Minimum Wage vs Living Wage vs Essential Wage

My first job at 16 years old was a courtesy clerk at Kroger. I worked part-time during the week and usually a full eight hours on the weekend. I used my paycheck to buy tennis shoes and clothes from Express. (Gas money was easy because I was one of the few among my friends who had a car, so if I gave you a ride, you had to chip in a dollar.) I lived in a household with income from both parents, so I was never expected to contribute to utilities, or groceries, or rent.