What is the cost of living?

What exactly is the cost of living. I guess that depends on who you ask. The government figures it one way while news outlets, well I can't say where they get their data, but they say another thing. Here are some categories I've used:

• rent/mortgage (got to live somewhere)
  
• transportation (got to get around)
  
• phone (one with basic service only-it's a must to get a job)
  
• education (to keep a job or get a new one, can't do without)
  
• food (if people eat more at home the cost is lower, but I figure 50/50-home/eat out)
  
• clothing (or you get arrested and need it for the job)
  
• toiletries (I think you know why on this one)
  
• utilities (the basics, nothing fancy)
  
• home furnishings (the basics-someplace to sit, tables, bookshelf, etc. - nothing fancy)
  
• appliances (can't cook without a stove and can't keep food without a fridge)
  
• electronics (only those needed, no extras or fun things-no game boy)
  
• vacation (can't live without some R&R, it also makes people more productive and reduces stress -> less medical costs! - some employers are stupid when it comes to giving people time off, they just don't get it.)
  
• medicine (all the things not covered or have to pay extra for)
  
• retirement funding (since employers are pushing it onto employees to do their own doesn't mean they shouldn't cover it in increased pay!)

Did I miss anything?  You tell me.

I figure cost of living in two ways: 1) what it actually costs plus 15%, or 2) if minimum wage had kept up with the cost of living. Either way, both numbers are real close.  Ready?  It costs an individual $68,000 to $75,000 a year to pay for everything, and I am not talking extravagantly or in any way with a lot of extras, like cable TV or fancy clothes.

Now I want to hear from others. Give me your feedback, I want to know what you have to say.

A More Equitable Income

I have to admit, I have been distressed by the lack of people standing up for their rights in this country, especially when it comes to the exchange of their time for an income.

Since the 1970's the average income has fallen well below sustainability.  I remember as a youth when minimum wage was $2.90 and hour, more than enough to pay for everything. Now, minimum wage has not even doubled in 30 years and yet inflation has doubled several times since the 70s.

People have allowed themselves to be lulled into believing that if they try change things, they would lose their job because there is no way to pay them more. Lie! If a company can afford to pay executives their outlandish wages and benefits then there is plenty of money to go around.

The reason wages are kept low is because executives increased their wages to astronomical levels. Not only are their wages at unsustainable levels but so are their benefit packages: health care, cars, housing, golden parachutes, memberships and more.  Executives of corporations do not need these outlandish sums they are getting, especially when their own employees do not receive a livable wage.

Looking around the world at other industrialized westernized countries: Germany, Austria, France, Australia, New Zealand, among others, you will find they pay a minimum wage that is much higher than our own. Often these countries pay no less than $20,000 to $30,000 a year. The U.S. is the only industrialize country that does not pay a livable minimum wage! Not only are we the only industrilized country that pays its employees one of the lowest wages, but we also have no gauranteed paid days off: vacation, sick time, personal time, a minimum number of holidays.

There is more than enough to pay a minimum wage that starts at $15 an hour, today, without increasing prices. Just lower executive pay and benefits and put them back into the hands of the employees who are truly responsible for the wealth of a company, not the people at the top. Don't get me wrong, I am not proposing some sort of communistic ideal here. All I am saying is, the greed at the top will never trickle down, so force a more realistic distribution of wealth a company has. One that rewards hard working people at a more equitable level.