A 15 Cent Banana and Thoughts on Regular People
After 4-5 months of a Minnesota winter and a spring that felt just like winter, I decided that tonight was the night to give my car a washing. My luxurious Pontiac has been screaming for attention in recent months, but lately, I've been finding myself riding bike to work and walking to the local dollar store when they have what I need. Only having washed my car twice since last summer has been a definite change for me. Priorities are shifting in my life and Mr. Pontiac is losing rank every day. In fact, it's up on Craigslist right now and if I get a buyer at the right price, I'm willing to let it go.
My plan of attack at that point is a normal car of less luxury. I'd like to take an $8,500 surplus of cash and use it to invest in my future freedom and entrepreneurial endeavors. And if it doesn't sell, I'll continue to heat my butt in the winter, cool my head in the summer, accelerate ridiculously faster than necessary and carry myself from point A to point B in a luxury ride greater than my ancestors could have ever imagined.
I like to wash my car at a local car wash about a mile from my apartment. I go there because it's hardly ever full, due to it being off the beaten path, and because there is an area out back where I can park, crank my tunes and clean my car out. I love the peacefulness of playing some music while I clean my car, especially on such a beautiful night as tonight. As I was on my way to the car wash tonight, I realized that all I had was twenties and remembered that the car wash machine didn't give change. After being a little upset inside, I decided to stop at the gas station on the way and pick up a treat so I could get change.
The 15 Cent Banana
I walked in the overly busy gas station and found the candy aisle. "I'll get myself some Mentos or something", I thought. Then, as I looked at the price, which read $1.09, I reconsidered. A dollar and nine cents for what used to be 50 cents when I was younger, then went up to 85ish cents in my high school and college days was just too much to spend on something that would just rot my teeth. Suddenly, I remembered I had to use the bathroom. I figured, as long as I'm going to overpay for a treat, I'm going to at least use their bathroom.
After that, I walked by an aisle with bananas. "Now there's an idea", I thought. And right there was a single banana. "I'll get a healthy treat and it will be much cheaper than candy". I brought it up to the cashier, she weighed it and gave me a price that almost made me burst out laughing. Fifteen cents, the cashier said..... Oh, my...... I almost felt like I shoplifted, except the feeling was of great joy. I paid fifteen cents for something incredibly good for me and very tasty when the cheapest thing in their store other than that was over a dollar. Wow, I played those guys. Anyway, I got my change and walked out of there feeling on top of the world.
Thoughts on Regular People
Something else happened in that gas station tonight, which has happened to me quite often lately. As I walked into the bathroom, a young man, in his early twenties, was drying his hands. He had a name tag on and a polo shirt with a logo. He was an employee at the gas station. He had taken his short break in the bathroom to escape the nightly lameness of working at a gas station, but now it was over. It was back to work for him, making minimum wage, for the rest of the night.
I couldn't help but feel bad for him. Why I felt bad, I'm not sure. I mean, maybe he's also going to college, studying something he is absolutely passionate about, and is working there to help offset his savings to pay his way through. Or maybe he is a college graduate who's got a full time day job where he makes good money but wants to make and save even more so he can invest it for the future. Or maybe he's an entrepreneur who is building a business from the ground up, but needs to work part time to pay his bills as he lives cheaply, spending only on essentials. But the reality is, none of these are likely the case.
This past Sunday night, I stopped at the new Walmart down the road to pick up groceries for the week. As I checked out, I was greeted by a friendly woman in her mid forties who checked me out. She is one of the better cashiers at Walmart because she had a smile on her face, was very friendly and did her job well. Walmart is a lucky company to have an employee like her working for them. And here's the saddest part of it all. She probably makes $9 per hour. And this woman is a pleasure to spend the two minutes it takes to check out at Walmart with.
My guess is that she works full time. She probably has a family back home, has a mortgage to pay and a vehicle or two. This is life for this woman, spending 40 hours a week or so at Walmart, checking people out. Do you know what's freakishly familiar about both of these people I'm mentioning? I use to be both of them. When I was 16 years old, I worked at Walmart as a cashier doing exactly what she's doing. It was the worst job of my life and to this day, I remember how miserable it was and how badly I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life.
And then there is the gas station clerk. I've been there too. That job was better for me, but I got paid even less there than at Walmart. The thing about these two jobs is that the pay is crap for the time and effort you're giving up. Gosh, if I, likely making over 3-4 times what these people do (and I guarantee that my job is 10-20 times more challenging and rewarding than theirs), have a hard time wanting to continue this for the rest of the prime of my life (through 60 years old), dammit I feel sorry for those two people.
These people work a shitty job, get paid even shittier, and most likely aren't going to see their situations improve anytime soon. Yes, I know there are children starving in Africa, but dang, we've got people missing out on their potential and giving their lives up for a few bucks right here in this country. I feel sorry for these people, not because they are starving, but because they're in a crappy situation that they most likely have no clue how to get out of.
So, What's the Answer?
My answer to get out of it is to work smart, not hard. If you're at a job where you get paid to physically do things like stock the shelves or sweep the floors, you're in a bad spot. You want to be in a job where you get paid for using your brain, not your body, that's number one.
Number two is, if you don't see yourself loving every minute of having a job and working a 40 plus hours a week from now until you're 60 years old, you're like me. I won't be working a job full time until I'm 60, even if I do get paid 3-4 times more than a Walmart or gas station employee and am 10-20 times more challenged and rewarded than them. To the majority of today's highschoolers and college students, my situation likely looks ideal. I have a job and make good money. What else is there in life, right?
I believe that there's more. I want my time back. I see retirees and think, "Yes, that's the life I want, and soon." I see businessmen in a suit and tie and think, "I don't want that, at all". Hey, I went to school for business and I love business. The business I want to be in is one that fits my life, one where I'm doing something that I absolutely love, and one where I call the shots. I'm just tired of being unhappy, even if I do have it better than these people above.
All in all, tonight, I'm going to say a prayer for these two people. Maybe someday, I'll change the world enough that I'll help just a few people out of situations like that and into ones more like where I'm at or at least hope to be at someday soon. I don't thank God enough for how ridiculously blessed I am. I have a wonderful family, a great girlfriend and awesome friends. I also have over 4 years of living expenses socked away which gives me incredible peace of mind, motivation and options for my life. And... I've got a great job and income for the time being, and it's a place where I love my co-workers and can get excited about things from time to time. If I was going to choose a situation to be in today as I continue to work towards my future goals, I couldn't really think of a better one than the one I'm in.
Tonight's a story about being thankful and a story of noticing others as real people. They are no different than me and they are quite intertwined with my life, yet I rarely think about them.
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23 Comments
- Kate says:May 15, 2013 at 10:46 PM
I too had jobs like that when I was going to school, and there was no way I wanted to be stuck like that for the rest of my life. We do, however, need people to be cashiers, gas station attendants, maintenance workers, etc. Surely many of these workers are struggling financially or feel stuck in their jobs so I feel a mix of sadness for them but also gratitude that we have people doing the jobs that many of us do not want.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 15, 2013 at 10:50 PM
Kate, Perhaps, we need people in those roles, but I still feel for them. I was there and hated it and I'm guessing they aren't thrilled either. I'm not saying that no one should have a crapy job, but instead am just saying that I hope to help people out of situations that they may not have seen a way out of. And I just wanted to do a shout out to those who are stuck an working hard for little to nothing.
- Terry says:May 16, 2013 at 1:42 AM
Maybe she is a recent hire who had been unemployed, that could explain her cheerfulness. But I'm not so sure she owns a home and has a mortgage; I earn $9/hr in a convenience store and nobody at my workplace owns a home.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 21, 2013 at 9:12 AM
Terry, There's no doubt in my mind that she's cheerful even though she works 40 hours a week for little pay and little variety. Some people are happy in any situation. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. Regarding the mortgage, you never know. She could have a husband that brings in a decent income. She could also have other income sources besides that job.
- Kevin says:May 16, 2013 at 8:27 AM
Kraig- I highly doubt that the gas station attendant or the Walmart cashier wants you to pity them. Yes, in many situations low pay and limited career development can lead to low satisfaction. However, some people have limited options and relish in the fact that they can work and provide for their family. Happiness is internally managed. You cannot gauge someone’s happiness based off your career versus their job. Somewhere in the world there is someone who shovels manure at a carnival, or picks berries on a farm and by many standards is happier than people with office careers. By financial standards, earning minimum wage does not prevent you from living a life an individual deems worth living. Obviously with lower income people need to manage accordingly. Countless times you read stories of an employee, like a librarian, who earn way less than teachers and upon retirement, donate a million dollars to charity. Beware of where you cast your pity because it may not be warranted and may come across as condescending.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 16, 2013 at 9:03 AM
Kevin, Thanks for offering your thoughts. It offers great perspective. You have many good points.
- Heather says:May 16, 2013 at 10:04 AM
Very interesting post! I literally had the same thought yesterday as I went to the liquor store to buy some beer from an overall bad week of, well... Murphy's law. The same thoughts went through my mind as she was checking me out, except she was not happy and jolly, instead she seemed bored and tired. I couldn't help but think, if she used her full potential, what would she want to do in life? It is not wrong to have these thoughts, instead, I bet they would be happy knowing we wish well for them to find a career that they enjoy as it makes life much easier and enjoyable.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 16, 2013 at 10:12 AM
Heather, Agreed, but we shouldn't imply that we are using our full potential because we aren't either. I don't think it's about who is using their potential, but more about being in a spot where you are stuck working for crappy pay just to get by. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. It's not about thinking that we are above them in any way. Honestly, I feel stuck many days too. It's just about acknowledging those around us and making sure we do all we can to help them and help ourselves to, like you said, reach our potential together.
- krantcents says:May 16, 2013 at 11:18 AM
I love the social psychology of life! You could put all these people in a room and they will all react differently to the same stimulus. I participated in marketing surveys where I found everyone saw the ad or commercial based on their experience or background. I found it interesting how the discussion changed based on the next person's reaction. Everyone does things for their own reasons.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 16, 2013 at 11:20 AM
KC, That's good insight. I'm most likely the crazy one, the one who doesn't want to sell my time for a few bucks. I'm the one who doesn't want to work "that job" and be stuck in my life.
- Kyle @ Debt Free Diaries says:May 16, 2013 at 12:08 PM
I also had jobs like that growing up. Now that I'm older and have an office job, I definitely don't want to go back! On the other hand, I don't want to spend the rest of my life working in an office either which is why I'm so drawn to entrepreneurship. Leslie and I are working on building a business right now, keeping it on the side while we work full time until it generates enough revenue to replace our incomes.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 16, 2013 at 12:16 PM
Hi Kyle, I'm with you man. I feel the same way. I'm happier where I am than where I was but still want to move further, into entrepreneurship, like you do. Like you, I'm working on it on the side while I build up the income I need to do it full time.
- Tdl says:May 17, 2013 at 7:13 PM
When I was young and worked at a gas station for 6 or 7 dollars an hour (20 years ago) it was the best job I ever had. You could always stay busy, seldom bored. New people came in every few minutes, some needing help and you could fix things up and get them on their way. Outside all the time. Always something going on. Income was low but expenses were lower. Now I make about $150k a year and am miserable. Money does NOT buy happiness.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 21, 2013 at 9:16 AM
Tdl, I agree with your statement that money does not buy happiness. But, I do believe that freedom and ownership of your time can help you out a lot in your pursuit of happiness. Although working at a job like that can be fun, if you're stuck doing it for money (like we are with most jobs simply because of our financial situation), it can be less than fun. I think the key to what you mentioned was the part where you said your expenses were low. I'd go as far to say that "expenses" or "lifestyle" does NOT buy happiness. Lifestyle is what we usually spend our money on and I'm not for that at all. Options and freedom of time and place are what can allow you to find happiness.
- Jason Cabler (@DrCabler) says:May 19, 2013 at 6:15 PM
Great article. I love what I do also, but don't want to trade time for money for the rest of my life. It takes a lot of work to make a significant passive income, but as you know I'm working toward that. Hopefully soon I'll be making a significant amount of passive income. Thanks Kraig!
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 19, 2013 at 6:19 PM
Thanks, Jason. Yes, passive income is the ultimate goal for me too. Location independence and owning my time are what I'm working towards. And it may be a while and take a ton more work, but I'm game for that.
- KC @ genxfinance says:May 21, 2013 at 6:59 AM
A lot of us can relate to these stories one way or the other. We see ourselves in them because we used to be them. The woman at Walmart, maybe she's passionate about her job or she's seeing the best things out of that situation. Or maybe the boy hates his job but that's all he can do for now. We worked so hard before and now, we are working smart.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 21, 2013 at 8:23 AM
Exactly, KC. It just puts things into perspective. I hear a lot about those who have gotten to a point where they work when and where they want and make a huge pile of money. But in reality, most of the people in my local community are working a job that isn't glamorous. It's not that I want to make fun of them, because I certainly don't. It's just that I want to be mindful of that situation and do what I can to prevent that from ever happening to me again. I was there long ago and yuck, it wasn't fun. That's a big reason why I'm on this mission. With every dollar I save/invest and with every dollar I cut out of my living expenses, I become more free from situations like that.
- Laurie @thefrugalfarmer says:May 21, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Great post, Kraig. I often think of these people too with warm hearts. Sometimes it doesn't seem as if we make a ton of money, until we remember when Rick used to work at a gas station. Funny how easily we forget our blessings.
- Kraig @ Young Cheap Living says:May 21, 2013 at 8:25 AM
Laurie, Yes, it is funny how easily we forget our blessings. I know the feeling as I often think back to my younger years and get a bad feeling in my stomach. I'm blessed and I try to stay aware of what things I can do/what way I can live to continue running as far as possible from that type of situation. Options/freedom/the ability to do what I want and spend my time the way I want is what I'm doing all this for.
- Mrs jim says:June 2, 2013 at 11:15 PM
Ha! I am lmao!!!! Seriously. I have been a trial lawyer in federal court for 26 years and I can't wait unitl I can retire (which I actually could do today if I so chose) and get a stressless job as a checkout person at walmart - or at a gas station - whatever. It'll just be for grins and keeping in touch with everyday people. Careful with your judgments and the oh so condescending "let me help the little people" attitude.
- Diana says:July 18, 2013 at 1:56 AM
I do agree that numerous posts in this blog have a condescending, judgmental tone. You share several nuggets of wisdom on personal finances, but it would be better if you could be inclusive, not exclusive. Who knows, there may be several Walmart cashiers or gas station clerks who enjoy reading your blog, too.
- Diana says:July 18, 2013 at 1:58 AM
Even the title... referring to people in those low-paying, mindless jobs as "regular" people. Maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion but it'd probably wise to stay clear of offending anyone.
