$21 per hour is not enough. Like how is anyone supposed to live on such low income?

[Anonymous]

After taxes, I’m left with about $1,300 every two weeks. It would be a decent wage if like 5% was taxed instead of 22 god damn percent. I don’t ever recall agreeing to that. Car insurance? Phone bill? Groceries? Like really?

[OneViewpoint]

$21 / hour is about $43,700 annually assuming someone works 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year. So simply adjust the tiered tax rates for zero tax up to that income level.

And you're not paying 22% federal tax at your income level. If you are you are fucking up your tax return something fierce. Or you suck at math and don't understand how to calculate your blended tax rate. The standard deduction for a single filer was $14,600 in 2024. Let's say you earned $44,000. Your taxable income would be $29,400. Your federal blended tax rate would have been 7.5% in 2024 or about $3,300. That's about 1/3 of what you seem to think you're paying.

[Asker]

I know there’s more deductions besides federal and state taxes. I was just referring to the amount that gets taken out total.

[OneViewpoint]

What you said was after taxes. And you quoted 22%. That is extremely misleading.

So what you mean is after

State and Federal income tax,

FICA 6.2% to fund social security and 1.45% to fund Medicare for a total of 7.65% ,

SUTA state unemployment insurance varies by state and Red States tend to be much higher (shocker). Arkansas is 14%.

FUTA federal unemployment insurance 6%.

Healthcare premiums if you're have employer offers a private insurance program.

Your alternative is a world where you have no social security, no Medicare, no unemployment insurance, and no healthcare insurance and you take your chances.

OR...

We stop worshipping corporations and billionaires and start making them pay taxes like the middle class and poor.

[OlderAndWiser]

In what field do you work? What have you done to increase your earning potential?

[Asker]

I’m currently working as a loss prevention associate, but I would like to be a police officer at some point in the future. Pay is much better, they make around 60-80k per year.

[OlderAndWiser]

What's holding you back?

[Asker]

My partner really worries about my safety. She keeps trying to talk me out of it

[OlderAndWiser]

You have other options?

[Asker]

Wouldn’t mind CDL driving, but that’s a humongous lifestyle change. Seems like every job with good pay comes with a price

[OlderAndWiser]

Most people who have jobs that pay well are making some sacrifices for the money. What is your passion in life, and is there a way to turn that into a job?

[midnightmoon05]

I saw a young sanitation worker. He was so high in energy! Pay is good with that job.
There are options… but we can’t keep closing our own doors.

[onedarkcloud]

I retired years ago and saved and invested widely. I still invest and still make money. I worked for the Bell System and bought stock in the spin-off companies, where I made most of my money

[midnightmoon05]

@onedarkcloud smart choices 👍

[midnightmoon05]

with that and your partners income should be a good start if in America.
start saving in case you have kids and need baby support.
my dad raised 4 kids with $700. - $900. a month income and $300. rent. In between he was robbed on his way home with his salary.
the American dream still exists 😊

[midnightmoon05]

Now my belated father was very proud seeing all his 4 children grew up and being very successful.

[Flower7]

Are you living alone or have you been forced into a shared living situation because of finances?

[Twalli]

Where do you live? Minimum wage is about 1/3 of that nationwide, and a good deal lower in most places that have increased it beyond the federal level. If you live in an expensive place, that's probably why you have difficulty living on that, but you picked that job on that wage knowing that you live in a rich area of the country.

[BonzoInBitburg]

Polish up that resume and find something better. The only way to make more money is move to a better job. You will never get a serious raise if you stay at the same company.

[Anonymous]

It's do-able where I live. But the standard of living is pretty low where I live. I wouldn't want to try though still.

I would recommend living below your means as best you can. Getting a side hustle and invest, invest, invest. I never took a vacation for the first 20 years of my working life.

[Makeushiver]

It depends on other factors. iI it's in the form of a wage as an employee or as revenue if you are independent.
The value of any benefits that accompanying it
If it's entry level or you are more senior
Where you live

[Shiprex]

Blame Trump, he's the one pushing a 15-35% tax on goods coming into the US that could be considered a VAT that other countries have more honest governments telling them this.

[DrPepper12]

Why are you in early thirties only making $21 an hour?

You have choices ya know. Go live at Walden...

[Asker]

What does age have to do with anything? I have known people 20+ years older who make less. Most people jobs pay like shit. That’s not anything I’m doing wrong

[Asker]

www.cbsnews.com/.../#

[onedarkcloud]

California, here we come, lock, stock, and assholes at the top!

[seeyounexttuesday]

Guess you gotta work a little harder and get a better job

[Anonymous]

Wait until the summer Terrace kick in and the grocery prices really go up, which triggers everything else to go up. And it will never go back down.

[Anonymous]

$21 would be a dream

I make $3 and probably put in double your hours

[exitseven]

the national minimum wage is 7.50/hr

[Opinion Owner]

Self-employment, it's that or earning nothing

[OneViewpoint]

Yeah, selling your life one hour at a time is not valuing yourself much. That's not how you build wealth.

[Opinion Owner]

Exactly I just do the math for an hour based on what I don't want to pay taxes on, I could earn more but not supporting the system

[Simslover92]

I would kill to be making $21 per hour right now.

[Asker]

It’s not very good where I live lol

[Simslover92]

It would be very good where I live.

[exitseven]

chik a fil a advertised 23 dollars an hour.

[Simslover92]

I wonder if that's for full time or part time work though

[Asker]

@exitseven that’s extremely out of the ordinary. Most fast food workers are in the teens at best. That would be an area where 60k is needed to rent a dumpster

[kavakava]

Move to NYC. Zohran will give you $30

[midnightmoon05]

You think he will win?

[kavakava]

Probably

[Anonymous]

I completely agree with you.