How little will you work for?
By sedel1027
@sedel1027 (17846)
Cupertino, California
June 26, 2008 8:37pm CST
Earlier this week the contract that my husband was working on was canceled. Not a HUGE deal but due to the fact that we just moved we have 0 in our saving account and I haven’t worked since the end of May, we don’t have a lot of free cash to keep us floating very long.
I went to a temp agency yesterday to look for a job and said I could start on Monday. Since then the same temp company has come up with a few jobs for him to interview for, a contract he was offered and turned down put an offer in to him, and he went on a job interview with a local company. He has a few interviews et up for next week. His phone has been ringing off the hook.
Back to my original question. Right now we are hand feeding 2 birds (actually 3 but I believe the 3rd may not need to be hand fed much longer). My son is at home with me, so we are not paying daycare. In order for someone to not be home during the day, hand feeding for the birds has to be lined up as well as daycare for my son. We think that the Vet may take the birds in and hand feed them, we haven’t called but we are guessing the price will be around $30/day per bird. On top of that daycare for my son, no clue how much that will costs, but I am guessing $100/week (IF I can even find a daycare). Gas runs me about $35/week. Right there that is $435 of expenses. So, at the last tax rate I was charged, if I made $15/hour – after taxes - I would bring home a whopping $45/week. To me, that is not worth leaving the house for.
This led me to think: how many people out there are working for nothing? I mean, $14 is not a low wage for most folks. I know daycare for my son would be pretty cheap since he is 9, and we only have one child so that helps. My car is super fuel efficient and uses regular gas. I have a friend who I know makes more than $16/hour. She has a fairly fuel efficient car, uses only premium gas, pays daycare for their foster son ($135/week) . She is complaining about costs.
Are your expenses really not worth you working? Are you happy with your “left over” pay? What are you doing to change that?
5 people like this
13 responses
@sassygirlanne007 (4517)
• United States
27 Jun 08
As long as I make minimum wage I am happy. But there was one time that I worked for $2 an hour but thats because I was helping out my friends mom by babysitting for her everyday Monday-Friday for 11 hours a day. I started keeping track of my times to see if she paid me accuretly or not and she accualy paid me more because I was doing other chores for her to. But now that I am trying to move out and get my own place with my boyfriend I need to either find 2 minimum wage jobs or a job that pays more then minimum.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Jun 08
A lot of places - like Starbucks and Barnes and Noble - pay more than minimum. Around here Starbucks pays $8/hour and if you work more than 20 hours a week you get benefits.
1 person likes this
@sassygirlanne007 (4517)
• United States
27 Jun 08
ya thats what I have heard. But where I live its hard to get a job because I don't have a car so I have to catch the bus and I live on the outside of town. But I plan on working at a farm near me soon and then donating plasma 2 times a week. Its better then nothing.
1 person likes this
@amandar658 (547)
•
27 Jun 08
Sometimes I am not happy with the money that I am left over with after all my expenses. Sometimes I do believe that its not worth it to leave the house. But I would not be happy just sitting at home doing nothing all day. I need a job there are bills to be paid. Maybe you cna try to find a job closer where you wouldnt have to use the car. BUt your friend maybe should look into using regular gas as gas is very expensive these days.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Jun 08
When I was working PT and I knew what I made would help pay the bills, plus I had health insurance, I didn't mind it so much. I have too much to do at home to even think about working full time right now. Almost all the jobs I have looked at do not even offer health or if they do, you have to pay for it.
As far as premium gas goes, some cars are premium only. Her car is that way, my husbands is the same way.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
28 Jun 08
well, i wouldn't want to work if i earn too little... but i am happy to work with minimum wages as well... that is what i earn about 3 and a half years ago when i just first started working in my current company... as the years go by, my salary increases and it is getting much better now... but with the prices of everything increase so much, it is just even out... i hardly have any money left after paying all the bills... and if i do, i put it into savings for emergency purposes... but it is still better than nothing... so i have to take it... take care and have a nice day...
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
27 Jun 08
I have not worked outside of the home for a few years now. My husband works outside of the home for us. Most jobs do not pay very well and with the high gas prices, it is not worth it. I love it now that I work from home. I don't have to go anywhere or need childcare. I do not make a whole lot like I would if I worked outside of the home, but it helps to buy food and pay the bills. I make more at home than what I would with a minimum wage job outside of the home. We live in the country and I would have to travel far for a good paying job, but still gas prices is an issue. Working from home works best for me right now.
1 person likes this
@moonlitmagikchild (22181)
• United States
28 Jun 08
well i know we are trying to find a job that meets the amount we are used to bringing in now so we are kind of trying to figure the same thing out.. but if neither of you are working i would take anything you could get since any money is at least some money.. so yeah you wouldnt be able to pay for everything but maybe you could afford some bills so you wont be like losing everything while waiting for something good.. but that is just me
@texmama (62)
• United States
27 Jun 08
I work part time at a gym daycare for $6.25 an hour, which is a total insult, but I do it because this job lets me bring my kids to work with me and spend more time with them. I also get a free membership as a benefit, thats about a $100 a month value.
It costs me $2 to get to work and back and I work one or two days a week. I wouldn't work anywhere that I had to put my kids in daycare. I tried that before and it was a disaster.
So, here I sit with years of college under my belt, working for minimum wage. It sucks, but I won't go away from my kids again until they are much older.
I have low expenses and am pretty good at saving. Gas prices, though, they are hurting the budget =(
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Jun 08
Even if I could bring my son to work, I could never work for such a little amount. I would have to be really bad off. I haven't work for less than $8/hour in years. When I job hunt I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because of my skill set and college I am worth a lot more than a lot of places want to pay me. I know that if I don't go through a temp agency I have to convince a job owner to hire me because I am okay with making $14/hour.
@golfproo (1839)
• Canada
27 Jun 08
Hi There,
It becomes very discouraging when the costs of working outweigh the benefits. With escalating costs of everything and the inflation which is gripping us, this is becoming more the way of things. I think what happens then is people stop working as much and that in turn hurts the economy even more. It is like a vicious circle. It is unfortunate and I have certainly been there before. To go out and leave a child with daycare, the benefits have to outweigh the costs that is for sure.
cheers,
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
27 Jun 08
I surely wish I was making more as there is very little left after expenses. Still, I've never really had much choice as I have been a single mom since my kids were quite young. When they were really small, It did not make sense for me to pay a sitter and all to work so I did daycare and other things from home to earn money as well as work part time at nite when he could be home with the kids. Years later, I had another child. This time I worked a shift opposite from his so that one or the other of us could be home and avoid daycare costs.
@Bluepatch (2476)
• Trinidad And Tobago
27 Jun 08
Something is better than nothing.
I just got some extra work to supplement my poor-paying job and I'm taking it because I need the money no matter how little it is.
The rate I quoted them for my services is definitely below par but I did it in order to get the work.
For me its better to have something rather than have nothing.
Most of this extra money is to help me live and pay off some horrible debts.
I'm happy for the work.
Better that than nothing.
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
27 Jun 08
At one point i was willing to work for minimum wage BUT now I'm not. Minimum wage here is 8 something an hour...
When i was willing to work for min wage i was working for extra spending money during school or as a teenager. Now i have bills to pay and food to buy and gas to get to work. I need to make at least enough to pay my bills and such.
I currently make about 500 a week minus taxes of course. If i was trying to raise a family and had to feed, cloth and provide day care as well I'd be asking for a bigger raise.
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
27 Jun 08
I think if many people did the math, they would discover that they'd be better off being at home. Years ago, my step-daughter wanted to stay home with her kids. When we figured out all the costs of her working - day care for one full time, plus after school care for 2, gas, lunch, dry cleaning (she had to wear suits to work), etc. she discovered that she was only really contributing $200 a month to the family expenses. Her hubby was able to make up most of that by working over time (which he couldn't do when she was also working) and eating out less made up the rest.
I haven't worked full time myself for 5 years and haven't worked part time for 3, but it's not because I don't want to but because I can't. (Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, arthritis, and lots more!) I'm trying to get disability, but have been turned down.
Thank goodness for sites such as this one. I visit 3 sites regularly, participate in online surveys and do local consumer panels. That's what makes the most for me. With those combined, I can make about $250 a month staying at home. It's not much, but it helps with the rising cost of gas and groceries...and for some of my medical appointments.
@monaliu (344)
•
27 Jun 08
I also need money right now. I work in a company with a very low paid.But I want to learn more experience to be as a good sales.So, I should insist on working here.
but I really need money.my boyfriend want to give some money to me.I refused to accept it.I want to depend by myself!I get some diseas in these days.I would like try to find a part time job,earn more money...pay all the bill of myself!
good luck to both you and me! everything will be ok soon!
