The average American has no idea how to calculate the average hourly wage. They often believe that they make $15 an hour when in reality, it is closer to $25 per hour.
This can be a huge problem for people with rent or other payments due monthly who are unable to pay their bills because they have been misinformed about their wages.
In order to calculate this, you need to take the total hours worked and divide it by the amount of pay for that hour. For example, if you make $15 dollars per hour and work a total of 36 hours in one week, your average hourly wage is $25 dollars an hour!
How much does the average US worker earn per hour?
According to www.indeed.com, the average US worker earns $25.13 per hour.
What does this mean for you?
If you are employed and living off of your wages, perhaps it is time to look into a better-paying job.
It is also important to understand that you make this much per hour, which means once your weekly paycheck is gone, you have no source of income.
If you are in need of additional money before the next payday, look for ways to make extra cash on the side to supplement your income.
A few ways to do this are:
- Driving for Uber or Lyft.
- Take surveys.
- Babysitting
- Dog walking
- Sell your used items such as clothing, games, electronics, furniture, etc
$15 an Hour Is How Much a Year After Taxes?
Take-home pay is what is left over after income taxes are taken out of your paycheck. The IRS requires a certain percentage, based on your annual income, to be taken from each paycheck.
For example, if you earn $20,000 per year and the IRS takes 25% of that in taxes, then your take-home pay is $16,000 per year.
15 dollars per hour working 2,000 hours
In order to calculate your average hourly wage, you need to take the total hours per year and divide it by the amount of pay for that hour. For example, if you make $15 dollars per hour and work a total of 2,000 hours in one year, your average hourly wage is $7.50 per hour!
This is equal to $15,000 per year!
Practice Problems:
1.) If you make $8.25 dollars an hour and work a total of 2,000 hours in one year, what is your average hourly wage?
2.) If you make $18 dollars per hour and work a total of 1,200 hours
How much is $15 an hour 40 hours a week?
The average hourly wage is $25.00 per hour!
That means one hour of work will earn you $15.00 every week.
One year of working 40 hours a week at $15 an hour would get you:
$36,000 per year!
$15 an hour is how much a month
$15 an hour is how much a year
In order to calculate this, you need to take the total hours worked and divide it by the amount of pay for that hour.
For example, if you make $15 dollars per hour and work a total of 36 hours in one week, your average hourly wage is $25.00 per hour!
To figure out how much that is per month, you take the total amount of hours x $25.00
36 x $25 = $900.
Lastly, we divide it by 12 to find out how much a year you make at this hourly rate
$900 / 12 months = $75.00/month and $900/year.
Is $15 an Hour Good?
This is up to you. It all depends on your personal circumstances and the kind of work that you do.
For example, if you work in the fast-food industry for $15 per hour, then it probably isn’t worth it. However, if you are an architect or a dentist, then $15 per hour may be a good deal because people in these professions can earn higher hourly wages.
What Pays $15 an Hour?
The answer to “What Pays $15 an Hour?” is that it depends on the job.
For example, if this person were a waiter or waitress they would earn $15.00 per hour (plus tips).
If they are a nurse, their hourly wage would be more like $25.00-$30.00 because nurses usually work more hours than other professions according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Can You Live on $15 an Hour?/
You have to figure out how many hours you work every week. Divide your total hours by your hourly wage.
So if you earn $15 an hour, and work 36 hours in a week, then you make about $25 an hour. No one has determined if this is enough to live off of, but it’s an indication that it may not be enough.
It all depends on what your typical expenses are each month. Some people spend up to 4 times their income on housing alone! It’s so difficult to answer whether or not someone can live off of $15 an hour because everyone’s expenses are different.
The cost of living also varies greatly based on where you live and the lifestyle that you choose to maintain. If you live in an urban city with a lot of amenities and activities, you’ll need to earn more than $15 an hour.
The same is true if you’re a single parent with two kids on the way. In fact, the federal government estimates that it takes twice as much money for a family to survive on one wage alone when compared to a single individual.
Therefore, $15 an hour may not be enough to live off of for most people because the cost of living varies so widely from state to state and city to city. But if you’re on your own or don’t have any children, then $15 an hour might suffice for what you need it for.
Is $15 an hour good for a single person?
Yes, $15 an hour is good for a single person. $15 an hour is way above the poverty line established by the U.S. government. There are many things that people can do on only $15 an hour, like shop at a grocery store, rent a home, and go to a restaurant or theater!
15 Dollars an Hour Jobs
There are many 15 Dollars Hour Jobs that can be found on the internet. (FlexJobs)
These jobs range from being a waiter to working in customer service. If you’re looking for a new job, then these 15 Dollar per hour jobs might just be what you’re looking for!
The best part about these jobs is that they don’t require any experience or education and most of them only require one day of training before starting work!
You’ll also find that many of these positions offer benefits like paid vacation time, health insurance, and 401(k) retirement plans.
So if you want to make some money while gaining valuable skills, this might just be the perfect opportunity for you!
Here are 8 15 Dollars an Hour Jobs for people of all ages!
1. Car Detailer – $15/hour
Car details can be found at any major retail store, like Walmart or Target. To learn how to do this job properly, you’ll need to attend a one-day training course where you’ll learn the skills necessary to clean, wax, and detail cars.
Once you’ve learned those skills you’ll be able to start working! You’ll usually work about 30 hours per week and your shift will revolve around the customer service hours of each store. Sometimes there will also be additional opportunities for overtime.
The best part about this job is that you can work as little or as much as you want. Some of the other benefits include an awesome discount on new cars, health insurance, paid vacation time, and holiday pay!
2. Customer Service Representative – $15/hour
A customer service representative job is a great opportunity whether you want part-time work or full-time work! Because these jobs are always in high demand, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to find a part-time job where you can make up to $25/hour.
The best way to get started finding one of these jobs is by checking the listings on Monster.com or Craigslist. Many businesses will hire candidates just out of high school or without experience.
3. Technician – $15/hour
If you’re looking to start a career in the medical field, then becoming a technician can be just what you’ve been waiting for!
There are many different roles that fall under this classification including X-Ray technicians, MRI technicians, and phlebotomists.
For an X-Ray technician, you’ll need to either attend a one or two-year degree program and pass some certification tests. After doing that, you can start earning $15/hour!
If you’re more interested in being a phlebotomist, then all training is done on the job! Phlebotomists also earn $15/hour and are often hired with minimal or no experience!
4. Waiter – $15/hour
Did you know that in order to be a waiter, all you really need is a high school diploma? That’s right, anyone can do it! There are many different opportunities available so even if you don’t have a degree there’s still a chance that you’ll find one of these jobs.
Waiter jobs are very flexible and oftentimes offer opportunities for overtime. You can also work as little or as much as you want, giving you the freedom to balance your time between school and this job!
5. Receptionist – $15/hour
If you’re looking for a job where you can help others and make decent money, then I think this might be the role for you! A receptionist job is perfect because it’s often very flexible. You’ll only need education of high school or equivalent.
Once you learn how to answer incoming calls, schedule appointments, and take messages, you’re ready to start working! First of all, there’s no specific requirement for how many hours you have to work each week.
Most receptionists work between 20 and 30 hours per week with the average pay being $15/hour. As far as benefits go, most employers offer paid time off and healthcare insurance. In addition to that, you’ll often receive a discount for health appointments!
6. Customer Service Representative – $15/hour
Finding the perfect job that gives flexibility and allows to you make good money can be hard to find, but I think I found just what you’re looking for! In order to become a customer service representative, all you need is education of high school or equivalent.
If you have that, then the only other things needed are the ability to communicate well with people and a good phone manner! You’ll be responsible for receiving and processing orders as well as resolving any customer issues. After training, which is usually a couple of weeks long, you can start making $15/hour!
7. Truck Driver – $15/hour
If you’re looking for a flexible job that allows you to work from home most of the time, then becoming a truck driver might be perfect. You’ll need at least two years of driving experience and a clean DMV record for this job.
There are also many extra rules you must follow including getting a physical, having background checks ran, and being fingerprinted. After that though, you can start making $15/hour!
8. Sales Representative – $15/hour
The good thing about working as a sales representative is getting to work from home! There are many different ways in which this job can be done but most of them involve canvassing different neighborhoods and selling to potential customers.
As far as education goes, all you need is a high school diploma! Once you’ve learned how sales work, then the only thing left to do is start working! This job requires a lot of dedication so I would recommend it if you can commit yourself 100%. You’ll also need to put in a lot of hours!
How to Live on $15 an Hour/Tips for Living on $15 an Hour
There are many things you can do to live on $15 an hour. One of the most important things to do is maintain at least a part-time job while you attend classes so that you can earn extra money. Even if it’s just ten hours per week, that should amount to about $300/month!
Keep in mind that this is based on the average cost of living which is $100 every two weeks. If you’re married or with a partner, then each of you could also work! If you live in a two-bedroom apartment, that should be free.
Otherwise having a roommate will help out very much as well.
Here are some tips:
- Reuse items, for example, if they have the same packaging and other types of food are still good, use them. Don’t buy snacks that you can find around your house.
- Use coupons when possible to save more money.
- Don’t spend the extra money on soda. Soda is very unhealthy and will quickly increase your weight in fat if you drink too much of it! Try water instead which is free everywhere!
- Make sure to eat lots of vegetables; they’re one of the most important things for your diet. Buying organic vegetables will help save money and is much better for you!
- Get a membership at any nearby gym (only about $20/month) or follow some workout routines on YouTube that don’t require any equipment. A quick search online should give you plenty of results!
- If you’re attending college, talk to your professor about a tutor. They might be willing to help for no money at all! If not then there are tutoring services and other study groups that typically offer free tutoring.
- Take public transportation; it’s cheaper than having a car and is good exercise!
- Many colleges have computers with internet access so that you can use them freely.
- If you’re a student, then try to find an internship and get paid! This will definitely help your resume if nothing else.
- Try to spend as little money on entertainment as possible. It’s okay if you don’t go out sometimes or stay home to watch Hulu instead of going out.
There are many things that you can do to live on $15 an hour, but these are just a few!
When $15 an Hour Isn’t Enough
Many of us struggle with basic needs such as food, clothes, and housing. In this article, you will learn what can happen when $15 an hour isn’t enough.
People who are making the “minimum wage”–or $7.25 per hour–usually get by with side jobs, food stamps or welfare to supplement their income. But people who are only making $8 an hour may not have a steady job at all.
In America, many families are just scraping by on less than $15 an hour. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014 half of the families in this country had no one working full-time for 12 months or more.
For those who do find a job, even $15 an hour may not be enough to escape poverty. The Institute for Policy Studies found that in 2011, a single parent with one child would need to earn at least $21.06 an hour in order to support her family if she also received food stamps and other public assistance.
Why aren’t people making more?
Most minimum-wage workers don’t work in the service industry, they work in manufacturing and other industries. While fast-food jobs pay little more than minimum wage, most manufacturing jobs pay around $11 or $12 an hour. That’s still not enough to live on, especially if you have a family to support.
Another problem is that many of these jobs are temporary. The average manufacturing job, for example, lasts less than 27 days.
A final issue is that many people who start out making $15 an hour will see their hourly wage fall over time because they don’t have enough seniority to get a raise.
The bottom line is that even though $15 an hour may seem like a lot of money, for millions of people it’s not enough to make ends meet.
$15 an hour budget example
If you’re making $15 an hour, here is what a monthly budget might look like:
- $650 for rent (for a one-bedroom apartment)
- $150 for electricity and gas
- $300 for food, water, toiletries, and other necessities (shampoo, toothpaste, soap…)
- $100 for transportation/gasoline/public transit expenses
- $50 in savings (or spending money!)
If you’d like to learn more about how to save money, check out the article below!
Top 21 Frugal Living Tips with A Big Impact
Or if you’re looking for a way to make extra income, consider this piece about how to make money by sharing links on Facebook.
Other ways to improve financial literacy, such as budgeting and saving money on everyday expenses
The other ways to improve financial literacy are budgeting and saving money on everyday expenses.
Here is some financial advice.
To be financial literate, you need to know how much you’re spending every week or month and ensure that it’s below the amount of your paycheck.
This way, when your paycheck is spent, there’s still money left over for emergencies, such as a car repair or medical bills.
Budgeting is a great habit to get in because it allows you to make the most of your money.
Instead of buying something random every day, you can decide what you really need and truly want.
To be even more budget-smart, track your spending to see where all your money is going.
Maybe that new pair of shoes will buy a nice dinner for your family?
Instead of buying something on impulse, think about the long-term benefits of what you’re buying.
For example, if you just bought breakfast at McDonald’s, are you really saving money or wasting it? (If you’ve ever checked out the ingredients in a Big Mac, you’ll quickly realize it’s not worth the dollar.)
Saving money on everyday expenses is another important way to improve financial literacy.
Essentially, you want to spend less than you make and save what’s leftover for future emergencies or needs. At the same time, cut back on unnecessary expenses. For example, cut cable or other expensive extras and invest the money in a savings account.
In order to improve your financial literacy, you must learn how to manage your income and spending. If you spend more than you make, that’s not financial literacy.
Instead of living paycheck-to-paycheck, try and save some money for the future. If your car breaks down or you have to repair a leaky roof, you’ll be glad you saved up extra money to pay for it.
Conclusion
In today’s economy, it is nearly impossible to live comfortably on a single income.
If you are living paycheck-to-paycheck and struggling to pay bills or buy groceries, consider making money online to earn extra cash.
Learning how to make money on the side can be a great way for anyone, no matter their current situation, to bring in extra income, pay off debt, and gain financial freedom.
If you combine your hours with other sources of revenue such as part-time work or freelancing gigs then you could have more than just one job and still maintain a decent quality of life.
As long as there are ways to get ahead financially without taking away from our family time, we should take advantage!
Have any tips about making money on the side?
Share them below so that others may find out what they don’t know yet.
