How do people live?

[mill8277]

I moved to the city to find work...there was no work at all in my home town....hoping they soon raise minimum wages...

[Tresbn00]

Having a degree is no guaranty of a job. My wife has been with her company for thirty five years and lacked self confidence becaus she didn't have a degree for seventeen of those years. I got my bachelor's right after high school. I have only made more money than her in two of the twenty years that we have been married.  When the real estate market tanked in 2008 I couldn't find a job for three weeks so I took a job as a paper boy and worked hard enough to average about eighteen dollars per hour.  I still couldn't find a job in my field so I took a job as a milkman making about twenty one dollars an hour. Both were brutal jobs but you do what you have to do. I am finally back in my field making decent cash without beating myself up. I think that most of my opportunities have come from my extremely good work ethic...Thank God!

[catherinedwhite]

It is amazing how a family with kids survive.

No wonder both parents have to work.

[queenofnines]

A lot of the things that most people consider "necessary" really aren't. No, you don't need a hundred dollar smartphone with a whopping bill every month. No, you don't need both cable AND the Internet. No, you don't need to drive a new car. No, you don't need to have expensive a s s kids as a default.

[6265AT99]

I have been job hunting lately and can't figure out how people are supposed to live.  First of all there aren't any jobs.  In our local newspaper there are usually only 1-2 legit jobs per day.  If you don't qualify or want those you have to dig deeper.  It seems that all jobs that pay a living wage are for people who already have that job and have been in that job for five years or more.  In other words, they don't want to train anyone to do anything.  Even if you have experience they want you to already be trained on their software, computer systems, etc. 

I guess it is what happens when there are so many people needing jobs.  The employers can cherry pick to get exactly what they want.  Great for them, but sucks for us.  They can also pay $9 per hour or less.  Around here it is rare for a job to pay for than that even with a degree.

You are so right, especially about the scarcity of jobs and the menial pay.  It's even worse if you are considered a "Senior".  So when people say the "economy is getting better" - I say OH, REALLY SHOW ME WHERE!!!!!!!!!!

[kilophkadamas]

Thankfully I live in a city where jobs are always available, even if they happen to the be the lowest of the low jobs. If I were in your situation, I'd try to live as material free as possible, and then move locations at the earliest time possible to a city where there are more opportunities.

[jmc1982]

I been looking for a second job but have had no luck.  I work as a customer service specialist and the raises here are horrible. Feels like for 3 years i been working here has been for nothing. Thankful and gratefull that i have a job but SFL is very difficult. Sometimes you dont even last long at the job.

[nmsmith]

its a struggle to simply "live".... the fact is there are jobs out there no matter where you live. But all the other factors about where you live such as  how many GOOD jobs there are in your town, how much you will get be compensated vs how much your cost of living will be... the key is to bring your cost of living down as much as possible and maximize your earning potential at the same time

[inertia4]

I know what you mean. They keep on blaming Obama when it is the private sector that is putting all those restrictions on people getting jobs. And lets face it, who can live on a McDonald's salary with a family.

[mbaker12]

I'm from Ohio and there are no decent jobs here either. I had to take a low paying job, but gas is eating up my profit. I'm wondering if it's even worth the job? My Friend wants me to move to Tennessee, but I haven't heard about the job market there.

[msmoneybags48]

There are times when you have to drop your standards.  I haven't been employed since 2005.  I want a job, but I will not bend my standards to do jobs I am not happy with.  I have been a Clerk/Receptionist, an Accounting Clerk, and an Accounts Technician.  I was happy at those kinds of jobs.  I would take a job right now if I could get at least $15,000 a year.  Something beats nothing.

[samrhett2]

There are times when you have to drop your standards.  I haven't been employed since 2005.  I want a job, but I will not bend my standards to do jobs I am not happy with.  I have been a Clerk/Receptionist, an Accounting Clerk, and an Accounts Technician.  I was happy at those kinds of jobs.  I would take a job right now if I could get at least $15,000 a year.  Something beats nothing.

I hear you but I promise you that would not cover my food, electric, gas, clothing and medical expenses.  Remember we live in a time when it is not unusual for a prescription to cost over $100 and gas can be near $4 a gallon.  I am the only earner here, trying to support me and my son.  I set myself up as well as I could.  I own my house free and clear.  I own my car free and clear.  I don't go out to eat, I don't drink or smoke.  Yet, I still could not get by on that with a growing teenager that needs clothes and food.

It has been over 30 days since I started this thread and I am still looking.  I have had one offer at $9.15 an hour and another call back from a jewelry store, which I decided not to pursue because of the long drive it would involve and it paid $10 only.

I guess that when you figure that I have made around the same amount of money for 20 years, I hate to take less twenty years later.  You know what I mean?  Geeze, you hope your wage goes up, but I guess I should have been a doctor or something that is always in demand.  Nobody but myself to blame for that.

In the meantime, I have picked up a few independent contractor transcription jobs.  I hate transcription but it is extra money so I take every offer I get for the extra work. 

[kqa]

I have been a nurse since the mid 70s.  I have found that nursing is one of the most inflation-proof professions there is and have always been able to go to work immediately.

[coreyw87]

I don't know how people are supposed to live.  My brother and I are unable to get jobs and my mother is on disability. My dad passed away recently so we lost his income.  We are just struggling to get by day to day.  I hope things improve for you.

[mbaker12]

I just got offered a job doing private senior home care for 20.00 an hour in OHio.