That feeling when you leave class covered in pig blood and have no date for the prom!

When I only Showed up for 4 hours at work today to do some extra prep and so my boss could leave early but end up making more in tips than I did in hourly wages. My customer service musts been pretty superb today.

60$ in tips for 4 hours work. I've worked 13 hours and didn't make that much. Sweeeeeeeeeet.

^^ What is the minimum wage in the US?

As of July 1 minimum wage in California is $9.

It varies by state.

It's $9.04 here in WA but I know it's lower in some other states.

That's fairly low. If you have a full time job the minimum wage scale here is:

Age 16 years - $7:75 per hour
Age 17 years - $9:46 per hour
Age 18 years - $11:18 per hour
Age 19 years - $13:50 per hour
Age 20 years - $16:00 per hour

That's before tax.

what's the cost of living against the average worker's earnings?

also I've heard of this. Do you live in Norway, New Zealand, or Australia? the numbers seem to be really high (as I've heard from faraway friends) there but I've always wondered if maybe the cost of basic things is also higher, or if you guys really are winning as greatly as it would seem.

Compared to the US the cost of living is higher also we pay more tax. I am just out of uni and started working in an animal hospital as a junior vet and I earn $56,00 per annum (before tax) which is not too bad. I'm in Australia.

It all seems relatively proportionate then. :)