A Canadian influencer recently went viral after posting a video on TikTok in which she claimed that in 2012, when she was working for minimum wage, she felt more financially comfortable than she does today, earning almost $100,000 a year.
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The woman, who goes by the name Sam Breezie on TikTok and lives in Langley, British Columbia, explained that the rising cost of living means she has a lot less money in her pocket today than she did 11 years ago.
“In 2012, I lived in a two-bedroom apartment with my roommate and our rent was $700; So we paid $350 each. I paid between $100 and $150 for my groceries. Our services cost us maybe $100 a month. My minimum wage was around $1,300 to $1,400 per month. After all my expenses, I had so much money left over,” says the influencer.
Sam then described his current situation in detail to compare it to that of 2012.
“Now, in 2023, I pay $3,300 a month for my rent. The services cost me at least $200 or $300 a month. To pay off my student loans, I have to spend several hundred dollars each month. I had to move out of the city and buy a car,” she explains.
“I really feel like I had more money left over at minimum wage in 2012,” she concludes.
His video was well received by many Internet users, who also denounced the rising cost of living by talking about their own reality and how it has evolved in recent years.