America is currently working on whether the minimum wage should be raised from $7.25 to $10.10 and economists are studying the effects of a possible increase. Minimum wage workers face challenges such as being able to afford health care, pay for college, feed their families, work many hours while earning little income and paying their bills. The U.S. decision to raise the minimum wage would help low-wage workers earn higher incomes and strengthen the economy overall, lifting Americans out of poverty. Americans can work a minimum wage job if they don't have money to attend college or university to earn a degree to find a career. With minimum wage, it is impossible to afford health care and education without making sacrifices. In “Providing Health Care and Education with the Minimum Wage,” John Schmitt and Marie-Eve Augier write: “We ask: “How many hours did a minimum wage worker have to work to pay for a year of college studies (in different types of establishments)? institutions) or a year of health insurance for an individual or a family? (Schmitt and Augier, 2012). Their findings were: “In 2010, workers earning a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour had to put in 923 hours to cover the annual tuition of $6,695 at a public four-year college” (Schmitt and Augier , 2012). This means that a large portion of their work must be devoted to education, leaving only a small portion of their income to pay bills, fuel, health care, and other necessities. As a result, many workers must make a choice between housing and food before education is even an option. In 2011, approximately 749 work hours are spent on health insurance and these workers have no money to support themselves. Wages for minimum wage workers do not match cost...... middle of document ......nz, 2013). The unemployment rate in the United States is 7.5 percent, with a small minimum wage that is $6 to $8 lower than the minimum wage for workers in foreign countries. An increase would benefit the lower class and families would have fewer difficulties. Overall, an increase in the minimum wage could bring many benefits to Americans, such as allowing families to afford education, health care, food, and other necessities without having to choose. between resources. Workers' incomes are not enough to cover a family's needs, so an increase could increase a family's income, create more economic equality and help consumer spending. The economy could improve if wages rose because families would not be torn between where their money should be spent. Raising the minimum wage could create a thriving economy if wealth was distributed equitably to help Americans in need..