Re: gas buddy... if you think you've got it bad

D.F. Manno did pass the time by typing:
> Charles wrote:
>
>>> I'd hate to be working a minimum wage job knowing half of
>>> what I earned was simply paying to get to and from work.
>>
>> Half?  Oh, please.
>
> Let's see, minimum wage is $5.15/hr, or $206/wk. Half that would be $103. Gas
> is $3/gal here in Philly, so $103 would buy 34 1/3 gallons of gas.

I've never had a job where my take-home pay was equal to the gross pay.
Salary - federal tax - state tax - social security - health plan

That's in reality about $133 net pay assuming you actually have a full time
job.  These days in order to avoid paying workers compensation insurance
some businesses only hire part-time or half-time employees.  Working less than
a full 8hr day keeps the mileage the same for even less income.

> According to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, average fuel mileage for
> passenger cars was 22.4 miles per gallon in 2004.

My old truck got 9mpg, my 93 Jeep gets 15mpg.  People who work lower paying
jobs do not generally have cars that get good gas mileage, they have the
cheapest transportation they can afford.

So at 10mpg a 20mile trip each day eats 6$ in 3$ gas a day or 30$ a week

> 34 1/3 gallons of gas times 22.4 miles per gallon equals approx. 770 miles.
>
> Assuming five round trips to work and 20% non-commute driving, that's a
> 62-mile drive to work each way. Who drives that far for a minimum-wage job?

Nobody that I know.  But I do know folks that commute about 30+ miles to work.
They however make much more than minimum wage.

One of the waitresses I know moved to a closer rental.  The savings in fuel
offset the slightly higher rent. (and it's a MUCH better neighborhood too)

-- 
DougW