They Raised the Minimum Wage!!

Effective July 24th, the minimum wage in the good ole U. S. of A. was raised from $5.85 an hour to $6.55 an hour. I, personally, am happy about that.

"Why?", you ask. (If you didn't ask, for the sake of this blog, let's pretend you did.)

"Because I now earn minimum wage!", I reply.

"Really? I thought you had a great paying tech job with a large, regional health care system!", you exlaim in surprise.

"I do", is my response, "but I also have lots of debt, so I picked up a second j0b to help dig ourselves out of the hole."

"Oh!! Now I understand", you state, with a nod of your head.


Apparently, at the pizza franchise that I work for (who shall remain nameless (just don't look at the picture)), the S.O.P. is to start all delivery drivers at minimum wage.

I am a delivery driver + I just started = I make minimum wage

My wife and I are on a fast track to try to destroy our debt. She is currently seeking employment and I have taken this second job. I no longer get a manicure every week, and I've also canceled my subscriptions to Teen Beat and O. More seriously, I am a Dave Ramsey fan, and I believe what the Bible says about debt and the problems that can go along with it, so we're trying to do everything we can.

Sidebar: I won't go into details about how we acquired our debt in this blog. Suffice it to say, if you need financial advice, call me and ask me if I have ever done whatever financial you are contemplating making. If I say, "Yes," then absolutely don't do it.

So...back to minimum wage. I'm making it! Plus $1.02 per delivery and whatever tips I can rake in.

Sidebar: The first time I worked at a pizza joint was 1989. Yes, that's almost 20 years ago. I'm aware of that fact. Back then, I started at minimum wage as well: $3.35 an hour.

The point of this is, that now that I am making $6.55 an hour at my second gig, I've suddenly have a different perspective on the money I spend. Allow me to elaborate.

• eating a combo meal at McDonald's: 1 hour of work
  
• going to the movies: 2.2 hours of work
  
• every tank of gas for my car: 9 hours of work
• buying a new pair (of relatively inexpensive) shoes: 10 hours of work
  
• watching UFC 90 on PPV: 11 hours of work
  

That makes me think before I buy that $1.49 drink at the gas station. (I still buy it, but it makes me think first.)