How do people live on minimum wage?

[FRDave]

After working for 10+ years at the same company, they closed the door and moved out of state. I was making $24 and some change hourly. Not great, but able to pay the bills and buy a house.

After being unemployed for the past 6+ months, I finally got a job (start next week) making $12/hr (half of what I use to make). After taxes and medical, I won't even have enough to pay my house. Thankfully my girl just got a job (started today) at $16/hr so together we will be making what I use to make, thus, living check to check.

I don't see how people survive making minimum wage. When looking for jobs over the past 6 months, everything is minimum wage and part time.

Now that I took a huge pay cut, it makes you think and appreciate what you have.

[ngtmarpete]

What state do you live in?

[FRDave]

Southern California so cost of living is probably more than most states.

[Euroholic]

Simple. You live with in your means. When i was working in the pilbara there was blokes earning 4grand every week and yet they were still poor at the end of the week. You adjust your lifestyle to your income.

12$? Mate thats slavery. Minimum wage here is 16$ i think


Use your job as a stepping stone. And dont be afraid to travel to find work.

[ngtmarpete]

Southern California so cost of living is probably more than most states.

Ever thought about going into the oil Industry. I live in Texas and when I was a Rig Manager I had a brew that drive out from Southern Cal every two weeks to work. They worked 14-14, made almost 100k per year. Not too bad for working half the year. Plus you have so drilling going on around Bakersfield. If your interested I could throw a few companies names your way.

[FRDave]

Simple. You live with in your means. When i was working in the pilbara there was blokes earning 4grand every week and yet they were still poor at the end of the week. You adjust your lifestyle to your income. 12$? Mate thats slavery. Minimum wage here is 16$ i think Use your job as a stepping stone. And dont be afraid to travel to find work.

I definitely live within my means. Cost of living is ridiculous in the states, especially in California. I have always been good at budgeting thankfully and have more to show for my money than all my buddies who make 3x the amount I make. A crap apartment out here in the ghetto is $1100 month :-/ Gas is up to $4.35 a gallon and climbing weekly. It's crazy.

[Euroholic]

Ever thought about going into the oil Industry. I live in Texas and when I was a Rig Manager I had a brew that drive out from Southern Cal every two weeks to work. They worked 14-14, made almost 100k per year. Not too bad for working half the year. Plus you have so drilling going on around Bakersfield. If your interested I could throw a few companies names your way.

This!!!!!!


I use to work in mining. Its the easy way to make huge coin

[FRDave]

I actually tested last month and passed the entrance exam to get on as an electrician at Electrical Training Institute - ETI (school is fully funded and paid for by the Union - international Brotherhood of Electrical Workers). I'm just waiting for my interview date, and assuming I pass I'm set for life.

[austinite]

No idea. Some folks make 30k and have 3 kids and a dog and wife doesnt work. I don't get it. But the young ones roommate which helps.

[Bert]

You get by.

[FRDave]

No idea. Some folks make 30k and have 3 kids and a dog and wife doesnt work. I don't get it. But the young ones roommate which helps.

My girl is in school full time getting her masters in MFT (marriage & family therapy) so she was not working (I wanted her to concentrate on school) until this week due to my situation. We do have two kids (7 & 10) and were doing ok on the $50k I was making yearly, but no money to play with.

Now days everyone has to work in the household just to survive.

[Dpyle]

After working for 10+ years at the same company, they closed the door and moved out of state. I was making $24 and some change hourly. Not great, but able to pay the bills and buy a house.

After being unemployed for the past 6+ months, I finally got a job (start next week) making $12/hr (half of what I use to make). After taxes and medical, I won't even have enough to pay my house. Thankfully my girl just got a job (started today) at $16/hr so together we will be making what I use to make, thus, living check to check.

I don't see how people survive making minimum wage. When looking for jobs over the past 6 months, everything is minimum wage and part time.

Now that I took a huge pay cut, it makes you think and appreciate what you have.

Govt assistance is all I can figure, that and barely scraping by.

I make 14 and the wife makes just under 16. My job is seasonal so in the winter it's pay check to pay check and help from savings, but during the summer it's typically 60+ hrs every week for me and we can stash back the little that helps during the slow times. Hoping it gets easier this year as we just paid off all debt but the mortgage.

[Lunk1]

Honestly I don't know either considering I make 50K a year, my wife works full time, we only had one kid, a very modest home, modest vehicles and still broke as a joke on the daily!

[Honkey_Kong]

I definitely live within my means. Cost of living is ridiculous in the states, especially in California. I have always been good at budgeting thankfully and have more to show for my money than all my buddies who make 3x the amount I make. A crap apartment out here in the ghetto is $1100 month :-/ Gas is up to $4.35 a gallon and climbing weekly. It's crazy.

Most of the minimum wagers are also collecting government subsidies in housing, utilities, general relief and food stamps. It's pretty sad that the good jobs are fewer and father in between and all that's left are these menial jobs where you bust your ass and get nothing to show for it.

You can thank NAFTA, illegal immigration and our dipshits in government for allowing trade deficits to have occurred for all those years. They allowed the 1%ers to move shop to the 3rd world to exploit cheap labour there. This is the beginning of the end for America.

[austinite]

I wouldn't even be able to eat with a 50k salary. I should stop buying bullets.

[Euroholic]

^^^^^ i also blame high populations. too many people not enough jobs. Theres been talk in aus about "population capping" so as to keep work and standard of living high. There are problems with this but its a avenue.

I read in the usa that you have 300 milion people and 40 milion in poverty. Maybe over say the next 100 years you could get the birth rate down and get to 250 million people? One child only policy or something along those lines?

[Euroholic]

What do you americans think would be a good population size so as to keep standard of living high and everyone in good jobs? 100 million? 150? 200? 250? 300? Etc ?

[Hazard]

My gf I out of work and can't find a job making the $24/hr she was making. We are living solely off my salary and is not easy by any means. Something needs to happen......

[Hazard]

Worst part is..... As a single father I don't even qualify for any assistance. One salary..... A child..... Struggle daily..... No assistance.

Meanwhile I deal with people who get housing, food stamps, cell phones, and now healthcare on a daily basis. Most of these people are not "good" human beings.

Oh and did I mention that obamacare for me alone costs $382/month..... Not including my daughter...... I qualified for a $6/month subsidy. Fvcking bullshit

[austinite]

My gf I out of work and can't find a job making the $24/hr she was making. We are living solely off my salary and is not easy by any means. Something needs to happen......

Move to Texas. There's more work here than the rest of the country.

[Hazard]

Move to Texas. There's more work here than the rest of the country.

Have a job lined up for me there making at least what I'm making here? Her too?

Oh yea that's right...... My fvcking ex wife won't let me leave NJ with my daughter. I'd have to prove my standard of living would be much better there in order for me to go

[DAAS]

Min. here is $8. I have no fvcking idea how people live off of it. Currently its what I am making. My bank account is draining fast. Apartments are $900ish a month and gas is $3.50.

[DAAS]

Have a job lined up for me there making at least what I'm making here? Her too?

Oh yea that's right...... My fvcking ex wife won't let me leave NJ with my daughter. I'd have to prove my standard of living would be much better there in order for me to go

Damn bro. the struggle is real. sry brother

[fit2bOld]

Minimum wage isn't living it's called surviving.

[DAAS]

True story. Im even getting state aid for my insulin and its still a struggle

Minimum wage isn't living it's called surviving.

[moseley2004]

You think cost of living is huge in Cali? Move to sydney. Rubbish apartment minimum $450p/w Sydney is expensive as fck. Plus fuel $1.65c per litre and that's on a good day

[Euroholic]

You think cost of living is huge in Cali? Move to sydney. Rubbish apartment minimum $450p/w Sydney is expensive as fck. Plus fuel $1.65c per litre and that's on a good day

Pfft!!!! You ever been to a mining town? 2500$ a week rent in the boom 1.80$ for diesel. 9.00$ for a loaf of bread from the servo.

[lovbyts]

Simple. You live with in your means. When i was working in the pilbara there was blokes earning 4grand every week and yet they were still poor at the end of the week. You adjust your lifestyle to your income.

12$? Mate thats slavery. Minimum wage here is 16$ i think


Use your job as a stepping stone. And dont be afraid to travel to find work.

I have to agree with this ^^^^ This does not mean you live within the means of what you were making but what you are making now. If you have to down size your house, car, extra spending cash you do that. You sell your toys and anything you dont use anymore. I have had to do that more than once due to being unemployed for long period of time and going to school while being a single dad raising my daughter. You do what you have to do. You could always do like ( I forget his name) and work part time as a male stripper at a gay club. I think he made $25 in tips one night. hahahahaha

What do you americans think would be a good population size so as to keep standard of living high and everyone in good jobs? 100 million? 150? 200? 250? 300? Etc ?

Lets not talk about population control. Our and yours, government have talked about this enough if you dig deep enough. There is a lot of truth to it if you look at the facts on what is happening with produce, farming, GMO and many other things Everyone being pushed more and more away from rural living and towards the city.

Minimum wage is not supposed to be a livable wage. it's a learning/entry wage to see if you are worth your salt. Sometimes we have to start all over and it's just a means to get buy but if you are good at something it should go up quickly. Even back in 1980 when I was making $6.50 hr at Taco Time I was there only 2 months when the owner who I had never meet asked me to be a manager at the new store he was opening making $12.00 hr. I have had this happen several times. If you are a good worker you get noticed.

Have faith and it will work out. I have never stressed out about money. That does not mean I have always had money but what good does it do to worry/stress about it? I have gotten where I sold all my toys, depleted my savings, 401K and really did not know where my next house payment would come from but I just said if I cant make it I will sell the house, even if it's a loos. You just do what you have to do. I got a job the next week and then borrowed the money from family to keep the payments current.

I wont borrow money if I'm not sure I can pay it back 100% Most people mean well when they borrow but once they get it paying it back never seems to be a priority because something else always comes up. I do not loan money either but I have given people money and always consider it a gift even if they say loan so if I get it back it's a bonus and if I dont there are no hurt feelings.

I hate all this BS about making minimum wage a livable wage. What happens to everyone else? Everything goes up and in 6 months you are back where you started or worse off when you calculate wage vs cost because it will all go up accordingly.

[Black]

^^^^^ i also blame high populations. too many people not enough jobs. Theres been talk in aus about "population capping" so as to keep work and standard of living high. There are problems with this but its a avenue.

I read in the usa that you have 300 milion people and 40 milion in poverty. Maybe over say the next 100 years you could get the birth rate down and get to 250 million people? One child only policy or something along those lines?

Bingo Euro! This is huge. There are no repercussions for having children you can't afford in this country. They have no worries. The government will pay for it. These people are usually born and raised on assistance. It runs in their family so they think its normal.

I didn't think about bringing children into this world until I knew that I could take care of them financially and responsibly. And for being responsible and taking care of myself and what I can afford to take care of, I now have to pay. Pay for other people's irresponsibility.

And until people start uniting and working together, nobody will stand up and even attempt to make a change. Attempt to fight this lands "rulers". They will just sit back and continue to take it up the a$$ by their government. Its because of fear. Its because people in America are lazy and they are afraid. Freedom of speech and liberty is a joke. Its never existed and it never will.

I mean, how naive are people. This country is supposed to be ours. We the people? Hah!

[DAAS]

High population is the cause of 90% of all global issues. Hunger, disease, pollution, etc etc.

[lovbyts]

It's funny, as a kid I remember thinking/wishing we had another big world war so the male population would be greatly decreased and I would have more choices of girls. Yeah I really thought about that when I was like 10. I didnt want it in an evil, vindictive way wanting to see millions of people/men slaughtered, I would have been just as happy with some kind of alien abduction of a majority of the male populations as long as I was left to help procreate.

[Lunk1]

I wouldn't even be able to eat with a 50k salary. I should stop buying bullets.

Thanks buddy, rub it in why don't ya

Sucks because It's all I have known for nearly 20 years. Initially the lack of salary is ignored because you love the job so much. Then when the love of the job dissipates, you are left with low pay, little transferable skill and stuck at an age where you are a less hirable candidate for a new career

**wipes tears**

[lovbyts]

Thanks buddy, rub it in why don't ya

Sucks because It's all I have known for nearly 20 years. Initially the lack of salary is ignored because you love the job so much. Then when the love of the job dissipates, you are left with low pay, little transferable skill and stuck at an age where you are a less hirable candidate for a new career

**wipes tears**

You really need to learn how to compensate the income with a little extra protection here and there or turning a blind eye once in a while and not monitoring certain street corners while people work.

[austinite]

Thanks buddy, rub it in why don't ya

Sucks because It's all I have known for nearly 20 years. Initially the lack of salary is ignored because you love the job so much. Then when the love of the job dissipates, you are left with low pay, little transferable skill and stuck at an age where you are a less hirable candidate for a new career

**wipes tears**

lol, didn;t mean it like that. But in general, I couldn't live off of any salary. Knowing that I won't make more or potentially make more next month would drive me crazy.

[diesel101]

Honestly I don't know either considering I make 50K a year, my wife works full time, we only had one kid, a very modest home, modest vehicles and still broke as a joke on the daily!

You should make some good money in your line of work though? I used to watch the tv show " the shield" I know how law enforcement works. Its that under the table money or I hit you with a phone book thing you have going on

[lovbyts]

You should make some good money in your line of work though? I used to watch the tv show " the shield" I know how law enforcement works. Its that under the table money or I hit you with a phone book thing you have going on

He could also stop sending people on craigslist money for imaginary cell phones.
I'm still waiting for my get out of jail free card for my donation.

[Lunk1]

You fukers are real characters!

[lovbyts]

You fukers are real characters!

Thats why you love us.
Kick em when there down.

[ngtmarpete]

Have a job lined up for me there making at least what I'm making here? Her too?

Oh yea that's right...... My fvcking ex wife won't let me leave NJ with my daughter. I'd have to prove my standard of living would be much better there in order for me to go

Do you have full or split custody of your child? There are plenty of jobs in the oil industry with a set 14-14 schedule. Pa has a strong oil economy and you could most likely find a good job in no time.

[Hazard]

Do you have full or split custody of your child? There are plenty of jobs in the oil industry with a set 14-14 schedule. Pa has a strong oil economy and you could most likely find a good job in no time.

I have joint but I'm the primary care giver. I have custody but she has to be included in major decisions