2022
Thought experiment 2022. based on data that was provided by internet research
If you lived in Oakland, Ca and worked in SF 2022 with a focus on food as your only luxury…
12.8 mi one way trip. 25.6 mi total distance traveled for work. not including finding a parking spot.
average cost of meals a day for one (including tip)(eating out):
- breakfast $15
- lunch $30
- Dinner $40
- coffee $5
- ~$90 a day aka $630/week
- *drinking/smoking/drugs are expensive so not included*
cheapest livable Rent in Oakland, 1 room, shared bathroom, mini kitchen, fridgeµwave
198sqft
$765 deposit + $765/mo Or $191.23/week
Transport options are:
- Bart $4 one way
- car (used 2012 honda civic) $10, 500
- gas $6/gallon
- repair $6,000 / yr
- tolls & garage $6/day & $25/day
Laundry:
- $1.75 a load so thats $8 /week
which is made up of 5 days of work clothes, 7 days of home clothes, bedding every other week or so.
Hygiene:
- shampoo $4/mo
- soap $4/mo
- tooth brush $1/mo (buy one it last 4 months or so)
- toothpaste $3/mo
Phone:
- Essentials plan
- Go Flip 4 $96.00
- optional $2/week
Bills:
- Health insurance $344 / mo or $86/wk
- Car Insurance $640 /yr or $13.33/wk
- Cell usage $70/mo or $17.5/wk
- any student loans? $800/mo or $200/wk *if you are lucky on the payment plan
- maybe a $20/ week into savings
These are all assuming that you already own:
- a cheap cell phone $96
- a car $10,500
- clothes/shoes $1000 at least
- grooming supplies
- no vision issues
- no dental issues
- no chronic pain or family health issues..
last but not least, social security and Taxes are not included
Following the old comic strip formula with modern prices, here is how it breaks down:
panel 1:
“When you consider that this poor girl works 12* hours a day…”
Image of a person working at a sowing machine hair out of place and sweating.
panel 2:
“and her frugal meals cost her over half what she can Earn…”
Image of same person eating a slice of bread and counting the food in their lunch box.
panel 3:
“And her bare lodging cost her the rest of her pay…”
Image of same person, exhausted across their bed, a blanket patched up with mismatch patterns.
panel 4:
“and merely for existence (let alone comfort or amusement) she need all of $ a week…”
Image of a budgeting list, revised with modern data. It reads as:
- 21 meals $630/week
- Rent — $191.24/week
- Transport -Bart — $40/week OR
- Transport – Car Gas – $798/week or $923/week with parking
- Laundry — $12/week
- Hygiene $4 /week
- Bills– $316 / week
Total if Bart: $1193.24 /week
Total if by car and no paid parking: $1951.24/week
Total if by car & parking: $2076.24/week
(and this is not including the $20 of savings! or a budget to replace clothes from use)
panel 5:
“What is the Reason her Employer thinks he is philanthropic when he pays her just $900($751.62 after taxes/social security) a week?”
*note* 12 hours for 5 days at minimum wage in SF CA 2022 is $15.00/hr
Image of the same tired person, looking defeated, next to a plump accountant, assumed boss, being handed money. the boss is saying with an angelic tease “your wages muh good girl! I pray you, do not spend it in Riotous living” while smoking a cigar in contrasting fine clean clothes and fat shoes, sitting in a swivel chair over a clean rug while our protagonist stands.
Thought:
even working 12 hours a week, 5 days a week, not including commute time, eating time, nor sleeping, this hypothetical person cannot survive. Without friends, outings, or any hobbies. assuming they didnt go to school.
this is how credit debt is created.
Thought experiment 2022. based on data that was provided by internet research
If you lived in Oakland, Ca and worked in SF 2022 with a focus on saving…
12.8 mi one way trip. 25.6 mi total distance traveled for work. not including finding a parking spot.
cheapest cost of meals a day for one:
- breakfast – lunch – dinner: one packet from a 24 bulk ramen
- $5 a week
- *drinking/smoking/drugs are expensive so not included*
cheapest livable Rent in Oakland, 1 room, shared bathroom, mini kitchen, fridgeµwave
198sqft
$765 deposit + $765/mo Or $191.23/week
Transport options:
- Bart $4 one way
- car (used 2012 honda civic) $10, 500
- gas $6/gallon
- repair $6,000 / yr
- tolls & garage $6/day & $25/day
Laundry:
- $1.75 a load so thats $8 /week
which is made up of 5 days of work clothes, 7 days of home clothes, bedding every other week or so.
Hygiene:
- shampoo $4/mo
- soap $4/mo
- tooth brush $1/mo (buy one it last 4 months or so)
- toothpaste $3/mo
Phone:
- Essentials plan
- Go Flip 4 $96.00
- optional $2/week
Bills:
- Health insurance $344 / mo or $86/wk
- Car Insurance $640 /yr or $13.33/wk
- Cell usage $70/mo or $17.5/wk
- any student loans? $800/mo or $200/wk *if you are lucky on the payment plan
- maybe a $20/ week into savings
These are all assuming that you already own:
- a cheap cell phone $96
- a car $10,500
- clothes/shoes $1000 at least
- grooming supplies
- no vision issues
- no dental issues
- no chronic pain or family health issues..
last but not least, social security and Taxes are not included
Following the old comic strip formula with modern prices, here is how it breaks down:
panel 1:
“When you consider that this poor girl works 12* hours a day…”
Image of a person working at a sowing machine hair out of place and sweating.
panel 2:
“and her frugal meals cost her over half what she can Earn…”
Image of same person eating a slice of bread and counting the food in their lunch box.
panel 3:
“And her bare lodging cost her the rest of her pay…”
Image of same person, exhausted across their bed, a blanket patched up with mismatch patterns.
panel 4:
“and merely for existence (let alone comfort or amusement) she need all of $ a week…”
Image of a budgeting list, revised with modern data. It reads as:
- 21 meals $5/week
- Rent — $191.24/week
- Transport -Bart — $40/week
- Transport – Car Gas – $798/week or $923/week with parking
- Laundry — $12/week
- Hygiene $4 /week
- Bills– $316 / week
Total if Bart: $568.25 /week
Total if by car and no paid parking: $1,326.25/week
Total if by car & parking: $1,451/week
panel 5:
“What is the Reason her Employer thinks he is philanthropic when he pays her just $900($751.62 after taxes/social security) a week?”
*note* 12 hours for 5 days at minimum wage in SF CA 2022 is $15.00/hr
Image of the same tired person, looking defeated, next to a plump accountant, assumed boss, being handed money. the boss is saying with an angelic tease “your wages muh good girl! I pray you, do not spend it in Riotous living” while smoking a cigar in contrasting fine clean clothes and fat shoes, sitting in a swivel chair over a clean rug while our protagonist stands.
Artist thought:
No hobbies. no going out for foot. This is the choices you would have to make to have a savings each week. But eventually you will get sick on this path. lack of nutrients, lack of enrichment.
is this really how armericans are suppose to live?
