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Old 11-18-2006, 09:26 PM
 
6,459 posts, read 11,998,888 times
Reputation: 6395

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perdu View Post
josh, I know you mean well and are very smart in caculating the above, but PLEASE don't even suggest to out-of-towners reading these to relocate that they consider Compton or Watts to save money. It's far better for people unfamiliar with how dangerous parts of L.A. are to suggest that they live with a roommate or even rent a room in a safer area.
THANK YOU!! These are the baddest areas of the city and you NEED a car to get around. Public transportation doesn't run like it does in east coast cities (or san francisco). They turn off at a certain time and then you're screwed.

People need to stop dreaming!! I wish I would have listened to those people that told me not to move here and I didn't. Well, I know now.
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Old 11-18-2006, 09:31 PM
 
6,459 posts, read 11,998,888 times
Reputation: 6395
Quote:
Originally Posted by speedoflight View Post
Sure, you can live off minimum wage in LA or in CA. There are many, many people who do. You will have to get used to the just the basics of life, cut back on everything and live in a roommate situation or take advantage of the state's cheap housing programs. Yes, this may include living in a very slumpish neighborhood. You can even get food from the food bank, hand outs from churches and depending on how many hours you do work and your actual income, you may not even need to pay income tax. Depending on your final income, you may even qualify for food stamps. There are also many churches that feed the poor daily. In fact, if you are very poor in CA, you are often quite taken cared of by the state's many social programs. There are free clinics that you can go to for your medical needs. You just need to learn to be very resourceful if you don't have money. No, you're not going to be able to enjoy the frills of capitalism/wealth but you can survive if you really strive to. When it comes down to it, what we all really need is food, shelter and clothes to keep warm. The rest are all nice to haves.
People who live off minimum wage are not living by themselves. They live two to three to a room and don't have benefits (or a car).

Please don't be fooled by California's glorious social service programs - THE GOVERNOR CUT THE FUNDS WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE. How do I know? The homeless cripples and drug addicts living in the streets, that's how. Also from people that do volunteer work with them. I honestly don't know why the homeless just don't go back to where they came from?? Many of them are not born and bred Californians. They must have family somewhere.
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Old 11-21-2006, 03:27 PM
 
18 posts, read 124,373 times
Reputation: 22
Living in Compton or Watts to save money. Ha, ha, ha! That's a good one.
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Old 11-21-2006, 03:28 PM
 
18 posts, read 124,373 times
Reputation: 22
So sad to say though, that it's difficult to live without much money in LA.
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Old 11-22-2006, 06:16 PM
 
Location: CITY OF ANGELS AND CONSTANT DANGER
5,408 posts, read 12,638,943 times
Reputation: 2270
thats what i think of all those homeless kids al over the place. they gotta have somewhere to go. or why dont they just get a job. many complain about prejudice. well of course!!! who wants to hire a grimmy person who knots their hair into dreads and wears dingy clothes and sports dirty finger nails. granted some might have psych problems. but really, if you are of sound mind and body, then work and stop begging for money. i know plenty of people who live on miimum wage. i did for a long time. with roomates sharing costs. but sometimes i think i get paid more than i need to. and honestly most people do to. we would all like to get paid more, but not many of us need to. take a look around you and see what things you could go without. TV? less electricity and no cable bill = money in my pocket. computer? i could use the one at the public library = money in my pocket and more time spent away from these destracting boards. armani pants? k. cole shoes? get rid of hight tastes for clothes that i could find at k mart. = money in my pocket. every one could live off of minimum wage. to own a house you wald have to have 5 min, wage earners tho. but does everyone want a house? most of my friends dont. these 30 to 40 somethings prefer less bonds. they are travelers and movers. living on min. wage is possible. most of LA does it. we just dont want to be like the rest of LA
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Old 11-22-2006, 07:02 PM
 
Location: WPB, FL. Dreaming of Oil city, PA
2,909 posts, read 14,062,014 times
Reputation: 1033
Min wage is not the kind of life most people want. Youll own nothing and share an apartment with 5 roomates. You wont have computer, TV, phone or any luxuries. Youll be taking cold showers(hot water is expensive) youll go without a/c and heat(we pay $400+ a month for a/c) youll be eating rice, bread and canned beans and drinking water. Youll be buying used clothes from a flea market. Youl be walking, biking or taking a bus(no money for car, insurance and gas) Youll be shaving once a week, no money for razors and shaving cream. Youll have roomates give you a hair cut. Want fun? playing chess with a chessboard you made yourself will be fun(for real too, I like chess) What about furniture? No money for that. Youll sleep on the floor, stand up while eating or sit down on the floor to eat. Thats a most simple, basic and boring life.
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Old 11-23-2006, 11:10 AM
 
Location: Los Angeles, CA
57 posts, read 517,269 times
Reputation: 59
Not true. Let's remember that my first post is in regard to living off minimum wage BY YOURSELF in a small studio apartment, such as in the cheapest parts of Los angeles: Comptons, watts, long beach, etc. Not saying you should do this to save money - but in the cheapest parts of Los angeles, IS IT possible to live off minimum wage by yourself? Techincally, yes. If $600 rent in a bad area, you'll be left with about $350-$400 for all other expenses. Techincally all you need is food, rent, and clothing to be able to live in an apartment and get to work daily (again, you should not be commuting with a car to a minimum wage job if you're living on your own, a bus or bike to work would work). $300-$400 is enough money for food and clothing every month, and also electricty and water bill. In fact if you work at a fast food place you'll often get free food there, cutting your food bill in half. Sure you'll be completely broke, but the question is: Is it possible? It is.

Now the thing with 5 room-mates isn't really true. If you have 5 people all living in one apartment all making Minimum wage... That's $6.75 an hour X 5 people. With all five people combinded that's $33.75 per hour in combinded wages. Now $33.75 X 8 hours per day = $270 EVERY day for the income of everyone, daily. $270 X 22 days a week = $5,940 per month. I think they'd have more money than you'd think, especially considered a lot of minimum wages jobs are fast food jobs - meaning someone will probably be bringing him free food all the time, cutting the food bill down for everyone. Also the main expenses will be all shared - only one rent cost, only one electricty bill, only one water bill, etc. The only non-shared expenses would be for food and luxury/Misc expenses, or if one of them had a car.

Also, lots of jobs pay slightly above minimum wage. For example, subway starts you off at $7-$7.20 an hour, about. $7.20 X 8 hrs/day = $57.60 per day vs $54 a day at $6.75 an hour. So you got an extra $65 every month, could be used to get a phone, or for more food, etc.

I'm basing my standards off the bare minimum - no one wants to do the above, but I'm just saying - is it POSSIBLE? It seems possible, yes, as you'll have enough money to pay off rent every month. You'll have only a few hundred left after rent, which techincally all you really need is food and clothing. Sure other stuff would be nice, but it's not needed if you can't afford it.
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Old 11-23-2006, 11:32 AM
 
Location: Sherman Oaks, CA
6,588 posts, read 17,513,996 times
Reputation: 9462
Default I wouldn't sentence my son to this!

He is 18. Theoretically, I could kick him out and let him fend for himself. First of all, how many minimum wage jobs are there that would let him work 40 hours a week? Most of them are only part time, which means he would have to work at least two jobs, and find a way to commute between them (unless they were a block away from each other).

Yes, many times food places will give you the food for free, but realistically, how many times in one week can a person eat McDonald's?! Not to mention what it does to your health!

Someone already mentioned the lack of health insurance. What about dental insurance?

Also, if he wanted to better himself, to go to school and get a degree, how would he do that? He's making minimum wage; how can he afford the tuition and books even at a community college? Financial aid? Filling out the application takes time and effort, and how much free time does he have if he's working two jobs, even if they are each part time? How does he juggle college and his two jobs? How would he find the time to study as well as sleep?

About the area where he'd be living... He'd probably do well to spend some of his first paycheck on a gun and some ammo, because he'd probably need one! I picture him waiting for the bus at night to come home from one of his jobs, and I shudder just thinking about it.

The problem with this scenario is that there is *nothing* built in for emergencies, for time off (because most part time jobs don't give you paid vacations), etc. If something happens, like his apartment building burns down, where does he go and what does he do? If he gets injured, how does he drag himself to the bus to go to work?

I realize that I'm looking at this as "worst case", but everyone should hope for the best but plan for the worst. This is not living, it's merely existing, and as has already been mentioned, that's not really a life!
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Old 11-23-2006, 11:35 AM
 
Location: huatulco, oaxaca, mexico
231 posts, read 508,297 times
Reputation: 43
Quote:
Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home View Post
youll be eating rice, bread and canned beans and drinking water. Youll be buying used clothes from a flea market. Youl be walking, biking or taking a bus(no money for car, insurance and gas) Youll be shaving once a week, no money for razors and shaving cream. Youll have roomates give you a hair cut. Want fun? playing chess with a chessboard you made yourself will be fun(for real too, I like chess) What about furniture? No money for that. Youll sleep on the floor, stand up while eating or sit down on the floor to eat. Thats a most simple, basic and boring life.
I`m sure you can find a vwery cheap, used chessboard and pieces somewhere (flea market)- actually, that is what is nice about California, you can find everything you`d ever need very cheap, and often used. Yard sales, flea markets, discount groceries, outlet stores, Donation/charity shops. The worst part would be not being able to afford rent. Most minimum wage jobs offer discounts (fast food, retail?) too. Working in a pizza place is a great min. wage job cuz you get to eat for almost free. If you get a chance to earn tips, even better. Some people can live off their tips and use their paychecks for rent and bills, maybe some light saving.....
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Old 01-19-2008, 08:38 PM
 
3 posts, read 22,845 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Perdu View Post
josh, I know you mean well and are very smart in caculating the above, but PLEASE don't even suggest to out-of-towners reading these to relocate that they consider Compton or Watts to save money. It's far better for people unfamiliar with how dangerous parts of L.A. are to suggest that they live with a roommate or even rent a room in a safer area.

Many of us out-of-towners have heard or read about Watts and especially Compton, so we have at least a sense of the risks.
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