Good news from Arkansas! (Minimum wage increase)

[Jon Miller]

how am I demonizing him?

my original statement was that in some areas of the country you can't survive on minimum wage is true

him haven't some examples of being able to survive does not invalidate my statement

JM

[Jon Miller]

err, I guess I wasn't clear in my original statement, I apologise

in some areas of the country.. one can not live on a minimum wage

JM

[Gibsie]

It's not an attempt to demonize him, I'm merely responding to him after he responded to my post talking about how easy life is on minimum wage. Some of his assertions deserved a snarky tone (Like assuming that people on minimum wage have money to spare for computers and can afford to save hundreds of dollars every month), as I'm sure some of my statements deserved the given tone of his response.

But okay, to be clear, yes, you can "live" on minimum wage anywhere you like- I don't see people in the US starving to death a whole lot (Peoples' lives and health ruined? I'm sure that happens some)...

[Apocalypse]

I really don't know how people can't get better than a minimum wage job, at least once they have a high school degree.

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Gibsie
Assuming that people on minimum wage have money to spare for computers and can afford to save hundreds of dollars every month

I'm not assuming they all can, I'm saying I did. If they happen to live in a part of the country with higher rent, and for one reason or another can't get a hold of Section 8 or other rental assistance, and for one reason or another it's impossible to relocate to an area with lower rents, then obviously all petty luxuries and a large portion of any potential savings are out the window.

That still doesn't put them in the hole, unless they royally **** up somehow (like wasting money on hard drugs, or making babies when they can barely take care of themselves), which is all too common.

Sorry if I had a 'snarky' tone earlier, I just sensed the same in your original post and responded in kind.

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Velociryx
an even better idea, peg the minimum wage to politician salaries

That's the best idea I've ever seen you have.

[Gibsie]

Originally posted by Darius871
Sorry if I had a 'snarky' tone earlier, I just sensed the same in your original post and responded in kind.

Well I was saying I was the one with the snarky tone, but it's all good, posting'd be boring if everyone was all nice and dandy to each other all the time

[Imran Siddiqui]

in some areas of the country.. one can not live on a minimum wage

Yeah, and in some areas of the country you can't live on $40,000 a year (like Manhattan).

[Darius871]

Originally posted by Gibsie
Well I was saying I was the one with the snarky tone, but it's all good, posting'd be boring if everyone was all nice and dandy to each other all the time

Indeed.

[MRT144]

im similar to darius in that I make a small amount of money per hour (only 2.35 above minimum) but still save 200 a month, make all my student loan payments, spend 300 on food per month, have money to blow on going to bars and ballgames, have a good cell plan, buy music equipment/computer equipment, have a gym membership etc etc.

i think a lot of it is decisions you make about what kind of life you want to lead and live. I live in a 3 bedroom house with 2 other guys and many people can not stand to live with other people and would shell out the extra 200-300 per month for that piece of mind. I also take the bus everywhere and thats only 54 a month. many people would not ride the bus on matter of principle of it being "low class" etc etc.

Life decisions. I used to not be this way until I was basically starving to death for 3 months last year, and then i had a revelation. get a job, save as much as you can, cut as much excess as you can, and ask for help when you genuinely need it.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Darius871
I was merely disproving the assertion by you and Jon that you can't "live" on U.S. minimum wage. You can both live on it and produce a surplus to save, as long as you have the right personality. That's all.

Anyone who works less than 3 jobs is lazy mon. I have 5 jobs mon.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Jon Miller


you spend 400 on a month (counting utilities) on housing?

wow that is cheap, really really cheap for Maryland

up in Maryland, run down house with 6 people (When there was only suppose to be 5 ) + utilities ran ~550 if not more

JM

Yeah, while in college I got a super good deal because my room mate's family owned the place and it was still $500 a month to share a single bedroom not counting utilities (electric, water, trash, etc...).

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Darius871
1 month's labor at $5.15 (minus FICA witholdings): $1350

Errr....you work 70 hour weeks?

[Odin]

Just before bout of stagflation in the 70's the minimum wage was $9 is today's $'s. Set the minumum wage bacj to $9 and have it pegged to inflation.

[Imran Siddiqui]

That does seem a bit high, he probably miscalculated. That's about $10/hr doing a normal 40 hours work week.