Can you live off minimum wage in Los angeles? Let's see.. (Long Beach: apartments, to rent)

[jackie100]

Originally Posted by ooostaciooo

You're right about the electricity and everything else, but the food part... You can easily live on $100 a month for food. My mother and I live together (long story) and we both live off of about$40 a month for food. Now we're not extreme cuponers or anything but we are smart shoppers. We would have so much extra food leftover if we spent $100 a month on food. And we both have pretty good appetites.

This is true..I spend a bit more than you and a lot of it goes to waste; can't even finish at all... It's easy to live on $150 a month per person on food and eat WELL. Fresh veggies, salads, pasta, chicken etc. Shopping at Asian markets is very cheap, much cheaper than American stores. Also Trader Joe's is VERY CHEAP; especially with cheese and chicken etc. For $150 a month I am eating pretty gourmet stuff; brie, pasta with olive tapenade, lemon pasta, even stuff like Pate (french pate etc) etc. I'm not eating crap like Mcdonalds or Taco Bell EVER. I'm eating pretty upscale gourmet style stuff. However, don't shop at Ralphs; mainly Trader Joe's is ALL I need as a single person.

[ragnarkar]

Originally Posted by ooostaciooo

You're right about the electricity and everything else, but the food part... You can easily live on $100 a month for food. My mother and I live together (long story) and we both live off of about$40 a month for food. Now we're not extreme cuponers or anything but we are smart shoppers. We would have so much extra food leftover if we spent $100 a month on food. And we both have pretty good appetites.

Yeah, if you almost never eat out or even eat packaged foods, you can get by on $100/mo food budget. It's gonna be a bit tough esp if you have a job and can't eat there.

Personally, even on a tight budget, I'd much rather have a food budget of $200-300/mo and cut the rent budget by another $100-200.. even if it means renting a room in a house.

[wrcousert]

Originally Posted by ragnarkar

Yeah, if you almost never eat out or even eat packaged foods, you can get by on $100/mo food budget. It's gonna be a bit tough esp if you have a job and can't eat there.

Personally, even on a tight budget, I'd much rather have a food budget of $200-300/mo and cut the rent budget by another $100-200.. even if it means renting a room in a house.

I understand most people with minimum wage jobs can qualify for food stamps - as much as $200 per month.

[hipcat]

I'm bringing this thread back. This would be informative to people living off of minimum wage here.

I make around minimum wage. About $10 an hr and work 40 hours a week, take taxes away and its basically 1250 a month.

$600 to rent a room at a house.
$200 food. I mostly shop at Mexican and Asian markets. The food is at way cheaper prices than at supermarkets. I only go to fast food and restaurants a few times a week.

$150 gas. I only drive to far out locations. I use public transpo everywhere else.

That's basically $330 on other stuff. I mostly go to Coffeeshops for my entertainment/socialixing. And head to the beaches and Hollywood once a month. So $330 is decent enough to splurge on. The gas is the real dealbreaker. Around 3.80 per gallon could really take up a lot of money.

It just depends and what you make of it. You could survive on minimum wage. But it won't be the most enjoyable way to live.

[EscapeCalifornia]

No utilities? No car insurance? Do you have health insurance through your job? What does the bus pass cost? Do you ever buy clothes or toilet paper? Seems like that $300/mo left over has to cover a lot of stuff besides rent, gas, and food.

[hipcat]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

No utilities? No car insurance? Do you have health insurance through your job? What does the bus pass cost? Do you ever buy clothes or toilet paper? Seems like that $300/mo left over has to cover a lot of stuff besides rent, gas, and food.

I forgot to add. My utilities goes with the rent. I Have VA medical insurance and my car insurance is cheap(Its from the time I was in the Army) Toilet paper basically cost little anways lol.

And clothes shopping is part of the $300. Going to goodwill/salvation army or swapmeets are a great alternative.

I'm pretty simple. I don't need a lot of the latest whatever.

[patrix542]

well $8 an hour in LA is NOTHING, but if you are willing to live in a room rental then yes you can surive and you dont have to live in the ghetto areas either, its all about planning.. also if you dont drink and smoke you will save a lot.

Im surprised LA didnt set a higher min wage like San Francisco ($10.55 an hour) or San Jose ($10)

[Marv101]

The last thing LA needs is a higher minimum wage which would demolish any incentives for new businesses to be launched, or for currently existing businesses to hire more workers and/or expand.

[prawn_86]

Minimum wage is about $16 here in Aus, plenty of new businesses launched every year. It does go part of the way to explaining why we are such an expensive country though

[Aldous9]

Originally Posted by Marv101

The last thing LA needs is a higher minimum wage which would demolish any incentives for new businesses to be launched, or for currently existing businesses to hire more workers and/or expand.

businesses hire more workers when there is demand in the market place. It has nothing to do with whether the minimum wage is $8 or $10 or $11.

I can't believe after all the evidence that people still believe in supply side economics.