subside, yes ... live? not with medical expenses

I would say it depends on where you live. I couldn't live on that.

Of course someone can live on minimum wage. Would it be an easy living? Probably not.

That would be tough. At full time employment and before taxes, that puts one at the poverty level. After taxes you would be below the poverty level.

The minimum wage in WA state is $13.50/hour and even that is a tough to live on income. Teenage babysitters here make more than $7.50/hour!!

It would be possible, but not fun. DH and I lived on very little money when he was getting extra training for two years and I was the sole wage earner. It wasn't easy and we lived in a way that most people would not, such as having an apartment on the second floor of a house with shared bathroom, no proper stove and very cold. For us, we determined that it would be a temporary situation and that the future would be brighter. Short term pain for long term gain.

A person would need to lower expectations but they could. As someone stated above a lot would depend where you lived. There are many older people living on that amount or less which is why SSI is available for people over 65.

You'd need luck as well as skill in extreme frugal living. Luck to not get sick (medical bills), not get in a car accident (repair bills), or incur any other sort of day-to-day hardship that requires time away from work, or money, to fix.

we live in the mid-west so lower cost of living here. I feel sorry got those on only S,S, What they had saved with the low interest rate it has to be hard.

Some attack the plan to raise the minimum wage, but the plan wouldn't be the instant jump they portray. It would phase in over many years. There's a very selfish faction in this nation today.

I can't imagine how people could live like that. If the prospect of living on that kind of wage does not motivate you to get an education, then I don't know what will.

As for raising the minimum wage, people are working very hard to eliminate minimum wage workers where I live, through AI/ML, whatever you want to call the next phase of automation. The handwriting about low knowledge and low skill work has been on the wall for over half a century- Archie Bunker knew Mike needed a college education, no secret here for half a century at least.

Only with a roommate or two here in michigan. But here you can get health insurance with most full time jobs.

By the time taxes, etc. are taken out, it's less than $7.50. Let's say a person gets $6/hr. after taxes and works a 40-hour week. $6 x 40 = $240/week or $960/month.

The person would have to have some special living circumstances like living with family and no car. Even then, it would be tough.

Live on my teacher retirement successfully. My social security is put into savings for emergency and special needs. Living fine.

If one shares living accommodation with another wage-earner Or two, or three, or four. If one works more than a 40-hour week, and especially if one works a second, part-time job. There are other considerations, like what kind of wardrobe is needed, if it is provided, who pays for cleaning it, what the commute costs are, what debt does one have.

Not if you have a kid or two.

No, I don’t believe that anyone can live on that in these times without working 60+ hours a week or get State assistance. And while it’s true that education is more important now than ever, in THIS country, the affordability is a roadblock for many. Every person regardless of age, should have a path available to them for a college education. Unfortunately, not everyone has the means to go. Then there are others who’ve invested in a lifetime of debt to go and still can’t find a job. IMO, there are a lot of people who are screwed no matter what they do.

Lukki, there are educational opportunities available at all income levels. First, if you are poor, the financial aid provided by universities is astounding. At my children's university, the 75k per year tuition is free if your family earn less than 90k (not positive about this threshold number, but am close.) Second, community colleges are still super cheap and offer plenty of two year degrees in fields where employers need workers trained. And third, here is vocational education in the trades which leads to good paying jobs in construction. Welders for example are in short supply and well compensated.

Add to this landscape the unbelievable resources available to teach many programming skills online and for free or almost free. Consider the same Machine Learning class my children have taken is available on Coursera for free or practically nothing if you want a certificate of completion. This course leads directly to employment. Of course if you don't have the math or CS skills you can't really take it, but you can acquire those at a CC and then poof, presto, you have a skill in high demand.

The fantasy of going to a four year, residential college is not affordable for all. That is the Rolls Royce option. Absolutely. There are many alternatives suited to a variety of needs, though.

I work with recent immigrants from Latin America. They are well and truly poor. They have huge disadvantages, but they know the value of education and they know what opportunity looks like. They do not complain about the cost of CC, or Coursera or state schools. In fact they work so hard they often get to top rated schools on a full ride. They humble me daily.

1. Is this a steady 8 hour a day job with benefits? (doubtful)

2. What rent do you pay?

3. One person household?

4. Live within walking distance of job or car expenses?

5. Know how to prepare dried beans in a variety of ways?

6. Ready to navigate social service systems in case of health problems?

7. Have a little cushion money saved for the end of the month?

Maybe there are other questions.

Almost anything can be endured if it's short term and especially if you have family that is there to back you up.

When my son was in grade 11 he said he didn't want to go on to post grade 12 training of any sort whether it be a trade or university. He also didn't know what he wanted to do. I sat down with him and made a budget based on making $10/hr. and had him make some living cost estimates.

He was way off on his rent, he forgot the cost of contacts and solutions, he forgot the cost of tenants insurance, he assumed he could take the car that he shared with his brother but then I pointed out the cost of insurance and gas. He ran out of money pretty quickly and that didn't allow for skiing or a beer with his buddies.

Then we went to $15/hr and for him, it still wasn't enough for basic living but we're in a high cost city.

He went onto college. Can you do it, maybe if you're living at home or with a bunch of room mates.

One of those interesting things that happened to me when I wanted to apply for financial aid was my parents considered their income tax forms as something they did not want to release. Although now I know of ways around it but the kicker would still be that the student does not live with parents it is difficult to apply for financial aid without your parents 1040. It is very easy to state that all students need to do is to apply for financial aid the reality for those who have been living away from parents or have been in foster care which includes being orphaned is that it is a day dream.

I knew about living poor but unlike many of the returning GIs I did have enough income that I never had to depend on catsup soup, catsup, water, and packet of crackers for my meals. One of those things that is still important but not as important as it used to be especially for women is to have your first job a professional one. That non-professional one can undo any amount of college as far as future promotions.

Zalco, I agree, there are opportunities for some, but not for all. You do have to jump through some hoops to qualify for aid or scholarships. Our college system excludes a lot of kids for a variety of reasons and even when some aid is provided, there is still a serious financial burden put on the student and/or their families. My husband was a lifetime student. He obtained his first Masters (Astro Physics) in Moscow while it was still communist. He obtained his 2nd Masters in English & a Computer Sciences degree in Sweden after defecting. Then he came here and started taking some miscellanious classes at the Jr. College. He was pretty surprised to see just how expensive and broken our college school system really is. I talk to medical students all the time through work and the debt they are incurring for their careers is shocking.

Edited to clarify my thoughts.

My parents used an agency for their caregivers. After the agency took their cut, the caregivers really didn’t make that much, not much more than minimum wage. Some lived with their families, spouses, etc. One, I remember she lived with her sister and a cousin in a hotel room. This is not uncommon, because for an apartment you need first and last month’s rent, deposits for utilities, etc, and it is almost impossible to accumulate that cash on a low wage. But, hotel can be more expensive over the month, and there are not good cooking facilities, so you rely more on convenience or take-out. And without a car (down payment, insurance), you rely more on Uber or taxi, if public transportation doesn’t take you where you need to go. One had to travel 8 miles from my parents’ home to a bus, another could walk the 3 miles to and from the train in nice weather. On the other end, she had only a mile walk.

And it can be hard to get the training to get better jobs. Even if your tuition is reduced or free, in class is time you’re not getting paid, yet your expenses continue.

I agree there are many ways for children to fall through the cracks. I don't think we should design the system with that in mind. Minimum wage laws have a serious impact on employment at the lower end of the spectrum. My town has raised the minimum wage and we are losing restaurants fast (before Covid.)

Maifleur, I always wondered what young adults who are estranged from their families are supposed to do about financial aid forms.

Bpath, the tension between being able to afford help we deem essential and the desire to pay unskilled people a decent wage is a real dilemma, isn't it? The way we spend our resources is the truest indication of our values.

It would be difficult, but doable, but a lot depends on where you live and what the job offers. For instance a waitress job with tips might pay well above a decent amount depending on tips or if you get a meal or two included as a part of your perks. Another job may offer insurance, but pay less. I also think having some side skills or a side hustle would be quite useful.

Zalco our niece lived with us because of difficulties with her mother. I provided proof to the college that she was not on our income taxes. Since she was using our address with the college that was considered proof she was living there. Other than that a young person must go to court and be declared an emancipated minor. Hard to do and would take money from any college fund. In states that the age of emancipation is 18 vs 21 the way some are/were the other method at that time was proof that the young person was living separate from the parent. The proof needed was rental receipts or utility bills in their own name for two years. I am not certain what would be accepted now but I do know those parental 1040's are what most want.

After the mandatory dorms the first year she shared apartments and worked for her own expenses. She kept her expenses low enough that she had paid off her loans by the time she was 28. I am very proud of her as you can tell.

Thank you for he explanation, maifleur. What a blessing you were to your niece. I can guarantee there are not many aunts who would do what you did.

Who is going to care for our aged and infirm? Who will provide child care for the working parent? Who will pick crops; kill and dismember fowl and beef; construct hour house; replace your roof; mow your lawn; stock your grocery shelves; log trees; turn over the landfills? (And on and on.)

We need a lot of workers for whom a college education is not necessary, even if were free. IMO we need to return to a more meaningful HS education -- and one that includes apprenticeships. We need fewer college diploma mills and test-in, taxpayer funded higher educationn (for fewer than four years and beyond that).

If the HS diploma represented more than 'time served', more employers could drop the degree requirement for many 'white collar' 'positions'.

Who is going to care for our aged and infirm? Who will provide child care for the working parent? Who will pick crops; kill and dismember fowl and beef; construct hour house; replace your roof; mow your lawn; stock your grocery shelves; log trees; turn over the landfills? (And on and on.)

The same underpaid people who do it now.

As in the past it's all about what society values and admires. Apparently even at this late date the good old USA is on the whole comfortable with routine exploitation of labor. Because for all of the people who object to it the general situation is still that entire occupations throughout the country consistently pay peanuts. Even on the sole proprietorship, small business level if the owner-operator can get a crew that will work for low enough pay then that means the owner's month in a Maui condo each year is financed by the annual savings in labor.

Same basic mentality and practices prevail on up to the mega corporate level, where in retailing for instance Wal-Mart became the shining example with its taxpayer underwritten* profits adding a second area of exploitation.

*Public assistance programs compensating for across the board low wages and part time hours, local communities paying for and providing mega store site development, and so on

I remember minimum wage at $1.60 when I got out of high school. When you account for inflation that is over $4 an hour more than the $7.25 federal minimum wage now. It works out to $11 and change. Most states have higher state minimums. I know that the minimum at the time was not something you could have lived on. I was saving up for college expenses-the stuff scholarships did not pay for and my mother was very opposed to my going to college.

patricae = good point. When I was in university I made $1.70/hr working part time and my tuition costs were $500 a year and I could budget $150/yr for books.

Tuition is now $5000/yr (Canadian university but a community college is the same) so it has gone up 10x but the minimum wage has definitely not gone up 10x.

Hadn’t looked at minimum wage in a while. Here it’s $13, 13.75 if you work in fast food. Will be going up end of the year. Won’t buy luxury but it’s not as bad as I thought.

An important question is whether there are others in the household who could contribute. Sharing expenses can help and for many people around the world a single person household is a luxury.

In fact, I think the number of older people living alone in a large house here in the U.S. but who are on the edge of poverty is crazy. If there were programs to help safely rent out rooms both the senior and the renter could improve their budgets.

Colorado min. wage = $11.10hr. Two people making that could afford a house payment here. We still have houses for $275K @ 2.25% interest.

My first job was in 1968 and I earned 5 cents above minimum wage, $1.65. I had a one bedroom apartment that I shared a bath with the woman across the hall in an old house. I did not have a car or a phone. I do not remember skimping on anything I wanted other than bras because the ones I wanted cost over a weeks pay. I do remember thinking that I was glad that there was a grocery store close so I did not have to take a series of buses to the next nearest one. I do not remember using a laundromat but must have. I do not know if you can still rent furnished apartments but I always tried to rent ones that had furniture and paid utilities.

"Who is going to care for our aged and infirm? Who will provide
child care for the working parent? Who will pick crops; kill and
dismember fowl and beef; construct hour house; replace your roof; mow
your lawn; stock your grocery shelves; log trees; turn over the
landfills? (And on and on.)"

"The same underpaid people who do it now."

The people who are doing some of those jobs now are mostly immigrants with few marketable skills (for higher paying jobs), often poor English skills. Even the more skilled areas like construction are filled with people who do beautiful work but do not speak English, so are hired and supervised by someone who does. I would imagine many are exploited the same as farm-workers and other manual labor jobs filled by immigrants.

Even 15 years ago, when I was helping an elderly aunt, she spent some time in a nursing home. ALL of the aides I saw were immigrants. I imagine as some increased their English skills and got more settled here, they moved on to better paying jobs and/or a better education, if needed. I don't see many today's home grown youths needing jobs ever picking crops or being nurse's aides. We really need an immigration policy that allows people willing to work to come here to do those jobs, if we want them done.

Not without Medicaid and food stamps. I don't know how you would pay rent and a car payment/insurance either.

Not in America where you are expected to house yourself, save for retirement, education your children, and pay a lot of money for medical care.

This pandemic has once again highlighted the necessity of paying a decent wage to people who work in nursing homes. Perfect English isn't a requirement for attentive care. This is the recommendation every few years but we let it just slide on by. In the past, minimum wage was for kids. McDonald's jobs were for high schoolers. Now adults and retirees need those jobs. And it isn't just "minimum wage." It's the 5 hour non unionized workday that gets around paying any benefits or job security.

If you are living in your parents basement, maybe you could.

I used to work retail and I could work all day and not even have earned enough to walk over to the grocery and buy a bag of groceries. But, I was working for other reason than the money at that time, so that was my choice.

I knew any number of young ones who were living in their parents basement.

There is no way that you could even afford to rent on that pay.

Hubs and I lived very poor for any number of years when we were young. He served his military time, having joined just before his name would come up in the draft call during Vietnam. He got out and used his GI bill to get an education, got a professional career and he supported and took care of me and the kids. But, I did my part, too by making good use of what he earned.

I have worked mostly all min wage jobs in hospitals and retail and it would never have been enough to live on. When he was in university we lived on a little over two hundred dollars a month. Half of that went to rent. That was early 70s. We had next to nothing..no phone, one tiny little black and white TV and a radio. We ate a lot of cheap soybeans and quick sale reduced produce. We even a couple of time salvaged food from behind the stores where they used to discard it.

We got by. Eventually, we got some food stamps.

We were young and strong then and thought that we were invincible.