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Actually, that is not true. There are plenty of places that are VERY safe that are also affordable. Most smaller communities around the country are very safe and provide a very low cost of living. Minimum wage in our state is higher than the Federal Minimum wage, but someone making minimum wage can afford to BUY a house in many communities around us. Unemployment rate here is something like 1% and employers are crying for unskilled labor, full-time with benefits. Many offer sign-on bonuses that could cover relocation even. In some of the smaller towns around us you can buy a 1200 sq ft house, 2 or 3 bedrooms for $50,000 or even less. They aren't fancy, but they are fine and very safe. I just did a search, and there are several houses for sale in that range. If you buy with an FHA loan, your house payment with taxes and insurance are less than $200/month, which, is very affordable on our minimum wage and with 2 people earning that minimum, EASILY afforded.
Sure, in the major metro areas you probably can't survive off one person making minimum wage, but think outside the box a bit and look elsewhere.
Sorry, my context wasn't clear (my quotes around "safe").
My interpretation of that data was that they were only considering the top 25%-50% of areas when it came to safety. Obviously, in major metros, the safest places are typically going to be the most expensive, and furthermore, what exactly entitles a minimum wage worker to living only in the safest of areas?
I agree with you on all of your points. I remember reading a story about a woman in Youngstown, OH who purchased a home with her minimum wage income from McDonald's. I can look at Zillow, and see tons of homes sub $50K in the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis. It can be done in many places.
All of these people in places like Denver, Portland, Seattle, et al, who complain that they can't afford to live in the hip area with their low income have to realize that one's earned income has no direct correlate to the cost of housing.
Shrug. I have decent friends who would let me share their pad but they have restrictions on overnight guests (which they actually enforce). Or they COULD make a room available for me if they were willing to kick out the chick from whom they're getting some sex, but obviously you can't expect a guy to give up free sex even if it's sporadic. (She has several guys with whom she flits around and she's considering moving in with another guy but she seems to prefer the deal she has now keeping her options open.)
This is your version of a decent friend? yet you mention SSI recipients as people you don't want to live with as if they all worse than this friend? hmmmm......
I always thought minimum wage was a floor, intended to compensate for labor supply-demand imbalance due to seasonality, recessions etc. I did not know it was intended as a wage that allows a person to support themselves independently as an adult.
Similar to the government assistance (welfare) being intended to allow a person to survive, not necessarily have the lifestyle of someone earning a living wage.
I could be wrong.
This is your version of a decent friend? yet you mention SSI recipients as people you don't want to live with as if they all worse than this friend? hmmmm......
Like everyone else, SSI recipients are fine to live with IF THEY HAVE A LIFE. Most Americans have a life, they have jobs, girlfriends, boyfriends, they go to bars and clubs and restaurants, they hang out with friends, they go places and do things. Where I live, people sit on their rears all day, they stay home and mooch off others and bark out orders to the paying customers.
The thing about SSI recipients is that they basically cannot afford to have a life. (If they can afford to have a life, they might be scamming the system with unreported income.) If you're into hanging around the house all say with people who have no life, more power to you, but I wind it profoundly depressing. I've lived in this house two years and have never had any time alone. Maybe it's just me but if I'm paying to live somewhere, for my money I want a non-zero amount of peace, quiet, and solitude. Don't a lot of homeowners pay Big Bucks for that sort of thing?
I always thought minimum wage was a floor, intended to compensate for labor supply-demand imbalance due to seasonality, recessions etc. I did not know it was intended as a wage that allows a person to support themselves independently as an adult.
Similar to the government assistance (welfare) being intended to allow a person to survive, not necessarily have the lifestyle of someone earning a living wage.
I could be wrong.
If that is the case, the housing "floor" is not affordable to minimum wage workers; hence, protests for a higher minimum wage.
In my world, the problem would be solved by lowering the housing floor, but homeowners reject that solution.
Roommates and significant others. That's how you can instantly double your financial power, and that's assuming nobody ever rises above min wage, which they should.
Like everyone else, SSI recipients are fine to live with IF THEY HAVE A LIFE. Most Americans have a life, they have jobs, girlfriends, boyfriends, they go to bars and clubs and restaurants, they hang out with friends, they go places and do things. Where I live, people sit on their rears all day, they stay home and mooch off others and bark out orders to the paying customers.
The thing about SSI recipients is that they basically cannot afford to have a life. (If they can afford to have a life, they might be scamming the system with unreported income.) If you're into hanging around the house all say with people who have no life, more power to you, but I wind it profoundly depressing. I've lived in this house two years and have never had any time alone. Maybe it's just me but if I'm paying to live somewhere, for my money I want a non-zero amount of peace, quiet, and solitude. Don't a lot of homeowners pay Big Bucks for that sort of thing?
I understand and that makes perfect sense. I never realized SSI recipients probably didn't have lives as they wouldn't have the funds to be gone much. Nor the incentive to volunteer.
If there is any way you can save up for a motorhome, that might be a good way to go. We used to rent out land on the side of our house to a man who took Social Security Early, I am sure he had very little money but he was a good renter. We also provided internet, water and septic. He lived in his 20 feet Trailer. he charged his computer and cell in the garage. Stored some stuff in there also. Just a thought.
Sorry you have to live with those people, what a pain. I need to have my quiet time also
Last edited by BingoQueen; 06-27-2017 at 01:09 AM..
Roommates and significant others. That's how you can instantly double your financial power, and that's assuming nobody ever rises above min wage, which they should.
Good advice regarding roommates. It's the easiest way to save a lot of $$
I beg to differ regarding people should move up beyond minimum wage. I am 48 yrs old. I make only a few dollars more than minimum wage. Average $3.70 more per hr than min wage. And that is predicated upon my Ebay sales continuing as they have.
The benefits are very good, and the 401k match is just ok (4%). I am also paid a flat $12.50 extra per week for driving to and from work.
During my work shift at night, during downtime, I sell on Ebay. I am paid to shop thrift stores with clients while on the clock. This is how I get my inventory. I list items while at work in the office bedroom combo. So that brings in about $325 more per month (or about $1.70 per hr). I have eye disabilities, and other invisible disabilities so it's not that easy. I am very appreciative to be averaging $3.70 more per hr than minimum wage. And to have benefits since my husband is self employed.
To get 36 hrs done in 3 days while averaging about 5 hrs sleep at night.
A new opportunity just opened up to make more $$ working one weekend a month as on call supervisor.
People should be able get their basic needs met working 35 hrs a week making minimum wage. In the 60's-mid 70's. minimum wage sustained an entire family
Roommates and significant others. That's how you can instantly double your financial power, and that's assuming nobody ever rises above min wage, which they should.
When the person to whom you pay rent is one of your roommates, you don't get to instantly double your financial power because the person to whom you pay rent has already done that to YOU.
I always thought minimum wage was a floor, intended to compensate for labor supply-demand
imbalance due to seasonality, recessions etc. I did not know it was intended as a wage that allows
a person to support themselves independently as an adult.
Similar to the government assistance (welfare) being intended to allow a person to survive,
not necessarily have the lifestyle of someone earning a living wage.
I could be wrong.
You are not wrong.
---
A new report from University of Washington economists finds that Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance
has not provided the benefits proponents claimed.
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