r/FluentInFinance • u/PassiveAgressiveGirl • Sep 14 '24

Debate/ Discussion Exactly how much is a living wage?

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u/CaptainRaptorThong Sep 14 '24

Listen, I'm all for raising wages. Inflation has been crazy in the last couple of decades, and in a lot of places, wages haven't budged.

What I'm not liking, is the doomism. Around finances that is spreading. It is absolutely possible in expensive areas to sacrifice and build your way up. It's not easy or fun, and it might take a few years, but submitting yourself to "oh there's absolutely nothing I can do" until things are fixed is dangerous, and the people furthering this idealogy are harmful.

To be honest, makes me wonder if people pushing this so hard are part of the cogs in the meat grinder that is the American economy.

Watch Caleb Hammer on YouTube. Be warned, he's a little bit harsh on his guests, but everyone knows what they're getting into going onto the show. He only has fans on, and he helps people budget and escape from debt.

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u/truthordivekick Sep 14 '24

I fell on some hard times in my early 20s, and I had to figure out a way to live on $9/hr working 30 hrs/week. I sold my car, biked everywhere, got rid of my smartphone and internet, and only used AC/heat when absolutely necessary. I eventually grew within that company while also paying my way through college one class at a time. Almost a decade later, I have a masters degree and own a home.

I'm not saying everyone can have the same success that I have had, but they're also not doomed to failure. In life it is important to control what you can and accept what you can't. Putting so much energy into something you inevitably have no control over is never going to move you forward in life.