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Would you work for minimum wage?

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Just wanted to poll everyone here. The cost of living keeps going up everywhere, but the minimum wage is still low all over the country.

Most companies these days are looking for cheap labor and even some desk jobs pay minimum wage.

Would you work at minimum wage? Or have you ever worked at minimum wage? Share you experiences...
 
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Off course I would. I worked on minimum wage at a supermarket whilst at university. I learnt about Admin, team work, customer service and it also made me more commercially aware.

You wont be on minimum wage forever. Once you have proved your self you manager will be looking to promote you. Or you can carry on looking for a better paid job.

Its better to be working on the minimum wage then sitting at home.

But it depends on your circumstances.

Good luck
 
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I work for minimum wage.. I make roughly $1200-1400 CDN in-change after the government takes their part, my health benefits come off, and my pension/employment insurance comes off.

That's providing I work a full 80 hours.
 
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Depends on how hungry you are and what commitments you have to meet. Of course we would all work for the minimum wage if there is no other option.
 
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I work for minimum wage.. I make roughly $1200-1400 CDN in-change after the government takes their part, my health benefits come off, and my pension/employment insurance comes off.

That's providing I work a full 80 hours.


In anyones book that is a GOOD minimum wage. Equates to $600-$700 a week. Here in Australia a minimum wage after tax is about $426 ....

But on subject YES i would if i had to. If it came to a place where i didnt have to i wouldnt, but if needed be of course. The sad thing is many wouldnt and would rather sit in there house, drinking drugging and taking money off the Government. Its called the Dole here in Aust.
As for rising Utilities and such its hard here as for instance, 12 months ago a power bill for the 1/4 was $380 odd and now it has gone up 61% in 12 months.
Go figure and i do really feel for the people that struggle and have to turn off every appliance just to try and bring it down. So electricity isnt a necessity anymore its becoming a Luxury that people just cant afford ... End Rant

Cheers
 
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Ya gotts ta eats. I'd give pole dancing a go first though. You never know, maybe I'd be good at it?
 
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Yeah, every 2 weeks I clear about $730 after dedubctions.. I live fairly comfortable to say the least.

One cool thing, I'm moving in with my girl, which will eliminate a rent payment, and I'll be able to afford a car :)

The first one I've ever owend at that!
 
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CrimsonRequiem


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Just be thankful that you have a job. Some people aren't so lucky, especially with this economy.
 
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Not with them legs thanks XJ!
 

vansmith

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Ya gotts ta eats. I'd give pole dancing a go first though. You never know, maybe I'd be good at it?
Thanks for that. :p

Yes, I've worked for minimum wage but that was when I was in high school. Would I now? Absolutely not. There is one simple reason for this: I have three university degrees and I think it's fair to say that warrants a much higher salary.

That said, there is nothing wrong with working for minimum wage. Minimum wage is $10.25/hr in my province which means you make $358.75 before taxes a week which may or may not be enough depending on where you live. As long as someone is comfortable with the job and manages their finances, minimum wage should work. It's set at a certain value for a reason.
 
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Nice one. The ultimate independence that is having a car. It will change your life as you know it :)

Cheers

Oohhhh I know all about it.. I've dated girls who've owned cars.. I'm just at the point in my life where I NEED a car.. Not just want one.
 
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Not with them legs thanks XJ!

LOL. That hurts man.

Seriously though, I worked minimum throughout high school and college as a landscaper and made a tad bit more than that as a LEO. I won't dig holes anymore because I'm just not that fit anymore. I won't be spit on or fight with idiots at 3 AM again for any price because I'm far less patient and tolerant than I was in my 20's, so that's out too. As an AIX Admin with 10+ years working in the enterprise field, I certainly wouldn't provide that specific skill set to any corporation for a minimum wage contract. Fortunately, thanks mainly to my wife's financial planning, we socked away several years worth of living in liquid cash aside from the 401k stuff. The most likely scenario would be my wife going back to work until I found something worth doing. Then again, we still have title to just under 100 acres in Illinois, so I may just retire early and raise Alpacas.
 
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Minimum wage may be the single biggest factor besides unemployment for families living
with their parents or in-laws but that aside yes I like to eat so if I had to so be it.
 

RavingMac

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In a sense we all work for minimum wage, providing we have chosen to work rather than wait on government, family or friends for financial support.

Very few people willingly work for less than their skill, experience and current job market allows them to command. Working or not working (in normal times--a lot of people out of work right now who would rather work) is a choice. How much you earn, minimum wage or much higher, depends on personal circumstance.

Bottomline: to me the question isn't would you work for minimum wage, but do you want to take personal responsibility for your future?
 
C

chas_m

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It's worth mentioning that Canadian minimum wage (I see we have some Canadians besides myself participating, hello!) is quite a bit higher than the US federal minimum wage (depending on the province).

If Audio-Trench lives in Ontario and makes minimum wage, he makes $10.25/hour, or about $20,500 per year. The minimum wage in the US is $7.25/hour, or $14,500/year.

Not to mention (at the risk of derailing this thread) that his basic health insurance is included (A-T makes just under the sum required to pay a $5/month "premium"). Again, health insurance in Canada *varies by province* but is basically provided to everyone on a sliding scale -- and I only mention it because if you are on minimum wage in the US, paying for health insurance (assuming you have it at all) makes a huge impact on your take-home income.

When my wife and I decided to move from Florida in 2007 (just three years ago), the federal minimum wage was $5.85, the first stage of a bill passed by Congress earlier that year to gradually move the minimum wage up, because before that the minimum was $5.15, unchanged from a *decade earlier.* Political junkies will find some interesting reading on this topic "US minimum wage" on Wikipedia.

In any event, WOULD I work for minimum wage? If it was the difference between eating and not eating I certainly would, though I'm long past my young-and-stupid years. Most minimum-wage jobs wouldn't want me, however, and I do have "skillz" and the requisite degrees so I don't have to worry about this. But I'd do whatever I needed to do to support my family if I had to.

It is CRIMINAL in my opinion that minimum wage is not mandated to be pegged to inflation (in both countries!).
 
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It is CRIMINAL in my opinion that minimum wage is not mandated to be pegged to inflation (in both countries!).


World wide. As in my post the price of electricity has gone up 61% in 12 months. Now that is CRIMINAL
 
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World wide. As in my post the price of electricity has gone up 61% in 12 months. Now that is CRIMINAL

That's freaking crazy. Makes me want to start a wind farm and install solar panels.

On a side note, if wages did chase increases in the consumer price index you'd be due for a raise! Of course, the people employed by those who make the goods would get a raise as well, meaning those employers them would need to charge more for the goods. But that would mean another raise! Oh, but everyone would get a raise, which means employing them would cost more, and thus the goods would cost more, and thus wages would go up again. Yeah, another raise! :)
 
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Wow... this can really start an economics debate.... which in turn would lead into a government tax collecting and government spending (wasting) debate.

Over here in Oz we know all to well about Government mismanagement of funds, overtaxing, the selling off of our country's assets, and the endless list goes on.
This isn't just an Oz government issue as you all know.

If we work, we should be able to live comfortably, in some places it will be easier than others.
Starting off in life we don't expect to earn $100,000 a yr, but as we work smarter or harder (as per individual), we earn more, and live more comfortably.
When times are tough, you do what you can, and when times get better, you do what you can.

When I left school, and started my first apprenticeship for $150 wk for my first year, as much as it sucked, it made every year after that seem like I was rich.
The cost of living has also gone up not only due to essentials, but also to do with wants and needs.

Gone are the days of spending no money to entertain ourselves.... for instance, kids now with their PS3's, iPods, iPhones, big screen TVs, etc
Sheesh.... I could just keep going so I'll just stop my rant there :p
 
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Back in the day when I was in the Military I technically worked for LESS than minimum wage, even then...
 

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