Calculate your REAL hourly wage here!

Walter: One of the best items I've come across. Thanks much. I've just bookmarked the site. Enjoy the Holidays!

You also Clifford!

WOW!! We are way poorer than I even thought!! LOL

Now I'm depress...... I might as well work for free!

Ladies, I also got a wee bit of a wake up call. It's no wonder we never seem to get ahead! No need to get depressed, but it seems to me that our family needs to re-do it's budget to accomodate for that reality.

I think that's a great point, Walter. Time to review the budget.

Yeah Jason, I comprehend what you are saying. Like I said.... it's no wonder the "new math" never seemed to add up. When you get back to the old math, things aren't looking very good G.W.!! Thanks for the tax break, seems to be bringing us middle class folk farther down the pike than it is delivering us from oppression.

Sorry but that is insane.

Find a job closer to home, don't work at a union job, bring your lunch, don't buy office gifts. This garbage is predominantly choice items not mandatory items. Subtracting the time it takes you to you get ready for work - puh-lease. Most of us get dressed anyway.

If you end up with a low hourly wage, don't blame your boss blame yourself. He pays you $x to do a job - your choices after that are your own. If your budget is out of whack fix it.

Hey Nanci, Don't shoot the messenger! After reading some of your articles, I realize that you are just a bitter old woman with nothing but you and your miserable existence on the special menu being shoved down all the throats here on Gather.Com. I could care less what your opinion is, so kindly remove yourself from my Friends list if you are on it. I've heard alot of people on here being judgemental. God didn't give you that authority, thank you. You're obviously suffering some affliction because of something called KARMA!!! Don't take it out on me or the obviously unfortunate folks lined up in dead end jobs, just because the rest of America continue to choose to shop at Wal-mart for Chinese goods rather than spend four times as much paying for your over priced healthcare or your personal disability! Move on! I pray that during this Christmas season you are blessed with a heart and some compassion for those less fortunate than yourself and who are trying to make a ten year old minimum wage minimum work for them and their families! For some folks this Christmas, a box of Tuna helper with the actual can of tuna is going to be considered Gourmet!

Sounds like you are the one who has the miserable existence running around attacking people personally.

I can't help it if all you can find is a minimum wage job but it certainly isn't necessary to get so nasty or to run around leaving nasty attack comments on peoples articles. You won't make many friends that way which is too bad because you sound like you could use a couple.

Aw, sounds like I hurt your feelings. Sorry if I in anyway implied that I have a minimum wage job or that my partner does either. My deepest sympathies to you, but our financial reality is better than that. I just think being frugal is something more of us should exercise. That is all I was trying to do with my article. Some folks need to understand their reality or might benefit from it. They certainly do not need to be judged or scolded for being unable to manage their own debt, or finances. Friends? "F#CK it! If they like me, they like me." Isn't it ironic how we each have that same attitude?

You have done nothing but point out that I make a lot less than I deserve... Well hell, who deserves around 4 bucks an hour? Hmmmm, I am underpaid, and even more under appreciated. But heck, I am a bartender that pays tuition, has no insurance, drives fairly far, and only works the weekends. Yet I am complaining?

Yes, I am! Where is my sugar dady to pay my tuition? Oh yeah, if he WAS around I have already beat him up and demanded that I pay my own tuition. DOH! I am a Simpson!

Thank you Rene. Thank you for being one of the Millions of hard working American's trying to make it all work out. I understand. I have been there. I'm sure anyone can understand the value of that information, regardless if the wake up call is a bit harsh.

Harsh?

Naw, I always knew that it never really added up. But I have been to the "3rd world" extremely recently, and hate that title by the way... and had enough sense when I returned to realize just how lucky I truly am!

Just imagine. ... Under 4 bucks an hour sucks, especially when you pay rent, bills, and tuition. But hell I just left a country where people outside of the city are LUCKY to make 100 U.S. Dollars in one year.

I get angry if that is the amount of tips that I make in a night. Regardless of what it all averages out to... We all need to realize that is stinks for the majority of all of us, no matter where we are!!!

Just goes to show us what we really percieve as the third world may still be fortunate since there are some of us in the "LAND OF THE HA HA HA FREE" that are having our buts kicked and don't get the health insurance to cover the medical bills from all of the bruises!

Amen Sister! The rich keep taking and we keep dishing it out. Ouch! That hurts! Mind if I borrow a band-aid? Nancee won't pay more so I can afford one! LOL!

bummer