How do people survive on wages close to minimum wage?

Graces7

LexieOnRale wrote: »

I'm fitting everyone in. People working aren't getting subsidised crèche for kids, people on social welfare are. People with no children aren't getting additional help from SW, people on SW are.

Because they are worse off financially.

Widdershins

pilly wrote: »

Totally agree, these are the people in the worst situation today. I know because I've been there.

It's not the topic under discussion though.

OP was suggesting all his friends should get a degree to live a better life and I'm merely that there are people quite happy to live on very little.

Also if everyone out there goes and gets a degree they simply become worthless.

I hate the judgemental attitudes on both sides. People who are struggling tend to blame others who aren't and visa versa.

I think OP clarified at one point that he was genuinely wondering how people manage on minimum wage or close to it. It could've been another poster though, I'm really not sure, thread's so long.

Sunflower 27

Sunflower 27 wrote: »

Someone on 600e a week with car loan repayment, credit card bills and petrol costs who goes on a bender once a week and eats out several times a week is probably no better off than someone on minimum wage that does not have those expenses.

But the person on minimum wage doesn't have the option to do said things.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Graces7 wrote: »

Because they are worse off financially.

But are they?

Murrisk

Bam Bam Mickey wrote: »

That's 6 litres per person on average.
Wow

It's about 800 mls per person per day. Not really that much. Cereal, tea, glasses of milk etc.

Graces7

Candie wrote: »

I'm the last person to be ageist, Grace. You mentioned something that would ring alarm bells with many, regardless of age.

I hope you're right and you can enjoy many more years of driving and independence.

Please be very clear . I said twice; if you have ever driven in Galway city on a Saturday afternoon as a relative stranger? Lost count of the numbers I let out of car parks etc. Being a good, careful and courteous driver of many years safe driving.

OK I am off as some of these posts are getting personally offensive and way off thread. Sad to read they really are.

Have a wonderful evening folks .. a really great one

Widdershins

Graces7 wrote: »

That is means testing and fair. A house is an asset. Work is an asset.

The loss of rent allowance for working 30 hrs per week is not fair. If it was means tested then expenses would be factored in and people on close to minimum wage would still be allowed to claim the allowance on the average price of rented house.

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

I'm fitting everyone in. People working aren't getting subsidised crèche for kids, people on social welfare are. People with no children aren't getting additional help from SW, people on SW are.

A single person with no kids on minimum wage gets exactly the same benefits as a single person on the dole so that argument doesn't hold water.

I don't know where your getting the whole subsidised childcare from, I've never heard of an unemployed person getting subsidised childcare?

Graces7

LexieOnRale wrote: »

But are they?

Have a lovely evening Lexi. I mean that sincerely. We who know the system really know the system

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

If you have children. Do you think a single man on a min wage is entitled to or will get a council house?

No, neither will a single man on the dole. Same situation.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

pilly wrote: »

A single person with no kids on minimum wage gets exactly the same benefits as a single person on the dole so that argument doesn't hold water.

I don't know where your getting the whole subsidised childcare from, I've never heard of an unemployed person getting subsidised childcare?

There are community crèches in the area I live in that takes children of parents on SW in for a small amount each week. I'm not sure the exact price or terms but I know it's only some crèches not all

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

pilly wrote: »

No, neither will a single man on the dole. Same situation.

Single man on dole will be entitled to rent allowance and medical card at the very least

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Graces7 wrote: »

Please be very clear . I said twice; if you have ever driven in Galway city on a Saturday afternoon as a relative stranger? Lost count of the numbers I let out of car parks etc. Being a good, careful and courteous driver of many years safe driving.

OK I am off as some of these posts are getting personally offensive and way off thread. Sad to read they really are.

Have a wonderful evening folks .. a really great one

Yes grace, I have. I also struggle with my lefts and rights when giving or recieving directions. I'm still not beeped off the road

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

There are community crèches in the area I live in that takes children of parents on SW in for a small amount each week. I'm not sure the exact price or terms but I know it's only some crèches not all

You really know very little about it in other words.

They do not take children for subsidised fees unless the parents are working.

You have it in your head that everyone on benefits is better off and have very little real knowledge of it.

La.de.da

LexieOnRale wrote: »

But that's the thing. There is.
If you're on a low wage, there's no scheme that'll pay half your mortgage or let you put your child into subsidied crèche, if you're earning a wage you're expected to stand on your own two feet. If you're on social welfare, life is subsidised a little bit, even more when you're elderly and can't change your circumstances (free travel, tv licence, line rental etc)

If you're earning, you pay for that yourself.

I'm on a social welfare payment. I absolutely pay for living myself. Only thing I don't is health care. As after years of fighting for a medical card, I finally got one.

When I was healthy-ish and working, my gp and medication bills often ran over €300-€400 per month. I was no better off than I am now. I'm great at managing money now, cause I have to be. But I still have my treats of getting my hair done every so often, going for the odd meal out etc.

There's nothing 'wrong' with either end of the spectrum of which people choose or have to live their life.

neonsofa

LexieOnRale wrote: »

But are they?

Nope.

I'm not on minimum wage myself thank God, but I'm paying a significant amount of my earnings on childcare. There was a time I was on slightly above minimum wage starting out in my career, and then working an additional retail job in order to afford to go to work work. It wasn't even worth my while financially after paying the crèche. Because I was working over 30 hours (to pay for the childcare to actually attend work and build a career) I wasn't entitled to any accommodation supports. I was definitely not better off than those on social welfare at the time. I am now and thats why i stuck it out because i could see the bigger picture and long term gain in starting off in a low paying position, and i am extremely thankful for that but there are plenty who don't have the opportunity I had, the retail job that pays pittance is their entire life, they don't have the light at the end of the tunnel that I had and they are absolutely not better off.

Graces7

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Yes grace, I have. I also struggle with my lefts and rights when giving or recieving directions. I'm still not beeped off the road

:rolleyes: Have a lovely evening my dear child ;I mean that. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: I think I need to add you to my list..


Mod: Banned

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

Single man on dole will be entitled to rent allowance and medical card at the very least

So let's presume the single man is over 25. 188 dole, 50 euro rent allowance tops. 238. Compared to 350 minimum wage.

Are you really suggesting a medical card saves 100 euro per week?

Bearing in mind someone on minimum wage would get a GP card and the max anyone pays for medicine is 144 a month?

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

pilly wrote: »

You really know very little about it in other words.

They do not take children for subsidised fees unless the parents are working.

You have it in your head that everyone on benefits is better off and have very little real knowledge of it.

And is that a bad thing? Im thankful I have very little real knowledge of it

neonsofa

pilly wrote: »

You really know very little about it in other words.

They do not take children for subsidised fees unless the parents are working.

You have it in your head that everyone on benefits is better off and have very little real knowledge of it.

The parents had to have been claiming a social welfare payment in the first place in most cases, and upon taking up work they are then entitled to the subsidy. There are also childcare subsidies for those who are on social welfare who wish to participate in training and education and employment programmes. Again, they must be in receipt of a payment or at the very least a medical card to avail of them.

Pac1Man

Graces7 wrote: »

:rolleyes: Have a lovely evening my dear child ;I mean that. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: I think I need to add you to my list..

Lexie I think you are about to be cursed.

RUN CHILD!!

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Graces7 wrote: »

:rolleyes: Have a lovely evening my dear child ;I mean that. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: I think I need to add you to my list..

I'm almost 30 years old, would you have the decency to show a little bit of respect before commanding allowances and respect be made for you due to your advanced years?

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

And is that a bad thing? Im thankful I have very little real knowledge of it

And so you should be thankful. At the same time you can't go around making stuff up about it either.

You want to make judgements then at least educate yourself first.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

pilly wrote: »

And so you should be thankful. At the same time you can't go around making stuff up about it either.

You want to make judgements then at least educate yourself first.

What's made up? The childcare is subsidised for those in receipt of welfare

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Graces7 wrote: »

The point of the thread is about coping.

On minimum wage!!!

WhiteMemento9

pilly wrote: »

So let's presume the single man is over 25. 188 dole, 50 euro rent allowance tops. 238. Compared to 350 minimum wage.

Are you really suggesting a medical card saves 100 euro per week?

Bearing in mind someone on minimum wage would get a GP card and the max anyone pays for medicine is 144 a month?

Add in travel expenses and general work expenses (clothes, lunch etc).

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

What's made up? The childcare is subsidised for those in receipt of welfare

No its not. It's for those returning to work or education. As it should be.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

WhiteMemento9 wrote: »

Add in travel expenses and general work expenses (clothes, lunch etc).

Add actually having to do a day's work.

KERSPLAT!

Mod

Alright everyone, lets keep it civil please.

pilly

LexieOnRale wrote:

What's made up? The childcare is subsidised for those in receipt of welfare

It's also made up to say that a single man on welfare is better off than a single man on minimum wage, as I've proven.

Very easy to throw these sweeping statements out there to defend your stance which actually has little to do with the point of this thread.