How bad is working a min wage job up in northern Maine (1 person) (Skowhegan: sales, apartment)

[TheKezarWoodsman]

Hi, comptemplating a future move to maine, and i am wondering how bad it would be working Maine's Min Wage just by myself, no family. Just to clarify, im talking Northern Rural Maine, think Aroostok country, or nothern Pisquatus(spelling), Skowhegan(the county, not the city) or penobscot.... I remember from a prevous post someone said two min wage workers would keep you well off enough to survive, but how about 1 worker, 1 person supported?

[8635angelvalley]

It would be horrible in Maine or anywhere in the US.

[TheKezarWoodsman]

What would you say is a good wage up there? By good i mean livable

[maineguy8888]

If you have food stamps, etc. and live in a 1 bedroom apartment it is definitely possible, but you wouldn't have much left over for fun....a livable wage here is 7 or 8 bucks an hour

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

...a livable wage here is 7 or 8 bucks an hour

The minimum wage in Maine is $7.50 per hour.

[bangorme]

Minimum wage is going to be very meager living and probably on some sort of welfare in order to make it. Minimum wage is for summer jobs, two income households, or second jobs. Living through the winter would be unbearable. The bad thing about living in a rural area is that you would have few opportunities to improve your lot, since there are very few jobs where there are very few people.

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by bangorme

Minimum wage is going to be very meager living and probably on some sort of welfare in order to make it. Minimum wage is for summer jobs, two income households, or second jobs. Living through the winter would be unbearable. The bad thing about living in a rural area is that you would have few opportunities to improve your lot, since there are very few jobs where there are very few people.

Well, the OP asked about surviving. At $8 an hour, your yearly income would be around $15,000, pre tax. But you wouldn't pay much tax at that income level.
The biggest expense people have is housing, and if you get a 1 bedroom apartment for $500 heat included, then you are paying $6,000 for housing. That leaves you $9,000 for food, clothes, lights, etc. With food stamps, it is definitely doable, if you live cheaply.

[jeremywolf81]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

Well, the OP asked about surviving. At $8 an hour, your yearly income would be around $15,000, pre tax. But you wouldn't pay much tax at that income level.
The biggest expense people have is housing, and if you get a 1 bedroom apartment for $500 heat included, then you are paying $6,000 for housing. That leaves you $9,000 for food, clothes, lights, etc. With food stamps, it is definitely doable, if you live cheaply.

That's also assuming you don't have vehicle expenses too, which let's be honest, any place in Maine where you can find a rent for $500 with heat included is unlikely to have many if any jobs within walking distance or anything resembling public transportation. Also 15k/year assumes close to 40 hours per week, which with most minimum wage jobs is optimistic to say the least.

[RMoore007]

How bad is working a min wage job up in northern Maine?

I think the one little ^ letter above is the crux of the problem. You will probably need several jobs with no real security unless you can live with other people to cut your expenses and get them to take you everywhere.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

Well, the OP asked about surviving. At $8 an hour, your yearly income would be around $15,000, pre tax. But you wouldn't pay much tax at that income level.
The biggest expense people have is housing, and if you get a 1 bedroom apartment for $500 heat included, then you are paying $6,000 for housing. That leaves you $9,000 for food, clothes, lights, etc. With food stamps, it is definitely doable, if you live cheaply.

Even people making minimum wage still pay social security/medicare (about $1,150 per year) and sales taxes. I just don't think it's a good idea to uproot yourself and move to a rural area of Maine (with no car I assume) and NEED welfare to survive. The OP is asking for advice, and that's mine.