Actual minimum wage worker's thoughts on raising minimum wage

The minimum wage debate often evokes emotional responses on both sides. What I would like to do is tell you my opinion as a "minimum wage" worker and why I think I am overpaid and why I hope minimum wage can actually come down at some point.

When I started working, minimum wage was 5.15 an hour. I worked at a fast food joint and made 6.25 an hour. I could afford to rent an apartment, utilities, basic food and entertainment and I bought a cheap used car with my tax refund. I could afford all the necessities of life and even save up a few bucks here or there for an emergency.

Today, minimum wage is 7.25. I still work a "minimum wage" basic type job. But now I make 17 dollars an hour. (Not fast food anymore, stocking groceries) I can still afford the same things I could before. But apartment rent went up in that time frame from 355 a month to 1000 so I split the difference and obtained a mortgage that is about 800 a month. For something I will actually own. I still have the same car. Make the same frugal meals. My quality of life has not greatly improved because everything has risen in price commensurate with my wages.

I have no student loan debt. My only debt is the mortgage which I feel was a smart move seeing how much apartment rent has increased in the past 20 years.

A lot of people say that minimum wage jobs are not meant to support people or are not meant for anyone but high school kids but the other side of that coin is that there are a lot of restrictions on minors and even people who are 18 but still attending high school as far as how many hours they can work in a day and in a week, during what hours they can work and what types of jobs they can do. Even in a grocery store or fast food restaurant. People under 18 can't run a baler or ring up alcohol or tobacco. So full time adults like myself and a good portion of my coworkers most of which are also in their 30s, 40s and 50s are kind of necessary in order for other people to be able to shop whenever they want and buy whatever they want.

Raising minimum wage is definitely not the solution for inflation and rising prices on everything. All raising minimum wage does is make inflation worse. I actually wrote to my company when they bumped our pay up to tell them I personally did not support it for that reason. It just makes inflation worse.

The reality is...even when minimum wage was 5.15 my fast food job paid 1.10 more than that on their own accord. My state follows federal minimum wage, they have not deviated from it since I started working so it isn't like the state is setting a higher minimum wage. That was all the employer's idea. And all of the major players did because that was how you were able to compete for employees. Now that minimum wage is 7.25 my job pays 17 dollars an hour on their own accord to keep employees. And it isn't enough our people are constantly getting poached by the other grocery store that starts people at 17.50.

Where does it end? Does someone like me actually deserve 17 dollars an hour...of course not. But if I made 7.25, I would be homeless at this point so I do appreciate being able to survive in these times.

I think most of the arguments to increase minimum wage are out of this same want to survive. But I think it is very short sighted. I would get a second job (begrudgingly) but I don't see the point. I make it just fine, just like I did at 6.25 an hour and I enjoy my free time and casual work environment I have.

a reply to: Antimony
And it's only going to get steadily worse, judging by the rate of inflation I'm seeing here in the northeast -
I want to know how anyone can afford the $3,000 rents?
Then again, public assistance is a lifestyle here, along with food cards, and of course the taxpayers are stuck with that bill as well, which only aggravates inflation.
A vicious cycle.

I started out at 1 buck an hour. Used cars were a bit expensive, but car insurance was real cheap. Gas was 23 cents a gallon. I didn't have much money, but I was able to by all the fishing gear I wanted at the time.
Now, as I just walk through the lure section of our fishing store. One can be looking at 18 bucks for a flashy bass lure.
I would also like to say fries were 15 cent, drinks 10 cents and hamburgers 20 cents and real cheese burgers 25 cent.
First apartment in 76 was I think $230 bucks a month.

originally posted by: RonnieJersey
a reply to: Antimony
And it's only going to get steadily worse, judging by the rate of inflation I'm seeing here in the northeast -
I want to know how anyone can afford the $3,000 rents?
Then again, public assistance is a lifestyle here, along with food cards, and of course the taxpayers are stuck with that bill as well, which only aggravates inflation.
A vicious cycle.

I've posted about the more on food and welfare assistance, the higher inflation. People need to study this on the economics of Hawaii.

What about making money without having a job? Earning income without lifting a finger, how about that, is that being over paid? The polar opposite of your thread to be sure, but I feel the comparison needs to be made.

Smart wealthy people make their money work for them through business investments. They write off the inflation and added expenses while having accountants keep things afloat. They let the money take care of itself while they live their lives and pursue their interests.

PS: I do admire your ability to survive and make due with less. It implies resourcefulness and self reliance in the face of a crappy economy. If your pursuits were about amassing wealth, I'm sure you'd have people working on how much minimum wage effects the bottom line of your personal empire by now.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

You make a good point about investments. However they don't teach this in school. And they do so for a reason. The wealthy don't want us to learn this.

a reply to: Antimony

It will get worse until there is nothing left. When we go back to square one, it will start all over again.

The house I grew up in cost around $10,000.00. The second house my parents bought when I was about 18 cost $27,000.00. I got an advertisement on Saturday in the mail, displaying a simple 3 bedroom with 2 baths and zero curb appeal, not far from me, sold for $630,000.00 "in one day".

It has to end somewhere, and I have a feeling it is going to end very soon.

doyouremember.com...

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

I had a friend who's son-in-law was a day trader. He was very angry with him when his daughter had to move back into his house after their excessive lifestyle came to screeching halt.

Maybe it was the incentive from living in a hostile environment, but in about seven months, he had gained it all back and they moved back into their excessive lifestyle. I hope they learned about saving for a rainy day.

Where does it end? Does someone like me actually deserve 17 dollars an hour...of course not. But if I made 7.25, I would be homeless at this point so I do appreciate being able to survive in these times.

So if you made 7.25 which is the minimum wage you would effectively be homeless and your arguing for the minimum wage to be less?

You also say you don’t deserve 17 an hour. Why not? Don’t you work hard? Don’t you value yourself? Is your role not needed by the company?

You see it’s about supply and demand, and if you’re company could get away with paying you less they probably would do, all business want decrease costs and increase profits as much as possible.

I realise you believe that minimum wage increases mean inflation increases, but that is not the case. Inflation goes up when currency devalues which happens when governments borrow and print huge sums of money, and also when demand outstrips supply. We’ve seen both during the last few years with how governments handled the scamdemic.

Taking away people’s spending power has a negative affect on the economy, it’s that simple.

a reply to: Antimony

Surely your wages must grow as the world grows?

Value is consistently depreciated, taking less home will not reverse the system.

I'm guessing in your time population has nearly doubled and the global economy demanded certain growth and punished those who faulted?

Purchasing power is what matters, wages aren't the driving force they're the result.

originally posted by: Antimony
Now that minimum wage is 7.25 my job pays 17 dollars an hour on their own accord to keep employees. And it isn't enough our people are constantly getting poached by the other grocery store that starts people at 17.50.

That’s all a bit myopic
Anyway, your job doesn’t pay better wages on it’s own accord, they have to, to keep staff.
You want a business, pay staff well, don’t need to retrain constantly, retraining is not cost effective

Minimum wage means poor attitudes and lazy staff, no commitment to the company. Good employees need to be treated well and paid well

originally posted by: RonnieJersey
a reply to: Antimony
And it's only going to get steadily worse, judging by the rate of inflation I'm seeing here in the northeast -
I want to know how anyone can afford the $3,000 rents?
Then again, public assistance is a lifestyle here, along with food cards, and of course the taxpayers are stuck with that bill as well, which only aggravates inflation.
A vicious cycle.

Public assistance will pay $3000 for someone's rent?

Well there's the problem, lol.

Actual minimum wage worker's thoughts on raising minimum wage

Pretend to pay your employees and they will pretend to work. And steal all the paperclips....

originally posted by: NightSkyeB4Dawn
a reply to: Antimony

It will get worse until there is nothing left. When we go back to square one, it will start all over again.

The house I grew up in cost around $10,000.00. The second house my parents bought when I was about 18 cost $27,000.00. I got an advertisement on Saturday in the mail, displaying a simple 3 bedroom with 2 baths and zero curb appeal, not far from me, sold for $630,000.00 "in one day".

It has to end somewhere, and I have a feeling it is going to end very soon.

doyouremember.com...

As long as wages go up , which they have, things are not as bleak as it may seem.
Inflation exists indeed also because wages have gone up, this is needed to have a competitive edge to attract new employees. With that goods/service prices go up and it continues. in other words, much evens out.
Off course we're not talking about the national debt , but that's just created as an excuse to collapse everything when they want .

originally posted by: MykeNukem

originally posted by: RonnieJersey
a reply to: Antimony
And it's only going to get steadily worse, judging by the rate of inflation I'm seeing here in the northeast -
I want to know how anyone can afford the $3,000 rents?
Then again, public assistance is a lifestyle here, along with food cards, and of course the taxpayers are stuck with that bill as well, which only aggravates inflation.
A vicious cycle.

Public assistance will pay $3000 for someone's rent?

Well there's the problem, lol.

Yes, they get rent vouchers - for apartments that we cannot afford, and they are getting.

originally posted by: musicismagic

originally posted by: RonnieJersey
a reply to: Antimony
And it's only going to get steadily worse, judging by the rate of inflation I'm seeing here in the northeast -
I want to know how anyone can afford the $3,000 rents?
Then again, public assistance is a lifestyle here, along with food cards, and of course the taxpayers are stuck with that bill as well, which only aggravates inflation.
A vicious cycle.

I've posted about the more on food and welfare assistance, the higher inflation. People need to study this on the economics of Hawaii.

Seems that it is being ignored here.
I know a woman who was renting one of her apartments, quite expensive. A woman came to see the apartment, said her 'rent voucher' was for hundreds more than the apartment. So she wanted to rent it, and get the balance from the voucher in cash every month from the owner.
The owner threw her out, said that she was already paying for her welfare life and she wasn't going to pay anymore.
Just one of the many ways these grifters are living off us.

originally posted by: RonnieJersey

originally posted by: MykeNukem

originally posted by: RonnieJersey
a reply to: Antimony
And it's only going to get steadily worse, judging by the rate of inflation I'm seeing here in the northeast -
I want to know how anyone can afford the $3,000 rents?
Then again, public assistance is a lifestyle here, along with food cards, and of course the taxpayers are stuck with that bill as well, which only aggravates inflation.
A vicious cycle.

Public assistance will pay $3000 for someone's rent?

Well there's the problem, lol.

Yes, they get rent vouchers - for apartments that we cannot afford, and they are getting.

Wow.

In spite of what people think about Canada being "socialist", no one here gets anything close to that for public assistance, nor do we have food stamps.

Here, they only get about $600 max for a single person.

That's outrageous IMO

a reply to: Antimony

I respectfully disagree.

I personally enjoy living in a capitalistic society.

If you don’t think prices should go up, then you are living in the wrong country.
I’ll leave it at that.

$17 per hour x 80 hours (2 weeks of full time) = $1,101 take home pay in an area without state taxes.

The lowest average rent state in America is Arkansas at $736. The highest average rent state is Hawaii at $1718. Adding them up and dividing by 2 and the median average rent is about $1,226.50.

The thing about renters though, is they use the 3x rent rule. The 3x rent rule is a general guideline that many landlords follow, which says that the ideal income level of a potential tenant is 3 times the amount of rent.

In this scenario, OP could qualify for rent in the lowest rent state at an hourly wage of $17/hr.

But keep in mind the many people in this country not making $17/hr and pushing for a minimum wage of $15/hr.

James McMillan was right, the rent is too damn high.
youtu.be...

I work in the employment industry and don't know of anyone that's hiring people at minimum wage. Even fast food restaurants are hiring at several dollars over minimum.