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| Thread ID: 129509 | 2013-02-25 23:37:00 | Minimum wage rise - thnak goodness it was ony 25cents | Digby (677) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1330081 | 2013-02-26 17:49:00 | My family survived on a student wage as my father went back and re-trained... My father, mother, 5 sibblings (plus me), as well as looking after a woman going through a mental breakdown, all under one roof, on a student allowance. We lived for 3 years like that, with no income additional Anybody who tells me $18 an hour isn't enough is either talking out their ass, or not living on the bare minimum. If you're earning more than the minimum wage, and your income is important to you, then that's why (Like me) you would get insurance. I think in todays terms it work out we lived off the equivalent of around $16 an hour for a family of 8 plus an extra... No income from the "extra" either, no benefits, no nothing... Just a family friends in a midlife crisis having a mental breakdown and we helped her out and put her up in a room while she was incapable of taking care of herself. Best part about it all: We never felt poor! Why? Because I was 12 and worked through a budget with my parents. It was a very tight budget, we didn't get luxuries like Sky TV, no alcohol (For them, I was 12 and didn't really like it back then), no smokes, no ice cream or dessert, no snacks like packets of chips, and we were lucky to get hot chips and a 60c donut once a month for dinner. We survived of the most basic of basic meals (Mince, mashed potato and a few veggies) but we still felt like we had everything we could need. No the "living wage" is an absolute joke if you ask me. Sure you can't live in a flash townhouse and probably have to move somewhere where rent is cheaper (As we did), but that's OK, the "minimum" is not supposed to be "luxury" and I think that's where a lot of people are completely ignorant about it. I've been there, it's not that bad, and if you're determined then it's not a permanent thing. Same for my wife and I, newly married, I was trying to make self-employment happen (It didn't work). I earned $10K in the first year we were married. She was a full-time student working, making $260 a week post-taxes (Couldn't get the student allowance, both our parents made just over the limit). We survived on that, relatively comfortably I might add. We weren't saving more than a few bucks a week, we rarely went out, but we survived. You just have to be smart.whats a student wage, are you talking part time or student allowance. either way its more then the min wage now. |
plod (107) | ||
| 1330082 | 2013-02-26 18:53:00 | On top of that, the minimum wage is just that: Bare minimum I a solo father with 4 kids to survive on. No, he should have been working for a long time already and be skilled enough to not require working in any minimum wage type jobs Hmmm. Someone I know was fairly skilled. She used to drive bulldozers and other machinery. She is now in her early 50s, got made redundant and couldn't get work in her skilled area again. Of course, why hire old women when there's young guys all over? She now works as a carer in a rest home for minimum wage. As for the comment made about 2 people working for minimum wage - sure.....but not everyone is in a 2 income situation. **** happens and you never know how you will end up. Another example: Friend I went to tech with. Got headhunted straight out of tech as a programmer. Was earning way over $100000 a year with double time and so on. Did the buy a house thing, big wedding, honeymoon. Bam, health issue got her, husband decided he didn't want to play anymore, she ended up having to sell up, give him half her stuff, and back home with Dad on benefit. It's taken her 7 years to get back to a half decent life, she has a part time office job now, $14 an hour, new partner, and more health issues. You never know what is going to happen - she sure didn't. |
pctek (84) | ||
| 1330083 | 2013-02-26 19:34:00 | Another example: Friend I went to tech with. Got headhunted straight out of tech as a programmer. Was earning way over $100000 a year with double time and so on. Did the buy a house thing, big wedding, honeymoon. Bam, health issue got her, husband decided he didn't want to play anymore, she ended up having to sell up, give him half her stuff, and back home with Dad on benefit. It's taken her 7 years to get back to a half decent life, she has a part time office job now, $14 an hour, new partner, and more health issues. You never know what is going to happen - she sure didn't. Exactly, it's called "%@#$ happens". It's not the Govts job to make sure you have a cushy lifestyle. It's something a lot of people have to deal with at some time or another, it's just part of being human. |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 1330084 | 2013-02-26 20:01:00 | I can't believe what I am reading from inphinity and chill here. What do you guys earn???? I know for experience that fully qualified builders with families and kids and mortgages, as a simple example for simple minds, have lost their job and because of the lack of that avenue they had to accept jobs in all sorts of other industries where the jackals that call themselves employers only would pay them minimum wage. Of course Chill, they should go and upskill - again - at the age of 45 / 50 with a trade already behind. Of course! I do not know where the brains are when making such blindsided statements. I earn very good money and live a very comfortable life but I don't forget the less fortunate. What a lot of crap! It's called egotism. Note the posts from those enlightened ones usually contain the word "I" quite a lot. |
sam m (517) | ||
| 1330085 | 2013-02-26 20:25:00 | I don't understand? | Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 1330086 | 2013-02-26 20:57:00 | If a family cannot survive on one wage then we have a situation similar to slavery. You lot are always bemoaning crime, wayward youth etc and are quick to point the finger at the miscreant's parents. If they both have to be working two jobs each just to keep a cold, draughty slum-lord owned roof over their heads, it is scarcely surprising these parents cannot supervise their kids. A living wage in exchange for good work is no robbery on either side. Anything less is slavery, and you know it! I say again, bring on the revolution. |
KarameaDave (15222) | ||
| 1330087 | 2013-02-26 21:05:00 | Ah, but they can, that's the point! Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. No they can't live in Central Auckland in a flash house, so yeah they'll probably have to move just like my family did. This country has far too much bloody dependence on the Govt as it is to "take care of them" without introducing more. Hell I know of another family living off nothing but the benefit. Two adults, 5 kids, they make ends meet. Benefit is somewhere ballpark around minimum wage, right? |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 1330088 | 2013-02-26 21:23:00 | Oh, I see, you are, as always, correct, I am sure. Pardon me, for having an opposing viewpoint. | KarameaDave (15222) | ||
| 1330089 | 2013-02-26 21:30:00 | Oh, I see, you are, as always, correct, I am sure. Pardon me, for having an opposing viewpoint. But you always have a raving left wing viewpoint. The point is we have to be competitive in today's global world. And people need to realize that they need to get educated and skilled for today's world, or they will be on a low wage or a benefit. The world or anyone else does not owe anyone a living. (But I do admire your decision to stay Apple free.) |
Digby (677) | ||
| 1330090 | 2013-02-26 21:42:00 | It's OK, I forgive you. | Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
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