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I see this term thrown around all the time when it comes to minimum wage. I'm curious as to what this means.
Does living wage mean the minimum wage necessary to survive? Or is there a minimum amount of amenities one must also have such as a computer, car, television, etc.?
Minimum wage in America is more than what 90% of the rest of the world makes and even adjusting for purchasing power, living in the US is better than most of the rest of the world. I have a friend who makes less than minimum wage working for a charity and she says she gets by fine and doesn't accept food stamps because she doesn't want to set a bad example for the kids she mentors. Does this mean she is making a "living wage", or does living wage constantly change depending on a person's spending habits? And before the trolls come in and accuse me of partisanship, I am just telling a true anecdote that I understand is not proof of anything. I'd just like clarity on what criteria defines "living wage" and whether this means any less money will mean no longer living.
MIT made a living wage calculator and here is the statement that precedes it. It explains it rather well:
In many American communities, families working in low-wage jobs make insufficient income to live locally given the local cost of living. Recently, in a number of high-cost communities, community organizers and citizens have successfully argued that the prevailing wage offered by the public sector and key businesses should reflect a wage rate required to meet minimum standards of living. Therefore we have developed a living wage calculator to estimate the cost of living in your community or region. The calculator lists typical expenses, the living wage and typical wages for the selected location.