WHAT'S IN YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT?

And how long does it last?

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash

When I was a newlywed in 1975, our joint income—from my one job and his two, sometimes three jobs—just barely covered rent, gas, and utilities. More often than not, I found myself embarrassingly calling my dad to ask for $15 or $20 just to buy groceries. I became a pro at stretching every dollar—clipping coupons with military precision, hunting for day-old bread at the Weber’s outlet, and celebrating whenever I hit the jackpot with “about to expire” food. That grocery money lasted a week, sometimes two, if I was extra cautious.

Back then, twenty dollars could fill at least three grocery bags.

Fast forward to today: eggs, a subject near and dear to all Americans right now. This morning, I made my usual grocery shopping rounds. First stop: Trader Joe’s, where a dozen jumbo eggs cost $4.60, limit one per customer (understandable, given the times). Down the street at Albertson’s? The same dozen was $7.29. At Jensen’s market? Over $9.00.

Next stop: Walmart. The bread I love is $2.79 a loaf at Trader Joe’s, but the bread Steven loves? $4.49 at Walmart, which almost feels like a bargain considering the same bread is over $5.00 at Albertson’s.

That same $20 from 1975? Today, it barely covers two dozen eggs. How are young adults or newlyweds supposed to afford groceries?

With one-bedroom, one-bath apartments nearing $2,000 a month, rent is outrageous. Gas prices are so high that younger people have to ration their mileage, limiting trips to just work and back. Meeting friends at a bar? That’s a luxury. If they go at all it’s a choice between putting gas in the tank or nursing a single overpriced drink all night.

People love to joke about fast food wages in California—$20 an hour sounds great, right? But with part-time shifts capped at 4.5 hours, five days a week, that’s a gross monthly income of $1,800 before taxes. Well, there’s the rent.

A second job, likely outside of fast food, might pay $15 an hour. Working three days a week brings in about $810 a month before taxes. That might cover a car payment, gas, and hopefully health insurance—maybe even utilities if they’re lucky.

But what about food? Clothing? Home or renter’s insurance? None of that is accounted for. The math just doesn’t add up. It seems to me that unless you’re married with two incomes and no children, or partnered, it is impossible for low to middle-income individuals to meet the cost of everyday living expenses.

It frustrates me when people my age complain that $20 an hour is outrageous. It’s not. In reality, most younger workers are making less than that—and even if they are earning $20 an hour, it’s hardly enough to keep up with the cost of living.

Not everyone has a college degree, and even those who do are struggling to stay afloat financially. We need to acknowledge today’s economic realities and establish a $20-an-hour living wage statewide.

Don’t get me started on “businesses couldn’t survive or meet payroll”. Have you noticed any restaurants or fast-food chains shutting down? Neither have I. But that’s a discussion for another time. If you have any thoughts I’d love to hear from you.