Minimum wage moving to $7.25

Is that yeild before or after income
tax is extracted at the 20 percent
rate? If before, that figure would be
changed drastically !!!

poverty? It would be alot like living on social security. I would hate to see a family try to make it on that income but i,m sure their are some thrifty people who can do it.

I could probably make it on $10,830 but I don't know about $15,080.

This all sounds good but its not really. So now people will earn more which means the boss has to pay out more so guess what will follow ? You guessed it Wally-World & Mcedy's will have to up the prices on stuff which in term you don't really gain anything.

Robby

What is the going price for stuff now? It's been a while since I bought stuff but I think it was 4 for a dollar then.

Im still trying to find out how a family of 9 can survive on $15,000 a year!Can any one tell me how.Between my husband and I we make $75,000 a year and cant seem to make it.

i think if you can't make it on 75,000 a year then you have a problem. quit spending your money on stupid stuff.

Right On Robby! It's called inflation, and thanks to mass ignorance and crooked politicians, we will never be without it.

msh

your standard of living is way to high
i have two kids, own our house, two cars and we make around 22k a year and can get by. 75k for us would be like winning the lotto.

To: msh idiot,
Me and my wife make a little less than msh, why don't you check out the stupid stuff that we don't have?
To: wtb,
How did you pay for your house? Was it willed to you? How do you pay for the upkeep on it? I'm just curious because I must be doing something totally wrong!

Is stupid stuff more expensive than regular stuff? Does Walmart carry it? I didn't think paying 4 for a dollar for stuff was bad but this stupid stuff must be more expensive. Maybe after my wage increase I'll be able to find out what all this stupid stuff is about.

WKF

no nothing was willed, its just a crackerbox house under 100k, so its just as much as a rent payment would be. im in the cronstruction field so upkeep is cheap since i can fix most everything myself. but we dont go out or havent been on any vacations ever, and dont have a lot of newer material things. im only in my 20's now so i just assume that it will get better later on. im not the only one, theres a lot of people in the exact situation.

I hope this means I will get a cost of living raise. I barely gross $19K a year and I can't make it alone.

To msh: Quit buying luxury automobiles, lavish vacations, brand new homes, drugs, designer clothing, jewelry, eating out too often, etc.

ROBBY my boy nailed it this time !

To msh
75k a year? Can't seem to make it? Are you kidding me?

It is amazing what managers of fast food places make these days....

Maybe instead of being online, you should put in more hours at work....

You could also save money by not Subscribing to the online version of the Telegram.......

You cannot make it on $75K a year? You have got to be kidding me or you are trying to make a fool of us readers! If you can't and unless you have a dozen kids, you have bigger problems than you think.

You need to step back and watch where your money is being spent and see how much is being squandered, wasted, thrown away, etc. A 3000 square foot house? 2 or 3 cars and we are not talking small efficient ones I bet? Fast food, pre packaged everything, maybe a boat and/or travel trailer mixed in, too many extravagant vacations? Too much shopping? Too much for entertainment?

Yeah, I could live off that. Lemme add it up. Lets see, at 40 hours a week thats $290, or $1160 a month. Subtract my house payment of $550, that's $610, then take out my car payment of $357, that leaves me $253 for my car insurance, which is cheap.. about $25, so then I have another $228 left over to cover my fluctuating electric bill. My lowest bill was $69, so we'll use that one to be fair. That leaves me with $159 to gas up my car all month and buy groceries. Lucky for me, I get good gas mileage so it's only gonna cost me $10 a week to get back and forth to work, so that leaves me with $109 for the whole month to eat off of and feed my kids. Now I realize the situation would be my fault and it's up to me to change, so I would of course, need a phone. So I can get by with one of those track phones for $20 a month which will at least give a potential employer a way to contact me. That will leave me $89 to feed the family all month without having to apply for any assistance from anybody. So then, that gives me $22.25, or about $3.00 a day to feed my whole family on. Although, if you look at these numbers, I did forget to take out taxes. Take out the standard tax rate, eliminate government forced things like car insurance, and that will even it out... See, it can be done... YOU TOO can live off minimum wage without any other kind of assistance. Just tell the kids not to eat school lunch. and you'll be good to go.

Looks like you have time for a second job, and while you are at it tell your wife she will need to start working.

I like your overall analysis, it really puts things in perspective. However, someone making minimum wage should not have a $357 monthly car payment. A few years ago, I bought a solid 10 year old truck for $2,000 to get me around and the insurance was only $200 per year. Show me any budget and I can eliminate expenses from it.

Minimum wage is mainly for entry level @ parttime employees.If you still make minimum wage after a few months you are not applying yourself or you need to get a different job!!! Most places keep you at minimum if you just seem to be a warm body!!!

$75,000 is like winning the lottery??---man you must not pay for daycare then or even eat for that matter.
$75,000 gross income
less around 20% income taxes
Net Annual Income $60,000
$5,000 Monthly Net Income
Average MOrtgage Payment $1,100
Average Car Payments $550 (2)
Daycare for One $550
Electricity $100
Cable $60
Cell Phone $100 (2)
Car Insurance $75
Garbage $18
Water $30
Food/Gas $300 (not taking into consideration the WIC users, food stamp users, etc)
Health Insurance $250 (estimate)That is if you aren't on Medicaid!
401k (if you're smart)4% $250
Student Loans (if you were smart) $200
Life Insurance $50
College Fund for Kids $200 (you know it's gonna be REALLY expensive)
That leaves approximately $1167 for anything else that might come up such as doctor bills, all other incidentals that we need to live, etc, etc......
So I guess $75,000 isn't really that much and these are all just conservative figures.
And if you are living on $22,000 then you must qualify and be using all the government programs.....so....technically...I am helping you live on that much money!

Your right, I should scrap my car and find one within my budget on those kinds of wages. I'd have more money for food as well. So let's do the revised plan shall we, this time, let's take into account taxes.

OK, so I start out with $15080 GROSS and of that I'm gonna pay state fed, medicare social security. Since I'll be able to claim my kids and wife, after all is said and done, I'll have about $12516 to work with, so lets start subtracting again. Lets see, that was $550 for the house payment = $493, subtract $69 for a CHEAP electric bill = $424 subtract $20 for the cell is $404 subtract for other common things I forgot to mention like the water bill, garbage collection, toiletries, toothpaste, laundry detergent, that will easily knock off another $150 a month leaving me with about $274. Now if I stick with my initial plan of feeding my entire family off of $3 a day with Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Ramen noodles, and no free school lunches, I'll have $184 dollars left over each month. Now I'll be able to afford a car from Honest John's over in Schuyler, and maybe even come up with the cash to license it, plate it, and insure it for just long enough to get the plates. Of course, I could ALWAYS forfeit the car too and get myself out of my own predicament by going back to college, buying my own books, paying my own fees. Sure the kids will need to walk to school out to Shell Creek in the winter, but at least I'm sacrificing right? Wouldn't bug me none, hell I grew up many years living on welfare. True, it was a hand out, and MORE money then what one would earn off of minimum wage, but when you have 6 kids in the house, you can all work together and dumpster dive more key areas at once for a meal, proving that you really don't need a handout for food. So obviously, a family with more children is at an advantage. The only disadvantage is when you can't afford things like soap, detergent, toothpaste, things like that and then gotta send the kids to school, it tends to make others think your just a naturally scuzzy person. Toilet paper you can always steal from the various outside bathrooms. I don't know why people make such a big deal off of living on minimum wage. Just skip all those corporate holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc, and you'll get by. Sounds pretty easy right?

P.S. Don't forget about the affordable health insurance the Republicans claim I'll be able to afford under their plan!!

phreakwars; Government forced things like insurance... you gave yourself away again. Responsibility costs money, i.e. driving a vehicle is not a right, it is a privilege but one you must take responsibility for and be responsiblle for if you hurt someone or their property due to a loss involving you that is your fault.

Now government forced things like paying taxes on our wages is something that needs some overhaul because of the idiots that are squandering and wasting way too much of it in state and federal governments, way too often for people who have not and do not take responsibility for themselves and their actions.

To Phooey... yep your right, responsibility costs money driving IS a privilege. One should just apply for HEALTH insurance (which wasn't factored in in my figures) instead of driving a wasteful automobile to work in the winter and taking the kids to school. Sure, it's easy. Now why aren't more people doing that instead of complaining about making minimum wage? Admit it. Cars are the downfall of society. You have to pay for them constantly when you could be buying health insurance and food. The first thing that should ALWAYS go when your living on a tight budget, is your car. Just think of all the insurance money alone that you'll save.

you are almost there phreak. But, if you are making that kind of dough, you have all those democrat luxuries like FmHA subsidized housing, which drops your payment with your wife and children to almost nothing. You don't have to worry about paying for school lunches, because the tab on those are picked up too. Not to worry, you'll get a child care tax credit too. Now, you are almost back to taking your gross income home. Oh and lets not forget earned income credit. You will also be eligible for food stamps (you did mention a wife and at least one child, the income limit is $22,332). There is also a summer food program for when the kids are not in school, ADC, WIC, Headstart, and Medicaid, just to name a few. Now, it would seem that you would have enough left over for the internet to blog on the telegram websites, and maybe even use it as an educational tool for the whole family.

And, if you are really serious, have a little fortitude to work hard, you will also qualify training programs and education benefits.

You sure do like to add lib to your comments. Entertaining, but not much substance.

I have been at the bottom of the wage pool with a family at a time when the benefits were next to impossible to get, so we simply didn't get benefits. It is no fun and it is difficult to pull yourself out of a position like that. Let's just be thankful there is assistance for those that need it. Some people just cannot do any better, and I don't mind that they get help.

But, if the democrats get their way, you may not even need to get up off the couch except to go the mailbox to get your checks.

no i dont use daycare, take turns with my wife.
what i spend a year

8100 on the house
4500 health
1200 electric
900 tv/internet
250 water
2000 car the other is paid off and would never spend 550 a month on a vehicle
1000 on credit card which i have to use to get by.
it is possible and no i dont live off the government, i would if i could but the wic program is worthless. like i said before i speak for a lot of people out there. go walk around town with a sign that says i cant make it on 75k a year and see what kind of responses you get.

No one said we CAN'T make it on $75k, we just simply said it isn't like winning the lottery making $75k!!!!!
The $550 was for TWO car payments---did you not see the (2) after it??????????
LIKE I SAID--THOSE WERE AVERAGES!!!!!!
YOu use credit cards to "get by"?.......poor choice. I can't imagine paying 23% interest on something so I could "get by"! So both you and your wife work and you make $22k. Do you work part-time???? I am just assuming this as you say you switch off with your wife for daycare.
Unfortunately both my husband and I have to work full time so we have no other choice. I would love to stay home with my kids but I wouldn't want to have to put stuff on credit cards so I could do that.
And there are A LOT of people in Columbus that probably think they struggle making even more than that. It's just how it works. Some people are doctors and some people work in factories, neither are better than the other, but they live very different lifestyles---and when you make the big bucks I guess that's what you deserve.
I guess I just don't see how you can say that people should be able to by comfortable on $22k per year. That is just silly.........and I am by no means living the high life, so don't go and assume I've got the big house, fancy cars, and annual vacations!!!!!

To almost there: Your making the assumption and the expectation that these programs will be there for someone, or that someone would WANT to take advantage of them. Even worse, your making it political. Damn those democrats, their all for helping people. The question posed was not how many subsidies programs one could get onto, the question was whether or not one could live off of minimum wage. And the answer is an obvious NO. At least not off the minimum wages of this state. Other states have a minimum wage of $10.00 or more. That would be more then what Staff-co pays for B-D employees, and the same as Apogee pays regular employees plus benefits. Surely THEY have no problems living off the wages they do without any type of subsidy. I talked about not feeding the kids at school, because I know very well that free lunches would be available, but that also wasn't the question. Hell, my wife and I would be happy just getting the reduced lunches. What are they, like .40 cents while regularly, it's $2.00 a day x2 kids = $80 a month just for school lunch. The ones who are getting them free are the ones who could very well be in that position where their school lunch is their only meal for the day.. Trust me, I know what that's like. As for ADC, WIC, Headstart, and Medicaid, as far as I know, and I could be wrong here, one needs to be unnemployed to get these benefits. WIC is for babies not teens and tweens, headstart is irrelevant, Medicaid is also only for kids. Parents don't get this coverage. I know this for a fact because I know of a family that gets these benefits. Personally, I'm all for a public health care plan. I've seen the alternative plan offerd by Republicans. The one they claim every American will be able to afford. So then I am to assume, that if I am working a job, and it's minimum wage, I should be able to sustain myself (lets say I was single and had no kids to get freebies)and in addition, buy the cheap cheap coverage they say I would making those kinds of wages. Your solution was... "Oh, well you can always go get this subsidy, and that one". I thought the idea was to be self sufficient. Evidently not, you advocate applying for benefits that you probably don't appreciate having to pay for with your tax dollar anyway.

Alot of these comments are just unreal since when is it the governments job to take care of us from cradle to grave!!!!!

I'd have to agree with WTB on the credit cards. Don't use them, don't count on them. I noticed just this month I had my credit line cut by one of my credit card companies (I have 4+ sears and best buy cards). At first I was like.... WTF, I've always paid my bill, and I haven't used THAT particular card in ages. I come to find out, the reason it was slashed, was BECAUSE I wasn't using it. Evidently I am not alone, the card companies are doing this all over now. Some idiots are suggesting you keep your balance high so that they can't do that to you. To hell with that, that's just money I'd be wasting buying on credit. At first I was a tad upset, but on the flip side, I thought... well good. That's just one line of credit I won't need to worry about really maxing out on a whim some day. The more I thought about it, the more I figured I'd be better off just getting rid of it anyway. I don't make major purchases, mainly use cash and bank issued debt card. Even if I was to make a major purchase, in all likely hood, it will be an appliance like the new washing machine I got to replace the old one that went kapunk. And things like that are reserved for either sears or best buy. My only real need for a credit card would be for the unexpected like my POS Saturn breaking down again. IMHO, that is ALL lines of credit should ever be realistically used for.

Which brings me to my next rant point about CREDIT. Which is the difference between feeling broke on minimum wage or somewhere there abouts, to feeling broke on $75,000 a year. I believe WTB because I have seen it firsthand myself. I know of others in the same spot.

That credit line can REALLY be the difference in your lifestyle, and if used wisely, you CAN live very nicely off low wages and afford to entertain yourself as well. But anyways... back to my credit reform rant..

Why not have credit card companies that do just like the smart consumer does, and have credit cards with lines of credit on them, that can ONLY be used for purchases such as refrigerators, or stoves or hot water heaters or water pump out in your POS Saturn? It would absolutely thwart the temptation to buy those new Miley Cyrus jeans and would give consumers the experience they need to handle credit. </end rant

P.S. Before someone chimes in about this... YES, the other option is to NOT use cards at all and save your money for accidental breakdowns. But..it DOES help to have some credit exchanges showing for you, even if you don't use cards.

The government never takes care of 90% of us they are just taxing us to death. There are 2 things you do in life pay taxes and die.

I don't know about everyone else, but I see so many people that use the government assistance that SHOULD NOT be getting it! They are the ones that LIE on their applications or they quit their jobs and have lots of kids so that they can qualify. It is ridiculous to me!
Then there are the single moms out there that had one child with a dead-beat husband, got divorced, work full time ,etc, etc. and they DON'T qualify. They are the ones that NEED these programs; not the losers that don't want to put down the pipe and get off the couch and do something with themselves.
There are literally moms out there that are working full time (slightly above minimum wage), have a child, pay for all expenses in regards to that child and they still can't get subsidized housing, WIC, food stamps, medicaid, daycare assistance, so forth and so on.
If they can't get the assistance then what are these programs for????
It just blows my mind how all of this stuff works!!
And I agree with the above comment, pretty soon Obama is not going to require people to get off the couch other than to walk to the mailbox and get their government checks!
We need CHANGE and we need it in these types of programs. Let's monitor them a little more closely and make sure the people that need taken care of are getting taken care of. All we heard about was "Change" so let's see something happen!!

And to answer the question....NO people cannot live off minimum wage!
GIRLS: Marry rich or get a good degree!

To Govt Assistance Reform:

So what's the name of this Obama plan to get us all on the couch and how does it work. Is that in the stimulus too like all the other conspiracy's? What line, what page? Substantiate your theory. Last I checked he was making an effort to put people to work, not give out free money. You know, like the $12 million Columbus just got. Is that part of this huge Socialism conspiracy too?

To: To wtb. Do you think that possibly your view of "winning a lottery" could be different than someone else's? Why would you possibly think that your subjective opinion must be reflected by wtb or anyone else?

While you are pondering that, think about this. An increase of $53,000 a year, for 20 years, is well over a million dollars. Sounds like lottery status to me, but that is only a subjective opinion.

i have one credit card at 9%, which is less than most bank loans.

and while i guess im in the low income bracket, i dont notice it. i have a house, car, and pay my bills each month and thats all that matters to me, but when msh is making 75k a year and "cant seem to make it" mabey she should keep that to herself, because i wouldnt have the guts to say that.

as for the lotto comment it is true for myself anyways, if you offered me a job 7 days a week 8 hourse a day and paid me 75k at the end of the year i would do it then i could take 2 1/2 years off.

Phreak, the question was can you make it on those wages, and the answer is yes. I have done it on much less comparatively and I didn’t have the assistance. At the same time, I seen people abuse the system and living on easy street. I tried to get some help, and was told that I needed to wait 6 months. I had a wife and 2 kids and made damn sure they had something to eat, but sometimes I had to go to bed hungry. Some days, you bet I would have taken food stamps. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life. A food pantry gave me some food for my family once and it was one the best gifts I have ever received. It made me work that much harder to make it. I finally have, and since I have paid more in taxes in one year than the current minimum wages annually on a 40 hour week.

I believe that your political jab preceded mine, so touché. You also made the assumption that maybe I wasn’t a democrat. Both major parties fell of the deep end, so I am not buying faith in either or any just yet.

Other states also have a higher cost of living, so you have to adjust for location. It’s not dollar for dollar.

As far as medical coverage, I don’t think any political party has it right. I don’t see it as a public issue unless it is a bona-fide medical emergency. The entire medical industry is living large, and somehow I should pay for the abuse…. I don’t think so.

Subsidies are not MY solution. But, I think there is a time when it is MY civic duty to assist. I don’t appreciate the waste, but some people need a hand, not a hand-out. I am just not sure how the government will ever manage it properly so the right people get the right amount.

You did bring up one interesting point about not knowing for certain what you might be eligible for. Here is a link. I send it with good intentions for you and anyone else that reads this:
http://www.govbenefits.gov/govbenefits_en.portal

On another note, if you cannot make it on $75,000/year, you have absolutely no financial discipline whatsoever and likely spend way too much on conveniences, creature comforts, and trying to keep up with the Jones’. There is no excuse. That is just horribly pathetic.

My wife and I were at around 45-50k. That was with 2 incomes. Nothing to complain about. 1 new car, one used POS, less then 500 on the cards. Plenty of room to save or invest, but what blows my mind, is the amount of subsidies that are given to people. Mainly the food stamps. Food debt card carriers with households of 4 or more get an excessive amount. Alot more then our HIGHEST weekly food budget. I am admittedly, a very passionate cook trained by 2 grandmas, so obviously, I ain't eatin Kraft Mac & Cheese (but I like it). So anyway, I have a huge arsenal of recipes stored in my head and on allrecipies.com that we always try at home but typically, I'd say around $80 or less a week in grocery's. Why on earth should someone with the same size family be subsidized almost 2x as much? I just think, damn, if I can feed a family of 4, and were eating well on that amount, why waste the money to keep people overstocked? Seriously man !!

And this is coming from someone who was on food stamps when I was a kid.

Imagine back in like the late 80's prices. My mom got like, $681 a month in ADC, and I think it was $293 a month in food stamps for a family of 7. Mom and 6 kids.

What do you think that would translate to in todays economy .vs then?

Well, according to this website:
http://www.hhs.state.ne.us/fia/guidelines.htm

That allotment for a family of 7 would be $1,052

Wha, $263 bucks a week to feed those kids?

Family of 4 like mine: $668
$167 a week for food!!!

DAMN I only wish !!

That's what I don't like about the subsidies system. It's not that people don't need or deserve help, but be a bit more fair here to those of us who are putting in the labor hours to help our fellow man. I can see where one would have an animosity towards the system. Yeah, I agree with another comment, how fair is that, that a working mother struggling to get by can't get the same freebies she's paying for someone else to have.

If my wife and I were BOTH forced into minimum wage, we'd be just fine. It would be like just having the one income from her job. Just one of us though... getting back on topic.... at $15080. Yeah, we'd have to sacrifice a few things but we'd be OK. And yes, we probably would resort to I'm guessing food stamps (at those rates, HELL YEAH!!) and free lunches. IRL, I own the 2 cars, and I could probably TRY keeping up the payments on the Hyundai, but for better or worse, I'd probably send it back. House and Electricity would probably be our number one priority bills, since my house is Electric Heat Pump and well insulated, I can't honestly complain about the heating bill, and forever grateful that I no longer use gas. I think my highest bill since living here was during the coldest winter month last year and that was like $260. So from a $69-260 fluctuation, money would probably always be tight unless I was on a budget plan. A budget plan would be better because then you always know what your key expenditures would be. I'd get rid of cable and one internet source for sure, I never watch TV anymore anyway. Get rid of 1 cell keep the other for communication and high speed internet using MPT. And after all that, we SHOULD be able to afford the basics (even basic cable, gotta have KETV) and maybe even a night out every once in a while. Plus.. DAMN, those tax returns would be SWEET. Your talking full earned income credit, no taxes owed to uncle Sam. For a while, you get to act like a rich man (on crack). The smarter person however, would use this to pay bills and keep themselves caught up. The only downfall, would be health insurance. Otherwise, I think one could probably live off minimum wage if they tried, provided they got 40 hours or more in. Or, if they team up with another low wage earner like the college kids do. You could make a pretty decent income for yourself and get alot of things. 2 minimum wage incomes = $30160. Now who couldn't live well off that? OK, I'll shut up for a while now...

Lets not get caught up in the numbers. Everyone's situation is different. Obviosuly a family of four can not live on only one member earning minimum wage. It was never intented to a "living" wage for a family.

A single person can "exist" on minimum wage, by foregoing a newer car, new clothes, vacations, eating out, smokes, and other non-essential "stuff" like gadgets, full service cable, top-of the line cellphone plan, etc. But almost everyone has vices and extravegances they consider "neccessities" which makes living within a minimum wage difficult.

But it can be done.

and to everyone who thinks im an idiot,my husband and i work our asses off in order to get that income.working full and part time jobs!oh n by the way no kids!and that comment was directed to people that LIE to get public assistance!!I have enough money to spend on whatever I want.So what you guys should probably do is get 2 jobs and stop complaining about not making it and have kids!!

Well- If people would eliminate the 500+ channels (including all the extra movie and sports channels) start shopping at Wal-mart,quit driving Huge SUV's and give up their daily latte's that would free up what- 600-700 more a month? Adds up to 7200-8400 a year!!
When my husband was down to 2 days a week- it was shocking to see where we were spending the money!!! Unbelievable!!

to msh

Judging by your grammar and punctuation skills, one would assume you aren't in one of the skilled jobs that may pay a little better........
...asses...

to msh

You choose to work four jobs. That is a choice you make. Do not whine like a little baby about how you cannot get by on that money. That is like shooting yourself in the foot and then complaining that your foot hurts. You don't like it, stop spending so much money! You need to go to the doctor to get your case of rectal cranial inversion checked out. Donkey Face

2 comments made by msh

#1-Between my husband and I we make $75,000 a year and cant seem to make it.

#2-I have enough money to spend on whatever I want

im confused now

I have read every 1 of these posts. Im a single 51 yr. old male, never been married and no children. My question to all of you is this; I have worked my butt off since I was 16 and the most I have EVER gotten back in taxes is 1200 2 yrs. ago with the stimulus check. How much do you get back in taxes? I dont care to be married so why should I be raped in taxes every year? Ive worked just as hard or harder than any of you and all of you get huge refund checks. Every year I can count on a whopping 6 or 8 hundred dollar refund. I havnt read that being taken into consideration

Consider yourself lucky, the average single person with no dependents can expect to receive about $300 or less in their tax refund. $600-800 would be like a dream come true for some.

You all control your fate. If you want a big tax refund, have your employer take out extra from each check. Waaah, I get raped on my taxes cause i am not married. Boo frickin hoo. I don't make enough money. Go to school and get a better job. Who is in control of your fate? ME? your mom? The "man"? NO YOU ARE. If you do not like your situation, reevaluate and prioritize your spending. Last time I checked, if you complain and cry on a website, you are not going to get a better/higher paying job because of it. Bottom line is if you don't like what you have going, FIX IT. TAKE CONTROL AND FIX IT. period

DID YOU EVER THINK MAYBE THEY MIGHT HAVE HIGHER HOUSE AND CAR PAYMENTS, A LOT OF KIDS, LOTS OF BILLS, SOME OF US LIKE TO SURVIVE ON OTHER THINGS THAN WELFARE!!!!!

Who made the choice to have kids, higher house and car payments?.....not me.....If they have money problems it is most likely brought on by themselves....

I work at wal-mart and get by on the poverty level every year...and you wonder why we are grumpy. It is the only place in the area I know of that will hire someone with only one arm, a college degree and clean urine. I have worked there full time for 5 years and almost make 8 dollars an hour. I sure hope this means our pay will increase, else my wife might have to get a webcam and dance online for income,, and yes she is HOT.

The good news is that with minimum wage going up maybe Doc won't be so crabby after he gets his raise.

A single person could easily live on the current minimum wage, the poverty level, probably if they were thrifty.

That said anyone who plans on raising a family at minimum wage, needs to get their priorities in order and minimum wage increases do nothing but drive up the cost of goods and services and become a net wage decrease for everyone else and no gain in the end for those on minimum wage.