Friday, February 6, 2009

The California Budget Project estimates a single adult living in L.A. needs to gross $28,126 per year to live modestly (source: LA Times 10/17/07).

How much did Temp X make in 2008 (all figures represent gross income)?

This is the breakdown of what you guessed.

$18,752.36 .............................34%

$19,231.85 .............................28%

$20,710.88 .............................18%

$21,454.70 .............................18%


AND THE CORRECT ANSWER IS $20,710.88. So perhaps next time I shouldn't scoff at a job that pays $21,000.


Note: The salary figures include unemployment payments received during the WGA strike. I took a one week vacation in June. It was my first break in three years. Other than that, I worked or was available for work the entire year.

Source: LA Times "Poverty Line Out of Touch with Costs, Advocates Say"

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

before or after taxes/deductions?

Anonymous said...

Incidentally, that's a great article written in 2007. I'm touched and relieved that the federal government has drastically changed its standards since then. Ohhhh... right.

Anonymous said...

I voted for 19K. Sorry I underestimated your earning potential.

Anonymous said...

Dear Temp X,

I know the temping assignments have been few and far between. I've heard rumors that certain studios have done away with ALL temps for budget reasons. Have you found this to be true which could explain your lack of assignments or is it something else? Also, do you find it's sometimes better NOT to temp so you get a bigger unemployment check? How do you spend your days without going crazy? Perhaps you can address these in future posts.

Anonymous said...

There was a time in my early days in Hollywood that I found myself trolling Craigslist for a gig and I found one that offered $50 a week. It was the chance of a lifetime! I would be exposed to all of the great names in Hollywood! I was so put off by the sheer usury of the ad that I actually responded with, "Gee, at $50 a week, can I suck you off at the end of every Friday?" He said "Sure!" To which I replied, "I'll wait until your mother gets done first." Naturally he shut is trap then.

Am I proud of my response? No, just disappointed in myself for letting the scum get the better of me. Chins up, what goes up, must come down, and eventually go up again. It's the cycle of the parasitic life we're in.

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