How many hours must minimum-wage earners work to afford rent?

[ABikerSailor]

You shouldn't have to work more than 28 hours a week to afford your rent, which leaves you 12 hours a week for spending on other things like food, clothing and transportation.

Do I think that someone should have to work 65 plus hours/week just to afford to live? No. And 67 hours/week is the MINIMUM that the map chart shows.

If you've got a family, that work requirement goes up even farther.

If you're single, want to work 2 jobs (I've done it a couple of times myself, once was for around 8 months so that I could buy a Harley), then by all means, knock yourself out.

But I can tell you, working 2 jobs (8 hours/day on one, 6 hours/day for the second) sucks, and you never have time for any kind of social life.

And..................if people are so concerned about kids growing up and not knowing their parents, maybe if the parents were paid a livable wage, they could spend more time with their kids and help keep them out of trouble.

 

[protectionist]

80 hours or less per week? No one should have to work that many hours to afford rent. 40 hours should be the maximum for full time minimum wage employees. Good God, do people not have a life over there?

yeah we have lives, ones that don't depend on other to pay for them
you all lost that drive somewhere, nothing to be proud of

If you are happy to work all day, come home and sleep, and do it all again seven days a week with no family time, then that is fine. I am free to think you are an idiot.

Agreed. And living with roomates is equally idiotic. I can think of faster ways of dying.

 

[protectionist]

I doubt a minimum wage 40-hour-a-week worker could pay for more than a shared one room efficiency, if the worker lives in a metropolitan area with a weeks pay. I suppose they could go Section 8.

This just isn't true.

Most people just don't consider how inexpensive housing can be if you have roommates. There are all kinds of ads on craigslist for people looking for roomies in the $300-$400 range, some in apartments and some in houses. Like this:

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/roo/4382634423.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/roo/4389089150.html

Sure it won't be the Taj Mahal, and as Gracie said alluded to you'll be buying clothes at thrift stores and not eating out a lot, but it is doable in most cities and plenty of people manage to pull it off.

You do know there's a shortage of affordable housing in America, don't you?
Facing a Critical Shortage of Affordable Housing
Affordable Housing Shortage | Challenges of Affordable Renting
Why the Rent Is Too Damn High
High rents: America?s ridiculous shortage of apartment buildings is pushing rents way up.
Nation's Renters Face Severe Affordable Rental Shortage
Nation's Renters Face Severe Affordable Rental Shortage: National Low Income Housing Coalition
The U.S. Simply Doesn't Have Enough Available Rental Housing, Whether You're Rich or Poor
The U.S. Simply Doesn't Have Enough Available Rental Housing, Whether You're Rich or Poor - Emily Badger - The Atlantic Cities

There should be mandatory, national rent control. Shelter is the # 1 element of human survival, according to anthropologists. It is far too important to be left to the insensitive winds of the MARKET. This is like leaving everyone's security to the winds of a hurricane.
We would adjust for that. Same should be done for housing.

 

[protectionist]

In the Tampa, FL area a housing is rented requiring a 3 times the rent monthly income. Minimum wage could not even come close to that, nor can the fixed low incomes of seniors on Social Security, disabled veterans, etc. Legislation needed to stop this.

 

[Spiderman]

The whining here is deafening.

Why don't you people grow up and learn that no one on this planet owes you anything.

If you're not willing to get off your ass and get what you want then you don't deserve anything.

 

[SteadyMercury]

I have only been working for eight years, and at the age of 30, and not graduating High School, my life earnings so far are at least $200,000.

I don't think that is too bad?

Not bad at all, but AGAIN you can't seem to grasp that anecdotes don't counter a statement on statistical averages. Even if you've made 20 million, the fact remains the average lifetime earnings of people with college degrees are higher than with only high school. I'm sure you'll next point out you know someone who went to college that is homeless, that still doesn't change it.

 

[SteadyMercury]

And living with roomates is equally idiotic. I can think of faster ways of dying.

If you make minimum wage living with roommates is smart and often a necessity, and if you can't think of faster ways of dying you seriously lack imagination.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I think min wage workers can afford rent with a 40 hour work week.

You'll have some roommates and you'll have to budget but it can be done.

I doubt a minimum wage 40-hour-a-week worker could pay for more than a shared one room efficiency, if the worker lives in a metropolitan area with a weeks pay. I suppose they could go Section 8.

Sounds to me like they need to move where the rent is cheaper and ride the bus/train to work. Thats what I did.

 

[R.D.]

Actually no. We have tons of students here who have graduated university but still struggle to find work in the area they are qualified in.

The existence of students struggling to find work doesn't preclude the fact the average lifetime earnings for someone with college degree are much higher than someone with just a high school diploma.

I have only been working for eight years, and at the age of 30, and not graduating High School, my life earnings so far are at least $200,000.

I don't think that is too bad?

Life savings means more. What have you saved?, not even enough to pay for a traffic ticket. That's not too good.

You live hand to mouth is what I garner from your posts, again, not too good.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

80 hours or less per week? No one should have to work that many hours to afford rent. 40 hours should be the maximum for full time minimum wage employees. Good God, do people not have a life over there?

then they best get a few roommates and stop whining.

I you really hate your standard of living.... they should work 120 hours a week to make it better for themselves.

anything else is just lazy and wanting a lifestyle they cant afford handed to them..... becasue they WANT it.

8 hours is a comfortable working life. Anything else should be optional. I don't understand why people would work 18 hours a day and neglect their families.

Wait...what family,you dont have kids. Pretty sure any adult members of your family can get by while you work a few more hours to better support your ahhh..family. Who as adults,should be supporting themselves.

 

[Darkwind]

This might be true, but surely you concede the glaring difference in average lifetime wages between college degree and high school degree?

Actually no. We have tons of students here who have graduated university but still struggle to find work in the area they are qualified in.

The existence of students struggling to find work doesn't preclude the fact the average lifetime earnings for someone with college degree are much higher than someone with just a high school diploma.

How are they defining the difference between a Masters and Professional degree?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Actually no. We have tons of students here who have graduated university but still struggle to find work in the area they are qualified in.

The existence of students struggling to find work doesn't preclude the fact the average lifetime earnings for someone with college degree are much higher than someone with just a high school diploma.

I have only been working for eight years, and at the age of 30, and not graduating High School, my life earnings so far are at least $200,000.

I don't think that is too bad?

The question is,how much of that did you save?
By the time I hit thirty I was making around $55,000. and that was almost twenty years ago,and I didnt graduate either. On top of that most Americans would have been working for six years by the time you got your first job. Whats up with that? If you dont mind me asking.
It's all about how bad you want to succeed.

 

[SteadyMercury]

The question is,how much of that did you save?
By the time I hit thirty I was making around $55,000. and that was almost twenty years ago,and I didnt graduate either. On top of that most Americans would have been working for six years by the time you got your first job. Whats up with that? If you dont mind me asking.
It's all about how bad you want to succeed.

I think ta related question is how much did college person go into debt, and how long it takes them to pull ahead given that debt load. If you paid $200k to go to college and finally graduate at age 32 you're starting out really behind the ball. If the lifetime earnings numbers on that chart are to believed most college graduates would still easily surpass high school graduates.

How are they defining the difference between a Masters and Professional degree?

Professional degree = lawyer, pharmacist, etc. a degree obtained after bachelors that is tied to accredation in a specific career field

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

The question is,how much of that did you save?
By the time I hit thirty I was making around $55,000. and that was almost twenty years ago,and I didnt graduate either. On top of that most Americans would have been working for six years by the time you got your first job. Whats up with that? If you dont mind me asking.
It's all about how bad you want to succeed.

I think ta related question is how much did college person go into debt, and how long it takes them to pull ahead given that debt load. If you paid $200k to go to college and finally graduate at age 32 you're starting out really behind the ball. If the lifetime earnings numbers on that chart are to believed most college graduates would still easily surpass high school graduates.

How are they defining the difference between a Masters and Professional degree?

Professional degree = lawyer, pharmacist, etc. a degree obtained after bachelors that is tied to accredation in a specific career field

I've always heard that but never really paid that much attention to it.
And while I agree with it,history shows that there are a crapload of rich dropouts out there and people that leave highschool dont necessarily do it because they're real life Jeff Spicoli's.

Anyway....I'm pretty sure Noomis absence from the work force till she was twenty two had nothing to do with higher education so it really doesnt matter in this context.

 

[Stephanie]

This just isn't true.

Most people just don't consider how inexpensive housing can be if you have roommates. There are all kinds of ads on craigslist for people looking for roomies in the $300-$400 range, some in apartments and some in houses. Like this:

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/roo/4382634423.html
https://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/roo/4389089150.html

Sure it won't be the Taj Mahal, and as Gracie said alluded to you'll be buying clothes at thrift stores and not eating out a lot, but it is doable in most cities and plenty of people manage to pull it off.

You do know there's a shortage of affordable housing in America, don't you?
Facing a Critical Shortage of Affordable Housing
Affordable Housing Shortage | Challenges of Affordable Renting
Why the Rent Is Too Damn High
High rents: America?s ridiculous shortage of apartment buildings is pushing rents way up.
Nation's Renters Face Severe Affordable Rental Shortage
Nation's Renters Face Severe Affordable Rental Shortage: National Low Income Housing Coalition
The U.S. Simply Doesn't Have Enough Available Rental Housing, Whether You're Rich or Poor
The U.S. Simply Doesn't Have Enough Available Rental Housing, Whether You're Rich or Poor - Emily Badger - The Atlantic Cities

There should be mandatory, national rent control. Shelter is the # 1 element of human survival, according to anthropologists. It is far too important to be left to the insensitive winds of the MARKET. This is like leaving everyone's security to the winds of a hurricane.
We would adjust for that. Same should be done for housing.

You should move to a communist country comrade

 

[DGS49]

The highest rents in the country are the direct result of rent controls.

As inflation increases the market price, people in rent controlled apartments are reluctant to move. In places like New York, they would be crazy to move. Because once you move, the rent control is lifted.

So you have people living in the same building paying multiples of what other people are paying. and the available pool of apartments is dramatically reduced by people who "cannot" move due to very advantageous rent.

Rent control is just another bad liberal idea that seems smart at first but turns out to be a disaster. Kinda like the War on Poverty.

 

[High_Gravity]

The more Democratic leaning states that are always championing a higher minimum wage also tend to be the least affordable places for minimum wage workers to live. On the flip side, the Republican leaning states who generally oppose increasing the minimum wage consequently are the most affordable places for that demographic to live.

How many hours must minimum-wage earners work to afford rent?

Thats interesting isn't it?

 

[High_Gravity]

80 hours or less per week? No one should have to work that many hours to afford rent. 40 hours should be the maximum for full time minimum wage employees. Good God, do people not have a life over there?

then they best get a few roommates and stop whining.

If they really hate their standard of living.... they should work 120 hours a week to make it better for themselves.

anything else is just lazy and wanting a lifestyle they cant afford handed to them..... becasue they WANT it.

120 hours a week? is that even possible?

 

[Uncensored2008]

80 hours or less per week? No one should have to work that many hours to afford rent. 40 hours should be the maximum for full time minimum wage employees. Good God, do people not have a life over there?

then they best get a few roommates and stop whining.

If they really hate their standard of living.... they should work 120 hours a week to make it better for themselves.

anything else is just lazy and wanting a lifestyle they cant afford handed to them..... becasue they WANT it.

120 hours a week? is that even possible?

It would only leave 6.8 hours a day for sleep, but it would be possible.

 

[Spiderman]

then they best get a few roommates and stop whining.

If they really hate their standard of living.... they should work 120 hours a week to make it better for themselves.

anything else is just lazy and wanting a lifestyle they cant afford handed to them..... becasue they WANT it.

120 hours a week? is that even possible?

It would only leave 6.8 hours a day for sleep, but it would be possible.

It is possible for short stretches.

I've lived on 4 hours sleep a night for a few months at a time.