rent rage

  Getting ready to move out of my dream apartment tomorrow to a slightly more affordable one I will be living in with the blessed assistance of my parents (yes, I'm extremely lucky to have financial help). I've lived here at my current residence for 8 years now and I'm sad to leave. In 2004, when I first moved in, rent was $650 a mo. Let's say hypothetical, which is close to the truth as I was waiting tables at the time 5 days a week getting tips but closer to 30 hours than 40.. I was making the Wa state min wage of $7.16 an hour x 40 x 4 = $1146 a mo so rent of $650 was a tiny bit lush but completely doable. My rent has now skyrocketed to a whopping $1450 a mo! So let's say, once again hypothetical, if I were still employed in that same career or min wage range as many of the 99% are I would be making the new 2012 Wa state min wage of $9.04 an hour x 40 x 4 = $1446 a mo or $4 shy of any chance to actually pay my rent. So while my rent has increased a total of $800 a mo in 8 years my salary has only increased by $300 a mo. Now we can add in the rising price of food and gas or bus fares if we'd like to but you see the point.. There's a major problem happening in this country that not only affects the middle class but practically eradicates the lower class into a permanent state of homelessness or death!