$17/hour.

At age 20 is pretty good here in Western PA, USA.

These threads make me realize how crappy my job/pay is. oh well I'm still living

@ihira

I know how you feel... I'm not even working (the town I live in of 25,000 is experiencing massive layoffs, about 1,000 this year alone). To make matters worse everyone else in my family is successful (my younger sister is a lawyer who works for the government and my younger brother is an accountant that works for a famous accounting firm).

I now dispise being on unemployment (it's my 8th week) and it makes a person feel worthless. Unfortunately I get paid more in unemployment than I would working the available jobs in my town. I'm saving up to either move out West (Western Canada is booming compared to Eastern Canada) or actually go ahead with a business idea I have.

Some people might not think it WORTHWILE to spend more than $300 on a hobby, despite the income. For example, there are no bounds on my motorcycle spending, but i stop at $250 for a console and only buy tops of 1 game a month, but typically only 1 every 2-3 months.

back on topic $28 during summer,  theoretically $30 during the winter, but depends on how much i actually work.

nordlead,

What kind of work do you do?

My job sucks I make 9 dollars a hour and bring home about 650 every two weeks after taxes.

Around $25.00 + allowances, in PR...

 I'm a software engineer (working on radars) at SRC which makes varios kinds of military/environmental radars and also varios devices for electronic warfare. At the same time, i'm a full-time Ph.D. student at Syracuse University and they pay me during the winter, so my winter 40hr week average (i stated it as hourly) is the combine of the two depending on how much i work at SRC. Its a lot of fun for now, since i get to break up my day into half study, half work and i get paid at the same time

 I only responded to this thread just for this reason.  I knew someone would oblige.  Yes, I work full time, and I don't "hurt" when spending money on the console.  Everyone puts a different emphasis on where they spend their money.  But, I have other priorities in life, also.  My house, car, eating, etc. etc. etc.  The whole point that seems to have failed everyone in saying the playstation and xbox 360 "are worth it" because of all the technology for the price are missing the point entirely.  There is a price on any given product (assuming the product garners wide interest) that the market will "bear".  No matter the income or price of the product, economics 101 steps in.  Are you familiar with the concept of elasticity of demand?  Some things like gasolise, are highly price inelastic.  Video games with the exception of the truly hardcore, are very price elastic -- that is their sales will fluctuate highly depending on price.  The Wii, as much as I don't care for the weak system, illustrates this point well.

So, to take this a bit further, I'll happily spend 250 on a console and not look back.  At 400, I'm quite reluctant and at $500 it's not going to happen -- period.  That's my personal demand curve.  Add mine to the millions of other consumers and you'll find the market demand curve for video game consoles and you will probably find that supply and demand are in equilibrium at a hell of a lot less than 400 -- or even 500-600...

I know people who make what you do and don't even give a second though to spending $100 on a meal that's why I found it odd when you said you made $50/hour but in another post you said your pain point for videogame consoles was $299. I mean usually people who have a good income and are into videogames or any hobbies in general will spend fairly high amounts on their hobbies, and since you're obviously into videogames (otherwise you very likely wouldn't be posting on this message board) I expected you to be the same. I just found your statements odd but I'm not doubting you and I guess I should have realized that everyone is different.