Work Reform

I was about to get pissed. Now I’m cheering.

Whoever wrote the meme lives in a blue state that increased it, and will never think to care about any of the permanent underclass of flyover morlocks in other states.

$60 is the standard price for the highest tier unlimited data plans.
Nevermind that with the ubiquity of WiFi unlimited data isn't really necessary for most people; Most people still just assume they need that.

60 buck monthly phone budget is something that will sound reasonable to the policymakers. "Food budget", however, is completely abstract and negotiable. People who never had to count what they spend on food will argue that everyone can permanently live on the cheapest food items they've ever heard of. Don't forget that according to Fox News, you can eat a whole Thanksgiving dinner for $10. It's dumb, but that's how they think, so you have to meet them there if you want to try and get through to them and make a difference.

It's sustainable because they tolerate it. They just do the horse bit from Animal Farm

By the time most places had $15, it should’ve been $25

For one thing, if you’re human, you need to at least entertain the possibility of vacations.

American media: COMMUNISSSSSSSSST!!!!! AHHHHH!!! UNREASONABLE LAZY MILLENNIAL!!! HANDOUTS!!!

And we need to be clear that “vacations” does not mean travelling. People will do basic tourist crap in Italy and call themselves worldly, whatever. But people do need money to just exist in their own space without working for a week(longer, obviously). People can’t even be tourists in their own cities and towns.

Great Lakes rust belt. Okay well maybe rent is actually $2200 and utilities are $450, but the others aren't too far off if you put in the work to find deals. So maybe those figures were circa 2009. That only leaves you what, $1k in debt each month with zero spending money? Not so bad for one of the most affordable major urbanized regions, right? /s

I'm in a major city with lots of tech companies and getting unaffordable every year. Having said that, utilities, phone, and internet are doable, BUT with caveats:

• You can still find a $1200 1-BR apartment, but it might not be in a great area in the city. So I agree this is not ideal even though it's possible.

• You can spend less than $100 on electricity and water in a 1-bedroom apartment because the utility provider is regulated. Once you get out of their coverage (outside city limits), it gets expensive pretty quick. My monthly bill back when I was living in an apartment was around $60-$70.

• Fiber internet (500 Mbps) can be as low as $30-$45. You just have to keep calling every renewal either to ask for a promo rate, or threaten to switch so they offer to get you back to the introductory price. I hate that it has to be like this, but it's possible.

• A pre-paid carrier like Mint or US Mobile can cost as low as $15 a month, but you'll have limited data. If you don't really need much internet while out and about, then it won't really be much of an issue.

Transportation is definitely the problem, and $300 a month won't cut it. Public transpo barely exists and you'll likely have a car payment and insurance, which will eat up your monthly budget. And yeah, $350 for food isn't enough anymore.

Hampton Roads, VA. I'm in Newport News. $1375 for a two bedroom apartment, although water/sewer is nearly $200/mo and electric is around that as well. We're barely scraping by.

I live in a suburb of a large city. These might be higher since it's me, gf, and kid. Rent with all included fees: 1850

Utilities(basically just electric): 200-400 per month depending on weather

Phone : 40 per month(had to buy phone out of pocket first)

Food: 400-600 recently with only groceries no eating out

Transportation(gas for car): 100 minimum

Car insurance: 275 (no tickets, 1 accident 4 years ago but I was found 0% at fault)

Car payment: 350 (paid off next month)

Total(check my math I did it in my head) 3250 per month for essentials

This isn't in any way a defence of low wages, but phone, internet, and food can all be had for cheaper depending on location, and if public transportation or close walking proximity to resources and employment are available, that can be significantly less too.

That still leaves too little extra to do any activities that cost money, survive an emergency situation, or save for retirement.

I live in a decent sized city in the US and I would say the only thing low might be transportation. Rent here can be lower, so they would offset.

They're as naive as someone just putting together that minimum wage en masse isn't sustainable when it's a punishing poverty wage. Its a shanty wage...if that.

The crazy part: its propped up by the ultra wealthy in a country with more guns than people. When this shit does hit the fan, the violence will be on another level.

It should be tied to some multiple of the zip codes median rent.

When minimum wage was instituted in the United States, it was intended as a living wage.

That has been eroded with time, though.