Costs of Working for Min Wage

[Deleted]

Here is what I have personally experienced since I started my new job:

We are required to wear a company branded shirt that can only be ordered from one place online. The "basic" polo, that looks ugly on even the cutest of folks, is $40.  We get 2 "free" shirts. Buying any others is on us. I am now doing laundry 3 times a week, since I am working 6 days per week.

Our customer service people, who have essentially the same job I do, make $8-9 per hour, which is minimum wage here. So, just to buy the required shirts they would work 5 hours or so. Which, explains why everyone does a lot of laundry.... They also average a $0.25 per year raise....  Most of them got an instant raise after min wage went up... it was more than 3 years of typical wage increases for them.

We are not allowed to sit while helping customers, so we have to have good shoes to stand on the hard concrete floors.  I am still working on this one, and my feet are killing me.

It was recently changed that everyone has to wear black slacks. This meant that most of the long-time workers had to go out and buy new pants because previously they were required to be blue, red or white.

I will eventually probably suck it up and buy new shirts. They are only 3 hours of work in cost for me, and I can't keep working 10 hours a day, 6 days a week, and doing so much dang laundry.

The company also offers health insurance. The OOP is $400 per month, per employee, and the Out-of-Pocket max per year is $20K. There are no co-pays for anything, each item is only "30%" covered. So, if I go to the doctor under their plan, I pay 70% of the cost. Same for medications.

I am going to use the exchange, since I can get a much better plan for about $110 per month, due to the subsidy.

It is expensive working for lower income paying companies.

[Formerly SK]

$40 branded polo?  That's insane.

I make $13/hr working PT in the school district (MCOL).  No benefits.  I had to pay about $120 for random pre-employment stuff (background testing, CPR cert, etc.) in order to get my job.  My job is just for extra money so it wasn't a big deal to me.  But to people who are really struggling?  Yikes. 

I also pay union dues, even though I don't get benefits.   

[Cookies Galore]

I would spray the shirts you have with febreze or other fabric refresher and air them out between wearings. I used to do this when I waitressed. If there wasn't crud on my clothes, they got worn again. I wasn't going to the laundromat more than once a week (no washer/dryer at home at that time).

that "insurance" is a joke.

[Sam_2.0]

shasta - not sure which company you work for, but have you tried to find used polos on ebay or something similar? I would think former employees would like to their shirts and make a buck if they could.

When I worked at Target I was going through pants like nobody's business since I worked unloading trucks. We still had to wear khakis and red shirts, but they wouldn't supply us with either. Working PT I didn't have $$ to keep buying the more expensive pants. So I would load up at the thrift stores when they were on sale.

I remember the $90 shoes they made us buy at McDonald's. But they were "kind" and let us order through their store catalog to get them and then have a payroll deduction for the purchase price. Those are still probably the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever purchased.

[Lizard Queen]

Sept 23, 2014 11:11:18 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

I would spray the shirts you have with febreze or other fabric refresher and air them out between wearings. I used to do this when I waitressed. If there wasn't crud on my clothes, they got worn again. I wasn't going to the laundromat more than once a week (no washer/dryer at home at that time).

that "insurance" is a joke.

 Can you wear a T-shirt underneath?  That would help a ton.

[cronewitch]

What about washing out by hand? I did that when I waited table in white dress uniforms in the early 70s.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Try Payless for shoes.  They have a new comfort line that isn't too expensive and has a good selection of shoes you can probably find something  dress code approved.

I used them to purchase non-skid shoes when I was a server.  This was a part time temporary gig for me,  no way was I going to pay big bucks like DH does for his (he works in manufacturing).   They met the dress code (white sneakers) and were surprisingly comfortable.   Cost me a little over $20 compared to $80-$100 for other brands.

[Sam_2.0]

Sept 23, 2014 11:51:38 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Has anyone tried an antiperspirant? I take my work tops off the minute I get home, and I generally wear them 2-3 times between washings.

I wish it was that easy. I wear the prescription strength stuff and generally change my shirt at least once a day. No way I could get by with wearing it again after a full day. And wearing another shirt underneath is out - I am boiling hot as it is with just minimal clothing on!!

However, a quick wash out in the sink could be a good option too. Wash a shirt as soon as you get home and hang it up to dry. That should do good enough between weekly washings. I got really good at doing laundry in the bathtub during college

[midjd]

I remember the $90 shoes they made us buy at McDonald's. But they were "kind" and let us order through their store catalog to get them and then have a payroll deduction for the purchase price. Those are still probably the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever purchased.

When DH worked at the steel foundry, he was required to have steel-toed boots. The first pair (from Wal-Mart) were $40 and lasted less than a week (the soles melted). Then he started ordering boots from the company for $140. Those usually lasted a month. His long-sleeved shirts lasted a week or two before they got too many burn holes to be safe. His salary there looked great, until you started factoring the cost of everything he was burning through (literally)...   I swear he was spending $250 a month just on boots/clothing.

The startup costs of low wage jobs can be pretty prohibitive. Nickel and Dimed is a great book about how hard it is to get started in one of those jobs if you don't have some assets or seed money.

And I agree that the insurance is laughable. I'm glad you can find a better rate on the exchange.

[Phoenix84]

Yeah, having to buy work uniforms sucks balls.

And I feel for you on the feet issue. When I worked retail, that was the thing that I hated the most. Standing for 8 hours was murder on my feet, and I have flat feet to boot.

Can you get away with wearing the shirts two days without doing laundry? I usually wear my work shirts two days in a row. It works fine as long as I'm not working outside or something.  As Meghan suggested, try spraying fabreeze on them after work before the next day.

If you bought one more shirt, and were able to wear them two days in a row, you'd only have to do laundry once a week, presumably on your day off.

[Phoenix84]

If it makes you feel better, in order to get my current job, I had to pay about 3k in moving costs up front. Thankfully, I could afford it. I've had to pay upfront for the move every time I got a new job. The first time it didn't cost me much because everything I had fit into a Corolla, but after that, I've had to hire professional movers.

I'm hoping that this time my new employers will pay for my move, or at least some of it. It did say moving expenses MAY be authorized in the announcement...

Anyway, as they say, it takes money to make money. But I can understand how that barrier could be very real to those really needing the money.

[Peace77]

Can you get an anti-fatigue mat to stand on? Some employers might provide them.

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Sept 23, 2014 11:11:29 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

shasta - not sure which company you work for, but have you tried to find used polos on ebay or something similar? I would think former employees would like to their shirts and make a buck if they could.

When I worked at Target I was going through pants like nobody's business since I worked unloading trucks. We still had to wear khakis and red shirts, but they wouldn't supply us with either. Working PT I didn't have $$ to keep buying the more expensive pants. So I would load up at the thrift stores when they were on sale.

I remember the $90 shoes they made us buy at McDonald's. But they were "kind" and let us order through their store catalog to get them and then have a payroll deduction for the purchase price. Those are still probably the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever purchased.

Doesn't Target sell khakis and red shirts?  They couldnt just let you mosey on over to soft lines and pick up some?  crazy....

[Sam_2.0]

Sept 23, 2014 13:13:38 GMT -5 Mardi Gras Audrey said:

Sept 23, 2014 11:11:29 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

shasta - not sure which company you work for, but have you tried to find used polos on ebay or something similar? I would think former employees would like to their shirts and make a buck if they could.

When I worked at Target I was going through pants like nobody's business since I worked unloading trucks. We still had to wear khakis and red shirts, but they wouldn't supply us with either. Working PT I didn't have $$ to keep buying the more expensive pants. So I would load up at the thrift stores when they were on sale.

I remember the $90 shoes they made us buy at McDonald's. But they were "kind" and let us order through their store catalog to get them and then have a payroll deduction for the purchase price. Those are still probably the most expensive pair of shoes I've ever purchased.

Doesn't Target sell khakis and red shirts?  They couldnt just let you mosey on over to soft lines and pick up some?  crazy....

They do (well, depending on what's out), but it was much cheaper to get them at the thrift store. And since I knew they would be ruined soon anyway I wasn't about to buy brand new ones

[movingforward]

Sept 23, 2014 11:51:38 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Has anyone tried an antiperspirant? I take my work tops off the minute I get home, and I generally wear them 2-3 times between washings.

Same here; however, I sit at a desk most of the day.  If I worked at a physical job where I was sweating most of the day it would be much harder to get more than one day (two max) out of a shirt before having to wash it.  

[alabamagal]

I posted about this before, when DS got a summer job working at Japanese steak house.  In order to start he had to have non-slip shoes, black dress pants, white dress shirt and tie.  He had shirt and tie and we had to buy everything else ($75) and then he had 1 outfit.  He washed after every work night (which he could use living at home).  He also had to spend $30 on alcohol servers license.  And then because of how they divided tips (first 10% went to the chef at the table), he made barely over minimum wage.  It took him over a week to get the money back.

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Sept 23, 2014 13:16:17 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

Sept 23, 2014 13:13:38 GMT -5 Mardi Gras Audrey said:

Doesn't Target sell khakis and red shirts?  They couldnt just let you mosey on over to soft lines and pick up some?  crazy....

They do (well, depending on what's out), but it was much cheaper to get them at the thrift store. And since I knew they would be ruined soon anyway I wasn't about to buy brand new ones

Sam, I was just giving you a little ribbing... I was actually thinking Target should have let you guys pick them up for free!  I can't imagine someone picking up millions of extra and selling them on the black market...

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Sept 23, 2014 13:37:24 GMT -5 @tbird said:

LOL - just thought - strippers likely spend more on clothes for work than any of us.....

yeah, those shoes are pretty pricey.... or at least, that's what my friend told me....

[Tiny]

Sept 23, 2014 13:01:19 GMT -5 Peace77 said:

Can you get an anti-fatigue mat to stand on? Some employers might provide them.

It might be worth while to google and come up with an alterative to purchased specific anti fatigue mat.     One of my part time jobs was as a cashier at a chain store - and I swear I always had 8 hour shifts where I'd have to stand for 5 -6  hours before getting a break or lunch  or that second break I was suppose to get.   All the cashier's used folded cardboard boxes as 'mats' to make being chained to the register for hours on end a bit more comfy.     This was back in the dark ages of the early 80's.   Thankfully I only worked that job for 4 months.  I hated it (mostly because the scheduling was so very stupid and my coworkers all had nasty chips on their shoulders from having to work under such silly conditions. I prefer to work in a more cooperative environment versus a 'me against my co-workers and bosses' environment)

[Peace77]

Some managers have the ability to make purchases for their stores. A mat to stand on would be a reasonable purchase if upper management allowed it. When I was a manager, the previous owner/ manager had been so cheap, we had almost nothing. Our prospective customers had the cheapest plastic lawn chairs for seating. When I saw what my boss had, Keurig coffee machine, nice furniture, plenty of office supplies. I started buying things we needed.

[TheHaitian]

Sept 23, 2014 14:03:46 GMT -5 Peace77 said:

Some managers have the ability to make purchases for their stores. A mat to stand on would be a reasonable purchase if upper management allowed it. When I was a manager, the previous owner/ manager had been so cheap, we had almost nothing. Our prospective customers had the cheapest plastic lawn chairs for seating. When I saw what my boss had, Keurig coffee machine, nice furniture, plenty of office supplies. I started buying things we needed.

Yes indeed.

Since I got here I purchased:
- Keurig coffee machine (I will kill someone if I don't get my coffee).
- chairs for the break room
- new microwave
- paint to paint some areas in the store

And other misc stuff.

So far hasn't been a problem. And fatigue mats at each register, slicer, cutting station.
- Safety equipments : gloves, goggles, etc.

[Peace77]

I didn't go overboard. I bought a new light weight vacuum, nice chairs from a thrift store, bottled water to give out and some office supplies.

When the owner found out I was leaving the office to use my computer at home and missing phone calls, he bought a computer, monitor and printer for me.

[NastyWoman]

Does anyone have any experience with those Dr. Scholl'snsoles?  They might be a good alternative in the short run (provided theywork of course) 

[Deleted]

Sept 23, 2014 15:22:30 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Does anyone have any experience with those Dr. Scholl'snsoles?  They might be a good alternative in the short run (provided theywork of course) 

They would probably help.  Also, as someone that did a lot of factory work on cement.  You will get used to it, just give it some time.  When I went back after several years off, my feet were killing me at the end of the day too, but eventually they adjust.  I was working 12 hour shifts running around on cement with almost zero sitting time. 

[Deleted]

Shasta, do most employees work 6 days a week, rather than 5? If 5 is the norm, can you ask your bosses to authorize a third polo? Or would they allow you to wear a polo in the same color (but without the brand), once a week? You should be able to find black pants easily, and on sale. 

I agree, everybody has to spend some money on work clothes. Unfortunately, between the required "uniform" and the fact that you worked from home for years, you now sort of have to buy several items at once. I'm also guessing that your old clothing is much too big now, with your fantastic weight loss!

If you could get just one more polo shirt, you could do laundry 2X a week instead of 3X a week. I think that's worth it. You probably don't have to change your trousers as often, so you could live with fewer pairs of pants for now.  

About the shoes ... at the risk of getting flamed, can you wear Crocs? There is a reason a lot of nurses wear them ... We don't have Payless here but even here the big shoe stores have a "work / uniform" section. 

ETA: I've mentioned before that DD went to a hotel management college and had to wear an expensive black uniform 5X a week for 3 years. The uniform "package" was 2 jackets (with the school logo), 2 skirts, 1 pair of pants, 2 white shirts + a kitchen uniform.

During her first semester, we bought her an extra item per month. We bought her 2 more white shirts (so 4 total), another black skirt (so 3 total), 2 more pairs of black pants (so 3 total), all at inexpensive stores and / or on sale.  

So by the end of her first semester, she was "all set". We could again do laundry 2X a week (my norm) instead of 3X a week. BIG difference! Then for the rest of her time at school, we only replaced items as needed (just the shirts and shoes).  

[Mardi Gras Audrey]

Sept 23, 2014 15:31:01 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Sept 23, 2014 13:49:13 GMT -5 Mardi Gras Audrey said:

yeah, those shoes are pretty pricey.... or at least, that's what my friend told me....

they tug at things pretty roughly....

I'm thinking of those drawer openers at ikea - that show opening and closing the kitchen cabinet drawer constantly, but on thongs.....

**snort**... I'm sure it can't be cheap putting velcro and snaps in all your clothes to rip off.  They don't exactly sell breakaway outfits off the rack....

[Phoenix84]

Yeah, that's a good point. As a store manager, Shasta should be able to make purchases for the store. Obviously you'd want to check with management on the procedure, but I don't think mats would be too hard to sell as something the store needed.

[Deleted]

And yes, per Phoenix's point, Shasta: as store manager, shouldn't you be entitled to a third polo?!

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

The OP would need work clothes, regardless of where she worked.  She has no choice in her clothes, but she'd still need to buy something to work in.  $40 for a polo is pretty expensive though.

[Deleted]

Sept 23, 2014 13:20:07 GMT -5 Mardi Gras Audrey said:

Sept 23, 2014 13:16:17 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

They do (well, depending on what's out), but it was much cheaper to get them at the thrift store. And since I knew they would be ruined soon anyway I wasn't about to buy brand new ones

Sam, I was just giving you a little ribbing... I was actually thinking Target should have let you guys pick them up for free!  I can't imagine someone picking up millions of extra and selling them on the black market...

Heh. The grocery store DH used to work for changed their colors from fugly green to even fuglier yellow. He had about 40 shirts - long and short sleeved that were of absolutely no use. Put them in a Planet Aid box. He figured let someone in Africa wear them. No use here anymore. Who knows if that's what actually happened to them or if someone is selling them on the black market. Too bad I didn't think of that myself.