motivated enough to educate/train myself so that i could find a job that paid more than minimum wage.

IMHO, minimum wage jobs should be filled by students, retirees looking for supplemental income, young people just starting out and those with disabilities that prevent them from enhancing their skill set. If you are 30 years old and still working a minimum wage job, trying to support a family...you are an idiot. either #1 get some education/training so you are qualified for a better job or #2 don't have a family until you do #1. what you don't do is whine and cry because no one wants to pay you $20/hr to stock shelves at walmart or clean toilets at costco

lpast said:

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

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Being poor and living in an apartment - unthinkable.
Buy an old run down house and fix her up, have but ONE minimum pay job.
Plan ahead..
Do not work at Walmart.
Grow with a half decent company.
Be greedy not.
I have made these mistakes and I have done things correctly.
When things go wrong, accept the responsibility - blame no-one.

Manc Skipper said:

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?

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you man up and stop being a bitch. when i was 24 years old i worked construction ($6/hr in the late 80s) 14-16 hours a day 5 days a week (MWFSS) and went to college on Tuesdays and Thursdays. my wife, i and two kids lived in a crappy 3 room apartment over a copier shop and lived off beans, rice and whatever veggies we could grow in window boxes. i did this for a year and a half until i graduated and got a job that paid better.

We need a ton of reform and improvement here..
Places/businesses need to provide much more in job training on an OJT ( on job training)..The applicants must be willing to work for little to a negative number...with a promise to stay for an agreed to time..
Both parties must agree and be responsible, honest....open...
Possible ?
Not without attitude changes.

lpast said:

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

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Anyone can live on minimum wage if Uncle Sam subsidizes everything. Isn't that what we're all shootin' for anyways?

The minimum wage was never meant to be a livable wage. The minimum wage was instituted when the American culture was still dominant and the minimum wage was meant to be a standard for school kids, elderly people and jobs that required no education or training. It was simply understood that Americans would always try to better themselves through education and training because that was what defined America.

Presently, the liberal worshipped labor force in America now is the 3rd world, primarily Mexican culture, which believes that a minimum wage job is a career job and they do nothing to improve their skills or marketability to other employers, they simply take a job requiring no skills, stay there forever and whine that their employer doesn't give them enough money to live in the fashion they believe they deserve. NEVER does the thought of more education or training enter their heads, they simply demand that the liberal government help them take more from their evil employer.

It's a whole different culture than the American culture of self reliance, self determination and improvement.

OscarB63 said:

you man up and stop being a bitch. when i was 24 years old i worked construction ($6/hr in the late 80s) 14-16 hours a day 5 days a week (MWFSS) and went to college on Tuesdays and Thursdays. my wife, i and two kids lived in a crappy 3 room apartment over a copier shop and lived off beans, rice and whatever veggies we could grow in window boxes. i did this for a year and a half until i graduated and got a job that paid better.

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Like very much, BUT
$6 an hour in the late 80s is much more than the $7 in todays money.
And your "planning" was non-existent.
The hard work and dedication and sacrifice more than make up for it..
I was never really dedicated nor willing to sacrifice that much.....in my opinion.. ..

earthworm said:

Like very much, BUT
$6 an hour in the late 80s is much more than the $7 in todays money.
And your "planning" was non-existent.
The hard work and dedication and sacrifice more than make up for it..

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true, $6 then is more than $7 now.

i had a plan, got off active duty and had 3 semesters of college left, knew a guy with a construction company and knew i could get a job and hold on until i could finish my degree

I was never really dedicated nor willing to sacrifice that much.....in my opinion.. ..

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and that seems to be the problem with a lot of people today. they want someone to give them a "living wage" without having to be dedicated or sacrifice to earn it :shrug:

lpast said:

Look conservatives need to get their heads out...and stop living in this lala land where they believe everyone can work hard and go to college and blahblahblahblah...NO not everyone can go to college, no not everyone is bright enough to do college level work...not everyone can possibly afford to go to college...and NO NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE RICH and successful through hard work...that is a big BS story and just talking points for people that dont want to pay any taxs and dont give a chit if they step over bodies in the street

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Come on back when you come up with a real argument and stop making excuses for everyone. :roll:

lpast said:

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

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I'd probably have to do without electricity and internet, and we'd be eating a lot of white rice and grits. It would suck, big time... and I'm luckier than most, I don't have a lot of debt.

longview said:

I disagree, I think anyone who completes high school is capable of college level work.
Community college classes are affordable to just about anyone.
Even just putting some college on your resume can improve your chances.
Taking a few specialize classes related to your area may even get you a career.
If nothing else, anyone can wait tables, it teaches good people skills.
In 1979 when the minimum wage was $2.65/hr, I waited tables at a pizza place
for $1.90/hr, but would make about $25/6 hour shift in tips(and free Pizza).
The real problems come when you have a family that is counting on you to provide.
I have worked some UGLY jobs over the years, to make sure my kids were provided for.
The good news is, the USA is truly the land of opportunity, hard work and a good attitude do pay off.
It is the reason so many people still want to come here.

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Even if they "cannot" handle going to college for a "college" degree. There are still trade schools. There are skilled jobs, like auto mechanics, that you can go to trade school for or get hired by a local dealer and the company will train you (if you show you have the attitude and aptitude for them to spend the money on you).

A friend of mine is a welder. He didn't go to college, but instead learned welding at a welding school. He worked hard, became skilled and now qualifies as a master welder who can work pipeline and power plant work. He is around 30 years old now, can earn $40/hr or more and never has problems finding a job (in right to work states, he is not union).

My brother works as a field service technician for a Caterpillar dealership. He got out of the Air Force, went there to ask what schools he needed to get hired and got hired on the spot. He worked hard, kept a good attitude and was sent to specific schools that he needed (the dealership paid for them). I don't know his exact salary, we never talked about it, but I overheard somewhere around $35/hr. He could probably make more if he moved from the field, but he likes it and makes enough to suit him that he is not interested in moving and since he is good at it, the dealer has no reason to move him.

There a slew of skilled jobs out there for those who will at least make the effort to become skilled. Welder, mechanic, plumber, electrician, etc, that do not require college. Are you going to end up on the Top Earners list, no, but you can make a damned good living at these trades.

Goshin said:

I'd probably have to do without electricity and internet, and we'd be eating a lot of white rice and grits. It would suck, big time... and I'm luckier than most, I don't have a lot of debt.

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I wouldn't. I probably would not survive the conditions that reduce me to minimum wage. I live off a military retirement (E-7, 22yrs 8 months) and VA disability (100% rating). If those get taken away, nope, I will probably not survive the fallout.

wolfman24 said:

How can a person live independantly on 7.25 per hour? Not startng something just asking.( just short of 11k per year before tax)

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I'm basing this on Southeast Michigan, near where I live. It might not work in some areas of the country where cost of living is significantly higher.

Okay, at $7.25 an hour, a 40 hour work week gets you $290. So roughly $1160 per month, and that's working no overtime, and accounting for a few (unpaid) days off here and there for various things.

A small (~500 sq foot) one-bedroom apartment is $400/month and includes water, sewer, and trash.
Based on what my wife and I pay for gas and electric, scaled for a 500 square foot apartment, and increased by 50 percent because the apartment probably isn't insulated all that well, utility bills would probably be around $75 per month, which matches decently with a quick google search.
A regional bus pass (i.e. you can go most anywhere in SE Michigan and can ride an unlimited amount) is $50/month.
A USDA study has stated that the average American spends $7 per day on food, and that a diet with a lot of calorie dense foods can be as little as $3.50 a day. If we go with the average, that's roughly $215/month for food.
Median monthly spending in the US on clothing is $70/month.

So the bare-bones basics necessary to feed, shelter, and clothe yourself, and transportation to and from your job eats up $810/month, with $350/month left over. If it's just you living by yourself, it wouldn't be that hard (though as I mentioned, you won't be living well). If you have kids, it's going to be pretty difficult, and you're probably going to have to work overtime.

NV minimum wage is $8.25 x 167 hours per month = $1377.75 post taxes est. $1171.

Rent $350 (incl utilities). Transportation est. $100.

So, my answer is yes, you could live on minimum wage if you don't buy stuff, just food and necessities.

lpast said:

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

Click to expand...

My mom and I live on minimum wage. We also live in a house that has been paid off and with my Grandparents. Either way, it leaves absolutely no free money

specklebang said:

NV minimum wage is $8.25 x 167 hours per month = $1377.75 post taxes est. $1171.

Rent $350 (incl utilities). Transportation est. $100.

So, my answer is yes, you could live on minimum wage if you don't buy stuff, just food and necessities.

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Holy crap. Rent in Vegas is cheap.

Ray410 said:

The minimum wage was never meant to be a livable wage. The minimum wage was instituted when the American culture was still dominant and the minimum wage was meant to be a standard for school kids, elderly people and jobs that required no education or training. It was simply understood that Americans would always try to better themselves through education and training because that was what defined America.

Presently, the liberal worshipped labor force in America now is the 3rd world, primarily Mexican culture, which believes that a minimum wage job is a career job and they do nothing to improve their skills or marketability to other employers, they simply take a job requiring no skills, stay there forever and whine that their employer doesn't give them enough money to live in the fashion they believe they deserve. NEVER does the thought of more education or training enter their heads, they simply demand that the liberal government help them take more from their evil employer.

It's a whole different culture than the American culture of self reliance, self determination and improvement.

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The "liberal worshipped labor force" is a figment of your imagination...But, the Mexican on min-wage is a rich man, one reason why so many come here..
And what I have seen and read, man gripes, always has, always will, AND is willing to work hard and improve himself.

TheLastIndependent said:

My mom and I live on minimum wage. We also live in a house that has been paid off and with my Grandparents. Either way, it leaves absolutely no free money

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I am NOT impressed with people's ability to plan, to budget money...and, YES, to sacrifice....

As others state, min-wage is not a permanent thing, not meant to be a "fat-living" wage..

That is the actual price for a studio, shared kitchen, private bath. If you'll share the bath, $300. I've actually been to these and seen them and know people renting them.

I rent out my 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 2 car garage units for a low of $550 and a high of $750. Just FYI.

Aderleth said:

Holy crap. Rent in Vegas is cheap.

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Aderleth said:

Holy crap. Rent in Vegas is cheap.

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Our area, NE Texas, used to be really cheap, but with all the influx of people, supply and demand has made it go up a lot. That and the housing boom caused with so many going to privately owned homes instead of rental properties. So no one built new apartments/muti-family dwellings and few bought rental properties, in comes a herd and boom, very low availability. Higher demand = Higher price, although we are still not at Dallas area prices. We didn't crash with the rest of the housing market, in fact, it seems to be going on at the same pace despite the supposedly bad economy (at least in Longview TX, Marshall TX never had that much at one time anyways). While in OKC, the other place I live part of the time, rent hasn't really increased a whole lot that I have seen, a bit for inflation, but no drastic changes. I don't see as many new developments going in and while they have improved recently, home sales still seem to be a bit slow and values still depreciated. Lots of houses on the market.

specklebang said:

That is the actual price for a studio, shared kitchen, private bath. If you'll share the bath, $300. I've actually been to these and seen them and know people renting them.

I rent out my 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 2 car garage units for a low of $550 and a high of $750. Just FYI.

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Oh I believe you. I'm just surprised. Vegas being an urban environment and all. In SF you're lucky to find a studio for $1200 or so. I think the median price for a 1 bedroom is around $2k, depending on the neighborhood. If you ever want to give yourself a heart attack, browse the craigslist ads in SF.

earthworm said:

I am NOT impressed with people's ability to plan, to budget money...and, YES, to sacrifice....

As others state, min-wage is not a permanent thing, not meant to be a "fat-living" wage..

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Are you bashing my family? It was in no way poor planning. I don't need to explain myself, but we didn't buy a million dollar home and a ferrari. We bought a small home on previously earned money and my grandparents started a business. The business is wobbling and my mom lost her job before she started helping my grandparents

longview said:

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.

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If it's that nice, why don't you give it a try?

Lived there for a year and the COL is incomprehensible. I moved back to Vegas and I'm never leaving again.

Aderleth said:

Oh I believe you. I'm just surprised. Vegas being an urban environment and all. In SF you're lucky to find a studio for $1200 or so. I think the median price for a 1 bedroom is around $2k, depending on the neighborhood. If you ever want to give yourself a heart attack, browse the craigslist ads in SF.

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DVSentinel said:

Our area, NE Texas, used to be really cheap, but with all the influx of people, supply and demand has made it go up a lot. That and the housing boom caused with so many going to privately owned homes instead of rental properties. So no one built new apartments/muti-family dwellings and few bought rental properties, in comes a herd and boom, very low availability. Higher demand = Higher price, although we are still not at Dallas area prices. We didn't crash with the rest of the housing market, in fact, it seems to be going on at the same pace despite the supposedly bad economy (at least in Longview TX, Marshall TX never had that much at one time anyways). While in OKC, the other place I live part of the time, rent hasn't really increased a whole lot that I have seen, a bit for inflation, but no drastic changes. I don't see as many new developments going in and while they have improved recently, home sales still seem to be a bit slow and values still depreciated. Lots of houses on the market.

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I live on the northeast side of the 'plex, and they're building multi-unit housing like CRAZY. Of course, all of it is that newfangled live/work/eat/play style development that's uber costly, uber crowded, and cheaply made.

I personally don't much care for the newer stuff, whether it's single family or multi-family. Cheap work, cut corners, close quarters...all for top-dollar prices. The new development around the corner from us has yards the size of the concrete patio in my backyard. Why the hell would I pay $250k or more for a house that has absolutely no yard/privacy? Being right up on the neighbor like that is just ridiculous.