How does a person survive on minimum wage?

26 Comments Posted on February 20th, 2010 by admin

How does a person survive on minimum wage?

I recently answered a question with this but I think it deserves it’s own spot for proper focus.

A minimum wage job pays about 13k annually (before taxes) IF they get a full 40. So after taxes they have about 900-980 a month depending on filing status and children.

The cheapest apartment I could find locally was a 2 room efficiency for $375 a month (note not a 2-bed, a 2-ROOM)

food will cost at least $100 person per month

Utilities would be cheaper for a small apartment so lets say $150 for electric & heat. $20 for water.

If you have a job you’ll need a car so $200 for a car payment and $30 for insurance throw in $40 for gas

$25 for a phone (cheap for a landline)

let’s see I’ve covered rent, utilities, food and transportation what’s left? Oh clothes, toiletries, cleaning supplies and other little things, hmm…. we’ll go cheap here to and say $20 a month.

What do we have so far …. $960 a month to live in a 2 room hovel and eat raman noodles on a regular basis.
How would someone in your area do with a budget of $900-990 a month?
HA, food stamps that’s a good one. A single person making minimum wage doesn’t qualify for food stamps.

And I’ll tell you My family of 4 has an income of about $1200 a month (barely above minimum) and we get a grand total of $225 in food stamps a month. So there ya go family of 4 on $1425 a month, do that budget. Find a place to live locally for a family (we need a 3-bed as my kids are the opposite sex) and make a car payment on that. If ya want to try adding in a job for me but don’t forget childcare costs and a second car.
Oooooo…. college education, good point there, I have an accounting degree (assoc. for now and 10 classes from a BA)

To finish my degree I need about $3600 a semester and FA will pay $2050 of it. Don’t forget the child care…..
Oh, I’m not talking about immigrants here, I’m talking about Americans who have no where else to go and are trying to compete with the illegals.

You don’t, especially if you have children,that’s why i’m living with family right now. I was making just a little above minimum and after struggling,starving and selling everything I had, I couldn’t do it on my own anymore.

26 Responses to “How does a person survive on minimum wage?”

Sergio D. on February 21st, 2010 4:03 am:

usually, a person living on minimum wage files for food stamps and welfare

it would be extreamly difficult to survive on minimum wage alone

not that i necessarily completely agree with the welfare system
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my_loyal_subjects on February 21st, 2010 4:23 am:

They start going on welfare
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Beaner on February 21st, 2010 5:13 am:

That’s why you should study hard during high school and go to college instead of dropping out of high school like 50% of Mexican Americans.
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Meow Mix on February 21st, 2010 5:32 am:

They are very closely knit. They can alternate sharing rooms, depending on their work shifts. They share beds with their children and family members.

They don’t use babysitters since that’s what family is for.
As for the phones, there’s always pay phones.
METRO is a good cheap source of transportation.

They will cook from scratch and save lots just from that.

The utilities and apartment renting is tricky since you need identification for that. It’s easier to rend a house.

Anything I forgot to add?
<3

Compete with illegals? Well those Americans will have to give up luxuries like cable and shopping sprees. Find roomates or live with their parents. They will have to get at least two jobs. If they want a good job they should try learning Spanish, as a bilingual…you get top dollar.
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dcrc93 on February 21st, 2010 5:40 am:

it is really hard.maybe you could go to school and get trained for bigger and better.or come live in Nevada Mo
it is a little cheaper here.sweet small town.
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Chinagirl on February 21st, 2010 6:07 am:

Your not supposed to survive on Minimum wage. You are supposed to starve and beg for a raise like the other slaves!
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MJ on February 21st, 2010 6:42 am:

Car insurance for $30!? No way. Let’s see, skip the car (or get a junker) the bus is $40 a month to ride. That would save $270 in your budget. Then you might get to buy eggs and milk!! It’d be possible for 1 person here in Columbus, OH but I would not want to do it.
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₪ Dirty Martini ₪ on February 21st, 2010 6:56 am:

The simple answer is you dont.

You live in a commune style environment, you eat dried beans, and you apply for other govt aid.
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reelperspectiv on February 21st, 2010 7:22 am:

I must say I am shocked at the amount of people talking about welfare. Living on minimum wage is extremely difficult but not impossible. Either you have to get a lot more hours then usual, and put in overtime. Or you have to get two jobs. Either way there are millions of people doing it. Its just hard.
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Tej & Kat on February 21st, 2010 7:31 am:

live with other people to cut costs

eat together as the meal costs are cheaper when making in bulk.

no luxuries what so ever… no new clothes, no take-out, no cds, no car, no alcohol…nothing
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lived on welfare with my boyfriend and two other people and managed to still save enough to leave australia and go to china for better work opportunities. it was really hard and u miss buying stuff… but u definately can live on minimum wage…u can even save money if that’s ur priority!

pokerfaces55 on February 21st, 2010 7:55 am:

min wage has done more damage to the workplace then it was suppose to help..
once u take away the supply and demand out of the equation
for entry level jobs.. then the amount of entry level jobs decrease and the workload of those in those jobs increase..
simple math… that is if you even finished school and know what math is..
lets raise the min wage to 25 an hour… and watch what happens…
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Hope on February 21st, 2010 8:27 am:

You are so right.

Government statistics state it takes
a minimum of $15 hr (nationwide)
to be able to support yourself.

For accurate current information —
The TANF Temporary Aid To Needy FAMILIES program
(welfare in USA) – welfare reform —
is only available for a lifetime maximum of 60 months.

Current average time on TANF in our state is 18 mo.
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Years ago, we raised chickens and grew a garden in the backyard, ate the eggs and had roast chicken on Sundays. Not qualifying for food stamps, I would spend an amount = to what a family of 7 would be eligable for. Once a month I would treat myself to a $1 burger.

sparhawk7322 on February 21st, 2010 9:16 am:

You do realize that you are overlooking the fact that only the losers in society keep making minimum wage don’t you? The rest of us may start there but by working hard eventually get to the point where they make a very good living. Why do people insist on thinking that if you are not working on Wall Street then you must be making minimum wage. The only people that never make more than that are the ones that are not willing to work hard to make more.

I have worked many minimum wage jobs over the years but I worked hard and earned promotions in every single one of them. So tell me why I should feel sorry for someone that lacks the drive to better themselves.
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ta on February 21st, 2010 9:48 am:

First of all you can’t get foodstamps or welfare unless your wages are at or below the poverty level which is way below $13,000. It’s somewhere around $9,000/per year. The only way to make it on minimum wage is too have a room-mate share the rent and expenses with you. You can get fuel assistance on heating fuel and a discount on the Electric bill. You can’t afford any kind of luxury like cable TV or DSL and all of your furniture is second-hand (Furniture prices are crazy.). Most communities have something called a "Survival Center" where you can get free groceries once a month but you only get a small amount. It’s usually day old bread, almost stale pasta, and canned fruit or vegetables. Sometimes they have fresh vegetables. As for a car forget it; you can’t afford the insurance. The payments on a new or slightly new car are impossible and an old car breaks down all the time and the repair costs are too high. If you’re living on min. wage you’re taking the bus. Massachusetts has the highest rate at $7.50 per hour ($8 next year) and that’s chicken feed. You can do it but it’s a miserable existance. I know.
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geoman470 on February 21st, 2010 10:25 am:

You can if you cheat the government. Tell them you have no income , like some of the illegals , and collect welfare, food stamps, free medical, and then work under the table.

This is exactly how the American taxpayer gets ripped off!

I believe it is treason for US lawmakers to refuse to enforce the laws of this land.
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Micky on February 21st, 2010 10:43 am:

You don’t, especially if you have children,that’s why i’m living with family right now. I was making just a little above minimum and after struggling,starving and selling everything I had, I couldn’t do it on my own anymore.
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spareo1 on February 21st, 2010 11:25 am:

First, I wouldn’t have a car payment. They have car auctions where you can get cars cheap or get a car you can pay off. You can get food supplies at certain Churches, check your area(even on Sundays).
Some thrift stores have excellent clothes, shoes, toys for children. My city pays for low income falilies the utility bill twice a year. Also garage sales offer good furniture & access. also. God bless & have faith for your family’s sake.
One other thing, some cities actually replace appliances if there is a weatherization program. Other places offer free meals, My neighbor has 5children all under 12 and takes them all to free meals frequently.
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tm99 on February 21st, 2010 11:36 am:

Meow Mix:
Yeah, learn Spanish and earn top dollar….. … the kind of Spanish that the Mexicans speak isn’t even considered proper Spanish, and anybody with a common sense would know what kind of shitty money one gets when dealing with people from 3rd world countries. I guess for you Top dollar is what money you can get for your cheap lip stick and fake nails.
Don’t be such a joke, please!!
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Autobot Towhaul on February 21st, 2010 12:21 pm:

You think min wage sucks try a disability check!!!
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*Lanie* on February 21st, 2010 12:53 pm:

you go on welfare and file for foodstamps.
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AMNESTY on February 21st, 2010 1:11 pm:

You cant live on minimum wage. Unless you share your home with another family member. Also if your illegal you cant get welfare or medical /dental/vision.
So, you have a junk car that you cant smog and so you cant drive it. you can get insurance in the US but its 80 dollars a month if your 23 and drive an old car with no real value.
You have no money because you had to go to the dentist to have a tooth pulled because you cant afford a root canal!
You also have bed credit cus you never have enough $ to pay bills medical/ traffic tickets/high utility cost depending were you live.
I guess what I’m trying to say is your broke with bad credit! No, new car/cellphone/Internet/cable/fast food. Most illegals come here and live that way because they can work jobs nobody else wants to barley make the rent. I’m Mexico there is no way to make $. Even if you have a degree. There is no $ in most areas and everyone has to work for 9 dollars a day, just to get dinner on the table! That’s 9 dollars working 9 hours a day.
If your over 35 your considered unemployable and there is no unemployment or disability, not that illegals qualify for that aether. Here its different if you work you eat and save for your bills that’s what counts right.
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just took a trip to mexico

Yahoo is Still Stupid on February 21st, 2010 1:20 pm:

It’s virtually impossible …

After reading some other responses, I want to reply to the one who said "car insurance for $30? no way"

My husband and I are both insured on 2 vehicles for $32 a month. We also both have squeaky clean driving records, no tickets for ANYTHING, no accidents, etc, and we also have some safety features on the car which lower our rate.
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