LogFAQs > #925776322

I will admit why I'm probably more biased about this than anyone. For years I bussed tables or folded towels working minimum wage. They were shitty jobs for sure, but I was able to make ends meet. Of course I had to live frugally.

When people tell me minimum wage isn't liveable, I get skeptical. Are they living within their means? Because I feel like more often then not, unless they are a single parent, they aren't financially responsible. Of course minimum wage isn't liveable if you want to live in a nice neighborhood and have a car and nice things. Everyone does.

I wanted nice things too. So what I did was live within my means. Saved up my money, and went to school for a profitable career.

Min Wage was like 8 bucks at the time, but I managed to make it on my own. I just lived within my means. I think that if I can make it on my own in Cali then most people nationwide can do it too.

It sucked, but I wasn't in poverty. Had a really shitty place in Gardena which is Compton lite. I mean, my rent was barely hitting 700 a month. That should speak a lot since Cali isn't seen as a cheap place to live. Saved on insurance and payments since I relied on public transit. Didnt eat out to save costs on food. Like really, budget. Shit, I probably could've saved more if I roomed with someone. It sucks but you're not entitled to all the nice things with min wage job. There's so many to pick from and easily attainable. They aren't meant to be careers. They're stepping stones. All you need are the basic necessities.

Again, if it's not liveable then you either aren't living within your means or you've got mouths to feed. In which case I'd advocate for revised tax credits since those are geared to assist those with families.

And I'm not entirely against a wage increase. I just think that there are better alternatives. And I don't think that 15 is a good number. Cost of living isn't standardized so wages shouldn't be either. You wanna talk about what's fair or unfair but make people in rural areas close down their businesses because they can't tank the hits while Walmart can. Additionally now you have the guys working their min Wage jobs in Ohio or Iowa living the comfy bachelor life now when they were already getting a liveable wage and the single parents in LA are still struggling. Yes that's fair.

If there were to be a wage increase I don't think we should do a flat singular wage. I like the direction Oregon is going. They have 3 different minimum wages that account for cost of living and production etc. But before we do that I'd say try and work on the tax credits because iirc there are literally no risks or comparable disadvantages. If that doesn't work then maybe a min wage increase is necessary.

I'm just saying look at all our options and look at what the problem really is and see which option caters most to the real issue.
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