Currently, the federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25. There's still a large portion of the population, 1.6 million people, who are working at or below the minimum wage as of 2019.
With inflation, this number really doesn't add up when we look at the cost of living.
Tons of minimum wage workers would want to make $100k per year if they had the chance. But would the money be worth the often boring, repetitive, and even physically demanding jobs?
We went to AskReddit to find out.
Redditor Drakken11577 asked:
"Would you bag groceries for the entirety of your working career if you got paid $100,000 a year to do it? Why or why not?"
Let's see how this debate plays out.
Money is money.
"Yeah. I go to work to make money. That’s money."
- Bloebmn
"I would like a job with the least amount of responsibility."
- redrumWinsNational
"Yep. Presuming you aren't working 90 hour weeks or whatever and it's just normal work hours, I don't particularly mind what I do for work. I'm there to cover the expenses of the fun stuff I do when NOT working. As long as work/life balance is good so I can enjoy me free time I don't mind it being repetitive."
- Sasparillafizz
It's like a game.
"I used to bag when I worked at a grocery store and it was great. It was like playing Tetris with real objects and I got to chat and joke with people who came through the line."
"A perfectly packed bag is so satisfying."
- I_Am_The_Cattle
"Have you ever managed to get it all in one bag? I've had times customers hand me one bag and go 'I don't think it'll all fit in there,' I look back and go 'challenge accepted.'
"Not only is a perfectly packed bag satisfying, when you managed to pack it so everything fits in nicely in the one bag; now that's another level of satisfaction."
"Of course I only try to get it all in one bag if they're isn't too much and if there isn't a lot of heavy items."
- pixie13903
Bag Boys.
"Hell, I'd even wear a name tag that says 'Bag Boy.'"
- JTodd078
"Bag Boys For Life."
- howwouldiknow--
Raises with inflation.
"Does that wage increase with inflation? 100k might not be much in 20 years. With some persistence and dedication however, I think my working career could be over by then 100k/year."
- Due_Independent3191
"Sure..yea you get regular raises in line with inflation."
- Drakken11577
"Can someone put you in charge of real life please?"
- WhatWouldSatanDo
"Mmmm gurl what those BENEFITS look like tho?"
- UGLYWOLFF
"The benefits are $100k a year for packing groceries."
- rantxtotheend
"Even 50k with great health benefits, I would probably leave for a job with 100k and no benefits."
- A_Change_of_Seasons
It wouldn't motivate them.
"I personally wouldn't. I would get bored in no time being a robot. I personally rather do something that motivates me to get up every day."
- Davicillo
"I agree. I need to feel fulfilled with my work. Going to work takes me away from my child and family. I know I can live on very little money because I have in the past. My work needs to give me more than just financial reward."
- frikadela01
"I agree. I’ve left higher paying jobs because they were mind numbing. I’ve stayed on lower paying jobs because I really enjoyed and was learning something new I could leverage for later."
- OhIamNotADoctor
"I bagged groceries in high school. For most of the year, there were busy parts of the day, and then long stretches where nothing would happen. So you'd either be frantically bagging things for a huge line of people, or just staring at the wall. Plus standing still and hunched over reaching down into bags all day isn't good for your posture. It's not fun."
- RahvinDragand
They make that money already.
"I make 100k a year. It's the easiest job in the world, but I hate it. I'm at a point where I would rather do something I like doing for less money than be miserable. Bagging groceries does not sound like something I would enjoy."
- unmerciful0u812
"I used to make 80k doing something I hated. Now I make 65k working at a nonprofit I love and couldn’t be happier."
- mike_lawrence
Pros out weigh the cons.
"I'd like to say yes, and I'd probably take it. It may preclude me from ever doing anything else I may enjoy and there's obviously no room for advancement, yet at the same time the job details on this are very lucrative."
"For the most part while the job itself is boring and repetitive, and also a lot of customer drama, this type of job isn't going to be one you'll take problems home with. You won't be on call after hours to respond to emergencies, nor are you going to have to take work home with you either."
"You also won't have to be constantly retrained or go back to school or recertified, etc..."
"There's a lot of upsides to this, I'll grant you. A few downsides too, but weighing them together I probably would take something like this."
- llcucf80
The money wouldn't make up for it.
"Yup. Packing was my first job. And I hated every second of it. Between the co-workers who bullied me at school, the insane customers and the sheer boredom, it was extremely unpleasant."
"For those who say the money makes up for it? In my experience money makes up for a sh*tty job for surprisingly limited time."
- gpcprog
"Average salary is something like 53k in the states, median is only around 35k since everything is so skewed to the top, so I'm guessing the majority of people are jumping at this opportunity even if they aren't happy with the work type though."
- cromli
Trophies
"Not gonna lie, when I was in high school, my manager at the grocery store where I worked wanted to send me to the regional bagging competition. I thought I was too cool for that and declined. Looking back I wish I had gone and maybe gotten a trophy. That would have been awesome."
- chickenlounge
This, this, this...
"Yes. Not many jobs that pay $100k annual can be forgotten about once you leave the "office". $100k for something I can 100% forget about when I'm off the clock? Yes."
- WiseDonkey593
"This, this, this. This is why it would be such a great life. No stress once you’ve clocked out for $100,000 p/a? Incomparably sweet deal."
- PanpsychismIsTrue
win/win??
"Absolutely, I currently bag groceries for far less than that already… win/win."
- Sh1rinz
"I wouldn't... UNLESS the hours were the usual M-F office hours. Bonus points if I can work 4/10's or 9/80's. Also... if I'm hourly... can I still work overtime at the $100k a year rate and make even more?? That would be a deal and a half."
- Buy-N-Sell
I'll take It!
"I’d kill for a job like that."
- Dangerous_Concept341
"Wouldn't be anywhere near 60 hours. This is a real job. I would guess the average grocery bagger gets maybe 24 hours a week. So for this hypothetical to be as accurate as possible to the job that actually exists, it would be 24 hours per week for 100k. I would definitely take this job."
- mynextthroway
The Organizer
"Yes, I’m extremely good at Organizing & $100,000 a year would be worth putting up with peoples attitude and lack of humanity skills."
- TrippyTrixxxy21
"You could also, laugh at them for making less than you. as 100K a year would equal a pay of about 48$ based on a 40 hour work week. At 52 weeks total."
- darknessblades
What else can I do?
"Can I like… sweep the isles or fetch carts, and help old ladies out to their cars too? Or is it strictly packing bags."
- Primal_Directive
"When I was a bagger, I did that stuff and more, it’s really just whatever the managers want you to do so they don’t have to do it. It’s mostly bagging but there’s a lot of other random stuff you’ll be doing too."
- DJDarwin93
Tranquil Fun
"Sure thing. It's simple, low stress (I worked in a couple grocery stores before), can't be blamed for very much at all. Right now I make less than 100k and I'm responsible for oodles of stuff. Less for more? Hell yeah. The only downside I see if that those types of jobs have no benefits and often mandatory holiday work."
- ohmynymph
40 Years +
"I could literally do anything I want in my free time with that much money, and live super comfortably. I could fucking pay off my parents mortgage while STILL living comfortably. Not to mention if you live below your means you can invest that and then by the time you’re old and don’t want to work anymore, bam, you’ve got 40 years (in my case) of saving $10,000 a year and investing another $10,000. I don’t dream of labor. I can’t think of any traditional job that I would rather have than getting $100,000 a year."
- derpberp1
What are the hours?
"Totally depends on the working hours/conditions and shifts. I’m in the UK and work 37 hours (37 paid, 1 hour enforced break a day unpaid) a week for an above average wage, I get 38 days total annual leave, excellent working conditions - no evening or weekend work. Match my current conditions, increase pay in line with inflation and let me compress those 37 hours over 3 or 4 days a week then I’ll sign the contract right now."
- InncnceDstryr
ANYTHING!!
GIF by ShowtimeGiphy"I’d shovel dog crap for 100k a year."
- monkeymayhem_
"Mate, I'd eat dog shit for 100k year...just uh, not a lot of it."
- SausageintheSky
There are trade offs for both.
The money, as wonderful as it is, might not be enough to do the job forever.
Whatever the case, it sure would make a lot of people's lives better if we gave everyone a living wage.
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