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Old 11-11-2006, 04:56 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles, CA
57 posts, read 516,910 times
Reputation: 59

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At first I always used to think no, not even possible. Although now looking at it may be possible.

If you work the standard full time 40 hours a week:

$6.75 X 8 hours a day = $54 per day

$54 a day X 22 days a month = $1,188 dollars per month, BEFORE TAXES. After taxes (about 10% estimated), you'll have $1,070 left after taxes in a full time minimum wage job.

Now, the cheapest you'll find in Los Angeles is about $600-$650 for a tiny Studio, In Compton, watts, or long beach.

$1,070 minus $650 for rent = $420 left over for all other expenses.

-- Now minus $100 for food (I’m bulking it up here, and normally only fast food jobs pay min wage, so you're food costs will be cheaper due to you buying in bulk, but also if you get free food at your fast food job)
-- Minus $65 for gas (you shouldn't be commuting far for a min wage job, especially if at a fast-food job, shouldn't be no more than 10 miles there 10 miles back, total 20 miles a day. 20 miles a day = 1 gallon of gas per day = $2.50 a day in gas. $2.50 times 22 days =$55 in gas per month. I added $10 extra for extra traveling to food stores, etc)
--Minus $30 for electricity (about, pending on whether you have a TV or not)
--Minus $80 for car insurance (very cheap insurance, that is)
--Minus $30 for phone (use cell phone as primary phone)

So $420 - $100 - $65 - $30- $80 - $30 = $115 left at the end of the month. Now by standard rules, I'll minus another say $80, because expenses always seem to come up more than you do on paper.
So you're left with $35 left over at the end of the month. As you can see, pretty much nothing left over.

You could try cutting down the cost and getting rid of the car and taking the bus, so it'd be $0.50 cents to work, and $0.50 back from work, so $1.00 per day, or $22 per month. Now if I re-do the calculations, if you cut out the car gas expense and subtract only $32 instead. (I added $10 in for gas money, so that way you'll be able to drive your car around sometimes too), but for work, the bus will be your primary transport, meaning you'll still be paying the car insurance bill. So it'll be $148 left over every month instead. Now, same rule as above, minus $80 extra just to be on the safe side and you're left with $68 every month now. Not much, but better than being left with only $35 per month when paying for gas money.
Now you're left with $68 left over per month

Now, you could even get rid of the car completely and not pay for the insurance or gas cost. Meaning you'd only be being $22 a month for travel expenses. So now re-doing the expenses calculations, you'll be left with $238 per month - and same rule as above, minus $80 extra out per month just to be on the safe side, so you'll have $158 left over per month. Although, who wants to get rid of their car and take the bus daily? But I guess most people in New York don't have cars either, although still, I'd want to have a car so I can visit my friend.
Now you're left with $158 per month

Possible to do? Perhaps. Deciding whether or not you're going to have a car will be your biggest concern. But who really knows how possible it is. On paper it appears possible. Does anyone here know anyone who's living by themselves off min wage jobs?
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Old 11-11-2006, 06:26 PM
 
107 posts, read 719,915 times
Reputation: 104
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.
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Old 11-11-2006, 07:35 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles, CA
57 posts, read 516,910 times
Reputation: 59
Yeah, heh, I forgot about that..

To all the people who don't live in Los Angeles, and don't know about Compton or Watts..

Well, Compton is probably the most violent city in the country. Also, Los angeles has more gangs than any other city.

Long beach can have nice areas... but those areas are more expensive.

Basically if you're going to try to live in Los angeles making minimum wage, or slightly above, you won't find many places except in the worst cities.
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Old 11-11-2006, 10:58 PM
 
852 posts, read 3,799,593 times
Reputation: 469
Here, again, is the naive sense of people's minimum-wage lives. Very few adults make minimum wage, and those that do would be supplementing a higher wage in the household. So, while it's possible that a minimum-wage worker, alone, could live in Los Angeles, no one in that situation would try.
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Old 11-12-2006, 12:54 AM
 
Location: Southern California
38,612 posts, read 22,598,255 times
Reputation: 59867
Exclamation No Medical Insurance on Minimum Wage

Practically all of these minimum wage jobs don't offer any kind of basic medical or dental benefits, so you'd better hope and PRAY that you never get any kind of catastrophic illness or accident-related injuries, and have to wait for hours to be seen in the E.R. of the county hospital. Sorry to throw that depressing bit of reality in there, but thought that people should be aware of this.
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Old 11-13-2006, 11:09 PM
 
Location: WPB, FL. Dreaming of Oil city, PA
2,909 posts, read 14,046,131 times
Reputation: 1032
You cant live on $100 a month in food. When I was in college, I was spending $100 a week in food and I didnt eat out either. $100 a month is basically living on rice, bread and water everyday! $100 a week comes out to about $5000 a year. Lets say $14 a day for $5k a year. You need 3 meals for $14. Breakfast you may have two eggs, 4 slices of bread, 3 bowls of cereal, a pint of milk and a glass of OJ, three pancakes with syrup, an apple, an orange, a peach, two plums. For lunch you may want four chicken quarters, a side dish of brown rice, corn, beans. Youll want fruits and veggies of your choice. Dont forget your grains and bread. Repeat for dinner. That is gonna cost easily $14 if not more. I dont eat enough and therfore am skinny. I should be eating more than that.

The electricity is going to be more than $30 a month unless you like living by candlelight and never turning the a/c on. My dad pays like $400+ a month! Dont forget water bill too! Driving insurance is probably more than $80 a month. You forgot other expenses such as cloth, shoes and brushing, shaving, soap, shampoo, etc. What about entertainment? Your life would be so boring if all you do is go to work and stare at the wall when you come home to your $650/month studio in a crime/gang invested neighboorhood.

It might be possible to live on min wage but its a very simple, boring and depressing life not to mention a dangerous one in a crime/gang invested neighboorhood. I think you should do something about it if you only made min wage. Perhaps get your GED, find a better job, relocate, etc.
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Old 11-13-2006, 11:41 PM
 
Location: FL
1,316 posts, read 5,775,034 times
Reputation: 988
Hi NAF! You're too funny! You can't POSSIBLY eat all that, yet alone eat all that & be skinny!!!!!
I almost fell out of my chair! A single person really wouldn't spend more than 50$ a week in groceries - especially working in any food establishment - and you could easily spend less. When I worked as a server I only ate at work. I never went shopping!!! I mean, I'd buy a slice of pizza here & there, & I guess I had some stuff in the house, but not much! I still can't get over how much you said to eat for breakfast! That's like a whole day's food!!! I guess it all depends on your size & metabolism, but still...!
A person can definately live on minimun wage, & fast food jobs DO offer insurance! The only no-no is living in a bad neighborhood. If that's the only option, get the hell outta dodge!
Oh, not having a car is the best for that situation as well.
And 80$ a month is HIGH for car ins!!! Mine is 37.67!!! If you have an old ass car & health ins, you insure for the minimum required by law.
No bodily injury, no uninsured motorist, & definately not the car!
Of course I have a perfect driving record, an anti theft device, (there when I bought it) anti-lock brakes, and pristine credit - these all lower your rate, so...
But my suggestion would be to wait tables as opposed to working fast food.
You can make ALOT of money!
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Old 11-14-2006, 01:04 AM
 
Location: WPB, FL. Dreaming of Oil city, PA
2,909 posts, read 14,046,131 times
Reputation: 1032
I dont count calories and dont keep track of what I eat, I just eat when im hungry I know for a fact I spend $100 a week on food, want to see my recipt? I cant go cheap on food because no one can live if they dont eat enough! Food is a must! Even if you could survive on min wage, why would you not want a higher wage? I know high school students who get more than min wage on their first job. Even my sister got more than min wage when she had that job back when she was 17 and still in school! I think a wage of less than $10 is really bad, especially in CA! I consider an "ok" wage to be at least $20 an hour!
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Old 11-14-2006, 01:58 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area, CA
201 posts, read 858,646 times
Reputation: 143
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.
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Old 11-14-2006, 11:56 PM
 
Location: Southern California
38,612 posts, read 22,598,255 times
Reputation: 59867
Wink The Bottomless Pit?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Need_affordable_home View Post
You cant live on $100 a month in food. When I was in college, I was spending $100 a week in food and I didnt eat out either. $100 a month is basically living on rice, bread and water everyday! $100 a week comes out to about $5000 a year. Lets say $14 a day for $5k a year. You need 3 meals for $14. Breakfast you may have two eggs, 4 slices of bread, 3 bowls of cereal, a pint of milk and a glass of OJ, three pancakes with syrup, an apple, an orange, a peach, two plums. For lunch you may want four chicken quarters, a side dish of brown rice, corn, beans. Youll want fruits and veggies of your choice. Dont forget your grains and bread. Repeat for dinner. That is gonna cost easily $14 if not more. I dont eat enough and therfore am skinny. I should be eating more than that.
Boy, you must have a healthy appetite! You can eat all that food and still stay skinny?
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