Money isn't a storage of value, it's a storage of time. How much you are paid is how much someone thinks the time you put into doing it is worth. If you put in more “effort” (aka activity/time) you are worth more. Or should be.
When you buy a loaf of breadyou are paying for the time to not make it yourself.
Retirement is not how much you have, it's how long can you live. When you are paid minimum wage, it's not what can you afford to do, it's what can you afford not to do?
Value your pay like your value your time.