Lou Decruss wrote:

> On Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:48:35 -0500, Goomba38 >
> wrote:
>
> >Lou Decruss wrote:
>
> >>> If the economic downturn we are currently in continues,
> >>> people won't
> >>> be so quick to throw money away, whatever form it takes.
>
> >> Thank you for adding something rational Gloria. *We're far from poor,
> >> but I still look at $80 as a lot of money. *At minimum wage it takes
> >> people 2 days to make that much.
>
> >> Lou
>
> ><gasp!> You're kidding?... hmmm.. no you're not. Wow. That puts things
> >into persepective a bit for me.
>
> I think it's up to $7.50 in my state. *I don't know if that's a
> national thing. *Obviously you did the math though.
>
> >Then again it goes back to the idea that minimum wage was never meant to
> >be a wage a family could necessarily live off of. <shrug>
>
> In Chicago you need to make almost $17 per hour to afford a 2 bedroom
> apartment. *I don't even see how that's possible, but that's what they
> say. *Two minimum wage people with even one child would have to both
> work two jobs to pay rent and eat. *Not to mention transportation,
> health care, clothes, school supplies, etc. *


IIRC the median price for a one - bedroom apartment in the Chicago
metro area is around a thousand bux. In my area (North Side, by the
lake), that's about the lowest rock - bottom price you can find for a
small one - bedroom place. So a person has to make at *least* 40+K to
afford that, and on that dough you are going to have a *very* minimum
lifestyle...you'll live like a college student on a strict budget.

Gentrification has pretty much moved out anyone who was "working
class". Heck, it's moved out a lot of the gays who originally moved
into my East Lakeview nabe 25 - 30 years because it was a relatively
affordable place. Many have moved north to Andersonville, but that
area is now pricey...there has been a great reduction in rental
housing.


> We have a pretty nice lifestyle and it didn't come from tossing 80
> bucks out the window.


Yup...


--
Best
Greg