Thread: 1000$ - much or little?

Is it unheard of for an American to live on an income of a thousand dollars a month or is it fairly common?
I remember there was Lt. Colombo character from the American series shown on Russian TV in the 90s, I think, who knew there was a bill with a 100 on it but he seemed to have never seen, let alone, possessed one. Was it really big money when the story was filmatised and what is a hundred bucks for an average Tom, Dick and Harry today?

Originally Posted by alexB

Is it unheard of for an American to live on an income of a thousand dollars a month or is it fairly common?
I remember there was Lt. Colombo character from the American series shown on Russian TV in the 90s, I think, who knew there was a bill with a 100 on it but he seemed to have never seen, let alone, possessed one. Was it really big money when the story was filmatised and what is a hundred bucks for an average Tom, Dick and Harry today?

Okay, to be fair about it all... COULD you live on $1,000 would really depend upon WHERE you live in the U.S. On average, I would say. no. And here is why...

According to the Federal Guidelines..$10,830 (annually) is considered poverty for 2009/2010 for ONE person.

To obtain Free and Reduced Meals in School (in our area), you can't make more than $20,036 per year.

So, IF you could actually find a place to live for 300 bucks a month (say crash with a bunch of other people which is common... Immigrants just take over an apartment and fill it wall-to-wall with mattresses) AND you walk to your job so you don't have any transportation costs, AND you live on rice and pasta AND you don't have any other costs, like a cell phone, cable or anything else like that... yes, it can be done. BUT... is it living???

Right now, I do know many people who are cutting back and trying to live on as close to $1,000 as possible! Times are hard here!

My rent and utilities are $250 a month, I could easily get by on $1000 a month, but I am a single person.

I second what rockzmom wrote. It may be possible, with many restrictions, but you would never want to live like that. I haven't lived like that since 1971 when I lived the hippy life in Haight-Ashbury. Nowadays it is nearly impossible. Share an apartment in Chapel Hill, will cost you $400 for rent/utilities. And don't forget, to get $1000 чистый доход you have to earn about 20% more, i.e., $1200 for state and federal tax at the minimum rate of 15%. OTOH you'd probably qualify for food stamps, so that would give you some leeway. Been there, done that too.

Where the heck you living, Zombie. Arkansas? What about your car insurance? Health?

Now, I almost forgot to answer the other part of your question, back when Colombo was on... Let's see my first job was when I was in high school in the early '80s and I think I was making $3.10 to $3.35 per hour, and on Sundays, I made time and a half!

Then, I started working full-time I think I was making all of $6.35 per hour. So, at a 40 hour work week, that would be 6.35 x 2080 hours = $13,208 less all the taxes and health insurance! So back then I would have cleared way under $1,000 per month and I was living on my own. And I was eating a lot of pasta and there were no cell phones or cable back then!

So, yes, that was a lot of money back then!

I also agree with chaika, I have been there done that. I mean, we are getting by here now with much less than before and it is not fun... but I would not want to have to go back to the way I used to live...because it is more like... existing. I think my having done that though is why I do so well in odd locations around the world! I can handle just about anything you throw at me!

Originally Posted by chaika

I second what rockzmom wrote. It may be possible, with many restrictions, but you would never want to live like that. I haven't lived like that since 1971 when I lived the hippy life in Haight-Ashbury. Nowadays it is nearly impossible. Share an apartment in Chapel Hill, will cost you $400 for rent/utilities. And don't forget, to get $1000 чистый доход you have to earn about 20% more, i.e., $1200 for state and federal tax at the minimum rate of 15%. OTOH you'd probably qualify for food stamps, so that would give you some leeway. Been there, done that too.

Where the heck you living, Zombie. Arkansas? What about your car insurance? Health?

North East Kansas, haha. Car insurance is $30 dollars, I don't carry health insurance due to cost vs. benefit ratio. I haven't felt the need to see a doctor since I was 12 (25 now).

If I had to carry health insurance there would be no way to live off of $1000 a month. Health insurance is expensive in the US.

So what's the minimum wage in the US?

I mean the lowest salary that employers are legally allowed to pay? In the UK it's about £5.50 /hour. =USD 7.

The only person who would work for less than that would be an illegal immigrant from outside Europe, i.e. African or Middle Eastern.

I read in the paper recently about an English woman who dressed up like a gypsy (zigane) and went to beg in the Underground (metro). She made average of £30 an hour.

By the way, I understand that it's customary to measure gross annual salary in US rather than monthly net (as it is customary in Russia). Is it truly so? And is it really convenient to measure annual income rather than monthly? Isn't it a bit too 'long term'?

Federal minimum wage is $7.25, some states make it higher than that though.

We measure salary jobs in yearly amounts, that seems to work pretty well, but for "paid by the hour" jobs we measure it by $ per hour and nothing else.

I don't know if it works better than knowing your monthly salary or not, I haven't ever used that system.

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Federal minimum wage is $7.25, some states make it higher than that though.

We measure salary jobs in yearly amounts, that seems to work pretty well, but for "paid by the hour" jobs we measure it by $ per hour and nothing else.

I don't know if it works better than knowing your monthly salary or not, I haven't ever used that system.

Russian federal minimum is 4330 roubles per month (142$ per month - net). One can hadly live for these money, but somehow some people get by... I really don't know. $1000 per month is considered rather good salary in all Russian regions with possible exception of Moscow. Moscow is an exception because you can hardly find a living apartment for less than $700-800 a month (for rent). If you own one - this sum will be enough to maintain two people (i mean food only and other must-have things).

Originally Posted by Ramil

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

Federal minimum wage is $7.25, some states make it higher than that though.

We measure salary jobs in yearly amounts, that seems to work pretty well, but for "paid by the hour" jobs we measure it by $ per hour and nothing else.

I don't know if it works better than knowing your monthly salary or not, I haven't ever used that system.

Russian federal minimum is 4330 roubles per month (142$ per month - net). One can hadly live for these money, but somehow some people get by... I really don't know. $1000 per month is considered rather good salary in all Russian regions with possible exception of Moscow. Moscow is an exception because you can hardly find a living apartment for less than $700-800 a month (for rent). If you own one - this sum will be enough to maintain two people (i mean food only and other must-have things).

Its hard for me to think about only making $142 a month, how much is an average apartment in Russia outside of the big areas like Moscow?

I had a classmate that was from Moscow and anytime she talked about the area it seemed like they didn't have housing districts and everyone just lived in stacked apartments, is that true? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

Even if you could sneak by on a grand, eventually you're going to hit by those bills that come from nowhere (and they always come) that will break you.
Where I live a one bedroom apt is $800/mo. minimum; you can do the math.

[quote=Zombie Acorn]

Originally Posted by Ramil

Originally Posted by "Zombie Acorn":3pgqva1i

Its hard for me to think about only making $142 a month, how much is an average apartment in Russia outside of the big areas like Moscow?

That's a too broad question.

I had a classmate that was from Moscow and anytime she talked about the area it seemed like they didn't have housing districts and everyone just lived in stacked apartments, is that true? Sorry if that is a dumb question.

[/quote:3pgqva1i]
For Moscow it's true. Moscow is a New York sized city but it occupies 1/10 of its territory.

In Moscow we pay an administrative assistant $800-1000. Usually they're 22-27 y.o. girls who rent a shared flat (800-900 USD a month).
For any other privincial centre (except for St. Pete) the sum must be divided by three.
An industrial worker can be hired for $500 in the provinces neighboring Moscow region.

Originally Posted by Zombie Acorn

it seemed like they didn't have housing districts and everyone just lived in stacked apartments, is that true?

That's true, and not only for Moscow; but what's wrong about it? It's absolutely normal in Russia.

Originally Posted by Оля

That's true, and not only for Moscow; but what's wrong about it? It's absolutely normal in Russia.

Tastes differ For a common Northern Korean such apartment would be a palace. For a common American it's probably a hellhole.

Originally Posted by Ленивец

For Moscow it's true. Moscow is a New York sized city but it occupies 1/10 of its territory.

Hm... well wikipedia states other way:

Moscow: population 10,562,099, area 1081 km^2
New York City: population 8 700 000, area 785 km^2 (land area)

Originally Posted by Waterlaz

Originally Posted by Ленивец

For Moscow it's true. Moscow is a New York sized city but it occupies 1/10 of its territory.

Hm... well wikipedia states other way:

Moscow: population 10,562,099, area 1081 km^2
New York City: population 8 700 000, area 785 km^2 (land area)

Compare Moscow with the New York Metropolitan area
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_metropolitan_area

[quote=Ленивец][quote=Waterlaz][quote="Ленивец":3v1s4f5b]For Moscow it's true. Moscow is a New York sized city but it occupies 1/10 of its territory.[/quote]
Hm... well wikipedia states other way:

Moscow: population 10,562,099, area 1081 km^2
New York City: population 8 700 000, area 785 km^2 (land area)[/quote]

Compare Moscow with the New York Metropolitan area
[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_metropolitan_area"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_metropolitan_area[/url][/quote:3v1s4f5b]
Well, that is a completely different thing.

[quote=Оля]

Originally Posted by "Zombie Acorn":2aqujmpo

it seemed like they didn't have housing districts and everyone just lived in stacked apartments, is that true?

That's true, and not only for Moscow; but what's wrong about it? It's absolutely normal in Russia.[/quote:2aqujmpo]

Do many people own the apartments they stay in? Or are they mostly rented?

I don't think there is a problem as long as you can say you own something. I wouldn't want to have to live under a landlord my entire life.

I think in America apartments have a "temporary" feel to them, most people want to buy a house and move out if they can afford it. It might just be a culture difference.