Quote:
Originally Posted by jimhoward
When was minimum wage a living wage?
My first job was in 1970 and paid the minimum wage, which at that time was $1.75/hour (in Massachusetts). You could not live on $70/week in 1970. I was a dependent kid, so didn't care. Fast forward to the present time, where the minimum wage in Florida is $15/hr ($10.95 for tipped employees). You cannot live on $600/week.....but its almost feasible. Was there a time in the middle that I am forgetting about when the minimum wage was a living wage?
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also - I lived in Boston, on Charles Street, in 1983. My studio apartment behind an antique shop was $425/month for rent including heat and hot water. Minimum wage was $3.35/hour, but $5.03/hour if you worked on Sunday. If I had a spouse or significant other, we could've both worked full time, and lived fairly comfortably.
As it was, I did have two part-time jobs, both paying minimum wage. But one of them was at a taco joint and I ate free when I was there, saving me around $15/week in food costs. And I also played guitar for tip money part time, which earned me enough to pay the rent. My part-time jobs covered the non-rent bills and incidentals.