$15.00 an hour isn't a lot of money.

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

$500/wk = $26,000/yr.

Here we go.​

$800 INCLUDES gas/water. If it takes 2 checks to pay it, pay it and KIM, I still have 2 more checks to spend for the month.

Where are you living where your rent is $800 with gas/water included? Hope you don't need a two bedroom. Even with a one bedroom you're not going to be in the best area. Also where is the electricity bill? You are aware that
electricity bills can fluctuate wildly, right? So I'll let the 800 rent/gas/water combo slide and say you're frugal nikkas so even with fluctuations your electricity bill is $120 monthly on average. So with electricity + rent you have spent $920 of your 2000 per month take home. This leaves you with $1080.


I guess you forgot you get paid WEEKLY, so 2 checks go to rent, but, YOU STILL HAVE ANOTHER 2 CHECKS TOTALING $800 FOR THE MONTH!!!!! The point you're trying to make here is invalid.

Yeah, but if you get paid $500 weekly, you aren't putting aside the whole first check and $420 from the second check to set aside for the rent. This makes budgeting a bit harder.

Well, considering I have another 2 checks to spend for the month, that's not a problem now, is it?

Yes and no. See above.


ISP Triple play = $100./mo. I have about $300 left to spend EACH MONTH after rent, car + insurance and food and 2 more paychecks.

You have some numbers here and I don't know where you got them so I'm going to try to put them in context. First thing I see is this ISP triple play at $100 per month. We're going to add the taxes and fees and others costs of associated with those bundles (box fees, equipment warranty etc) The real cost, and this being conservative is probably $125 per month. So right now we are at $920 a month for bills and let me add in this $125. So total outlay right now is $1,045. This leaves us with $955 to take care of car note/insurance, groceries/housekeeping and gas. If you have good credit you can get a good deal on a financed vehicle. But let's be realistic, most people don't have good credit. So a note for a basic vehicle would probably be about hmm, $275. Conservative amount. I'm going to say you want your veh repaired if it gets into an accident so you'll need more than liability insurance. And looking at how things are going, you're not one who's going to have income for emergencies such as deductibles for insurance repairs. So you will want full coverage with a low deductible. The lower the deductible the higher the premium. And remember you don't have the best credit. Also, you don't live in the best area. Your car isn't of the highest quality ether. And you're 26. These factors will effect your rate. So you have to pay $200 for car insurance.

So let's tally these new expenses shall we? $275 for the car note and $200 for your insurance equals to $475. We have $955 of monthly income remaining so let's see how these new expenses effect that, shall we?
We're down to $480. This is doable. You're just going to really have to stretch it from this point forward. You can't afford a phone higher than $65 per month. So, that's the plan you get. Add in the taxes and fees and we'll make it an even $75. Now we're at $405. Groceries are next. You can't afford to go out to eat. You can't afford to buy lunch while at work. So your groceries will need to sustain you for the entire month. You know how to shop for the best (might not be the healthiest) bargain. Grocery bill is $150 per month. You're down to your last $255. And only one real expense left, gas. If gas is at $2.25 per gallon you can fill up your car for $25. If a tank of gas can last you one week you will only need to spend $100 per month. You have $155 left in "disposable income."


$300 x 12 = $3,600/yr. No way you're poor. Thanks for proving my point.



More so $155 x 12 = $1,860/yr. And that $155 isn't even a lump sum amount in your hands. Those are the remains of four individual checks. So yes, you are poor. Now you're welcome to make some revisions here and there. I anticipate them and I have rebuttals ready.
​

​

 

[MR. SNIFLES]

In NYC/L.I it's $28 an hour (assuming you're working 40 hours a week & have job benefits.)

That to me is living decent.

NYC/SAN FRAN/COLORADO ARE MAJOR EXCEPTIONS. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES IN THE WORLD TO LIVE IN. BUT WHAT I REALLY MEAN IS WHAT DOES THAT $28/HR GET YOU.

HOW BIG OF A HOUSE
KIND OF NEIGHBORHOOD
WHAT TYPE OF CAR
BENEFITS
SAVINGS
LUXURIES

$28/HR WHERE I LIVE PUTS YOU IN 500K HOUSE IN THE IRISH HILLS. (2 PERSON INCOME)

 

[knickscity]

this has already been said repeatedly by numerous people

the dudes in here kicking and screaming are all over the place with their arguments which is derailing the discussion

there are certain life factors that make 15/HR unreasonable like child support payments, co-dependents, having a mortgage already etc etc..
and that's understandable, but not everybody has these situations especially in their early 20's (which is when you need to be making this type of money)

but again - 31K a year knocks you out of the government assistance range for a reason - it's enough money to live off of and then some. this is non disputable.

The govt aid piece really is irrelevant.

Based on your screenname are you from Memphis? I have family that lives in Whitehaven, South Memphis and Raleigh I can easily call and confirm this is not true.

 

[Booker T Garvey]

The govt aid piece really is irrelevant.

Based on your screenname are you from Memphis? I have family that lives in Whitehaven, South Memphis and Raleigh I can easily call and confirm this is not true.

it's irrelevant because YOU say so? stop it.

a single person making 31K a year would get laughed out of every food stamp office in the country.

same for trying to live in the projects - now, either these are factual statements or they aren't.

 

[J.E.T.S]

Breh, I broke down the numbers you provided and you don't even know how your situation worked. You don't know how you were able to do it. How are you going to talk down on someone else's money management skills when you don't even know how you were able to survive on the income to expense ratio you provided?

On average I was bringing in 700 checks a week after deductions . On a normal week 550 to 600 after deductions. I rarely had a normal week.

Got paid weekly. I was good. fukk you mayne...

 

[MR. SNIFLES]

LIGGINS?

BUDGETING FOR RENT ISN'T ABOUT PUTTING UP A WHOLE CHECK FOR THIS OR THAT. I ADD ALL MY BILLS UP FOR THE MONTH AND HAVE THAT DIRECT DEPOSITED INTO MY ACCOUNT. THE EXTRA IS PUT INTO MY OTHER CHECKING ACCOUNT. I DON'T EVEN LOOK AT MY CHECKING ACCOUNT FOR BILLS. EVERYTHING IS AUTO PAY. I'M SURE THERE IS SOME EXTRA CASH IN THERE NOW BECAUSE I ESTIMATE UP ON MY BILLS. THAT ACCOUNT IS FIRE AND FORGET. AT THE END OF THE YEAR I ROLL IT INTO MY IRA.

 

[You Win Perfect]

Depends on where you live, NY and CA you're fukked.

and in CT. i think those three are in the top 5 lol. ridiculous cost of living. you better not have a car or house cuz they will rape you on property tax. oh and don't go shopping the sales tax goes up every chance it can.

 

[Lord_nikon]

Ok, for the folks living decently off 15 an hour or less, post your rent, utilities, and how much you spend on food a month. Just those three alone.

Don't forget Tax and health insurancethose two shyts make you not want to work!. 15 an hour after them shyts is like making 11 or 12 hour !

 

[Malta]

and in CT. i think those three are in the top 5 lol. ridiculous cost of living. you better not have a car or house cuz they will rape you on property tax. oh and don't go shopping the sales tax goes up every chance it can.

Seen an apartment in Stamford for $6300 a month

 

[You Win Perfect]

Seen an apartment in Stamford for $6300 a month

ayo you got a link?

 

[concise]

no fam. I haven't taken home a pay check that wasn't 4 digits since forever

I get what you're saying, but they don't deduct that much out at once from your pay checks.

nobody can live off of 500 dollar checks man, wtf?

even when I worked my other job making 9.25 an hour my checks were 700 or so dollars.

That wasn't 40 hours to get 700.

If you were getting a full 80 hours at that rate your pre tax amount would be $740. You were only getting $40 deducted in taxes? Were you filing exempt?

this was 11 years ago and I just remember those checks because those were the last ones i actually held in my hand, they varied but a few of them were around 700 dollars.

i was fresh out of college still w/my parents and my little small business was struggling - needed some $$$ fast

but again - a far cry from 31K a year; i got my own place and haven't looked back since. can't do that making 9.25 an hour unless you share a place w/somebody

You were taking home 700 while making 9.25 an hour? In a 40 hour work week?
And these were not two week checks?
You weren't getting commission? Back pay?

9.25 an hr x 40 hrs = $370

 

[Rarely-Wrong Liggins]

LIGGINS?

BUDGETING FOR RENT ISN'T ABOUT PUTTING UP A WHOLE CHECK FOR THIS OR THAT.

Um, I'm quite aware of that. That's why I explicitly pointed out that it doesn't work that way. Especially if each check is below your rent.

 

[Booker T Garvey]

You were taking home 700 while making 9.25 an hour? In a 40 hour work week?
And these were not two week checks?
You weren't getting commission? Back pay?

9.25 an hr x 40 hrs = $370

they were 2 week checks; I misread his 500 a week post i corrected my mistake in that thread.

 

[Concerning VIolence]

Ok... Keep believing that.

fukk that cac.

 

[concise]

Richmond VA in a nice area

Have 5k in my 401k...you're forgetting I can do overtime,I have credit cards for emergencies,I have spending money but I rarely splurge.Ok after all my bills this month I had $600 in my checking.Thats plenty for me and my savings is pretty good too and my place is far from a dump.

How much does rent go for in a bad neighborhood then?