What does it take to make a living

Puller10001 · Aug 20, 2014

Was wondering what you guys think a good hourly wage would be to live supporting just yourself.

Greg1959 · Aug 20, 2014

I've already done the math. For me to just pay my 4 bills, mortgage, electric, phone and water plus taxes, insurance, gasoline, food...no frivolous spending like eating out, movies or anything else, $15.00/hr is what is needed to subsist in my area.

I grow and can/freeze a lot of my food which helps.

Greg

Eldon (WA) · Aug 20, 2014

(quoted from post at 19:24:31 08/20/14) Was wondering what you guys think a good hourly wage would be to live supporting just yourself.

Simple question if you work for someone....little tougher if you are self employed, farmer or business owner. If I counted the hours my wife and I put in on the farm to what we gross, it would be a rather low hourly wage, but we do ok for a living....

redforlife · Aug 20, 2014

I farm for myself part time, work hourly part time. I charge $11.50 an hour when on hourly. I get kind of picky about what I do at that rate. I feel that it is plenty cheap is why I do. Run equipment probly half or more of that time. Could not support myself full time at that rate. If working a full time job and bringing home a weekly check with full deductions taken out including health insurance and 401K, I would also agree that it would take $15+ an hour to keep me afloat.

Pair-a-dice farm · Aug 20, 2014

(quoted from post at 22:24:31 08/20/14) Was wondering what you guys think a good hourly wage would be to live supporting just yourself.

I guess it would be somewhere around $3.50. of course that's 24/7/52. :lol: I don't have any payments So to meet all of my personal needs I could get by on $5 an hour based on a 2080 hr year. Believe it or not. However when you figure in taxes, fees and licenses it increased to $18.00. And I'm as serious as a heart attack The government is killing us.

David G · Aug 20, 2014

I would bet around $15

buickanddeere · Aug 21, 2014

(quoted from post at 22:24:31 08/20/14) Was wondering what you guys think a good hourly wage would be to live supporting just yourself.

Just down the road the skilled trades make $55/hr plus full benefits and pension contribution.
Oil Sands in Alberta are similar but they also get travel pay, a housing allowance, shift premium etc.

rrlund · Aug 21, 2014

Gonna depend on where and how you want to live. If you wanted to live in an old travel trailer in the woods and get around on a bicycle you could probably live like a king on minimum wage with food stamps and medicaid.

Bret4207 · Aug 21, 2014

Too many variables to say for sure. In a high tax state it's going to take a lot more. In a cold state it takes more. It all depends on what you consider "bare minimum" too.

In the end, no matter what you make, you'll usually spend it and want a little more.

JRSutton · Aug 21, 2014

All depends on how you want to live, and where you live.

Keep your rent low, your food bills down, forget luxuries like cable tv, don't get sick, etc - you can survive on 15 an hour.

But one thing I can tell you, there is a magic number - when I was single it was around 60k per year - call it 30 per hour. It's probably a little higher nowadays.

Once you hit that, you're over the hump. You have enough to comfortably pay all your bills on time every time, and still have enough left over to do whatever you want with. You have what"s called "discretionary income", and it"s a wonderful thing.

At that level, you still have to live wisely and frugally, but you'll find you have control over life, not the other way around. You should strive for that number.

Money doesn't buy you happiness, but it does buy you freedom.

Now, when you get married and have kids... you've got to at least double these numbers.

Geo-TH,In · Aug 21, 2014

Puller10001,
You are looking at this the wrong way. Now is the time to find a job/skill that has a retirement plan or a good pension, health insurance and room to move up the food chain in the business. You shouldn't be thinking of what does it take to just get buy? Sooner than you think, you will want to retire, you company will force you to retire or your health will retire you.

Also, my daddy said, it's not how much you make, it's how much you spend. Make good $ decisions. My brothers never could. Invest in your self.

My 3rd grade school teacher said it the best. Material things can be taken away from you, but what's in you brain, no can steal. Invest in yourself. Think long term.
George

farmerwithmutt · Aug 21, 2014

Amen to that its not what you make its what you spend nothing gets me more then the guy complaining about not having money and hes got tattoos 4wheelers cell phone etc and bonus points to the guy who wont work overtime

Goose · Aug 21, 2014

Success depends on two thing, luck and pluck.

Luck finding someone to pluck.

Mike (WA) · Aug 21, 2014

What does it take to make a living? Marrying a woman who is too proud to let her husband work.

redtom · Aug 21, 2014

JRSutton hit it pretty close. A lot depends on luck. A guy alone doesn't need much. But if you should have bad luck, ie, need a car, a house, a new roof, health issues...well then you're screwed. Alone, 40k, with family 60k (minimum). I know what I make and its just barely enough for my family of four with absolutely NO luxury. Theres living and just getting by. The ones that say you don't need money to be happy haven't been broke in todays world.

Alberta Bill · Aug 21, 2014

I work 80 - 90 Hrs a week at a Paying Job. Thats Aproxx $30 plus per Hr. Yes I take Home a pile of money but I pay a pile of Tax also. I told my wife I need to slow down. We do not owe lots of money on anything. All most free payments. (5 years and counting) . She says How are we going to make it. I say OH WELL figure something out. I could see Bills and Food and Fun needing no more than about $2000. per Month and thats a high guess. Quiet Time is needed and soon Thanks For The Question

NY 986 · Aug 21, 2014

Human beings are their own worst enemies. The United States in the 20th Century has seen prosperity the likes of which has seldom been seen but all that has been wiped out by greed. A big employer hands out a pay increase and that is quickly offset by price increases on basic goods and services in that community. Jobs that used to clear a high margin of cash such as an oilfield worker are not so much cash cows anymore. One of the disadvantages of the information age is nobody has a leg up financially for very long anymore. More and more communities are just running the treadmill without being able to save money for the future. In a couple of generations I would guess that over 95 percent of Americans will be operating without any means to handle a crisis financially and disposable income will be for a very select few. Sorry for the bleak outlook but I only see it getting tougher for the average American to make it any kind of living.

Wile E · Aug 21, 2014

A good hourly wage to support yourself, $20 + per hour minimum, then if you get overtime then you are doing well.

Then there is the spending side of the coin.....I used to eat on only $5 per day. I did not eat good, Campbells soup, cereal, OJ, Ham sandwiches, Pizza on Friday. $8 usually, fed me and the girlfriend with the pizza.

Rodeo man · Aug 21, 2014

Oddly enough, in my adult life, I have never had an hourly wage job. I have always been on salary. I can tell you, it takes a pile of money to support a family in this day and age. Enjoy the single life.

MarkB_MI · Aug 22, 2014

So, what will you do with this information? If you find you're being overpaid, will you ask your employer for a pay cut? Or if you find you should be paying your own employees more, will you give them all a raise?

Folks in Bangladesh get by on a dollar a day. In Manhattan you would starve on $100 a day. The bottom line is that employers will pay the least possible amount and employees will figure out how to get by on whatever they make.

Texasmark1 · Aug 22, 2014

(quoted from post at 12:58:38 08/21/14) Puller10001,
You are looking at this the wrong way. Now is the time to find a job/skill that has a retirement plan or a good pension, health insurance and room to move up the food chain in the business. You shouldn't be thinking of what does it take to just get buy? Sooner than you think, you will want to retire, you company will force you to retire or your health will retire you.

Also, my daddy said, it's not how much you make, it's how much you spend. Make good $ decisions. My brothers never could. Invest in your self.

My 3rd grade school teacher said it the best. Material things can be taken away from you, but what's in you brain, no can steal. Invest in yourself. Think long term.
George

I guess I was lucky. At 18 I was in love and wanted to marry this gal. First however I wanted to be able to support her before asking for her hand. That formed my future right there and with a lot of hard work and yes some luck things worked out really well.

I have a 52 year old son who hasn't figured it out yet. Thinks the world owes him not only a living but a frivolous lifestyle and the "babes" are going to give it to him.....since I cut the cord.

Mark

Geo-TH,In · Aug 22, 2014

Daddy would call that having champagne tastes on a
beer budget. Many haven't figured that out yet.

What does it take to make a living

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