8/hr won't keep the lights on

You're far too young and naïve to know.

 

Switzerland apparently never got that memo. They've had falling prices for nearly 8 straight financial quarters and averaged 1.9% annualised GDP growth.

With that being said, there is no reason why prices need to go up for infinitely. That is, if we are going to keep the way the economy functions the same.

 

You're far to obtuse to come up with anything contrary.

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, the minimum wage did not constitute enough support for subsistence expenses.

 

Various states have their own minimum wages, which are higher than the national one. Some cities even have them.

Generally speaking, the more expensive the state or city is, the higher the local minimum wage is.

At this point, I'd aim for Seattle. They have a $15/hour minimum wage. It is an expensive city to live in, but at that rate, you could afford to commute from a less expensive suburb.

 

There's no diplomatic way to say this. I don't believe you.

Your story has too many holes, and the numbers that you have given don't line up. Nice try, but I'm more inclined to believe that you're getting paid by the word by a lobbying firm.

 

What you're talking about sounds more like the infamous company town. As a long-time resident of Chicago, home to the Pullman company and its notorious company town (now part of the city), I'm familiar with the concept. I've also seen similar arrangements at country clubs, horse racing tracks, farms and other places where mostly undocumented aliens earning sub-minimum wage incomes get to live sparse, monastic lives in exchange for the often empty promise that they'll be safe from La Migra.

Clearly a 10x10 room is not a home. Not a place to have an actual life. Hog heaven if your name is Ebenezer Scrooge, but not so great for those who want to have lives, get married, start families etc.

You failed to mention the wages that a person living in a place like that might earn, so I can't tell if it's a true company town or if it's just price gouging. As a rule of thumb, if you're making just barely enough to cover room and board, it's a company town. If you're making enough to live like a king in the real world once you grow tired of living in a dormitory, then the high housing prices are in fact a function of the desirability of the place--namely the large paychecks!

 

The original poster decided to get a degree in Graphic Art and apparently didn't assess the career properly, now regrets it due to lack of job prospects at wages he wants. Well seems the same issue many students did if you get a degree assume it might either not be overly marketable, in a field now in decline or your not good enough for a career in that field. Even STEM fields might end up with to many graduates for available jobs at some point. A University education no longer is a guarantee of a career it was in 1950, you earned any degree someone would hire you for a good job, now there are so many graduates degrees are losing their value.

I might suggest go to trade school and get a diploma in something in demand like automotive technology or something.

 

Its meant for people just starting out. Not to raise a family of 4. Never has been, never should be.

 

but when people find themselves still in it at 35, instead of accepting responsibility for their own poor decisions, they make up terms like "liveable wage" and crap like that.

 

Your problem is that you worked for a useless degree. The average cost of living is also high. If conservative economic policies were intact, business wouldn't be burdened with high taxes & regulation; thus, you would get a higher wage/more people would be able to be employed. You would probably also be able to afford more things.

To reiterate, though, you really studied something that wouldn't make you much money in the first place, hence your predicament.

The problem is not the "low minimum wage," as leftists claim.

 

Why should you be able to afford your own place with only a part time job?

 

#EntitlementSyndrome

 

Its called being a grown up.

 

On average most people are in the $22/hr or more range. Mccdonalds and wal-mart wages start at around $15/hr and most other service wages are a bit higher than that. Lota of foreign workers as well. Anyone in the oil industry typically makes at least $25/hr starting and you can climb pretty quickly. Most oil field and oil service companies offer living allowances of at least $100/day and if you're far enough out of town you might qualify for isolation pay of $100/day or more.

 

You completely missed the point.
My grandfather was able to get an entry level job and support a family of four in a home he was able to provide.
The wages have not met inflation.

 

That's great...

My distant great uncle, little brother from my sister from another mother side of the family once made the minimum wage a few years ago.

Now he is VP at Target...

 

Ignore the part about me. I used it as an example. I am fine at the moment.
Miami is too expensive... that isn't the point.
Focus on the last line. Don't focus on me.
The point is that someone cannot sustain a livable environment on the current wages.
There are millions of Americans who are going through hell to try and keep the lights on because wages have not met inflation rates.

 

I have work that is not the issue.
Again you are missing the point.
There are millions of Americans who are working their ass off to just keep the lights on and 8/hr doesn't do it.
This isn't about me, I used myself as an example. So lets focus on the issue.

 

How does this make any sense at all.

Do you understand why there is inflation? Do you understand how foreign currency works compared to ours and why our dollar is worth virtually nothing?
Probably not, otherwise you wouldn't have said such an ignorant statement.

I hate this idea of rich and poor. The "rich" earn their money. The issue is when prices go up the wages stay the same. Letting the rich get richer and their production increases while the middle class shrinks and falls under the poverty line. The wages need to match inflation to keep a stable economy.

 

and why?...if this adminstration did not lie about the true inflation rate they would have gotten rasies...the onr thing that pres Carter did was he did not lie about the inflation rate in the 70's...it was around 9%..and we got raises to keep up with it...but now it is a 1.2 % inflation rate and that is a bold face lie....but you dont understand that....

 

Thank you for that. At least someone is paying attention to the issue... there should be a way to edit the OP.
Anyway, no, we cannot all be Steve Jobs. We all can do our fair share as being a part of the working class, making money and spending it.
Problem is people are not making much money to spend. The jobs are not disappearing. There are jobs everywhere. I can easily find a job. I hate the excuse, "there are no jobs". There are jobs, they just don't pay enough to live on.

Again as stated before, if wages and prices were increased to match the rate of inflation then there would be no need for this conversation.
Raising the minimum wage by $2.50 and prices by only $0.11 we could solve everything and companies would make the same profits (or better since more people will have money to spend).

I understand what you are getting at but I am sorry your math has a huge flaw.
You cannot take the largest possible wage and transfer it to another region with low housing cost. The world of economics doesn't work like that.
In places where the minimum wage is 10/hr their housing cost in the thousands per month.
In San Fran you will make 15/hr and it will all go to your 1600/mo rent not including lights and water.
So it sounds nice for 10/hr entry level and 600/mo for all bills, it would be wonderful but it isn't possible.

And if you think having a bf/gf is going to solve problems you are wrong. When you add money issues you already have to a relationship, you are asking for a roller coaster ride. Trust me, I've been there.

 

The ignorance is all on you … but we'll get to that shortly.

The market is comprised of millions of individuals and doesn't give one hoot about one couch potato. If wages fall in a community made up of mostly wage earners, then land prices/rents will fall too; the renters/buyers have less to offer. Duh!

The opportunity to earn higher income adds to the locations desirability. Duh!

A beach is ANOTHER factor that can add to land desirability. Big deal.

And here is where you really let your ignorance shine through. Using the term “supply and demand” in relationship to land is nonsense … land is FIXED in supply. Land prices are entirely determined by demand. The current landowners have a monopoly over supply. How much wealth they can extract from their renters will depend upon two things 1) is there a desirable beach (or other amenity) nearby? 2) the relative income of the location.

Suppose that the lake dries up and the beach becomes an eyesore … land prices would likely fall. But then suppose that Boeing Corp. builds a factory where the lake used to be, and paying high wages. The land might rise in value far beyond what it was before the lake dried up. One thing is for sure, when Boeing Corp. builds the factory, it will not be workers who get rich, it will be those who own the land near the factory that will be rolling in unearned piles of money. Eventually, those who own the land around the factory will be extracting so much wealth that the factory itself will become unprofitable, and the community will fall into decay … just like Detroit did.

 

If eight hours won't keep the lights in them why the hell are the left wing pushing for higher electric and heating fuel bills?

 

The point is wages haven't met the inflation rate.
I have two jobs as it is. But this isn't about me.
My grandfather brought up a family of four starting entry level at GM with benefits and all.


This isn't about me being entitled. This is about wages not meeting inflation rates.

 

Thank you Ronmatt,
It is nice to meet someone successful in my field. Fortunately you are not the first successful designer I have met. I have worked with many and have acquired a number of jobs. I know that as my experience grows and when I can move I will better myself in the field. I am not worried about my career as a designer.
I designed a local cafes menu just recently.
I have fallen in love with the career. I am actually putting myself through college a 2nd time. This time for business and law. I am still working as a Graphic Designer and I am working part time at a local store as a cashier. I enjoy what I do and take pride in my work. I look forward to being able to afford 2 homes myself.
In the mean time I will wait and save money. Hopefully I will be able to move where more lucrative job opportunities await me.
Again, thank you for the encouragement.