Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Why not? Is there some unwritten rule that everyone is owed a family and the finances to support it?
Here is one of the attitudes I'm talking about.
If only life worked as simple as you suggest. Then again, our past (worldwide) was made up of rules and obstacles that stood in a person's ability to have their own course in life. I don't want to go back to that. Do you?
No one is blaming anyone, we are saying if you want to earn more money you need to work harder.
But you are questioning why a person can't work harder. You are giving a simple answer for a complex problem.
You say work harder. Let's say the job someone is able to get wants a person to be flexible and available for any shift. How is someone working 9 bucks an hour going to work harder and work a second job? Maybe you say, oh, just bide your time, get that second job after a number of months (or years?) when you get a better schedule. Okay, but in the short run, what's a person to do?
I'm using this as an example of how it is not easy to just work harder. Do people do it? YES YES YES.
To be fair, he may have had his kids when he was younger and had a more stable job, then got laid off and had to take a crap job to scrape by.
However I'm giving a serious side-eye on buying an engagement ring when you can barely afford the basic necessities.
This is why I posted in the past that no one should have children unless the household income equals about 100K (a little less in rural areas) and there is least 50K in the bank with health insurance.
Too many people have children when they can't afford it.
The guy in the story is not getting sympathy for me due to him mentioning that engagement ring. It's also apparent that he can't afford a car either.
It's amazing to me how some people work so hard for so little money and others don't have to work at all or have relatively easy jobs and have all the luxuries of wealth in their life.
Unfortunately, you are paid for what you do typically, not how long you have done it. Salaries don't really increase unless you move into management positions. You are actually LUCKY if you are getting raises to match inflation.
I do think full time minimum wage should reflect more of a living wage. Definitely. However, with kids, it doesn't matter if you raise it to $15/hr, it still won't be enough. Can't have kids if you make minimum wage. Sorry.
Really? Really??
When a society has a group of people who are disadvantaged radically (such people you say can't afford a family), everyone suffers. From children who are not cared for properly to people who turn to crime (and much in between!),it is a rocky road to go face!
I know dudes who make low wages and get by, but they live extremely minimalistic lifestyles that most amercians simply wouldn't go for. No GF's, no kids, 2(some 3)jobs round the clock, no smartphone, no living in a big sexy city, having to room with someone else, no car, no social life whatsover.
That's basically my life. I live on about $14 an hour and average about 37 hours a week at a real easy job. It did take me 10+ years to reach $14 an hour so I was living on very low wages for many years. I don't complain about it though. My no-frills lifestyle allows me to be at home and away from people where I can peruse my interests in peace. I honestly have no interest in a wife, kids, or living in a McMansion.
I know a lot of guys who are choosing to live similar lifestyles because they realize that the mainstream lifestyle of running the rat race, getting married and having kids, basically the "American dream" is absolute sham.
I can say I'm pretty content with my life. Work is easy, the hours are great, and any kind of entertainment or reading material can be obtained for free on the internet. Even little over a decade ro so ago this was impossible.
This is a very irresponsible person if there ever was one.
Not the norm for a person who is struggling.
Actually, this is more typical than you might think and that is part of what locks them in poverty. Ever see them shopping when the tax refunds come in with the refunds on the child credits? Shopping cart full of things we, even with higher wages, would not buy because "splurge" for us is limited. Although we were married 30 years ago when we each made $6.00 per hour, we bought simple wedding bands, retail now at probably less than $200.00 total.
I would love to live in California in nice weather and it would be great for my health and that of my younger son, but we could not afford it. There are trade-offs.
While a story about the low wages is worthy, this particular situation was a poor choice. For us, repairs when we didn't have the money for them would be limited to health, car repairs or major appliance (refrigerator/range). Sorry, I can't shed a tear on this one.
its not meant to be a living wage with a litter of kids
you start a job at minimum wage, then based on merit/performance you work your way up- get more pay
and don't make dumb/poor decisions and blame everyone else for it
also dont smoke/drink/do drugs/ then complain you don't have money to feed your kids
most everyone/highschool kid can go to college,,,,get an education and make a decent living
my god, how many times do we see someone with 2-4 kids no father around, gets 4 different types of welfare, and still complains its never enough!!!???
yet still, even those that made the better choices in life- are constantly paying for those that made poor choices
and the ones receiving these freebees have such an atiitude againt the ones paying for it- you would think they'd be saying THANK YOU , not f- you
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
