I’ve figured out that one way to stump older people that complain about the current generation is to have an inflation calculator app on your phone.
Aunt: When we got our first apartment it was 300 bucks a month why can’t you-
Me: In what year?
Aunt: What?
Me: What year did you get your first apartment?
Aunt: 1973?
Me: Hmmm. Looks like that would be $1755 in 2021 money.
Aunt: *seems to go through seven emotions at once*
Aunt: Oh.
Uncle: Why should minimum wage-
Me: What year did you start college?
Uncle: 1968?
Me: So if you scale up $1.60 to 2021 dollars that would be $11.94 and the current federal minimum wage is $7.25
Uncle: Bu-
Me: And it seems like from a quick google search the median rent in 1970 was $108 and today that would be $722 but this same chart tells me that the actual median rent in 2020 was $1,100.
Uncle: *confused silence*
But yeah sure let’s all be panicked about “inflation” right now because lunch at Chipotle now costs another $0.40
Your argument doesn’t really hold up. We KNOW things were cheaper back then but we also REMEMBER what are paychecks were. I took home $116.00 a week for 40 hours in 1977. $120.00 a month rent , kept my car running, ate everyday and supported myself just fine.
If I had a car payment I would NOT be able to eat I spend like 60% of my income on rent for a cheap studio apartment that leaks and I make more than minimum wage
Ok so let’s do some math!
$116 a week for 40 hours would give you $464 a month for a four week month.
At $7.25 an hour (the current federal minimum wage), 40 hours a week, you would get $290 a week, totalling $1160 a month.
With rent costing $120 a month, that would leave you with roughly 75% of your income in 1977 for other things ($344). I agree, that’s plenty of money for car and food payments back then!
In 2021, with rent costing a median of $1100, as provided above, that would leave you with a whopping 5% for other things, or $60!!
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that’ll pay for a whole month’s food if you want good nutrition, much less car payment and supporting yourself on top of that!
But yeah, people working minimum wage are totally just irresponsible with their money, that’s why they’re struggling. Nothing to do with minimum wage. That doesn’t need to be raised.
I find myself getting less and less ambitious the older I get.
When I was graduating high school I wanted to do great things and be super famous and change the world. Now I just want to hang out and not bother anybody.
“Where do you see yourself in 5 years” just chilling hopefully
double triple - six patties bossy - all beef deluxe - with everything (lettuce, onions, tomato, etc) on a raft - on toast 4x4 - 4 patty by 4 cheese, so (6x4) 24 patties and 24 slices of cheese animal-style - cooked in mustard extra shingles - extra toast with a shimmy - jelly on the toast and a squeeze - orange juice on the side light axle grease - with butter make it cry - extra onions burn it - well done let it swim - extra sauce
