When I was a kid, money equaled cool stuff and freedom to do what I wanted. I was lucky that I didn't have to worry about bills and wasn't really concerned about my ability to make money in the future. As an adult, I wish I had been better informed about finances and economics as I was growing up and moving into the world.
I had no idea how other countries handled their money. Why would I have needed to know? I was just a kid. Right? These days the average person has a better understanding of global economics and how the many countries of the world are all intertwined. It's true: our world is becoming flatter and with that comes knowledge and responsibility.
Ask yourself this: Do you have any idea what the minimum wage is in the United States? Does Kansas have a higher minimum wage than what is required by the federal government? Did you know that states have the option of increasing that minimum wage?
Recently, I discovered that in Australia there is a huge concern that foreign workers are being underpaid. Can you guess how little they're being paid? Would you be surprised to know that it's higher than the minimum wage in the United States? Would you be surprised to learn that the minimum wage in Australia for a full-time adult worker is nearly double our minimum wage? Check out this article, Raw Deal for Sushi Workers, to find out more.
Based on what you've read in the article, what are your impressions of the situation? Would that happen here? What if we increased our minimum wage? Would that have an effect on the economy? How does this affect your future? Knowing what you know now, would you be more likely to consider working abroad?
This is really bad. The economics are bad as it is some people can't afford food and a house. Getting underpaid can mean they will be in forever dept for college and will always live a bad life. I don't think it would happen here but anything is possible. If we increased our minimum wage workers everywhere would probably have to work extra hours and some might be fired. It would ruin the economy by taking away jobs and businesses would not have enough money to stay open. This is already starting and it will make taxes go up and make the hard working people pay more. So even if you go to college you will still earn about as much money as a person that didn't and will have to pay of college loans. I will probably stay here instead of going to a foreign country to work because of the economics in other places.
ReplyDeleteI think they should increase the wage a little bit but not to much cause they do only stay in the country for a little bit, but they do deserve to be payed because they are working.
ReplyDeleteI think that it would be pretty important now that I think about it to teach kids about that kind of stuff. I also think they should make the wage bigger because they are working their butts off! I also think it's good for them too and everyone else around.
ReplyDeleteIt is not fair that just because people are foreign doesn't mean they can get paid less. If they are working full time, then they should get paid a little more.
ReplyDeleteI like being a kid and getting money so i can get cool stuff. But i sometimes do worry about when I grow up like I don't want to become moneyless and a hobo. The earth is becoming flat so will we fall off the edge. Oh No! wait maybe that isn't such a bad thing. I barely know a thing about the minimum wage in any where
ReplyDeleteWell, as a kid I don't like it, and I am sure as I get older it will be worse. I think that having foreign people get paid less is just insulting, I mean it is kind of like what they used to do to African Americans. I think it is raceist. (When I say what they did, I don't mean slavery I mean like how they would get into trouble or get paid less because of their skin color. Just thought I would say if anyone was confused. :-D) I mean I am really interested in politics. So I keep up with the economy. I think it will affect my future because I won't get to do all of the things I want. I mean food, and electricity, and clothing, and shelter will always come first on the list, but I mean lots of people want to give their family more, and when I grow up I want to to. As far, as the bad economy coming to us, I think it is almost half way there. I mean we have to pay almost 5 $ for a gallon of gas. When I grow up who knows it might be 20$ its like they think everyone is rich. As all people in the future, I mean all the kids I know always talk about what they want to be when they grow up. Well, that is their dream. If the economy is really bad then you might not be able to be what you want to be. I mean you don't always get to choose in life. I wish the bad economy turned to good, and that everything was at a decent price, but if just wishing something could come true, then we would be rich beyond compare, and we would be living our wildest dreams. Now even though that can't happen completely, you should get to live out at least one of your dreams and make a wish turn into reality.
ReplyDeletei can't imagine how hard it must be to be moneyless. I would not want people that way.
ReplyDeleteMy impressions on this article is that people think they are not well paid when in truth they are paid more than people in the US. If they did raise the money they were being paid they would have to raise the price even more in the US. If we also increased our minimum wage it would probley mean that everything will have raised prices and taxes. If this happens my family could be in better shape or worse its just the luck of the government and ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteWithout money I would have no idea how i would live because I would be without money, food, and etc. I could not live like that at all.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you mentioned going into the real world having to buy gas, and pay bills, but when your a kid you just get some money to spend on what ever you want you don't have to use it to pay bills, but when you are an adult you have some money to spend on what you want but most of it goes to paying bills
ReplyDeleteIf we raised the minimum wage then I think people would have to work longer hours.I think that it would effect the economy by having to keep electricity going longer.
ReplyDeleteKansas doesn't have a higher minimum wage then needed. There is a group trying to raise the minimum wage for Kansas. I didn't know that Kansas had an option of changing the minimum wage. I wouldn't be surprised if Australia had a higher minimum wage then Kansas because Australia has a higher cost of living so the government has to pay them more to afford it. I think it is fair because if they are just visiting and working for a little while, then why should they get paid as equally as people who live there, they will still get paid enough, just not as much as everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI would think that it is very stupid how some people (Mainly Republicans) think that only wealthy people should have money, and too bad to the poor people. I and my family beleve that everybody should have a a fair share of wealth, and nobody should be poor, starving, or homeless.
ReplyDeleteIf we raised the minimum wage then I think people would have to work longer hours.I think that it would effect the economy by having to keep electricity going longer.It effects my future because I now know I might have a low paying job.I will work abroad so I might have a chance to get more pay to live
ReplyDeleteI would think that it is very stupid how some people (Mainly Republicans) think that only wealthy people should have money, and too bad to the poor people. I and my family beleve that everybody should have a a fair share of wealth, and nobody should be poor, starving, or homeless. But, If we increased our minimum wage... It would be fine. It would make more people have more money, so more people could buy products and keep companies with enough money to keep all employees.
ReplyDeleteI think it's bad that people aren't being paid enough because a lot of them have a family to support and they're getting paid so little that it's hard to keep there family healthy. If we increased our minimum wage I think it would be good because then they might be able to get by a little better. If it happened here it wouldn't be good because there are people already out on the streets and we could be adding to that by not paying people enough. If we did do this it might have an effect on the economy because the economy already is pretty bad so it might get worse. It would effect my future well because I would be getting paid more so that I might be able to pay for gas when I get older and I will be able to buy other things I need without struggling to much. I think I would work abroad because I might not even get paid.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is good for teachers and parents to tell their students or children about growing up and getting a job and paying bills and buying a house. Last year my 4th grade teacher went out and god fake checkbooks. We had to choose between buying a house, renting a house, or living in a condo. We also had to choose between different types of automobiles, and we also had to go grocery shopping and that was about 200 dollars a week.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to know that now as a kid if you want to go out and buy a soda you use your babysitting money. With adults they hesitate about buying a soda because they know they need to pay bills tomorrow. I think that it is a good thing for kids to know what they are going into in the future, as kids of today grow older the gas prices will grow higher and higher, so will bills.
I think that it is good for teachers and parents to tell their students or children about growing up and getting a job and paying bills and buying a house. Last year my 4th grade teacher went out and god fake checkbooks. We had to choose between buying a house, renting a house, or living in a condo. We also had to choose between different types of automobiles, and we also had to go grocery shopping and that was about 200 dollars a week.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to know that now as a kid if you want to go out and buy a soda you use your babysitting money. With adults they hesitate about buying a soda because they know they need to pay bills tomorrow. I think that it is a good thing for kids to know what they are going into in the future, as kids of today grow older the gas prices will grow higher and higher, so will bills.
I do not know what minimum wage is in the USA. I think it is unfair that the state gets to choose what minimum wage is.
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ReplyDeleteYes! I remember that Lucy! The fake checkbooks! I still have mine that was fun! I do think teachers should get their kids ready for the real world. NOTHING can affect my future. I do not know what the minimum wage is in the U.S.A. I don't know the answers to these questions but I DO know that being prepared for the real world is VERY important.
ReplyDeleteYeah I can actually picture how hard it must be for them.Wow! I think most people there must be homeless, or almost homeless,But for sure they are most likely low on money. I would just hate it.
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