Minimum Wage raise to $12.75

**slofox** · 29th January 2010, 10:59

Originally Posted by SPman

One could say that you are martyring yourself for a lifestyle. If you can't earn a minimum wage for yourself after 25 yrs of self employment, I'd say you are doing something seriously wrong and should get a job where you can earn a living wage! Which, in NZ,seems to be harder and harder to do! Not bitch about it because others could get more!
.

Not at all SPman. Small business requires a lot of hours per week is all...the amount I get per WEEK is not so bad. The hourly rate is in fact a bit of a red herring...no martyring involved. I do what I do with my eyes wide open and in full knowledge of what is required.

Besides, there are benefits in being self employed. I can't be fired or made redundant for a start and I can tell the boss to get fucked any time I want as well...

**Pascal** · 29th January 2010, 11:16

Originally Posted by The Stranger

Though isn't that simply ignorance (as opposed to extravagance) on their part?
There's a lot of it going around you know.

Ignorance is one word for it, yes, and I can certainly see that there are people caught in that trap. But people who have difficulties financially and then go out to buy a new car on finance is somebody living outside of their means. I'd love to buy things I can't afford and then have my salary increased to compensate. Heck, there's a list of bikes that I want, about 6 muscle cars and ... well. I have a long list.

Anybody who gets into that type of trouble has not seen www.sorted.org.nz. That cute little mouse that appears on TV on regular intervals that gives them guidance and contact details for sorting out their finances. For that matter, Work and Income have brochures and staff available to help with budgeting.

Like I said earlier - NZ is a fantastic country for putting all the tools at everybody's fingertips. It's up the individual to take some responsibiltiy and to look at their options.

**steve_t** · 29th January 2010, 11:24

Originally Posted by Pascal

Ignorance is one word for it, yes, and I can certainly see that there are people caught in that trap. But people who have difficulties financially and then go out to buy a new car on finance is somebody living outside of their means. I'd love to buy things I can't afford and then have my salary increased to compensate. Heck, there's a list of bikes that I want, about 6 muscle cars and ... well. I have a long list.

Anybody who gets into that type of trouble has not seen www.sorted.org.nz. That cute little mouse that appears on TV on regular intervals that gives them guidance and contact details for sorting out their finances. For that matter, Work and Income have brochures and staff available to help with budgeting.

Like I said earlier - NZ is a fantastic country for putting all the tools at everybody's fingertips. It's up the individual to take some responsibiltiy and to look at their options.

My mate had an employee who at 20 years old bought an $18,000 car (actually it was a $12,000 car with mags and a body kit but I guess some people think there's a lot of value in that) on her credit card!!!! She was only paying the minimum on the card at 22% interest!! I think she needed to buy the car to keep her loser boyfriend from dumping her. There was a lot of head shaking that day, but hey, who gives a person on $14 an hour an $18,000 limit on their credit card?!

**The Stranger:Me** · 29th January 2010, 11:42

Originally Posted by Pascal

Ignorance is one word for it, yes, and I can certainly see that there are people caught in that trap. But people who have difficulties financially and then go out to buy a new car on finance is somebody living outside of their means. I'd love to buy things I can't afford and then have my salary increased to compensate. Heck, there's a list of bikes that I want, about 6 muscle cars and ... well. I have a long list.

It's up the individual to take some responsibiltiy and to look at their options.

Yeah, as I was saying, ignorance.
You're obviously not ignorant of the money issues involved here, however it appears you are ignorant in other areas, so perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to judge?

**Pascal** · 29th January 2010, 12:45

Originally Posted by The Stranger

Yeah, as I was saying, ignorance.
You're obviously not ignorant of the money issues involved here, however it appears you are ignorant in other areas, so perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to judge?

Hey! Ignorance is bliss.

But do you really think somebody who is struggling financially buying a new car is a case of ignorance? And not extravagance / living outside of means / stupidity?

You don't need a degree to work out that salary of $50 per day and expenses of $75 a day after that shiny car isn't going to work out too well.