Family
This comic explains why America needs Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood offers a variety of resources for reproductive and sexual health.
06.01.16
How can anyone get by on this?
I've written extensively about minimum wage, supported by fact-checkers, economists, and scholarly studies. All of them support raising the minimum wage as a solution to lifting people out of poverty and getting them off public assistance. It's slowly happening, and there's much more to be done.
But when it comes right down to it, where the rubber meets the road is what it means for everyday workers who have to live with those wages. I honestly don't know how they do it. Ask yourself: Could I live on this small of an hourly wage? I know what my answer is.
(And note that the minimum wage in many parts of the county is STILL $7.25, so it could be even less than this).
One year of work at McDonalds grossed this worker $13,811.18.via JustFrugalMe/YouTube
The YouTube channel Just Frugal Me discussed the viral paycheck and noted there's absolutely nothing wrong with working at McDonald's. More than 2 million people in the U.S. alone work for the fast food giant. The worker's paycheck shows they put in 72 hours over the pay period, making $8.75 per hour. Before taxes, that's $631 for the week. Just Frugal Me's breakdown is even more eye-opening, breaking down this person's pay after taxes and weighing across average rent and utility costs. Spoiler Alert: the total costs for basic necessities far outweigh what this person is making even while working 12 hours per day. But they do make too much to qualify for Medicaid, meaning they will have to go out and buy their own health insurance.
A photo of a McDonald's in Hartford, CT. via Mike Mozart/Flickr
Even in states like California, where the state's $20 minimum wage ensures that people earn nearly three times as much as the federal minimum wage, which remains as low as when this paycheck first made the rounds nearly 10 years ago.
Still, even for a worker that maxed out at 40 hours per week and took zero vacation or sick time, that's only a little over $41,000 per year. That's barely half the median wage in the state of $78,000 and far below a sustainable living wage in cities like Los Angeles.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
The U.S. federal minimum wage is just $7.25 and hasn't been raised since 2009. In April 2025, the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 was introduced in the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. The bill would increase the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour by 2030 and eliminate the subminimum wage for tipped workers and those with disabilities. But supporters should be cautious that it's unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Congress.
If the Wage Act of 2025 were to pass, over $22 million workers would get a raise, which is 15% of the U.S. workforce. It would raise $70 billion for low-wage Americans, an increase of $3,200 per worker.
“No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty," Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott said in a statement. "The Raise the Wage Act will increase the pay and standard of living for nearly 22 million workers across this country. Raising the minimum wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy. When we put money in the pockets of American workers, they will spend that money in their communities,”
This story originally appeared ten years ago. It has been updated to reflect new information.
Making small talk can be uncomfortable, but it doesn't have to be.
Some people love to chit chat and find shooting the breeze with strangers an enjoyable activity. Others, not so much. Whether it's due to social anxiety or a general loathing of the whole concept, small talk can be frustrating and annoying to some.
But according to communications expert and Stanford lecturer Mark Abrahams, it doesn't have to be that way. People can not only develop the skills for it, but they can even learn to enjoy small talk with some adjustments to how they engage with it. In his video, "How to Get Good at Small Talk, and Even Enjoy It," Abrahams first challenges the idea that small talk is unimportant.
Making conversation doesn't come easily for everyone.Photo credit: Canva
"Small talk, I think, is actually a misnomer," he says. "We refer to small talk as any chit-chat or just conversation that we don't put a lot of import on, when, in fact, small talk is a wonderful way of connecting, bonding, learning, and growing." What makes it hard is that we don't have a script for it. We have to go with whatever's happening in the moment, and we tend to feel like we're being tested.
Abrahams explains that people often think of small talk like a game of tennis, where someone lobs the ball to you and you have to figure out how to return it. In reality, it's more like a game of hacky sack where everyone collaborates toward the shared goal of keeping the sack in the air. Reframing it as a group effort rather than a competition can make small talk more enjoyable and less threatening or scary.
With that mindset, Abrahams offers a series of tips that address people's common concerns and anxieties about making small talk.
Establish appropriate goals.
"Your goal is to be interested, not interesting," Abrahams says, quoting Rachel Greenwald. "A lot of us go into these situations thinking that we need to be really fascinating, engaging, and interesting, when, in fact, we just need to be present and be interested in the conversation that's happening."
Shifting the spotlight to the other person can help reduce the anxiety we might feel about being judged, Abraham explains.
Give yourself permission to pause.
Silence can feel incredibly awkward in a conversation, but it's better to take the time to think about a response rather than rush to say something just to avoid a pause.
"We have this sense that speed to respond is somehow is associated with competence," Abrahams says. "But really, what reflects best on your competence is an appropriate response. And appropriateness can take a little bit of time."
Awkward Andy Samberg GIF by Brooklyn Nine-NineGiphy
One way to fill the silence while giving yourself time is to paraphrase what the other person just said, which also forces us to listen more closely.
"Most of us listen just enough to get the gist of what somebody's saying, and then we immediately start judging, rehearsing, and responding," says Abrahams. "When I paraphrase, I have to listen super intently. I have to listen to understand—what's the bottom line of what you're saying? That slows me down. And by slowing my own thoughts down and then paraphrasing them, I buy myself some time to really think."
What if you feel like you have nothing smart to say?
Abrahams shares his mother-in-law's three-word trick for keeping small talk going when you have nothing to say: "Tell me more."
"If you are ever in a situation, a communication, a conversation where you don't know what to say, most of the time you could simply say, "Tell me more," or "Give me some more detail," or "What did you mean about that point?" And just by giving the person an opportunity to speak again, that gives you time to find what you might want to say and to connect to it."
Awkwardness and mistakes happen to everyone. Photo credit: Canva
What if I make a mistake or say something dumb?
Yep, that's going to happen. We all make mistakes sometimes.
"Spontaneous communication is about connection, not perfection," says Abrahams. He suggests thinking of turns in conversation as "takes," like in filming. If you make a mistake, just do another take. No big deal.
What if my problem is that I have too much to say?
While some of us clam up during small talk conversations because we can't think of anything to say, some people have the opposite problem of going on for too too long.
"My mother has this wonderful saying," Abrahams says. "I know she didn't create it, but it's 'Tell me the time, don't build me the clock.'" In other words, be concise and to the point. "Many of us are clock-builders in these spontaneous speaking situations. And we have to remind ourselves when we start speaking just tell the time."
"Tell me the time, don't build me the clock."Photo credit: Canva
What tools can I use if none of this is natural to me?
Abrahams says that thinking of a structure for what you're saying can be helpful. One structure he recommends is What? So what? Now what?
"The what is your idea, your product, your service, your belief," Abrahams explains. "The so what is why is it important to the person or people you're talking to? And then now what is what comes next. How do I get the conversation started?"
You can use this structure to frame something you're saying or as a series of questions to get conversation going.
"If I'm engaging you in conversation I can say, 'Hey, what brings you here? That's the what. When you answer, I can say, 'Oh, why is that important, or why do you find that interesting?' That's the so what. And then after that, I can ask a question like, 'Oh, so what more are you going to do, or what are you going to do next, or do you want to join me and go over here?'"
As with anything else, small talk takes practice, but eventually it becomes easier.
Start a conversation by noting an observation in the environment.Photo credit: Canva
How do I get the conversation started?
There are the standards, like "How are you?" or "What brings you here?" but Abrahams says he likes to tie conversation openers to something relevant to the immediate situation, even if it's just an observation.
"Just the other day, I was in a situation for small talk and the very first thing I did, I came up to somebody I didn't know and I said, 'This is amazing to me. There are more people in this room wearing blue shirts than I think I've seen in a long time.' And the person said, 'You know what? You're right. That's really interesting.' And all of a sudden the conversation was off and running. All I did was notice something in the environment."
How do I end the conversation (gracefully)?
Getting out of a conversation can sometimes be harder than starting one. Abrahams suggests the "white flag" technique. In car racing, when the last lap comes around, someone waves a white flag to let racers know it's their last lap. In conversation, this can look like a signal that you're going to need to end the conversation just a bit before you actually do.
How to gracefully bow out of a conversation.Photo credit: Canva
"You say, I need to go in a moment, but—and this is where you ask one last question, provide one last bit of feedback. So you continue the conversation on for a little bit. It might sound something like this: 'I need to get going because there's some friends over there I need to meet. But before I go, I want to just a little bit more about that trip you were telling me about to Hawaii.' And together, you can draw the conversation to an end rather than you abruptly saying, 'Oh, I need to go to the bathroom.' Or, 'Wow, that looks like good food over there.'"
It may take some time and practice, but small talk doesn't have to be torturous, especially when you know it doesn't have to be perfect.
Elder wisdom can come in handy.
With age comes wisdom, or at least we hope it does. As we get older, we collect life lessons that we can pass along to younger generations, sometimes with lengthy stories, sometimes with quippy sayings.
Adages like "A penny saved is a penny earned," or "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise," have been part of our collective treasure chest of life advice for generations, but the aphorisms that spring from the experience of our loved ones and mentors are often the most meaningful.
Someone shared that they'd read and appreciated this old man's advice: “My grandpa once told me 'if you get on the wrong train, get off at the nearest station, the longer it takes you to get off, the more expensive the return trip will be.' He wasn’t talking about trains.” The person asked for more tidbits of wisdom from old folks and people started sharing sayings they heard from their elders growing up.
from AskOldPeopleAdvice
Here are some of the best "old man advice" sayings and how they can be applied in a person's life.
"You might miss what’s ahead of you if you keep concentrating on what’s in the rear view mirror."
Another commenter put it another way: "Don't look behind you, you aren't going that way." This adage is about not dwelling on the past. Many of us have a tendency to spend more time mentally in the past, rehashing old memories or being nostalgic for what once was, than we do in the present or looking forward to the future. There's nothing wrong with a little reflection, but if most of our focus is in the past, we miss out on the present. Rear view mirrors are for quick glances, not where our focus should be.
"Do the right thing, even if nobody is watching."
This saying is about good character and true integrity. If you notice someone drop a $20 bill and no one is around to see but you, do you give it back to them or do you pick it up and keep it? If you realize that a store didn't charge you for an item, do you point it out and make it right or do you allow the mistake to remain? There are opportunities each day for us to choose between right and wrong, and those choices really speak to who we are if they are made without anyone else knowing.
bart simpson episode 21 GIFGiphy
"Be nice to everybody you meet on the way up the ladder. You'll see the same faces on the way down "
Don't get cocky and don't burn bridges you think you won't need to return to. There's value in being kind for its own sake, but there's also the reality that being kind also makes people like you. When people like you, they're more likely to lend you a helping hand, and you never know when you're going to be in a position to need one. It's also a good reminder that you're not inherently better than anyone else just because of where you are in life. We're all constantly in flux, so it's important to stay humble and kind.
In other words, "Make all your words sweet because tomorrow you may have to eat them."
"One of the most powerful negotiating tools is silence."
The power of silence in general is often underrated, but it can be an especially useful tool in a negotiation. Some people are so uncomfortable with silence that they will make concessions simply to avoid it. And sometimes the best response to an unreasonable demand is to just say nothing and stare, letting the other party come to the realization themselves. It takes calm confidence to simply be quiet and let the silence fill the room, which can feel surprisingly intimidating.
Eddie Murphy Shut Up GIF by BounceGiphy
"Always listen to your gut, even if you can’t explain it."
Ah, the strange and mysterious sense of intuition that we can't really describe but know when we feel it. Whether it's getting a creepy vibe about a person or a little voice telling you to do or not do something, those "gut instincts" can serve us well. Of course, if we are prone to anxiety, our instincts can sometimes be confused with anxious thoughts, but "go with your gut" is solid advice anyway.
“It doesn’t matter what path you’re on if it’s the wrong mountain.”
Sometimes people trying to find their way end up hitting roadblock after roadblock, which may mean they just haven't found the right path yet or might mean they need an entire overhaul of their life. That might look like switching career paths entirely, rather than trying to find a job in your field that fits. It might mean changing majors in the middle of your studies when you find yourself not enjoying any of your classes. It might mean finding a new community or reevaluating your relationships.
"The harder I work, the luckier I get."
Several sayings line up with this one, like "Luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity," and "Luck favors the prepared mind." There's a lot to be said for fortune and hard work going hand in hand. If we expect good things to just land in our lap, we will likely be disappointed, but if we move in the direction of things we want to happen and do the work of preparing for good things to come our way, "luck" frequently seems to follow.
Finding a saying that resonates can be really helpful when we're facing a specific challenge in life, especially when we commit it to memory and repeat it often.
This article originally appeared in March.
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via Unsplash
Hand holding an unplugged electric cord and hand holding rolled up money.
Most adults periodically examine their lives to try to figure out where they can save money. It might be cutting one of the streaming services we're not using or dialing back the Starbucks PSLs. However, the people on the subreddit r/frugal take saving money to a whole new level.
A recent thread posted by u/Jskyesthelimit was chock-full of solid gold advice for anyone looking to trim the budget but who doesn't want to put in a lot of work. (Yeah, yeah — we all know meal-prepping is effective, but who's got the time? We're looking for easy wins, here.)
The prompt, "What's the little effortless, stupid thing you do that TECHNICALLY saves you money?", got some responses and tips you've probably never thought of.
They're small, they're silly — but they do add up.
1. Spend more time outside
"if i go outside and play all day, i don't have consumerist urges to buy stupid shit." - looney417
Can't spend money if you don't go into a store!
It's a good idea to get away from your phone or laptop for a while, too. If you're not careful, you can buy a hundred dollars worth of junk on Amazon before you even realize what's happening.
2. Time your dishwasher runs
"When our dishwasher is full and ready to be started, I set an alarm on my watch for 9pm. I start the dishwasher when the alarm goes off since the electricity rate goes down after 9pm." - misterfuss
A half loaded dishwashervia Nathan Dumloa/Unsplash
Did you know that electricity costs more during "peak hours"? Where I live, power can cost up to 4x as much from 2-7pm versus off-peak hours.
Most people run the dishwasher at night anyway, but you should look up your own local peak hours. Starting the nightly load at 9 instead of 8 every night could actually save you a couple of bucks a month.
I like that you can program a Google Nest to do this for you. It knows how expensive electricity is at different times, and will manage your supercooling for you.3. Fill a large water bottle at work before you leave.
u/MrPerfectionisback swears by this one.
Getting a gigantic, high-quality water bottle could be a great investment if you're able to top it off at the office every day and bring your water bill down a smidge.
4. Use less laundry detergent
Most of us approach laundry detergent with a "fill 'er up" attitude. But, usually, you can get away with even just one tablespoon if your clothes aren't that dirty. and using less will help your clothes last longer.
u/jbblue48089 also recommends using solid bar shampoo and dish soap, which have a longer lifespan than liquid soaps.
5. Re-wear clothes (other than socks and underwear)
Another option from u/ztreHdrahciR — don't wash your clothes at all! At least not right away.
Chances are you can get a few wears out of jeans or even t-shirts and save on laundry costs, to the tune of a few dollars per year.
6. Make your own doggie poo bags
"Use used food bags to pick up the dogs poop." - bezere
Poop bags are expensive! You could easily spend $20-50 per year, depending on what brand you use.
Next time you pack a sandwich for lunch, save that plastic baggie and use it for pick-up duty later on.
7. Charge your phone at work (or wherever there's an outlet)
A good one from u/runmemymo.
Never pass up a chance for free electric!
If you don't work in an office, just carry your phone charger with you. Lots of restaurants and even public spaces have outlets so you can get a little free juice.
8. Poo at work (or wherever there's a bathroom)
u/larkfor says they save a ton of money each year on water and toilet paper by doing their business at work or the office.
Never pass up a chance for free water and toilet paper!
9. Cut sponges in half
A yellow soapy sponge.via Pille R. Priske/Unsplash
u/plaincheeseburger recommends turning one sponge into two.
It will still work exactly the same and last twice as long.
10. Repair old dog toys
I love this one from u/pdxarchitecht!
My dogs love immediately ripping the stuffing out of new toys, which doesn't feel like a great value for my money.
The hack? Put the stuffing back in and add a stitch or two to close it up and save yourself $10 or more.
11. Twist the stems off of peppers if paying by weight
This ingenious and petty tip comes from u/casterix75.
Not all supermarkets charge by weight for bell peppers (or similar produce), but if they do, why pay for the stem? Twist it off and save yourself a few cents at the checkout.
12. Save the cold water when running a shower or bath
An old science teacher taught me this one in high school, recommended in this thread by u/smartquokka.
Put a bucket in the shower or bath to collect the cold water while it's heating up. Use that to water plants, fill the dog bowls, or flush the toilet.
13. Unplug everything at night
via Canva/Photos
Many people recommended this — it's an r/frugal staple.
Appliances on standby still use power, so unplug as many things as possible before going to bed. u/Larkfor estimates this saves them $10 a month or so on power.
14. Library card
Yes. And take advantage of audiobooks, ebooks, and even streaming. My library has many great movies, shows, and lecture series (I love The Great Courses).
15. Credit card points
[I] Use my CC that gets rewards points for all purchases and bills that I can.
My entire family is going in a trip in a few months, and we booked all our flights together, 4.5k of airfare. I very generously offered to put all the airfare on my (2% cash back) card. My entire family paid me back their portion that week, and now I get the $90 in cash back!
These tips are so small they're almost microscopic, but you know what? Most of them are so easy you'd barely notice a difference in your lifestyle and routine. And all together, you could save yourself a decent chunk of money every year by making a few simple changes.
Thanks to the thrifty people of Reddit for sharing their hacks with the rest of us!
This article originally appeared last year.