Where is live, the SouthEast, England. It would be next to impossible with my current lifestyle. Cost of living here is shocking. I don't make minimum wage, I'm well above it, but should for some reason I lose my job, I will probably have to take anything I can get JUST to pay the bills, and my bills are already at a minimum. This would mean that things like, internet, mobile phones, cable, ect; would have to go. I'd have to move out of my apartment which I currently rent for about a 1000$ per month ( it's nothing fancy, this is an average rent for a two bed here) and move into a house share ( roomates). Again, I would do this, because it would be all I could afford, and I refuse to go into debt just to fund my lifestyle.

And therein lies the crux, in my view, people often do not take into account all the money they use for optionals. Sorry, folks but internet is not neccesity ( even though It feels like it). I plan for the worst and hope for the best. I could lose my job tomorrow, with that in mind, I try and keep some money in reserve, keep my bills at a minimum and stay out of debt.

It can be done, it would be hard, but if you plan ahead, and downgrade your lifestyle you can do it.

Gotta admit, in my time on here, that was the first time I saw anyone pro non working/take the government money. While you do have a point, it's not the point I want to make for myself or my son. He looks up to me. He sees struggle but he also sees me not give up. For me to sit home and take govt money and not work, that would totally give him the wrong impression. I'd rather him see me fighting to find work and see that happiness in my eyes and such when I get that job and bring home the money I earned. I'm not earning money by collecting gov't money - money I'm not even eligible to get anyway. If it was 200 dollars to help with toilet paper, deodorant, shampoo and feminine products, sure. I'd take it. But nothing more than that.

Originally posted by Merigold
Where is live, the SouthEast, England. It would be next to impossible with my current lifestyle. Cost of living here is shocking. I don't make minimum wage, I'm well above it, but should for some reason I lose my job, I will probably have to take anything I can get JUST to pay the bills, and my bills are already at a minimum. This would mean that things like, internet, mobile phones, cable, ect; would have to go. I'd have to move out of my apartment which I currently rent for about a 1000$ per month ( it's nothing fancy, this is an average rent for a two bed here) and move into a house share ( roomates). Again, I would do this, because it would be all I could afford, and I refuse to go into debt just to fund my lifestyle.

And therein lies the crux, in my view, people often do not take into account all the money they use for optionals. Sorry, folks but internet is not neccesity ( even though It feels like it). I plan for the worst and hope for the best. I could lose my job tomorrow, with that in mind, I try and keep some money in reserve, keep my bills at a minimum and stay out of debt.

It can be done, it would be hard, but if you plan ahead, and downgrade your lifestyle you can do it.

amen to that. I got rid of the expensive mobile, tv and satellite. I do rely on the net for college though. If I went to a library, they don't have one with computers but 30 minutes away and i dont have the gas to spare and i have to attend school daily for at least an hour to an hour and a half participating and I need access to my CS4, illustrator, photoshop, flash, dreamweaver and the like. Internet is a necessity, sadly. Plus it gives my kid something to do since we have no tv at all. He'd be staring at the walls otherwise. He's not into friends and sports and the like. A real loner. But that's neither here nor there.

But yes, dropping the satellite tv and mobile saved me a LOT. About 200 a month roughly. And I pay the net bill every few months so that helps too.

No, you can't live easily on minimum wage. It can be done, but you have to cut several luxuries out of your life (cable, internet, etc.) But why would anyone want to try to live on minimum wage? Learn a marketable skill and break out of poverty. I did it, so anyone can.

But anyone that expects to be paid more than $7.25 an hour as a burger flipper really needs to leave the fantasy world. I've been a burger flipper and I know how little work is involved. Minimum wage is for minimum work, therefore minimum expectations.

/TOA

Originally posted by pointr97

Originally posted by sarra1833


....So I'm not worried if anyone dogs me. It will just show they don't read enough of my stuff to feel me. I haven't given up in months and I'm not about to start. I put apps in, call em every few days, when the app time expires, I fill out another. I go places almost too far for realism just in the HOPES maybe I'll get hired. So..... maybe I'm a rare breed. I have pride and hate having to have help from anyone but... sometimes you have to to live. I just can't wait to be back on my own two feet again. It's all right. This is happening to teach me something. Not sure what it is.. maybe that, hey even with little and nothing, you're still true to yourself, Sarra. You're still determined, you fall, you get right back up and keep going. You can handle anything."
sometimes I have to cry but I'm only human <3

I feel your pain completely, was making 7.60/hr and lost that job last month. We are getting locked out tomorrow, because the rental company filled eviction on the fifth day of being late. There is no assistance, no options, no help...Due to government regulations, I can't even receive unemployment till Jan '12. Our only real option is to split our family up and send my wife and kid to her mother's and I go to my parents. I am almost 40 and tried everything, broke my heart when I went down to file for food stamps two weeks ago. First time I have ever shed a tear in public. We will find a way, but I have just this to say.......Those that say it is the fault of the unemployed to be unemployed has not been there, has not tried to find a job in this market. They are completely out of touch and ignorant of how hard it is to actually find a position, let alone one that will pay the bills.

Keep your chin up. For real. Don't let it break you down or break you. Things happen for reasons and this too shall pass. Trust me. Maybe by you moving with your parents and her moving with her mom, one of you or both just may find that job. Things happen for reasons. Or one of you will run into an old school pal who has a job offering or knows someone and you wouldn't have found out about it if you hadn't had moved back temporarily. You HAVE to find the positives in ANY bad situation and hold to those possibilities. Just trust in that; every thing happens for a REASON.

I am truly sorry for your situation. I had a feeling this was going to start happening as soon as the bailouts happened.

I would like to point out that raising minimum wage would not solve anything. It would be further destruction of the the middle class. Here is a break down.

Minimum wage guy make 7.75
Average worker makes 13.00
Difference in pay = 5.25

Now lets say we increase minimum wage up by 25%
minimum wage guy = 9.68
average worker still make 13.00
So you got a bump of 25% more buying power while the average worker lost 25%

But wait... now everything you buy costs more because they have to pay people more etc.
So lets just say that the prices of things go up at the same percentage of 25%
minimum wage guy = 0% increase in income to spending ratio
average worker = 0% increase in wages and 25% increase in spending.

Raising minimum wage is nothing more than further destroying the middle class.


I am pointing this out before any one touts the "raise minimum wage" line.

Originally posted by sarra1833
Here was my normal breakdown with bills and rent while I was working/had a good stippend from school:

for my 2 bdrm apt: 300/mth
electric: 150 - 200 /mth
mobile: 150/mth
satellite: 60/mth
net: 45/mth
gas: 150/mth

Again I know your situation sucks, but here are some suggestions to hopefully help you out.
Rent parents friends you might be able to stay with? Maybe your son has a friend he can stay with?

Electric: Any ideas why this one is so high? Check in the survival section for people making homemade a/c, fridges etc. Not sure its gonna help much, but it will at least keep yo busy

Mobile: check out voice.google.com It give you a number, and then you can call them back wither though skype or maybe through their site as well. But it keeps all number logged so you never miss any. Also you maybe able to use your phone as a wifi only with VOIP (ie. skype etc). If your phone has wifi and you can get to a wifi spot this will greatly reduce your costs. Still keep the prepaid for the just in case. And google voice can be redirected to make your phone ring

Satelite: OTA antenna is a bout 10 bucks. May not get a good signal. Hulu and netflix are cheaper. Red box if in your area rent movies for about 1.20. And we all know movies can be gotten for free if you choose to look in that direction

Net: are there any wifi networks around you? Most even encrypted networks can be hacked with basic software. But you could always ask and offer to help out with that bill once you find out who owns which networks hrug> which would be cheaper.

Gas: look into extreme mpg. Its some crazy stuff, but it works (shutting down car at stop lights, high psi in tires, no a/c, fill up at night, etc)

Originally posted by sarra1833
Gotta admit, in my time on here, that was the first time I saw anyone pro non working/take the government money. While you do have a point, it's not the point I want to make for myself or my son. He looks up to me. He sees struggle but he also sees me not give up. For me to sit home and take govt money and not work, that would totally give him the wrong impression.

I take it you are referring to me.

Everyone who knows me knows I am a capitalist, but times are tougher than they've ever been. It is the great depression with smartphones.

If a person can better provide for their family by taking government money and all the assistance that goes with it - if this assistance provides more than a job, then a person should take that assistance for the sake of their family.

Pride will lead you and yours to malnutrition, keep you working a dead end job, leave you one missed cheque away from the streets and help you turn down the opportunities to make life truly better.

Pride is regarded as a deadly sin for a reason.

Originally posted by Exuberant1

Originally posted by sarra1833
Gotta admit, in my time on here, that was the first time I saw anyone pro non working/take the government money. While you do have a point, it's not the point I want to make for myself or my son. He looks up to me. He sees struggle but he also sees me not give up. For me to sit home and take govt money and not work, that would totally give him the wrong impression.

I take it you are referring to me.

Everyone who knows me knows I am a capitalist, but times are tougher than they've ever been. It is the great depression with smartphones.

If a person can better provide for their family by taking government money and all the assistance that goes with it - if this assistance provides more than a job, then a person should take that assistance for the sake of their family.

Pride will lead you and yours to malnutrition, keep you working a dead end job, leave you one missed cheque away from the streets and help you turn down the opportunities to make life truly better.

Pride is regarded as a deadly sin for a reason.

I get the odd feeling that the ppl on "the dole" will be on the short list to go to camp FEMA.

Just a feeling, hope I am wrong, and hope it works out much different than that.

Of course at this telling camp FEMA would need to house almost 50 million food stamp recipients.

That would make for a VERY large number of camps...even HR 645 didn't take that
many into consideration.

I really feel for those on minimum wage, or even those hovering above it.

I am on the better part of £40k a year and my missus works part time and adds an extra £5k a year to the pot and we still struggle...

Admittedly, I still have my 50Mbs broadband and multi-channel HD cable TV service, plus lots of other little extra's but even cutting these back would'nt make a great deal of difference as I have to pay almost half my salary a month as rent and council tax before I've even bought food, which is shooting up faster than a rocket with ADD.

So, what I am trying to say is I cannot see how you can have a decent quality of life on min wage. If I lost my job (which is a distinct possibility over the next 12 months) I would be boned. The only saving grace I am looking forward too is a payout from my PPI claim at the bank, but that's really just going to clear debts to make life more manageable.

I intentionally live my life as though I were making minimum wage so in case I lost my job or were cut to part-time hours I wouldnt suffer too badly.

It means I dont own anything but a 20 year old truck and a shack in the middle of nowhere and have no services to speak of but that's the way I like it.

I feel for you because I know how hard it is. In fact, before we met and married, my wife and I both were in the same situation as you.

I got a degree in Commercial Design...good artist, hand lettering, layout and concepts... I graduated with a good GPA...and then computers hit the market big time...about 1987... and all of those cheap programs could do in about 15 minutes what I could do in about 8 hours.... guess who was out of a job?

My wife worked three part time jobs because she couldn't find a full time job. She was raising 3 kids too.

The only suggestion I have is to consider moving to a rural area... or semi-rural within driving distance to town. Things are generally cheaper, you have room for a garden and maybe even a few animals, the people...in my experience... are generally nicer and more generous, and there seem to be more opportunities for unskilled labor...it is hard work... but you will get 40+hours a week when the weather is good. Further, there are opportunities to start up your own side busines with little money providing services or home-made goods.

For instance, my daughter just moved into a rental house in a small community for $350 a month...2 bedrooms/ 1 bath...large yard with few restrictions... animals are allowed. And all the conveniences are within walking distance.
She makes extra money baking and selling pies and cakes.

And wether you are a church goer or not... getting to know the folks at a local church opens so many doors because someone always knows someone that is looking for good help. Same with the volunteer fire departments... lots of contacts.

Anyway, hang in there... one day you will be beyond this circumstance. Just be as resourceful as you can be.

The only place in England on the minimum wage one goes is slowly into debt because its too low with the increases in food, let alone power coming in this winter. An MP proved this a year or so ago yet no one took any notice of his living for a few weeks on the dole and especially his conclusions. A single person cannot live on the minimum wage and neither can a family, its simply too low.

I suspect the principles are the same although the mechanisms are different between the USA and where I live in the UK. But something horrified me one day when this financial world of ours started to unravel. It was the attitude towards people living in poverty by those making decisions about our society and how it runs.

I was watching a debate in the House of Lords. Contrary to a lot of people's views I did use to think there was a lot of experience and knowledge slowly circulating during their debates. The economy was being discussed and the Minister was addressing the Lords telling them that things were going to get very tight.

Now these people are old families of land owners, ex trade union members made up to being a Lord as a pretty pat on the head and an odd assortment of people some, who arrived here with ideas of grandeur when they purchased a Lordship and others who have earned it for various reasons.

The first question asked by one of our senior ladyships was - wait for it - had the police been given sufficient budget to handle the ensuing unrest?

Blow any concern for the public and what is ultimately happening eg the erosion of the wealth earned by our middle classes. I felt ultimately that the question summed up the attitude of the top echelons in this country. Damn those silly s-ds who work and ultimately provide the wealth for this country, we just 'oversee' the rules to keep them in check - hder concern was purely that they could maintain their lives and property safely while the rest of England goes down the plug to hell in a bathtub. The gulf between the rich and priviledged to the ordinary citizen has never been wider.

Originally posted by Lynda101
Now these people are old families of land owners, ex trade union members made up to being a Lord as a pretty pat on the head and an odd assortment of people some, who arrived here with ideas of grandeur when they purchased a Lordship and others who have earned it for various reasons.

You need to brush up on how the Lord's is constituted. Heriditary peers are largely phased out, with a minority still sitting which will be got rid of in the coming years. The bulk of the Lords are Life Peers, meaning they have been awarded a peerage for service to the country or their community.

No one can buy a peerage and sit in the Lords.

The rich wont be happy untill were dragging them through the streets to the guillotines.

Originally posted by stumason

Originally posted by Lynda101
Now these people are old families of land owners, ex trade union members made up to being a Lord as a pretty pat on the head and an odd assortment of people some, who arrived here with ideas of grandeur when they purchased a Lordship and others who have earned it for various reasons.

You need to brush up on how the Lord's is constituted. Heriditary peers are largely phased out, with a minority still sitting which will be got rid of in the coming years. The bulk of the Lords are Life Peers, meaning they have been awarded a peerage for service to the country or their community.

No one can buy a peerage and sit in the Lords.

I am aware of the House of Lords Appointments Commission thank you and rest on the point one can buy oneself a peerage. You forgot to mention the number of ex MPs so I doubt we will ever completely get rid of the House of Lords, with expenses running at £300 per day tax free, little incentive and even less understanding of the lives of ordinary people.

There won't be much help from the House of Lords for people who find themselves living on the basic wage. In fact the basic wage now probably means that with all the increases people face in the very near future, they will be better off on benefit, it won't be much but without council tax to pay every pound helps.

Originally posted by Lynda101
I am aware of the House of Lords Appointments Commission thank you and rest on the point one can buy oneself a peerage.

I never said you couldn't buy a peerage, but what you cannot do is buy one and then sit in the Lords. It doesn't work like that. Unless of course you referring to the cash for honours scandal of a few years back?

Originally posted by Lynda101
There won't be much help from the House of Lords for people who find themselves living on the basic wage. In fact the basic wage now probably means that with all the increases people face in the very near future, they will be better off on benefit, it won't be much but without council tax to pay every pound helps.

The Lords does have some genuine and honest, hard working people who do understand what people want and need. That said, it is also full of self serving old tosspots as well. Reform is badly needed.