The ever popular quotation from Frank Sinatra, “If I can make it here, I’ll make it anywhere,” is becoming increasingly more realistic, especially for me. I live outside of New York City in Nassau County. I work fifty hours a week at a Kohl’s Department Store that pays minimum wage and has me exhausted by the start of every weekend. My check after taxes is typically around $310 every week. The bills I receive for rent ($700/month), utilities ($100/month), cell phone ($50/month), and internet ($40/month) suck in all of my post-tax wages except for about $350 every thirty days. With that left over money I buy food and gas ($325/month combined), and put about $25 in the bank. I do not go out to eat, or go to movies, or take my girlfriend out, or care for a pet, or children. With only one job I am worn out every week from being on my feet all day, and I still have barely anything to show for it every month. My savings account is accumulating very little money, and not nearly quickly enough. Altogether, I have just over $1000 saved, which was mostly accumulated prior to working, from birthdays, Christmas, etc.
The measly $350 I bring home each week hardly gets me by. To make ends meet, I typically eat granola bars for breakfast and lunch (which I buy in bulk, so usually the same flavor), and treat myself to a sandwich for dinner, sometimes made without any deli meat. In order to save a little more money, I do not buy any drinks from the store, so I drink tap water from home every day. I try to use my car as little as possible, so I occasionally walk about five miles to work to save on gas money. I am typically in need of coffee each morning, and luckily my job provides that to employees. Unfortunately, it usually is consumed rather quickly, so I try to wake up earlier and arrive before others. I have very few amenities in my home, so my main source of entertainment is the library, or the old magazines at work during my breaks.
I am planning on getting another job soon, but the hunt for one offering better pay thus far is fruitless. Supporting myself on minimum wage is extremely difficult, and has humbled me greatly. Although it feels like I am trapped where I am with little income but the need for at least minimum wage, I hope to take a better paying job soon and be able to live a bit more comfortably.