Depressive rant below
I got a degree in elementary education. Worked as a teacher for 2 years. It was brutal, and I worked many unpaid hours – and was expected to work them. Honestly, it's fine because it was for the kids, but I realized that field wasn't for me. Didn't really pay shit for the effort and the value to society I felt I was contributing, but it's fine – not worth it if it wasn't a good fit. Not moral.
So I moved to early childhood. I took a PreK position that's about 5 hours a day. It's $16 an hour. Much better fit for me. But the pay is even worse. Well, rent is almost $900 (with a roommate, so this is split – and very cheap for the location) and I'm about to get dropped from my folks insurance from age. So car insurance for me is $200; never been in an accident or pulled over. Clean record. It could be cheaper but it wouldn't cover dick. It is what it is. Health insurance, gosh darn it, they couldn't verify my identity. It'll be about $200 and and about $40 for dental because I have a specific dentist I need to use. Once they verify my identity. I'm off the insurance tomorrow. Knowing my luck I'm going to get injured and my meager savings are going to be pissed away instantly followed by years of inescapable debt and shitty credit. Fingers crossed.
So gotta take a second job. I got a good $15/hr one. Well, they can only schedule me on weekdays. But that's fine. Need the hours.
Get up at 7. Get to school at 8. Go to my second job at 1. Leave at 9. 13 hour days.
And one of those jobs only covers my fucking bills. No excess, nothing. I had to work the second job to feel secure in my future. I had to take side gigs just to have some emergency and (occasional) splurge money. Well, gotta work those on the weekends. And by the time I get home if I want to rest or work on a hobby I get maybe 45 minutes before I start losing those precious 8 hours of sleep.
And to be honest, I have it pretty good. College educated. No disabilities. Both gigs are 2x minimum wage and very close by. And one of the jobs provides meals … when the manager isn't looking. So that's some big savings. But I still go home dog ass tired and wishing I was free. At least a little more free.
I just don't know how some people can do it. This system is not fair. 60 hour work weeks to live in moderate comfort but I spend most of that time at work. Just longing for simple things like being able to go for a walk outside during the day or paid lunch. Meanwhile some folks make $100,000 a year just sitting at a computer doing math for 8 hours and shit. I get that that work is important for some things. But is it really worth almost 3x my income – as someone that spends nearly all of their waking hours at work? I am lucky in that I can actually work to save. I know some people are barely making it. How can they do it? How? I would be dead if I was in their situation. It's just not a way to live.
Minimum wage seems impossibly low. I literally do not think it could be possible to live that way, and if you have a family or a dependent to take care of – forget about it.