A minimum-wage worker needs 2.5 full-time jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment in most of the US

a reply to: ketsuko

If you own your own business, especially if it's small

Yes, you may be right, but he claims to own multiple businesses. So if his wife has to work part time JUST for the insurance, well something doesn't add up here

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Nyiah

And?

It's not like teens are very often getting career level jobs. They're working the sorts of jobs you can learn to do in an afternoon and that don't require a high school degree.

You know ... the jobs literally anyone can do which is why they aren't worth much in the way of wage.

They're also limited on the hours they can legally work them, too. No job is teen exclusive, thank labor laws for that.

Would you like me to re-link the government page I just posted last page to go over the state by state limits on when they can work? The restrictions leave a pretty big gap of "Sorry, We're Closed" hours that would have conservatives howling about stifling local economies if the businesses only employed kids & hours of operation were adjusted accordingly. As it currently stands, you cannot rely on teens alone to do any kind of work to keep it cheapo.

Things are not what they used to be, but a minimum wage job is and never was meant to be anything but an introduction to the work force.

That said:
My daughter aspires to be an actor.

If she is very successful she may be able to enjoy a lifestyle better than that which she now does.

If she is somewhat successful it is not likely she will be able to buy a home near to the one she has grown up in.

I can only hope to figure out how to close the mortgage on my (our) home before it is passed to her. Any wealth I have is on paper. I would have to sell the house I love to realize it.

The world is indeed, not what it was.

Such is the world.

originally posted by: JDmOKI
a reply to: ketsuko

I'd hope not the rest of your life but where I live it's really tough to rent and is raising every year. I struggled for a while til I got a better job.

I just think someone trying to make a living shouldn't struggle so badly in US. The key word is "trying"

If you didn't try for that better job, what would compel you to do anything more?


No extrapolate that to a wide ranging market of ideas, products and services.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: mymymy

My grandfather had a lot of skills I don't hope to.

What kind of skills?

a reply to: JinMI

Agreed but not everyone can get that better job and some people will always work crap jobs.

The homeless problem growing is insentive enough to help the low income workers

a reply to: Nyiah

I am well aware of that, but I also know that most places that rely on teens also have adults who work full-time. I was in one of those jobs for a time to make ends meet when we first moved out from college. Guess what? That job was low-paying, but it wasn't minimum wage.

a reply to: c2oden

Let's see. For starters.
1) Woodworking. I can do it. Sort of. If I have to, but it isn't pretty. His was.
2) Stoneworking. No idea how to do it.
3) Raising and milking cattle.
4) Growing and processing coffee.

I could still learn to do it, I suppose. If I ever retire. But it was part of his life, not hobbies.

Its only going to get worse, and in the near future too.

With interest rates rising more people will be renting and less buying homes. When the demand for apartments increases - so does the rent. Fed is talking four rate hikes this year. That will slow any real estate recovery that is happening and force rental prices higher. The only thing that might help is if banks stop sitting on foreclosed properties and start putting them back in the market for monies owed rather than waiting until there is a demand and trying to sell them for full value. I wouldn't count on that though. When is the last time you heard of a bank turning down a shot at a huge profit?

originally posted by: JDmOKI
a reply to: Metallicus

You should be able to work full time in the usa and at least afford a one bedroom or at least an efficiency apartment.

I believe in capitalism but that doesn't mean we can't do better.

Well lets break this down. I do not know how this will turn out so we can learn together

So the average US hourly worker makes $850.12 per week. $3,400.48 per month
My first apartment was a one bedroom at $550 per month
$2,850.48
Electric bill $80
$2,770.48 now
Car insurance $100 month
$2,670.48 Now
$60 per month for food
$2.610.48 Now
Internet bill $35 month
$2,575.48.......Wait a second the number provided from the labor department says that the average American worker makes over 50k a year.....?....NO
The numbers are a joke and if you believe them you maybe fall into a certain category of stupidity.

a reply to: CB328

I feel ya. Problem is everyone working for the government is the very essence of communism.

How about less government bloat, starting by shutting down IRS, CIA, Federal Reserve.

Ya'll should have listened to Ron Paul back in 2008, and fought your asses off for him.

a reply to: toysforadults

I dunno where you live, but that wasn't true in my area of the country.
Maybe I should add "safe" to my description as well.

You want the government to fix the problems that the government made?

Are you seriously suggesting that government can't do anything to improve things???

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: c2oden

Let's see. For starters.
1) Woodworking. I can do it. Sort of. If I have to, but it isn't pretty. His was.
2) Stoneworking. No idea how to do it.
3) Raising and milking cattle.
4) Growing and processing coffee.

I could still learn to do it, I suppose. If I ever retire. But it was part of his life, not hobbies.

I can kind of do woodworking.
That's about it.
I was just wondering.
Your Dad sounds like he was well rounded.

a reply to: Allaroundyou

The cost of rent is a serious issue in some area's. Here for instance.

$550 give or take = sleeping room in a house with a shared kitchen and alcoholics, parolees and addicts as roommates.

$700- $850 = One room studio if you have good credit.

$850 - $1,000 = One bedroom, again need good credit unless you want to live in a dump.

It skyrockets from there to renting a house, which is very high. The tiny one bedroom next door to me goes for $1,800 a month I think. Maybe 15 years old and smaller than many one bedroom apartments.

The house I'm in would go for well over $2,000 and maybe $3,000 a month. Ones near me go for that much or more. Blue collar neighborhood with not much crime. It takes an $80K minimum household income here to reach lower middle class. Higher than most of the country but lower than places like San Francisco or other west coast cities unless you live in a truly bad neighborhood.

a reply to: c2oden

I was talking about my grandfather.

My dad had a pile of practical skills of his own. We got tired of eating lobster because he could dive and couldn't afford beef.

originally posted by: CB328

You want the government to fix the problems that the government made?

Are you seriously suggesting that government can't do anything to improve things???

Only the private sector can create wealth. The government can only take money away from those who earned it and give to other people who did not. Unless you have never, ever dealt with the government or known people with government jobs, you can't possibly think the government actually needs that many people to do what they do. Not all of course, so don't shoot me, but many government jobs were created to buy votes. Literally buy votes.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

So much this! The pay aint the prob, its that your getting less with your coins.

Its infliation.

a reply to: Blaine91555

Ouch those are steep prices. I was basing the cost of live from my time in Oklahoma. Here in Henderson NV the prices are higher but surprisingly not by much.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: c2oden

I was talking about my grandfather.

My dad had a pile of practical skills of his own. We got tired of eating lobster because he could dive and couldn't afford beef.

I have the beef, but can't afford lobster.