In No State Is a 40-Hour Minimum Wage Work Week Enough to Afford a 2bedroom Apartment

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BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2012-05-30 07:20

[Image: http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/578228_384864858230431_595528017_n.jpg]

http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2012/05/29/wow-in-no-state-is-a-40-hour-minimum-wage-work-week-enough-to-afford-a-two-bedroom-apartment/
poor Kitae

This is based on fair market rent, which is an average for each of these respective states
Also, this is based on the idea that you must be able to show that you have 3 times the pre-tax income of your rent payment per month to get an apartment lease.
Drizzit wrote on 2012-05-30 07:31

Why would one person need to pay for a two-bedroom apartment by himself?
BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2012-05-30 07:44

Quote from Drizzit;876045:
Why would one person need to pay for a two-bedroom apartment by himself?

there's people who pay 1/3 to about 1/2 of their pre-tax income on rent.
and then there's single parents with children
and there's couples with children where one stays home to watch the children and the other works

and as said
this chart was made with the presumption you need a pre-tax income that's 3 times your rent to get an apartment lease
Chillax wrote on 2012-05-30 07:47

That wouldn't be enough to rent a studio apartment either, if 3 times the pre-tax income was the requirement.
Spartaaaaa wrote on 2012-05-30 10:44

Instead of raising minimum wage...

Government can:
-Cut taxes (to 0%) for low income families
-Stop devaluing the currency and artificially raising the cost of living

Workers can:
-Work more than 40 hours
-Get a one bedroom apartment and get their finances set before starting a family
-Tap into any of the many private charities in America
Kaeporo wrote on 2012-05-30 11:17

Quote from Spartaaaaa;876074:
Instead of raising minimum wage...

Government can:
-Cut taxes (to 0%) for low income families
-Stop devaluing the currency and artificially raising the cost of living

Workers can:
-Work more than 40 hours
-Get a one bedroom apartment and get their finances set before starting a family
-Tap into any of the many private charities in America

Pretty much this. Get your life in order before you start a family. Stop purchasing vehicles that you won't be able to pay off. You have to make some sacrifices in order to get the things you want without having to deal with high interest loans, etc. The government shouldn't have to pay for your fucking kids.

There's a lot of truth to the phrase "the rich get richer and the poor get children".
Oizen wrote on 2012-05-30 16:50

You cant just raise minimum wage.

That just inflates the dollar, so then the new higher minimum wage would be just as worthless. and so many people need to learn to live within their means...
Mentosftw wrote on 2012-05-30 17:14

Raising min wages makes it more difficult for people to find jobs. Especially teenagers who do not have work experience.
Taycat wrote on 2012-05-31 02:48

>TN
>69

Huehuehue.
Groom wrote on 2012-05-31 08:31

I wonder what the number would be in the UK. As a Brit, I thought that house prices in Texas were seriously cheap, yet that chart says it has "moderate" rent rate.

Also lol @ needing to work more hours in Hawaii than actually exist.
Rin wrote on 2012-05-31 13:26

Live single, split apartment pay with others, live frugally...

But this is assuming everybody is paid minimum wage.
whocares8128 wrote on 2012-05-31 19:45

So, someone earning minimum wage cannot afford an average-level two-bedroom apartment by themselves... where is the problem? Perhaps they can choose one of the cheaper two-bedroom apartments instead.

I don't mean to be mean here, but minimum wage was never meant to provide adequate income to raise a family with. There are people who work plenty more than 40 hours per week to make ends meet. It's a tough living, but (as I said to my friend, who complained about the costs of basic necessities) "your survival is not guaranteed."
Kingofrunes wrote on 2012-06-02 22:51

Quote from Groom;876783:
I wonder what the number would be in the UK. As a Brit, I thought that house prices in Texas were seriously cheap, yet that chart says it has "moderate" rent rate.

Also lol @ needing to work more hours in Hawaii than actually exist.

Did you see New York? That's where I live.

Fournantely. In the wonderful city of Rochester. I have yet to see the requirement that this chart seems to tout. As it is, I pay $500 a month on rent for a small studio apartment which is sufficient for me and my cat Chen. Right now I don't pay utilities but I will soon so I'll estimate $150 in utilities bringing me up to $650 a month. Now, let's take into account NY's $7.15 minimum wage (or is it $8 now? Haven't paid attention since I started making 2k a month)

In a given month, working at $7.15 minimum wage for 40 hours a week I would end up at $1,144 a month BEFORE taxes. After taxes would most likely be less than 1k. That would leave me $300 or less left to pay loans, internet, and cell phone bills.

Obviously, I wouldn't be able to do it. Loans sap about $400 a month from me as it is and the phone and internet sap another $150. Half my monthly income goes away for that as it is. Of course I actually get 3k a month these days thanks to my monthly bonus.

But for someone who does not have a sweet paying job as I do, it could become extremely difficult to live without cutting certain luxuries such as internet and phone.

This isn't including potential car payments or gas as I don't have to deal with any of that and walk/bike everywhere.

However, I know plenty of people including my sister who has taken on 2-3 jobs to make ends meet. It's not uncommon to see people working 70+ hour work weeks.