What Happened to the American Dream: What are We Paying for?
Why am I paying so much rent for staying inside my home in expensive Los Angeles? Many young hopefuls think LA is supposed to be the promised land. You eat next to celebrities, dine lavishly, do cocaine casually, and party in Koreatown’s nightlife. I moved to LA in 2015 for a change from the dreary Midwest. I struggled to make it during the first year, but eventually, I found a job I could stomach that paid a decent wage. With the virus outbreak, I’m starting to think California is not the paradise the movies tend to offer. Sunshine comes at a cost, but what happens when you’re stuck indoors?
Median housing costs in California have increased from $335k to $578k since 2011. Unless you work hard, have wealthy parents, and really luck out, the American Dream is dead for the average worker in Los Angeles. That’s what I’ve discovered living here, dealing with $15 cocktails, $10 beers, and gas prices reaching as high as $3.93. While the price of gas has seen a decrease to around $2.90 where I live, it’s still much more expensive than the average cost being $1.79 in this country. The costs of living are so incredibly high and now I have nothing to do, but stay inside and pay excessive amounts of rent. While I’m still employed and I’ve managed to save considerably more during this crisis, the rent comes due. I might as well live in a mansion in Alabama and pay the same price.
There’s a lot to do in a big city, but let’s be real. I don’t give a fuck about Coachella or any other music festivals. I’d rather spend $20 tripping balls listening to music in my own home let alone buy tickets that cost $600. If you have to ask how much, you can’t afford it. The virus has really shown me that staying inside is something that I don’t mind. Although I’ve been a little bored and down at times, I’ve largely been able to write more and discover additional hobbies and hustling. Listing some items on eBay has been a good side-hustle, especially with the antique coins and old video games I’ve collected over the course of my life. Last month, I sold 6 Sega Saturn games and profited $200. This excitement that someone would want my old items reinforced my idea that there are still activities to look forward to in times of crisis. Neither listing items nor writing for this blog has made me rich, but they’re both sustainable and enjoyable hobbies that allow me to maintain a healthy income outside of my main job.
How much does an essential worker really make? $14.25 an hour in LA County. That comes out to around $28,500 per year, well below the $50,000 necessary to live in LA. But, King David, isn’t $15.00 an hour enough? Why do you think $50k/year is the minimum needed to live in LA? Well, when I first moved to LA, I made about $42,000, and was burdened with car repairs, student loans, medical expenses, and having to pay back the $800 stipend I received from Obamacare. Instead of receiving any money back on my taxes, I actually owed! Neither job provided health insurance, so I was forced to pay for a sub-par Obamacare plan, but I made too much money at $42k, and had to pay it back.
Shouldn’t people deemed “essential” deserve a bit more? Sure, I have a Master’s degree, and I make well over the minimum wage, but what if I lost my job? Is my job really essential? Most of us office workers do nearly the same tasks. Attend meetings, conduct operations, utilize knowledge from our background education, plot to kill our boss, (Wait, what?), and send emails. It’s not worth comparing yourself to others.
Keeping up with the Joneses is a quick way to go broke! We need to recognize as a collective that the costs of living are far too high in many parts of the country. Pay essential workers more!
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Sources:
https://www.zillow.com/ca/home-values/
https://www.gasbuddy.com/Charts
