General Discussion

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)

10. Like anything, it depends on preparation.

Tue Jul 29, 2014, 11:28 AM

Jul 2014

If I were placed in downtown Portland, ME with only the clothes on my back, it'd take a long time and a lot of work to acquire the tools to live decently on that income and ideally to grow beyond it.

But by the second year, or with the resources I have at my disposal today, yes.

Based on my current household
House payment $435
Food $150
Electricity $90
Gas $200
Credit cards $0
Car payments $0
Cellphone $0
Land line + internet $45
Insurance $100
Garbage service: $30
taxes: $375
total: $1425

Full time income at Washington's minimum wage: $1615 + $35 basic food assistance.

I'm fully aware that the factors that enable me to do this aren't available to everyone: good health, a home, no addictions, a reliable car and the tools and skills and abilities to fix things myself and to avoid being exploited by payday lenders and rent-to-own furniture companies.

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Think you can make it on minimum wage? [View all] davidthegnome Jul 2014 OP

And these days most low paying jobs are only part time. Marrah_G Jul 2014 #1

My mortgage alone is 1800 a month yeoman6987 Jul 2014 #3

It would suck to live on minimum wage YarnAddict Jul 2014 #2

I'm not sure that's accurate. davidthegnome Jul 2014 #4

I don't know about the benefits in Maine YarnAddict Jul 2014 #9

I appreciate the well wishes. davidthegnome Jul 2014 #13

This person wouldn't be eligible for SNAP, they make too much money TheKentuckian Jul 2014 #20

i have a real life friend making $700/month in illinois questionseverything Jul 2014 #27

for a childless person making $15,000 a year hfojvt Jul 2014 #37

Why would you not apply for state or federal assistance? lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #14

Stupid, stubborn pride. davidthegnome Jul 2014 #19

Waste of time, they aren't eligible for the food stamps, I don't know about the lifeline phone. TheKentuckian Jul 2014 #29

In Washington, food assistance (and a cellphone and a landline discount) lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #33

I ran the calculator for Maine, they get squat. TheKentuckian Jul 2014 #34

My wacked out Republican coworker thinks you can easily survive on minimum wage... tridim Jul 2014 #5

Minimum wage jambo101 Jul 2014 #6

"Think you can make it on minimum wage?" NaturalHigh Jul 2014 #7

Nope. PasadenaTrudy Jul 2014 #8

Like anything, it depends on preparation. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #10

Is that income before or after taxes? davidthegnome Jul 2014 #15

Your scenario was predicated on no dependents. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2014 #32

I could survive on minimum wage. If I held four such jobs. closeupready Jul 2014 #11

I could survive on minimum wage. NCTraveler Jul 2014 #12

David... grasswire Jul 2014 #16

I live on $1137 a month from SSDI Kaleva Jul 2014 #17

Throw rent in and just barely making it becomes not gonna make it real quick. TheKentuckian Jul 2014 #21

Take car payments out, and raise cell phone bills Reter Jul 2014 #18

My cell phone service is $10 a month. The smart phone I use was $50. DesMoinesDem Jul 2014 #23

I'd hump someone's leg to pay that :) Reter Jul 2014 #24

Airvoice wireless. Its not unlimited, but I don't use my phone that much. DesMoinesDem Jul 2014 #26

My answer is no. I don't see how you'd finagle it long term. TheKentuckian Jul 2014 #22

David, here's a link to that Hotel Hell episode grasswire Jul 2014 #25

I am on Social Security and after the Medicare premium, RebelOne Jul 2014 #28

Well, that constitutes a $1.25 an hour raise plus makes their income tax free, and they still TheKentuckian Jul 2014 #30

Your manager sounds like a real piece of work. surrealAmerican Jul 2014 #31

I know I could hfojvt Jul 2014 #35

I don't have to imagine it - I lived it. davidthegnome Jul 2014 #38

If you take "rent" out of the equation, it seems do-able oberliner Jul 2014 #36