For Whomever, In This Entitlement Oriented Generation...

That the “Shoe” May “Fit”

$2.30 per hour was the basic minimum wage in N.C. In 1977 – the first year I was in technical college full time. Back then college did not work around your job. Your job had to work around college! I made $69 a week when I managed to keep two part-time jobs – because typically one part time job was only 25 hours, because of when I could get there, versus when they closed....etc. So most weeks it was whatever was left of $57.50 after the U.S and N.C took their pound of flesh! Yes. Around $60 bucks a week. Do the math.

$2.30 m.w. Per hour $2.30 m.w.p.h.

X 25 hours per week X 30 hours

$57.50 per week $69 per week

So - averaging out at about $60.00 a week - before taxes - I would've made about $240.00 per month. I tithed on the gross, not the net, so that was $6.00 per week, plus I liked to give an offering, so I usually gave an even $10. That added up to $40.00 per month. I was very religious. But then, it was all I had.

Which meant that - after taxes (then around 20% of gross) – Which amounted to around $48 per month - I'd have about $152 per month to pay bills and live on. Rent was $100 per month. That left $52 a month for power, water, car ins., food and gasoline and anything else I might need.... ?

Gas was between .62 cents and .66 cents per gallon, but I drove an eight cylinder, ten year old vehicle with a 360 or so engine – so gas mileage couldn't have been great. I didn't have a phone, because I couldn't afford one. I was glad to have the hand-me-down furniture I got from my family, and needless to say, I didn't go clothes shopping often!

I dated, or read books for entertainment when I had time. Back then a gal could count on most dates to get the bill, but depending on the fellow it might cost her later! But, honestly, between a full time school schedule, a part time work schedule (and part-time was all I had time for), church and homework – plus the bit of housework – there wasn't much time for entertainment anyway! I was lucky to get 4 hours sleep a night!

I was thin, partly because I was a work-a-holic with myriad unknown issues who didn't have much of an appetite. But that was just as well, because I couldn't have afforded to eat more if I had wanted it. It was all I could do to keep dog food for the puppy I rescued from the parking lot of my work place!

I had few friends, and no family help – at all. So it was truly up to me. Mom was dying and dad was drinking, and could barely keep a roof over their heads. There was no choice. It was sink or swim. I did move back in with Nicky and Dad at one point – after mom died - but that was extremely miserable and it tended to be more expensive than living on my own – and just as lonely. So I got back out on my own.

Eventually, out of sheer necessity, I became Judy Michael's indentured servant - which was better than starving or living with family. And I was mostly happy, or working on being able to be – because as rough as all that sounds now – it was far better than my life had been before I moved out of home. My home was not the safe haven that most are.

So. Really? Is your life so bad? Ah. No. Please make time to cultivate some gratefulness. And making a real budget you can stick to, based on what you actually make wouldn't hurt anything either! I know it is getting harder than it used to be in your short life times – well – some of you. But if you look back in history evenI had it far better than my mom or grandma! We live in the most blessed economic situation ever, and are the least grateful for it!!! We should repent!

So Please people - just live in what you make for crying out loud, and stop complaining! It will never help! And it just might be generating the misery you are experiencing! I know it is generating some of mine!

Oy gevault, such whiners already!