Community Chat

[Lakelife62]

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@eadu4 wrote:

@Lakelife62  My husband did and still does work 3 jobs at 63 years of age.  And yes it blows to work at a low paying job.  But when you apply for a job HR lays out what the salary is and what is expected of you.  I'm 63 and still working full time for that reason.  I do NOT expect anyone to move to "Appalachia"  Nor did I see any post suggesting that.  It's hard everywhere.  But again there are salaries that are based on skill sets and what the average salary is for that particular job.  There are job requirements for a reason. I'm not bashing the $20 increase but only pointing out, you do that and you get a domino effect in pricing or worse layoffs start then the low wage jobs start to go away.  What CEOs make is obscene, I agree.  And it's hard to make a living anywhere now.  It's one of the reason's my husband has always had a side gig.  He's tired and overworked but he does it because in the end, the older he gets the easier it will be to just lay him off, so he's busting his bottom while he can. 

     In a perfect world the CEOs would only make so much then funnel back down to the employees.  But we all know that is never going to happen.  

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How many jobs are you working while your husband works 3?  Couldn't you get one or two more? Or maybe sell your house and move to a cheaper place? Just curious.

eta: why WOULDN'T you still be working full time at 63? Full retirement for folks our age is 67. I plan on working at least until then- longer if I can.

[eadu4]

@granddi  with all due respect we all have life issues that put a strain on our finances through our lives.  My daughter had cancer at 3.  Going back and forth to Boston for 8 years was tough.  I worked anything and everything I could and still took care of her. When I took a job I made sure it had the things I might need down the road.  Was I stressed out? Sure because I also wound up getting a messy divorce in that time period.  I was exhausted, stressed, I also had a 2nd child as well.   I never expected my employer to cover my burdens.  It's not their job to do that.  Do you really expect every employer to cover everyone's individual personal issues?  I worked weekends, holidays, double shifts, but never ever did I expect to get paid more because of my life circumstances.  It's hard as heck out there.  There are a whole bunch of heart breaking things going on.  But in the end, you just do what you have to.  My prize was my daughter being cured and my son being healthy.   

[RollTide2008]

Some of you are really terrible people and it shows.

[eadu4]

@Lakelife62  I do work full time I lucked out when my company decided to cut costs and cut the workspaces and have a good portion of us work from home.  It meant one car could actually sit home more.   I don't work 2 jobs because I am here to get him his lunches, dinners, wake him up from his naps etc and do the all the house stuff.   My job carries the better health insurance.   

     FYI We did sell our house.  And we went in on a house with my daughter and her husband had built (it has an in-law suite) so that we don't have to worry about a nursing home hopefully.  It's perfect for us.  We paid down our debts, but in todays world we are still going to need a lot of money so yes that is why he still is pulling 3 jobs and why I still am at my job for the health insurance.  I used to vanpool, and drive over 150 miles a day (and yes take turns driving the van) it meant getting up at 3am although I get up at 4 now with him to get breakfast for him and the dog and start my day. 

      And yes with the retirement age at 67 that's why we both are busting our bottoms.  Being an area manager on his primary job he does get to work form home from time to time.  We love having the grandkids next door which helps keep us focused on the future.  And he started as a janitor at the company he is with and now an area manager.  So yeah i know about entry level pay.  I could have stopped working at one point but I knew the older we got the more important the health insurance is and I felt if he was going to do all he does I was not going to stop.  :-)

[tansy]

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@RollTide2008 wrote:
Some of you are really terrible people and it shows.

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On a slightly kinder note, some people here are certainly rather smug, with faulty memories and are entirely unrealistic about being a younger adult today.  🫤

Some of these same posters are angry when SS does not keep up with actual living expenses.  Ironic since SS was never supposed to be anyone's primary source of income but not many have pensions anymore or managed to save enough.

[eadu4]

@RollTide2008"   And why are some people here "terrible"?  I'm sure a whole lot of us have gone through tough times, started at a low wage job (my husband started out as a janitor and does not have a degree).  I'm not sure if you included me in the "terrible person" catagory but I'm a realist.  You can't expect a job to cover your particular personal needs.  I realize not everyone can easily change their jobs, learn a new skill or move up in a position.  In the end if minimum wage keeps getting increased, prices have to support it.  And unfortunately employers will look at cutting employees.  It breaks my heart when I read some of the things some people go through here.  I've had my share but goodness, some people are really superheroes in my book.

     I'm not fond of CEOs and their salaries and golden parachutes but they supply the employment opportunities.  It would be wonderful if everyone got enough to cover their needs, but in the real world not everyone should be paying for others mistakes and personal choices.  I didn't expect $50 an hour because my daughter had cancer and I had huge bills and it was hard going back and forth to Boston from NH.  I just sucked it up and worked nights, weekends, holidays, heck I fell asleep on our basement cement floor one Christmas wrapping her presents at 3am only to have to get up at 5 and go to work in a snowstorm (I worked for a telephone company and weather was not an excuse lol).  But if I'm one of the terrible ones then so be it I guess.  I'm in the process of taking a course for a certificate in the hopes of in fact getting a raise maybe-at 63 the course isn't easy but I know in the end it will only help

[RetRN]

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@Lakelife62 wrote:

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@luvmyteddy4 wrote:

Try living on below minimum wage when you hit social security age. It is not easy esp being single.

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According to some posters here, you should get a couple of jobs or move to Appalachia.

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How ridicuous! Plan ahead, save, and live within your means throughout life and you will be able to manage.  And where did you come with anyone saying move to Appalachia? No one ever said life would be easy but you always come up with something crazy.

[Lakelife62]

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@eadu4 wrote:

@Lakelife62  I do work full time I lucked out when my company decided to cut costs and cut the workspaces and have a good portion of us work from home.  It meant one car could actually sit home more.   I don't work 2 jobs because I am here to get him his lunches, dinners, wake him up from his naps etc and do the all the house stuff.   My job carries the better health insurance.   

     FYI We did sell our house.  And we went in on a house with my daughter and her husband had built (it has an in-law suite) so that we don't have to worry about a nursing home hopefully.  It's perfect for us.  We paid down our debts, but in todays world we are still going to need a lot of money so yes that is why he still is pulling 3 jobs and why I still am at my job for the health insurance.  I used to vanpool, and drive over 150 miles a day (and yes take turns driving the van) it meant getting up at 3am although I get up at 4 now with him to get breakfast for him and the dog and start my day. 

      And yes with the retirement age at 67 that's why we both are busting our bottoms.  Being an area manager on his primary job he does get to work form home from time to time.  We love having the grandkids next door which helps keep us focused on the future.  And he started as a janitor at the company he is with and now an area manager.  So yeah i know about entry level pay.  I could have stopped working at one point but I knew the older we got the more important the health insurance is and I felt if he was going to do all he does I was not going to stop.  :-)

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Really and truly, my comments to you were just a reflection of the cavalierness of what I've read through out this thread. Not anything you said and I surely understand where you are coming from. However, imo, anybody who works 40 hours deserves a wage that allows them to rent an apartment and put food on the table. It's not asking a lot in the face of all time profits for corporations and extravagant ceo pays and perks. It doesn't matter the skill level of the job- it matters that 40 hour jobs pay enough for the employee to survive.

[danirose1]

It seems some here don't realize that wages going back 50+ years did not keep up with inflation - at all. What you're seeing right now after the pandenmic is workers finally demanding a living wage. No matter the job, a liiving wage that can cover rent and food is essential. If you have skills or an education to make more than that, good for you. The plumber making $40 an hour has more disposible income than the fast food worker or grocery store clerk. 

Those working fast food may be studying a trade or going back to school while working those jobs. Perhaps those people want more disposible income. Having your basic needs met while studying or training for a higher wage is something to be applauded. No one knows the situation of the worker working in fast food or a grocery store.

As an example, $2.00 an hour in 1970 is $15.74 today. $20.00 today was $2.54 in 1970. 

https://www.amortization.org/inflation/amount.php?year=1970&amount=2#:~:text=%242%20in%201970%20%3D%...