People who earn minimum wage got a nice gift Thursday, the federal minimum wage went up to $6.55 per hour.

With the costs of gas and other necessities higher than ever, a 70 cent raise might not sound like a lot, but to some it can give them just the financial boost they need. For her, a raise from her $6.00 an hour job means a slightly better comfort of living.

“I'll probably get to go out with my friends more to be honest,” said Skikeka Poinsett, student. “I really limit my time now. I'm like, ok, I can't do this, and I can't do that. I got to save for this; I got to save for that. Now I'm like, Oh, I got 50 cents more not to blow away. I can go out to eat; I can go shopping at the mall.”

A 70 cent increase in the minimum wage averages out to about $28.00 more a week in workers’ pockets, but experts like Labor Attorney Jim Allen say that's still not nearly enough to make a living.

“The idea that someone would work for minimum wage year, after year, after year was not on anyone's mind when this was created,” said Allen. “As the wage has gone up, we've seen that result because employers will simply not give raises beyond what they believe the value of a job is. So if the value of a job is $6.55, that's all they're going to pay you.”

The next increase happens next July, when the minimum wage reaches $7.25 an hour.