Wal Mart increases starting wage

[Haipule]

Licensed optician. We opened the store on Maui on Halloween day 2000. Starting pay was $7.50p/h but few would take it as McDonalds starting pay was $10.00p/h. They started as a 24 hour store. They very quickly shortened the hours of operation and raised the starting pay to $10.00 but where 100 employees short for the holiday season. It was a mess!

A few years later they raised it to $12.00p/h and experienced cashiers could start at 14-15p/h. Now there going to raise it again.

On this island we have Wal-Mart, Costco, Home Depot, Lowes, Target and a closed K-Mart. We have about 150 to 160 thousand residence and those companies must compete for the employees. Yes, you can make more money here but a studio apt with one parking stall starts at $1.600 p/month.

And that is the problem, you'd still be behind on that rate, especially if you have kids and the rent is higher if you have more than one room.

Yes! You have to buy here to control housing costs. Buying is cheaper then renting. Real-estate taxes here are reasonable. However, the state taxes they take out of your paycheck is outrageous! Three times higher than California. It's a great place to be rich but tough to work here.

However, making wealth is easier here because we are all on a island with needs. Tourists come here with needs. Providing needs will prosper you. This world is changing very fast which creates more need whether real or imagined.

I myself am cell phone free and have never owned one and am holding out as long as I can. But, that stupid thingy has changed everything! The everything it is changing creates opportunities that never before existed. Hawai'i is a great place to be rich and to get rich. For instance, if you can put in pools where basalt exists you got it made! There are just not enough pool guys here and they only provide the elaborate $120.000.00 pools and don't have time for a simple $50.000 project.