Current Events > It would be awesome if you could live comfortably on a minimum wage job

(+) Yeah! (+)

richest country in the world cant afford to pay people enough to live

My income here in Ontario is between $50-70K. I won't fully disclose and it's going higher eventually. My 2 pair of pants faded in colour after like 3-4 year so I bought new ones. "Comfort" is achievable. "Wants" are another story.

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Annihilated posted...

Ontario is not a country, let alone a country with 50 self governing states with varying standards of living.

I was talking to someone who also lives in Ontario lol.

My core values here are basically just being able to live alone on minimum wage and have your choice of spending or splurging. If you think business can't afford to pay, then maybe something can be done about rent prices I don't know.

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

https://tinyurl.com/y8ltwuuh

here's one example. "It's a matter of priorities".

Is $15 an hour really enough to raise a family in the GTA? Just sounds like this company is paying a market rate for labor, which is what already happens.

You can spend and splurge on min wage just keep it low. That's what I do and I make more. I typically borrow books from the library very rarely buy new or used. There's lots of options. Around the Toronto area you can find basements to rent for cheaper at times than the going rate.

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BadderHare posted...

Is $15 an hour really enough to raise a family in the GTA? Just sounds like this company is paying a market rate for labor, which is what already happens.

If you use charities sure. Otherwise extremely hard. Do you wanna feed the family rice only?

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BadderHare posted...

Is $15 an hour really enough to raise a family in the GTA?

Probably not, which is why minimum wage should be highly localized, assuming it's useful at all.

MedeaLysistrata posted...

I was talking to someone who also lives in Ontario lol.

My core values here are basically just being able to live alone on minimum wage and have your choice of spending or splurging. If you think business can't afford to pay, then maybe something can be done about rent prices I don't know.

Regardless, a lot of people try to push a federal minimum wage in the U.S. like it will have any positive effect. For one thing, every state and probably every city already has the power to set its own minimum wage to whatever they think is appropriate for the region. And secondly, the difference in cost of living is so vast in the country that the concept a "minimum" or "livable" wage does not exist. At best, it's redundant and does nothing because every business is already paying more than that. At worst, it eliminates jobs or hurts job growth and hours worked.

I know places in the US have low rates like $7 or 8 an hour and I haven't researched dollarstore food items or rent at those places but it seems doable for a single person and have some "comfort."

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BadderHare posted...

Is $15 an hour really enough to raise a family in the GTA? Just sounds like this company is paying a market rate for labor, which is what already happens.

No. Depending on where you live they will pay more depending on the job role, but there are certain jobs that are set at minimum wage and come with the normal .25 cent raises. what exactly is the data you were asking for before? That companies can't afford to pay more? Or something else?


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Annihilated posted...

Regardless, a lot of people try to push a federal minimum wage in the U.S. like it will have any positive effect. For one thing, every state and probably every city already has the power to set its own minimum wage to whatever they think is appropriate for the region. And secondly, the difference in cost of living is so vast in the country that the concept a "minimum" or "livable" wage does not exist. At best, it's redundant and does nothing because every business is already paying more than that. At worst, it eliminates jobs or hurts job growth and hours worked.

I mean, I get the sense that a lot of the people against minimum wage don't like the idea of minimum wage (duh), but that doesn't mean there can't be a similar concept that has the same function but with different features.

If you need the most general form of the statement, try this one:

40 hours of labour a week should be able to meet certain living standard benchmarks.

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"40 hours of labour a week should be able to meet certain living standard benchmarks."

For singles it typically is.

I hope your standard doesn't including buy a brand new console and stuff. I'm sure it possible saving the little money but used is better. I very rarely buy new.

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Austin_Era_II posted...

"40 hours of labour a week should be able to meet certain living standard benchmarks."

For singles it typically is.

I guess. There are cheaper places to live.

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Austin_Era_II posted...

I hope your standard doesn't including buy a brand new console and stuff. I'm sure it possible saving the little money but used is better. I very rarely buy new.

my standard is: live alone and have rent be less than 1/3 of income

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Noooooo its just supposed to be for teens and college kids who just need a little extra money!!1!

This country is a fuckin joke.

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

what exactly is the data you were asking for before? That companies can't afford to pay more? Or something else?

What makes you think most companies have high enough profit margins to cover the full living expenses of anyone regardless of the value they bring to the company?

MedeaLysistrata posted...

my standard is: live alone and have rent be less than 1/3 of income

So $14 hourly here in Ontario. I just typed in Google room only for rent in Toronto $500 and found some.

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rexcrk posted...

This country is a fuckin joke.

This country has the highest median incomes in the world save for a couple microstates, actually.

BadderHare posted...

What makes you think most companies have high enough profit margins to cover the full living expenses of anyone regardless of the value they bring to the company?

i don't think that, it's not viable.

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Austin_Era_II posted...

So $14 hourly here in Ontario. I just typed in Google room only for rent in Toronto $500 and found some.

yeah that's a room, not an individual apt

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A franchise owner typically can pay employees more, but tend not to such as McDs.

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

i don't think that, it's not viable.

So why advocate for it lol?

BadderHare posted...

So why advocate for it lol?

MedeaLysistrata posted...

my standard is: live alone and have rent be less than 1/3 of income

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

yeah that's a room, not an individual apt

Bachelor pad or 1 bedroom would be hard to find under $900. More doable not in a city in Ontario. I'm not sure what people charge to live in those 1 bedroom units like one top of a pizza store or some other business. I don't have time to do all the research. Barrie is a smaller city not too far from Toronto and they tend to be lower in price.

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Austin_Era_II posted...

Bachelor pad or 1 bedroom would be hard to find under $900. More doable not in a city in Ontario. I'm not sure what people charge to live in those 1 bedroom units like one top of a pizza store or some other business. I don't have time to do all the research. Barrie is a smaller city not too far from Toronto and they tend to be lower in price.

tfw no car

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With the increase of menial jobs to satisfy our now now now consumer mentality, is it actually possible? Can things be reasonably priced while paying those wages or would we see a mass exodus of jobs reducing hours or automating menial jobs to save money?

MedeaLysistrata posted...

my standard is: live alone and have rent be less than 1/3 of income

And I'm asking you how a McDonalds in Manhattan is supposed to pay six figure salaries for all of their employees.

BadderHare posted...

This country has the highest median incomes in the world save for a couple microstates, actually.

Thats nice, but anyone with a full time job (40 hours a week) should make enough money to live comfortably on their own. Obviously comfort varies from person to person. Right now I make an embarrassingly low amount of money for the work I do and how long Ive been at my company. Thats mostly on me because of my choices but STILL, I shouldnt have to work five hours overtime every week to get by. Thats completely unacceptable in my opinion. I just hope that when I finish college at the end of the year Ill be able to find a job with an acceptable wage for me.

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BadderHare posted...

And I'm asking you how a McDonalds in Manhattan is supposed to pay six figure salaries for all of their employees.

i don't think you need a 6 figure salary to live alone in manhattan in every single case, but feel free to prove me wrong

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You guys keep saying "should" instead of explaining "how".

BadderHare posted...

You guys keep saying "should" instead of explaining "how".

No one think McDonalds should pay six figures.


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MedeaLysistrata posted...

i don't think you need a 6 figure salary to live alone in manhattan in every single case, but feel free to prove me wrong

If you want to keep rent in NYC under 1/3rd of your income...

BadderHare posted...

If you want to keep rent in NYC under 1/3rd of your income...

everywhere in NYC or just Manhattan? I hear getting from one borrough to the next is not that hard or time consuming.

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

tfw no car

Why get a car if it's not needed. Stop adding stuff to "comfort". Get a bicycle if you're single.

To answer the topic as I already did it's possible for a single person "generally" if they don't live in a major city.

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BadderHare posted...

And I'm asking you how a McDonalds in Manhattan is supposed to pay six figure salaries for all of their employees.

It's called commuting to work.

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How much cheaper do you guys think the rest of NYC is lol?

BadderHare posted...

How much cheaper do you guys think the rest of NYC is lol?

Why are you acting like we dont have an issue with housing costs too? lol

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

Why are you acting like we dont have an issue with housing costs too? lol

Because you're claiming incomes should cover the cost of something they have no control over.

BadderHare posted...

Because you're claiming incomes should cover the cost of something they have no control over.

Alright, here: it's not viable in every city without outside intervention


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*goes to NYC*

Me: How much for this apartment???
Them: _ _ _
Me: Wow that's a lot
Them: You're paying for the view
Me: All I see are different style of buildings and people walking about
Them: That's the view
Me: . . .
Them: If you wanna see the park instead it'll be more...
Me: I'll just buy a fucking picture of a park. A BIG PICTURE! There, there's my VIEW!!!

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Price controls aren't viable anywhere. You're not the first person to think "what if we made wages higher and prices lower???"

BadderHare posted...

Price controls aren't viable anywhere. You're not the first person to think "what if we made wages higher and prices lower???"

but you do agree it would be awesome if that was the case, right?

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

but you do agree it would be awesome if that was the case, right?

Maybe for a month or two, before inevitable shortages and unemployment set in.

Yes being able to live wherever I want and having the cost covered by whatever job I manage to get would be awesome.

Austin_Era_II posted...

I know places in the US have low rates like $7 or 8 an hour and I haven't researched dollarstore food items or rent at those places but it seems doable for a single person and have some "comfort."

Minimum wage in Alabama is still the same as it was when I was in high school over a decade ago: $7.25/hr. Keep in mind the difficulty of getting full time hours at any minimum wage job, the lack of public transport, and the distance between housing and employment. You can't simultaneously chastise people for living in the city, but also say they don't need a car ever.

Questionmarktarius posted...

Maybe for a month or two, before inevitable shortages and unemployment set in.

why are you so afraid of progressive change? what did it do to you?

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

why are you so afraid of progressive change? what did it do to you?

The Carter era.

Questionmarktarius posted...

The Carter era.

that was a long time ago my dude. also keep in mind America isn't the only country in the world, lol

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MedeaLysistrata posted...

but you do agree it would be awesome if that was the case, right?

Of course.

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BadderHare posted...

Yes being able to live wherever I want and having the cost covered by whatever job I manage to get would be awesome.

*shrug*

25/hr would be viable for new york. it's doable for mcdonalds.


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