So there has been a lot of talk this week about minimum wage going up to a whopping £5.52 per hour for people over the age of 21. If you are under 21 it is a bit less and if you are under 18, I think it is still legal to send you to work in the pit on a seventeen hour shift for two shillings a week. I’m pretty sure that I was paid about £2 an hour at my first ever job… i am on a wee bit more than that now (at £2.10 per hour).
I have taken it upon myself to do some calculations. Please allow for the fact that I am fairy inept at maths, but I have used a calculator so hopefully I have enough un-evolved monkey in me to bash the right buttons.
So min wage = £5.52
Say rent and bills (average up North made up by Ryan) = £500 per month
Shopping Budget = £100 per month
Say £10 per month in case of emergency… like an emergency bottle of value Scotch.
Annual Wage = £10,062
Annual Out-goings = £7,320
Hourly Wage after out-goings = £1.37 per hour
This means you would have to work 15 hours to buy a new pair of Calvin Klein underpants, because you split your picking up a cigarette butt off the floor outside Primark.
You are feeling a bit out of touch and want to be down with the kids again, so you work 138 hours to buy an iPod… all you need now is to save up for a computer. 584 hours will get you a shiny new G5 iMac. That will have to wait though because your neighbour was pissed last night and he accidentally set fire to your Bentley. You’re going to have to buy a new one. Good news is you will only have to save every penny you earn for 83,942 hours (2,269 days or 43.6 years) and you’re there… I think you will agree this is not unachievable
I ask you is minimum wage enough to survive on?
Please throw your loose change… I mean words into my grotty comments box please.
March 9th, 2007 at 3:41 pm
£500 rent + bills!!! It’s expensive Oop North! I pay £525 a month rent + bills and I live in zone 2 London.
March 9th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
I’m not saying that is the cheapest rent up here. But I have artistically allowed myself to charge that.
£525 in London, is that made of cardboard?… just kidding I’m sure it is very nice
March 9th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
It’s a lovely flat - I’m moving soon though hopefully - I want to live with moe people
March 9th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
You missed out the most important thing:
Between 1.5-2 hours JUST FOR A PINT!
I remember the first time I was on £4/hour at the tender age of 16. I used to think “I’d work 15 minutes, and get a pound!”
It was rather ace
March 12th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Sonofabitch!! How can you possibly survive on that?
I can give you some crumbs from a cookie, is that okay?
March 12th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
cookie crumbs would be greatly appreciated… thank you
March 12th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
i miss the days of student housing!!
£45 a week including all bills - unlimited hot water and heating…
add to that £1 a pint!
ah i miss student days
March 12th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
things have changed.my student room is near on £80 a week!
but then I do have an ensuite (but with a shower from the 70s)
March 13th, 2007 at 11:48 pm
Far out brussell sprout, how on Earth anyone in a big city can survive on the minimum wage is beyond my comprehension!