MovieChat Forums > Web of Lies (2014) Discussion > More thoughts on Job of a Lifetime

More thoughts on Job of a Lifetime

posted 9 years ago by catlover11
12 replies | jump to latest

"Jack" (real name Richard Beasley) was offering $300/week plus a two bedroom mobile home.

1. $300/week minus taxes (let's say 20%) would be $240/week.
2. If he was suppose to be the caretaker of 600 acres, he would have to drive his vehicle around the land -- at least a gas tank a week --- let's say $50/week.

So that brings it down to $190/week. How in the world could someone live on $760/month. How could someone be interested in that. Especially being a caretaker like that. You are on call 24 hours a day for $300/week. Before taxes and gasoline, at a minimum, that's $7.50/hr.

[–] GraceFromSoCal 9 years ago

"Jack" (real name Richard Beasley) was offering $300/week plus a two bedroom mobile home.

I think that's the key right there, i.e., they wouldn't have a rent/mortgage payment. Since housing is the average person's biggest expense each month, the absence of a housing payment might make it workable.

How could someone be interested in that.

Keep in mind that the people responding were desperate for jobs. When you're desperate enough, you'll take anything that comes along, even if it's with the idea that you're going to continue looking for a better job. At least it'll do for the meantime.

--

http://www.CaliforniaDreamsPhotography.com

[–] minkysmom82 9 years ago

I think the free place to stay was the bigger incentive for these men. They had a guaranteed place, no need to worry about working enough to come up with the rent money. And being on call all day wouldn't be the end of the world as you wouldn't be working all day on anything anyway.

[–] public-online 8 years ago

How in the world could someone live on $760/month.

The men are hoping to make 300$ x 52 weeks = 15 600$ a year, plus housing.
Let's say housing is worth 150$ x 52 weeks = 7.800$ a year
This is as if they were making 15 600$ + 7 800$= 23 400$ a year in income

Well, that's roughly TWICE the federal poverty line ($12,316/yr for a single individual under age 65).

And in 2011, nearly half of all Americans lived within 200% of the federal poverty line.
So the answer to your question is nearly half of all Americans

Not so fun fact: in 2011, 1.5 million household incl almost 3 million children lived on less than 2$/day/person (excluding Gov assistance) i.e. extreme poverty as it is defined in what we usually think of as the poorest parts of the third world.
Other non fun fact: some 44% of homeless people in the US are actually EMPLOYED but don't earn enough to make rent.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_State
http://poverty.ucdavis.edu/faq/what-are-poverty-thresholds-today
http://obamacarefacts.com/federal-poverty-level/
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/threshld/

[–] slidell333 8 years ago

As GracefromSoCal said the main incentive was free room and board. Plus, at least one of the men hadn't worked in awhile and they were very desperate for work and this was at the height of the recession.

Also, I'm assuming they meant $300/week cash no taxes..I'm basing that on I'm sure the workers probably preferred that way and a lot of jobs like this are basically subcontract work and it's left up to the worker how and if they want to claim it on taxes...and most probably haven't filed taxes or did as a self-employed person.

Most of the time would probably have spent their time on the ranch so fuel costs should have been pretty low. And perhaps the landowner would reimburse the caretaker for any fuel used in their personal vehicle.

Anyway, we're talking about a phony ad but desperate people do desperate things and these people prayed on the "perfect" victims. Single males with no kids looking for a fresh start at life. And I know someone with a paid off house living off a Social Security Check of like $790 that covers the electricity, water, cell and Internet, and food. And there's basically not a dollar to spare come last week of the month. He had to give up Homeowner's Insurance and no longer drives so no cost there (anymore).

If you think this was low, look at people working at Wal-Mart. I've known a few. They work right around 18-22 hours a week at $8/hour with no benefits, obviously. Now, how in the heck are you supposed to make it on that? Even single...living with someone for free? The ones I've known had to get food stamps and whatever else they could from the govt. so we the taxpayers are on the hook...but people love Wal-Mart! Of course, I'm sure they claim they can't afford to pay people a higher wage without raising prices...

Like one of the posters with his "fun facts" is implying (I think) is that people don't realize how many people are struggling and living off wages that are either barely livable or not at all.

Lastly this is one of the more "shocking" episodes based on the fact how lucky the one guy is to recognize the sound of the gun being cocked and actually live through the ordeal and how devious it was to come up with such a plan and prey on multiple victims. Not that I'm not shocked by all of the episodes, however.

[–] MacRobin92 8 years ago

I totally agree. The Walmart comment is very valid too, thousands of people live on near slave wages.

I don't know how familiar you are with guns, but I could recognize the sound of a gun being cocked in an instant. It's a very recognizable sound to people that have that background.

[–] MacRobin92 8 years ago

I'm not struggling, but I would take the job. Free room and board and seclusion in the country? Sold. The money may not be enough, but if you live a simple life then it's more then enough. I wouldn't approach the job like a few of these guys did, but that's probably because I'm younger and uh way more suspicious.

The recession screwed a lot of people. I know a lot of people that were reduced to really desperate conditions. A lot of these people are older or have skills that aren't exactly in demand. I could see why they would take a leap and go for this kind of job.

Very sad situation, but whenever there are hard times in a society you will find the desperate and people willing to take advantage.

[–] slidell333 8 years ago

Me too...I think we all have war stories about the recession. When it first started I told one friend (many were in denial still then) and I said "by the time this is all over you and everyone you know will either lose their job, lose their business, lose their house...or all three." And I hate to admit it but I was exactly right. I can look at every friend of mine and say this changed their life...

Like I said people were desperate. Free room and board? In the country it's kinda hard to "splurge" on money so I can def. see how people were attracted to the offer. Like you said I'm younger and would have probably did a little homework and figured it out before I left...I'm a skeptic by nature.

Like you said you'd be surprised how far you can stretch money if you live simple. Ive made good money and I've made poverty wages and the more money the more problems and the more you spend, trust me. When I made good money I spent money more liberally and on things that weren't necessities.

Sadly, the worst of economic times is also the time when people can make more money than before due to people's desperation. It's actually a great time to be rich.

[–] MacRobin92 8 years ago

My parents had three rentals that they were going to sell to pay for retirement and for my college education. Recession hit and those houses are worthless. I'm paying for my own education and they won't be able to retire comfortably. They'll be okay and I'll help them out, but there dream of a little cottage is gone. Sad.

Totally. I would probably take any job with free room and board. I applied to a bunch of jobs to go work in Alaska, but I ended up getting married.

I think younger people are often more skeptical by nature. I'm sure the victims saw him as a Christian guy and they automatically trusted him and his con. I think the fact that Jack was an older person probably didn't hurt in his con.

We tend to get tricked into this idea of how much money we need to survive. You can cut your budget pretty far to the bone and you can still live.

Agreed... tough times give rise to extremism and people who are trying to make a profit. It always happens that way.

[–] slidell333 8 years ago

I had to sell my business and the building that was my retirement. And sell it for WAY less than I could have just a couple years before...if only I had a crystal ball. Who would have thought you could lose at real estate? And I'm not talking about the people who during the bubble thought they could make a quick killing...talking about people who owned property before the real estate boom.

And not to brag but I knew that was a big bubble. Didn't have to be a genius to see eventually prices would drop..just common sense

[–] MacRobin92 8 years ago

Damn... That's so depressing. Are you doing better now?

I think a lot of people knew there was a big bubble, but for whatever reason a lot of people didn't believe it.

Things are better, but I don't think they will ever be the same for some people.

[–] slidell333 8 years ago

I'm lucky in that I gathered enough money from that to buy a house outright but work has been hard. Luckily, I don't have a mortgage anymore. You said it...it'll never be the same. Even if I wanted to, I would never open a business in this economy....why would anyone? Unless you're ripping people off somehow it's just going to be a form of torture..lol...

Someone asked me when all this started how long will this last? I said back then (I guess 2008) it's going to be a decade, at least. I don't know a single friend that didn't lose a job, their business, or a house. In other words, whatever they were doing for a career then they're no longer doing that or have changed jobs several times.

People were just in denial. Watch "The Big Short." Interesting. It's just not normal for a person to buy a house and be able to sell it a month later for a large profit (I was watching something earlier today where a lady was saying people were buying homes during the bubble and selling them weeks later for a profit). I do know some smart people that sold at the height of the bubble...rented a crapoy place until the housing market bottomed out and paid for a house cash. My brother bought a home in Florida in like 2000 for around $125 and could have sold it around 2005/6 for over $400K. Not normal.

I don't know if they'll ever be the same. Personally, I doubt it. There's not enough credit.

Thanks for caring...worst part was I knew we were heading for *beep* and tried to get out ASAP but it took over a year (and in that year or so prices went down obviously...but when I first decided to get out a lot of people were still kinda optimistic this would be a short recession). I tried to beat the storm...running a business I think I had a unique perspective. I saw people getting "funny with their money" late 2006 and into 2007. By 2008 I knew we were in ruins as did most people.

Nobody said life was fair but you can't help but get a little agitated at times. And I consider myself lucky.

[–] BugisStreetAnnie 7 years ago

What I wondered about was why no women applied for the job. Some women do that type of work. I have a feeling if they go on the Internet in search of... they will more than likely find a man to move in with instead looking for a job like that. It was just odd no women had applied or if they had it was not mentioned.