Who in this country has $20 a month health insurance?

I guess they shouldn't try to save anything, either

@1,

Mine's about that much, but my company actually covers my health insurance, and is large enough to be self-insured. (And, of course, I still need to pay plenty out of pocket.) I guess that $20 is for Medicaid? Because McD's sure as shit isn't insuring their minimum-wage workers.

I also love how low-wage workers are apparently paying $100 for phone/cable, are paying $90 for electricity (what the fuck? My electric bill is $40/month, and that covers heat), and are also wealthy enough to afford a car. Speaking of cars, where's the money for gas?

Uh...I don't see a budget line for FOOD in them thar calculations.

And, having worked at McD's upon a time, they don't feed their employees for free (not that you'd want to eat McD's more than once in a few years). Or is that what "Other" is for?

Income: 1,105
Housing: 1,104

When will poor people learn...Seattle isn't for poor people!

It's not even for middle class people any more.

Seattle is a retirement home for billionaires.

They took it over.

And they destroyed it in their image.

Once is was the last remaining Middle Class City

Now it's a boutique.

I worked in the apartment business up and down the Puget Sound until a few months ago. If you want an apartment for $600 it'll be a basement studio in the crap-tastic part of Tacoma! My brother was paying $700+ for 1 room in West Seattle and even I pay a small fortune for a house in Kitsappalachia. This "budget" isn't even a joke - it's truly insulting.

Where is child care in the "two job" McDonald's scenario?

Looking at this budget I would say, try very hard to save enough for a mechanically reliable used car. $3,000 or so. Saves so much money over the long term, and cheap cars are cheap to insure. I know coming up with that much is difficult for a fast food worker...

Dump cable and torrent everything.

Dump the home phone and get Google Voice.

@10 agree, and buy some food, too

$600 dollar apartments where?

The fact that McDonald's saw fit to add lines for TWO jobs, says pretty much everything right there.

@13: IKR?

There is no line for food in this budget because they expect their employees to live off the rest of us through EBT.

I was also surprised at first to see no line for food, and then it hit me that they know all of their employees will get that through the rest of us with EBT.

Didn't mean to double post!

Exactly what year does the McDonald's corporation think it is? Because there is no way in hell that is a realistic budget for 2013!

$100 a month left over to invest in savings?? bahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

My fav is the zero for heating each month. "Here, honey" - to your 8 yr old child-"just wrap yourself in another blanket!" And these folks call themselves Christian?

They may not even qualify for snap benefits depending on their state. I know my state's income limit is quite low. Would probably qualify if they have children.

@16: Fuck you.

@20: Why am I working two jobs and sharing housing again? On what planet is that a sane way to expect people to live?

Health insurance is courtesy of the medicaid so the taxpayers are subsidizing. Its section 8 housing so the taxpayers are financing. Its state subsidized day care so the tax payers are funding. Its WIC and SNAP to supplement groceries so taxpayers are funding. They qualify for the EIC so that's taxpayer funded. Now all low wage earners get to buy health insurance or pay a penalty. Many will pay the penalty because its cheaper. On top of this this embarrassment, legislatures let companies keep off shore all their profits earned off shore. When people are fed up with starving, they will finally rebel.

looking at this clusterf*ck of a "budget" is making me seriously consider cashing in my chips and staying in Jordan. At least in Jordan this budget would be feasible.

Is this some kind of sick joke? Where is this taking place Somalia? These insidious corporatist pricks must be high on crack! Fuck them and their 'reduce the American worker to third world poverty' BS! Isn't it McDonalds that is whining about not being able to afford to give their employees Health Care under the ACA? $20.00 a month for Health Care? Is that for some band aids and a bottle of aspirin? That is only $240.00 a year! What planet are these delusional corporatist robber barons living on, I am paying $1800.00 a quarter for Blue Cross and Blue Shield for my son and myself. $240.00 doesn't even pay for two weeks. America needs to put the companies out of business and build a new economy.

Hope reddit will have some photos posted of actual McD's employees who fill this out with realistic numbers. Oh the inevitable contrast! Trust McD's WILL take down the online form if they are shamed enough. Employee stories should become part of the national conversation. (Britin in Albany, NY)

If you take the time to go look at the budget, it actually is attempting to help people so they can create a budget and understand money. If someone is working at McDonalds full time, they possibly haven't had an opportunity to learn about budgeting, so would one rather s/he not receive an education about budgeting, than possibly a slightly flawed one?
This budget plan, as it OBVIOUSLY says stated across the picture is a 'sample.' In response to the comment in the article that McDonalds is telling workers no to "pay their heating bill," it is possible that this example was taken from a state where no heating is necessary.

It is writing like this that makes me angry. You have tunnel vision as a writer, which doesn't allow for the diversity of knowledge to help you reason.

Lastly, I would rather that people be working at McDonalds, and learning about budgeting than not attempting to do anything with their lives. It is a stepping stone for people to learn, and build up their resumes, so if they do want to advance at some point in time, it will be possible. I believe this is the better view of what our society and American Dream allows, instead of wallowing in all the wrongs society still has.

I live in North Vancouver, B.C. Slightly more expensive than Seattle, with far more taxes. When I started my first job at McDonalds, they paid me a training wage of 6.5/hr. That wage was abolished only about a year ago. That's why I got a job in pharmacy and still don't expect much for savings each month.

That's why we Canadians go down to Washington to buy your cheap food products, devices, flights, gas (half price), and clothes. But we dare not go over our spending limit for cross-border shopping, or they will tax us again on products brought in from a foreign country (which was until recently 12% HST).

Anyway.. I can't imagine trying to live off McDonalds' wage, or even trying to work 2 jobs without going suicidal. I tried it once for about a week while in college. McDonalds and Wal-Mart are just the product of our mindless consumption. We need to exercise our consumer power and start growing food. My condolences go out to the minimum wage workers and uneducated Americans.

I live in North Vancouver, B.C. Slightly more expensive than Seattle, with far more taxes. When I started my first job at McDonalds, they paid me a training wage of 6.5/hr. That wage was abolished only about a year ago. That's why I got a job in pharmacy and still don't expect much for savings each month.

That's why we Canadians go down to Washington to buy your cheap food products, devices, flights, gas (half price), and clothes. But we dare not go over our spending limit for cross-border shopping, or they will tax us again on products brought in from a foreign country (which was until recently 12% HST).

Anyway.. I can't imagine trying to live off McDonalds' wage, or even trying to work 2 jobs without going suicidal. I tried it once for about a week while in college. McDonalds and Wal-Mart are just the product of our mindless consumption. We need to exercise our consumer power and start growing food. My condolences go out to the minimum wage workers and uneducated Americans.

This is not just McDonalds. This is every box store you know and love to shop at. Target, Gap, Walmart, etc. When these people say they are bringing jobs to your community this is what they are bringing. The sad thing is that it doesn't stop with the box stores. This is also a budget for grad. students, artists, service industry workers, non-profit sector workers, and more. When we talk about wage inequity let's look at our tax structure and our minimum wage policies.

I did the math for a single mother living in Alabama (where I live.) Our housing costs are relatively low, so I could probably find an apt for $600/month. But even factoring in an unrealistically low childcare rate, I wouldn't qualify for any state benefits. I don't know how people get by.

I did the math for a single mom with one child. Where I live (in Alabama), the housing costs are low, so I could probably find an apartment, although not in a neighborhood with decent schools. There is no reliable public transportation in any city in AL, so that $150/month car had better get me to work on time. And, even factoring in an unrealistically low child care amount, I would not qualify for any public assistance. How do people get by?