Would you work for 5 dollars an hour if you had no money and were desperate? (ethic, solution)

[Icy Tea]

"The world needs ditch diggers, too." Judge Smails is hereby nominated for Supreme Court Justice.

[jtur88]

I had forgotten about this. I actually did this. I wasn't "desperate", but I was unemployed and I didn't want to dip into my savings for living expenses any more than I had to, so I spent a week throwing phone books on front steps for what must have been less than $5 an hour, whatever the minimum wage was 20 years ago. It wasn't work, i actually enjoyed it, it was outdoors, in a very pretty river town (Atchison KS), the season was nice, I didn't have to deal with anybody or do much heavy lifting, and I was my own boss once I walked away from the van with a bag of phone books. I was amazed to find out how far one can frisbee a phone book and have it land neat and unruffled snug against a doorstep. I threw one on the steps of the house where Amelia Earhart lived as a little girl.

[Shagbark Hickory]

Originally Posted by tropolis

I bring this up because I believe a good amount of people would do something else, even illegal to try to make money instead.

You know, the belief that your above a certain wage, even if you need the money.

What would you do?

I would if I could get by on $5 an hour.
Otherwise I'd look for greener pastures. If there were no greener pastures then I'd just live off the land.

[ackmondual]

Originally Posted by centre

Yes, any money is better than no money.

I'd say do the math... Even the act of working is a cost right there.. commuting costs $$, whether you ride the train or drive. Putting in 8 hours a day is time that can't be spent on anything else. I'd say Yes, but in all fairness, there will always be much better alternatives.

You wouldn't drive down to a store to buy something that costs $20 when you only had $10 would you? You're just wasting time and a trip to get nothing out of it. You need to find a way to make up the $10 deficit.


For some folks who have kids and other expenses (where those expenses can't be met even if they trimmed down. Just to be clear, we're not talking about maintaining a luxury car + new iPhone every year lifestyle), $5/hr just won't cut it. For example, I've talked with someone who knows people who work at Google up in Mountain View. The CoL and daycare is so high, that if a couple were to have a 3rd child, paying another $3K per month for that 3rd child would make it expensive enough that the husband would just quit his job there, and take care of the kids himself. They come out ahead that way.

[ncole1]

Originally Posted by tropolis

I bring this up because I believe a good amount of people would do something else, even illegal to try to make money instead.

You know, the belief that your above a certain wage, even if you need the money.

What would you do?

I think you can make more by begging on the street...

[Bigfoot424]

2009 topic.

[Taiko]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

2009 topic.

Well the only thing 2009 or 2020 has to do with the debate is considering inflation and the current level of government regulations concerning minimum wages and/or income levels to qualify for public assistance.

Do you work at a wage level where you fall behind considering the cost of commuting and perhaps late fees in child care when they fine you because you can't get off work? It is , a major problem the USPS is facing in major urban areas when paying close to the local economy's lowest wage

[jeffdoorgunner]

I would consider a job watching paint dry.......... that would be about it..........and I would have to have travel expenses and healthcare........

[Skydive Outlaw]

I would definitely do it as long as there were not millions of other people in similar situations getting more than $5 an hour in government benefits for not working.


Otherwise, I would just go Point Break and start robbing banks.

[Buckeye77]

What would I do with all the extra money???