If you're working for minimum wage your financial problems are yours alone

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I hear ya

Most of the people that believe all it takes to be successful is ambition and the willingness to work hard, have never faced the problems of those that can't get ahead no matter how hard they work.

They comfort themselves with the belief that failure is always a personal choice so nothing can or should be done about. These are also the same people that are so shocked when the breaking news is a young mother that killed herself and her three children out of desperation and hopelessness.

“Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes”

I have walked a mile in ALL THEIR SHOES.
I've been homeless
I've been to prison
I was given over to the state at the age of 7
I've lived in the ghetto
I've lived in drug houses

There isn't much in the way of bad luck or poor decisions I haven't experienced. Yet I was able to rise above it all because of my determination to get out of that life.

Excuses are just that....EXCUSES

Guess some of us are so continually knocked down and just don't have the strength or the belief things will ever get better NO MATTER WHAT they do. By this time in my life I want to raise my kids get them hopefully off to college and then just go hide in the damn woods with my books and watch the world go by without bothering me. I am not sure WHAT it is but I have practically given up thinking I can improve MY life,my wife she has been accepted to college and is working her way through the pile of bullshit to start next fall for her RN degree and I am backing her and dealing with shit work shifts and taking on more work at home to help her. I got my CDL,got injured,then tried college and it wasn't for me I was constantly antsy and scatter brained and just wanted to get away constantly. Its like I am now I HATE staying in one place for more than a month or so at a time....not a great life for a family obviously so the urge is constantly there but so is the KNOWING that my kids need stability etc. Granted both me and the wife look back and realize we REALLY fucked up. She had a bright future ahead of her she wanted to be a chef in a big hotel or eatery etc,me I realize I should NOT have ever had kids as I am just someone who wants to be on the road 24/7. I LOVE finding books,reading books,collecting books and traveling. Mix all that together and well you get what I got now. Miserable,Depressed life I can't WAIT to escape from. Youngest is 20 months so got 16 years still....I wish more than anything I had 2 things growing up. 1. parents that actually gave a shit to push me towards higher education even if it was tech school or something and 2. a mind that didn't run 24/7 and want to escape society and just enjoy freedom.

I hear ya. Just find some good hobbies to get into. Cooking is one great hobby. Nothing like cooking your own fantastic meals. Once you get into it, it can be very fun and rewarding. It's little things that often improve quality of life. Just find a couple hobbies that make you happy. They'll get ya through all the struggles.

And replace the self pity with self determination.

How do you, personally, do that? Just thought it might take the thread in a good direction

When I was at my lowest I got up every morning, took a shower & focused on what can I do today to make it a better day than yesterday. I took shit jobs that paid squat to learn that skill then I moved on. I have never been in the union. I went to ONE technical school and today I can build a house from the ground up to completion. I have no formal training in most of the things you need to know to do it. It requires you to hold your tongue & swallow your pride. Sometimes it pays off, others it doesn't.

The GOVERNMENT has convinced Americans that you need x, y & z to accomplish something or to be within some bullshit bogus parameter that they created. Essentially the government has fooled Americans into being codependent.

I remember one of my first government contracts on a Military base that went south in a hurry. The ACOE had a douchebag that walked around with a clipboard checking off boxes. In one day two of my boxes were not checked and it was a 72 hour fiasco. I had one guy carrying VCT but he was only rated to push a broom. Then I had a guy who got caught rolling vinyl with a industrial broom that had lifting free weights thrown over the broom head. (My idea)
The job was delayed for 3 fucking days because the "method" was not by the book even though it's results were equal & it cost me less money in labor.

Now I'm just rambling. My point is the government has us convinced that their oversight is all we need to survive when in reality it is more of a hinderance. Uncle Sam has a role in my life, crawling up my ass is not one of them

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

All interesting point. However, somebody has to do these jobs. What do you do when they aren't done? no food being picked? No grass verges being mowed? No toilets being cleaned, or other premises. You get a third-world country. Nothing wrong with giving people a liveable wage. Also, don't forget that those minimum wages help keep inflation down. If everybody got paid $100,000 interest rates would go through the roof - supply and demand....everybody would have enough to buy shit, so sellers would put up prices due to scarcity..

It's all based on demand. The going rate for basic yard service that entails mowing edging and weed eating is only five bucks more now than it was in 1980 when I did it as a kid.
Think about that.
You cant even get in the parking lot of the local Quicki Mart at lunch time due to all the trucks pulling trailers packed with lawn equipment and mexicans.

Around here they 25-70 bucks to do a lawn, as a kid I made 3 dollars..

I pay my guy $160 per month to do my front lawn ( I still make my kid mow the back ). He is fast. He comes four times in summer and twice in winter. He's done in under 30 minutes.

You are way off.

Is that for basic lawn service like mowing edging and weed eating?
I can get that done here in Texas for 25 bucks due to the glut of services.
I pay my guy 65 a week but he does everything from planting flowers in the beds 4 or 5 times a year,fertilizes,mulches the beds,pulls weeds,trims the trees and everything else.

Very basic. He mows, whacks weeds and edges. Occasionally spreads some mulch.

Is he a white dude?

 

[ABikerSailor]

I hear ya

I have walked a mile in ALL THEIR SHOES.
I've been homeless
I've been to prison
I was given over to the state at the age of 7
I've lived in the ghetto
I've lived in drug houses

There isn't much in the way of bad luck or poor decisions I haven't experienced. Yet I was able to rise above it all because of my determination to get out of that life.

Excuses are just that....EXCUSES

Guess some of us are so continually knocked down and just don't have the strength or the belief things will ever get better NO MATTER WHAT they do. By this time in my life I want to raise my kids get them hopefully off to college and then just go hide in the damn woods with my books and watch the world go by without bothering me. I am not sure WHAT it is but I have practically given up thinking I can improve MY life,my wife she has been accepted to college and is working her way through the pile of bullshit to start next fall for her RN degree and I am backing her and dealing with shit work shifts and taking on more work at home to help her. I got my CDL,got injured,then tried college and it wasn't for me I was constantly antsy and scatter brained and just wanted to get away constantly. Its like I am now I HATE staying in one place for more than a month or so at a time....not a great life for a family obviously so the urge is constantly there but so is the KNOWING that my kids need stability etc. Granted both me and the wife look back and realize we REALLY fucked up. She had a bright future ahead of her she wanted to be a chef in a big hotel or eatery etc,me I realize I should NOT have ever had kids as I am just someone who wants to be on the road 24/7. I LOVE finding books,reading books,collecting books and traveling. Mix all that together and well you get what I got now. Miserable,Depressed life I can't WAIT to escape from. Youngest is 20 months so got 16 years still....I wish more than anything I had 2 things growing up. 1. parents that actually gave a shit to push me towards higher education even if it was tech school or something and 2. a mind that didn't run 24/7 and want to escape society and just enjoy freedom.

I hear ya. Just find some good hobbies to get into. Cooking is one great hobby. Nothing like cooking your own fantastic meals. Once you get into it, it can be very fun and rewarding. It's little things that often improve quality of life. Just find a couple hobbies that make you happy. They'll get ya through all the struggles.

And replace the self pity with self determination.

How do you, personally, do that? Just thought it might take the thread in a good direction

When I was at my lowest I got up every morning, took a shower & focused on what can I do today to make it a better day than yesterday. I took shit jobs that paid squat to learn that skill then I moved on. I have never been in the union. I went to ONE technical school and today I can build a house from the ground up to completion. I have no formal training in most of the things you need to know to do it. It requires you to hold your tongue & swallow your pride. Sometimes it pays off, others it doesn't.

The GOVERNMENT has convinced Americans that you need x, y & z to accomplish something or to be within some bullshit bogus parameter that they created. Essentially the government has fooled Americans into being codependent.

I remember one of my first government contracts on a Military base that went south in a hurry. The ACOE had a douchebag that walked around with a clipboard checking off boxes. In one day two of my boxes were not checked and it was a 72 hour fiasco. I had one guy carrying VCT but he was only rated to push a broom. Then I had a guy who got caught rolling vinyl with a industrial broom that had lifting free weights thrown over the broom head. (My idea)
The job was delayed for 3 fucking days because the "method" was not by the book even though it's results were equal & it cost me less money in labor.

Now I'm just rambling. My point is the government has us convinced that their oversight is all we need to survive when in reality it is more of a hinderance. Uncle Sam has a role in my life, crawling up my ass is not one of them

See..............there is your problem. The military is very picky about how things get done. I know, spent 20 years with them.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I hear ya

Guess some of us are so continually knocked down and just don't have the strength or the belief things will ever get better NO MATTER WHAT they do. By this time in my life I want to raise my kids get them hopefully off to college and then just go hide in the damn woods with my books and watch the world go by without bothering me. I am not sure WHAT it is but I have practically given up thinking I can improve MY life,my wife she has been accepted to college and is working her way through the pile of bullshit to start next fall for her RN degree and I am backing her and dealing with shit work shifts and taking on more work at home to help her. I got my CDL,got injured,then tried college and it wasn't for me I was constantly antsy and scatter brained and just wanted to get away constantly. Its like I am now I HATE staying in one place for more than a month or so at a time....not a great life for a family obviously so the urge is constantly there but so is the KNOWING that my kids need stability etc. Granted both me and the wife look back and realize we REALLY fucked up. She had a bright future ahead of her she wanted to be a chef in a big hotel or eatery etc,me I realize I should NOT have ever had kids as I am just someone who wants to be on the road 24/7. I LOVE finding books,reading books,collecting books and traveling. Mix all that together and well you get what I got now. Miserable,Depressed life I can't WAIT to escape from. Youngest is 20 months so got 16 years still....I wish more than anything I had 2 things growing up. 1. parents that actually gave a shit to push me towards higher education even if it was tech school or something and 2. a mind that didn't run 24/7 and want to escape society and just enjoy freedom.

I hear ya. Just find some good hobbies to get into. Cooking is one great hobby. Nothing like cooking your own fantastic meals. Once you get into it, it can be very fun and rewarding. It's little things that often improve quality of life. Just find a couple hobbies that make you happy. They'll get ya through all the struggles.

And replace the self pity with self determination.

How do you, personally, do that? Just thought it might take the thread in a good direction

When I was at my lowest I got up every morning, took a shower & focused on what can I do today to make it a better day than yesterday. I took shit jobs that paid squat to learn that skill then I moved on. I have never been in the union. I went to ONE technical school and today I can build a house from the ground up to completion. I have no formal training in most of the things you need to know to do it. It requires you to hold your tongue & swallow your pride. Sometimes it pays off, others it doesn't.

The GOVERNMENT has convinced Americans that you need x, y & z to accomplish something or to be within some bullshit bogus parameter that they created. Essentially the government has fooled Americans into being codependent.

I remember one of my first government contracts on a Military base that went south in a hurry. The ACOE had a douchebag that walked around with a clipboard checking off boxes. In one day two of my boxes were not checked and it was a 72 hour fiasco. I had one guy carrying VCT but he was only rated to push a broom. Then I had a guy who got caught rolling vinyl with a industrial broom that had lifting free weights thrown over the broom head. (My idea)
The job was delayed for 3 fucking days because the "method" was not by the book even though it's results were equal & it cost me less money in labor.

Now I'm just rambling. My point is the government has us convinced that their oversight is all we need to survive when in reality it is more of a hinderance. Uncle Sam has a role in my life, crawling up my ass is not one of them

See..............there is your problem. The military is very picky about how things get done. I know, spent 20 years with them.

The problems weren't exclusive to the military. I did HUD housing, schools and other projects and the same over the top regulatory bullshit was on all of them.

 

[ABikerSailor]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Well, if you're as old as I am, landscape companies weren't required, because kids were the ones running up and down the streets, mowing lawns for 5 bucks. I was one of them.

Now? Kids don't seem to want to do stuff like that, and some people just don't have the ability or time. Before I moved in with my room mate, she paid people to do her lawn because she has mobility problems. Now, I'm the one that mows the lawn and saves her the money (she pays me back with good cooking though).

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I hear ya
I hear ya. Just find some good hobbies to get into. Cooking is one great hobby. Nothing like cooking your own fantastic meals. Once you get into it, it can be very fun and rewarding. It's little things that often improve quality of life. Just find a couple hobbies that make you happy. They'll get ya through all the struggles.

And replace the self pity with self determination.

How do you, personally, do that? Just thought it might take the thread in a good direction

When I was at my lowest I got up every morning, took a shower & focused on what can I do today to make it a better day than yesterday. I took shit jobs that paid squat to learn that skill then I moved on. I have never been in the union. I went to ONE technical school and today I can build a house from the ground up to completion. I have no formal training in most of the things you need to know to do it. It requires you to hold your tongue & swallow your pride. Sometimes it pays off, others it doesn't.

The GOVERNMENT has convinced Americans that you need x, y & z to accomplish something or to be within some bullshit bogus parameter that they created. Essentially the government has fooled Americans into being codependent.

I remember one of my first government contracts on a Military base that went south in a hurry. The ACOE had a douchebag that walked around with a clipboard checking off boxes. In one day two of my boxes were not checked and it was a 72 hour fiasco. I had one guy carrying VCT but he was only rated to push a broom. Then I had a guy who got caught rolling vinyl with a industrial broom that had lifting free weights thrown over the broom head. (My idea)
The job was delayed for 3 fucking days because the "method" was not by the book even though it's results were equal & it cost me less money in labor.

Now I'm just rambling. My point is the government has us convinced that their oversight is all we need to survive when in reality it is more of a hinderance. Uncle Sam has a role in my life, crawling up my ass is not one of them

See..............there is your problem. The military is very picky about how things get done. I know, spent 20 years with them.

The problems weren't exclusive to the military. I did HUD housing, schools and other projects and the same over the top regulatory bullshit was on all of them.

It's why I got out of machining flight hardware for NASA.
Their shit made ISO9000 look like prekindergarten shit.
It didnt matter if a small bevel that had zero effect on the parts functionality was a few thousands out of tolerance they scrapped the part.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I hear ya
I hear ya. Just find some good hobbies to get into. Cooking is one great hobby. Nothing like cooking your own fantastic meals. Once you get into it, it can be very fun and rewarding. It's little things that often improve quality of life. Just find a couple hobbies that make you happy. They'll get ya through all the struggles.

And replace the self pity with self determination.

How do you, personally, do that? Just thought it might take the thread in a good direction

When I was at my lowest I got up every morning, took a shower & focused on what can I do today to make it a better day than yesterday. I took shit jobs that paid squat to learn that skill then I moved on. I have never been in the union. I went to ONE technical school and today I can build a house from the ground up to completion. I have no formal training in most of the things you need to know to do it. It requires you to hold your tongue & swallow your pride. Sometimes it pays off, others it doesn't.

The GOVERNMENT has convinced Americans that you need x, y & z to accomplish something or to be within some bullshit bogus parameter that they created. Essentially the government has fooled Americans into being codependent.

I remember one of my first government contracts on a Military base that went south in a hurry. The ACOE had a douchebag that walked around with a clipboard checking off boxes. In one day two of my boxes were not checked and it was a 72 hour fiasco. I had one guy carrying VCT but he was only rated to push a broom. Then I had a guy who got caught rolling vinyl with a industrial broom that had lifting free weights thrown over the broom head. (My idea)
The job was delayed for 3 fucking days because the "method" was not by the book even though it's results were equal & it cost me less money in labor.

Now I'm just rambling. My point is the government has us convinced that their oversight is all we need to survive when in reality it is more of a hinderance. Uncle Sam has a role in my life, crawling up my ass is not one of them

See..............there is your problem. The military is very picky about how things get done. I know, spent 20 years with them.

The problems weren't exclusive to the military. I did HUD housing, schools and other projects and the same over the top regulatory bullshit was on all of them.

Didn't say they were exclusive to the military, but I also know that officious assholes like mid level positions in the military, because a lot of them stay there.

And, I'd be willing to bet that working with the military was harder on you for regs and rules than working at HUD or other government jobs.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Back in my youth we did the yard work. I made a crap load of money for a 15 year old.
During the summer I brought home 300 hundred bucks a week and that was in 1980.

 

[ABikerSailor]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Back in my youth we did the yard work. I made a crap load of money for a 15 year old.
During the summer I brought home 300 hundred bucks a week and that was in 1980.

On my street in Amarillo, the average person charges 20 bucks per lawn, 30 if you have them edge it. So, if you did 5 lawns a day, and only 2 of them want it edged, you would make 120 a day. And that's just for the lots that are your standard house lot in the city.

Yeah, if you have enough lawns to take care of, you can make a living at it. My neighbor does during the summer.

 

[Flash]

$1.2 trillion is given away in government gifts each and every year. Literally twice as much as is given away in the form of "welfare".

And that's just on the federal level. I'm not even counting the state government gifts.

THAT is the biggest drag on our economy.

And we just had one dumb fuck roger up on giving away more government gifts. To Carrier.

These tards have the whole thing BACKWARDS. Completely backwards.

Since you seemed concerned about things like this so then you should join me to advocate that the filthy ass oppressive federal government not be in the business of taking money away from the people that earn it and give it away to the assholes that didn't earn it. No welfare, no bailouts, no subsidies, no gifts, no foreign aid and no entitlements.

Are you in? Do you really believe what you say?

 

[LoneLaugher]

I hear ya
I hear ya. Just find some good hobbies to get into. Cooking is one great hobby. Nothing like cooking your own fantastic meals. Once you get into it, it can be very fun and rewarding. It's little things that often improve quality of life. Just find a couple hobbies that make you happy. They'll get ya through all the struggles.

And replace the self pity with self determination.

How do you, personally, do that? Just thought it might take the thread in a good direction

When I was at my lowest I got up every morning, took a shower & focused on what can I do today to make it a better day than yesterday. I took shit jobs that paid squat to learn that skill then I moved on. I have never been in the union. I went to ONE technical school and today I can build a house from the ground up to completion. I have no formal training in most of the things you need to know to do it. It requires you to hold your tongue & swallow your pride. Sometimes it pays off, others it doesn't.

The GOVERNMENT has convinced Americans that you need x, y & z to accomplish something or to be within some bullshit bogus parameter that they created. Essentially the government has fooled Americans into being codependent.

I remember one of my first government contracts on a Military base that went south in a hurry. The ACOE had a douchebag that walked around with a clipboard checking off boxes. In one day two of my boxes were not checked and it was a 72 hour fiasco. I had one guy carrying VCT but he was only rated to push a broom. Then I had a guy who got caught rolling vinyl with a industrial broom that had lifting free weights thrown over the broom head. (My idea)
The job was delayed for 3 fucking days because the "method" was not by the book even though it's results were equal & it cost me less money in labor.

Now I'm just rambling. My point is the government has us convinced that their oversight is all we need to survive when in reality it is more of a hinderance. Uncle Sam has a role in my life, crawling up my ass is not one of them

See..............there is your problem. The military is very picky about how things get done. I know, spent 20 years with them.

The problems weren't exclusive to the military. I did HUD housing, schools and other projects and the same over the top regulatory bullshit was on all of them.

Ah. The nebulous "over-regulation" is the culprit.

 

[Flash]

Unfortunately, too many Americans' hearts have turned cold. The Devil has gotten inside them. The Devil is always there, trying to get into our hearts and minds. He preys on human weaknesses like greed and hate.

I truly believe more Americans desperately need the power of prayer. God is real. God is stronger the Devil. He can keep the Devil away. We need to help our fellow Americans. And if most would just let go of their greed, bitterness, and fear, we can do that.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Back in my youth we did the yard work. I made a crap load of money for a 15 year old.
During the summer I brought home 300 hundred bucks a week and that was in 1980.

On my street in Amarillo, the average person charges 20 bucks per lawn, 30 if you have them edge it. So, if you did 5 lawns a day, and only 2 of them want it edged, you would make 120 a day. And that's just for the lots that are your standard house lot in the city.

Yeah, if you have enough lawns to take care of, you can make a living at it. My neighbor does during the summer.

I mowed three a day five days a week. I'd have em all knocked out by around one or two in the afternoon.
Being 15 and in the 80's I was rolling in dough compared to my buddies who were 16 and working at MickyD's.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Unfortunately, too many Americans' hearts have turned cold. The Devil has gotten inside them. The Devil is always there, trying to get into our hearts and minds. He preys on human weaknesses like greed and hate.

I truly believe more Americans desperately need the power of prayer. God is real. God is stronger the Devil. He can keep the Devil away. We need to help our fellow Americans. And if most would just let go of their greed, bitterness, and fear, we can do that.

Awww Fuck thats funny!!!!

 

[Dschrute3]

I think Trump supports raising the Minimum Wage. I hope it happens. If we refuse to help our struggling fellow Americans, what good are we?

He supports raising the MW on a local level where it belongs


.

I can live with that.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Well, if you're as old as I am, landscape companies weren't required, because kids were the ones running up and down the streets, mowing lawns for 5 bucks. I was one of them.

Now? Kids don't seem to want to do stuff like that, and some people just don't have the ability or time. Before I moved in with my room mate, she paid people to do her lawn because she has mobility problems. Now, I'm the one that mows the lawn and saves her the money (she pays me back with good cooking though).

Jesus!! How old are you?
I was getting 20 a yard in the eighties.

 

[ABikerSailor]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Well, if you're as old as I am, landscape companies weren't required, because kids were the ones running up and down the streets, mowing lawns for 5 bucks. I was one of them.

Now? Kids don't seem to want to do stuff like that, and some people just don't have the ability or time. Before I moved in with my room mate, she paid people to do her lawn because she has mobility problems. Now, I'm the one that mows the lawn and saves her the money (she pays me back with good cooking though).

Jesus!! How old are you?
I was getting 20 a yard in the eighties.

I'm 52. Did most of my lawn mowing in the late 60's and early 70's. And, it was small towns where things were a bit cheaper than the cities. Interesting that you were getting 20 bucks in the 80's, and 20 to 30 dollars is what the average lawn goes for now here on my street.

How much do people get per lawn where you live?

 

[Wyatt earp]

When did Americans become so fucking lazy they don't even do the upkeep on their own laws? I don't remember EVER seeing landscaping companies mowing grass on private homes back in the day.

Well, if you're as old as I am, landscape companies weren't required, because kids were the ones running up and down the streets, mowing lawns for 5 bucks. I was one of them.

Now? Kids don't seem to want to do stuff like that, and some people just don't have the ability or time. Before I moved in with my room mate, she paid people to do her lawn because she has mobility problems. Now, I'm the one that mows the lawn and saves her the money (she pays me back with good cooking though).

Jesus!! How old are you?
I was getting 20 a yard in the eighties.

I think he is a baby boomer..

That sounds about right early mid 70s


.

 

[Avatar4321]

Your boss didn't kill your ambition.
Your boss didn't make you fail your education.
I didn't kill your ambition.
I didn't make you fail in school.


If you're an adult working for minimum wage it is YOUR irresponsible choices that led you there.

I wish you had been around in the middle and late 1930's. If your foreman didn't like the way you parted your hair he would tell you to "Go Draw Your Pay." There were ten men in line waiting for a chance to do the job. GOD BLESS FDR. He brought us out of that Republican mess.

If by "brought us out" you mean, made it last for his first three terms, you are absolutely right