Well, so much for raises............
By rebelann1949
@rebelann (112875)
El Paso, Texas
February 2, 2018 11:26am CST
Last December I received a letter from SS telling me I got a raise of $19 dollars a month. 
I was jumpin for joy for about 1 minute then it hit me, the only reason SS gives raises of that magnitude is if prices will be going up and sure enough that's exactly what has happened. 
While shopping at sam's the other day I picked up the baking soda I use to clean with, it's a 13.5 pound bag that I had been paying about $3.98 for but this time it cost over $6 
WTH???
It seems that $19 raise isn't going to help much if everything else is going up in price.
I'm betting minimum wages went up as well.
Does anyone know what triggers the rise of minimum wages when all it does is drive prices up?
I was jumpin for joy for about 1 minute then it hit me, the only reason SS gives raises of that magnitude is if prices will be going up and sure enough that's exactly what has happened.
While shopping at sam's the other day I picked up the baking soda I use to clean with, it's a 13.5 pound bag that I had been paying about $3.98 for but this time it cost over $6 WTH???
It seems that $19 raise isn't going to help much if everything else is going up in price.
I'm betting minimum wages went up as well.
Does anyone know what triggers the rise of minimum wages when all it does is drive prices up?22 people like this
22 responses
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
2 Feb 18
Its a pity that they cannot give you a rise in pay and without the prices having to go up.
Here they are going up but we do not have any wage rises or anything like it.
Spain is still in crisis according to the top drawer politicians so we have had it for the time being.
So no rise but the stuff in the shops has gone up and everything has gone up too.
Still very thankful that I can make it through the month anyway.
But I don´t feel like voting for them at least only for one.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
2 Feb 18
@rebelann
We can afford to eat but not to buy say things like meat all the time and its a luxury for a lot of people now.
Spain is slowly coming out of its money problems but very slowly or so they say.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
I have to juggle those things I want with those I need and for me food is always on the top of the list so the rest just has to wait @lovinangelsinstead21
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
2 Feb 18
Yep, just SS. I'm not complaining, I simply don't travel very often that way I won't be tempted to spend lots of money. Funny thing is that online I always compare prices tween Amazon, Walmart, Target and Kmart before I buy pantry refills.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
Exactly. I remember my nephew telling his dad that when he graduated he would not take less than $10 an hour, the minimum wage back then was $5 an hour, so I told him that in order to expect that much he'd have to prove he had the skills and he just looked at me as if I were nuts, his dad simply told me that at least his son had set a goal. Huh??
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
8 Feb 18
True @DianneN but only if they choose a lucrative major and happen to be at the top of their class, I've worked with 2 people who had masters degrees and 1 with some kind of medical degree but they were doing what I did because the positions for their desired professions were filled up and they couldn't get other work.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78882)
• East Tawas, Michigan
3 Feb 18
It's a vicious circle, to keep people poor and struggling all the time! Then, they complain about the crime rate going up, it's quite often a part of the financial mess our government creates:(
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
It sure is @kobesbuddy I still have trouble believing anyone would consider cable as important, to me it's more important to eat and pay the utilities etc.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78882)
• East Tawas, Michigan
3 Feb 18
@rebelann Over spending is a sickness, in our crazy society:(
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180934)
• United States
3 Feb 18
It seems like what people fail to understand if minimum wage goes up to 15.00 dollars per hour, the cost of everything will go up accordingly. It won't make a difference in a few years. It's sad.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
You hit that one on the top of the nail. Every year it's the same thing, people making minimum wages scream and holler for a raise in minimum wages so they get that then when they still can't pay the bills or afford cable they scream and holler again. If they were smart they'd turn it around and scream n holler at the prices they're paying for rent etc.
The other thing that gets me is how many people buy houses they can't afford in the long run. It's not easy to try to buy things that are not necessary but maybe people should stop trying to so much.
@much2say (55683)
• Los Angeles, California
2 Feb 18
I suppose people look at their immediate needs, but don't really see the whole picture. More money in their pockets sounds great, but that money has to come from somewhere - something has to "give" and that's what they may not necessarily see - not right away anyway.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (136642)
• India
2 Feb 18
I remember there used to be what was called Dearness Allowance which fluctuated depending on the price index.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
What they usually do here is give cost of living raises which has nothing to do with typical work performance raises and is most often done in both government and private companies @allknowing
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
3 Feb 18
When prices increase here, basic wage earners don't usually get an increase in salary.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
4 Feb 18
@rebelann Exactly. That's why in this country the poor becomes even poorer.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68150)
• United States
2 Feb 18
“They” say prices increase when the economy is growing, but I’ve never seen prices go DOWN in bad economic times.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
It's probably more now @FourWalls I haven't calculated that because I don't go to doctors.
What I don't get is how so many people earning minimum wages can honestly believe that if the minimum wages go up they can suddenly afford cable, rent or whatnot, it's already been proven that all of it rises along with the minimum wage.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68150)
• United States
2 Feb 18
@rebelann — my mother of blessed memory used to say her Medicare cost usually went up half of the social security raise, so what was the point.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
2 Feb 18
Minimum wage went up here....I argued that prices will rise...but some people don't see the correlation....
1 person likes this
@bwjsdems (496)
• New Zealand
9 Feb 18
@rebelann Funnily enough over here in NZ, it is some of us making a good income, who choose not to buy the local equivalent of 'cable' as it is extremely expensive. Yet a lot of people on unemployment benefit somehow manage to get it. Some people's priorities make me wonder.
1 person likes this
@LindaCPearson (2240)
• United States
6 Feb 18
Interesting. I think you're right. Since Christmas I've noticed a considerable increase in prices at my local Stop & Shop.
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
3 Feb 18
i have never seen a 13 pound bag of baking soda..
it's even worse here..the state only gives minimum wage increases in steps..
so by the time you get the full raise,it's really pointless..but you can betcha the cost of living goes up full all at once..
it's even worse here..the state only gives minimum wage increases in steps..
so by the time you get the full raise,it's really pointless..but you can betcha the cost of living goes up full all at once..1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
That has to be a real bummer. I didn't know they were allowed to do it that way. In El Paso TX those making minimum wages are expected to get paid the rise as soon as it is implemented and naturally the prices start going up shortly before the raises do.
As for that bag of baking soda, I buy it at Sams or Costco.
1 person likes this
@mydanods (6513)
• Nigeria
3 Feb 18
Over here in Nigeria the minimum wage issue has been politicized and currently on negotiations. The government says there's no money; it'll make them acquire more debts. The unions counteract that - people are suffering and prices are already going up regularly because of inflation. It's a battle. The politicians against the people. I wish we had a social security system. Or that there was no inflation.
1 person likes this
@Letranknight2015 (51971)
• Philippines
3 Feb 18
At least they were prepared and got yourself a raise. But I guess it never beats coming from a third world like where I live because prices remains cheap despite of the rises of commodities or items down here.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (82811)
• United States
2 Feb 18
Cost of living just continues to rise and I struggle every time I go to the store.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (112875)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Feb 18
I have it down to a science, as long as I don't try to get any of the wants then I can afford to eat fairly well and of course staying home most of the time has helped keep the gas expense down and I also try not to put the thermostat too high, that really eats up the money.
