But most jobs in Massachusetts pay more than the minimum wage. Entry level supermarket and fast food jobs pay over $7 an hour and these jobs are worked mostly by teenage kids living at home and elderly people looking to supplement their Social Security. It would seem that this couple should have no problem rising quickly above that level if they ever had to do that line of work because those places are always starved for good management candidates.
I have a relative in New Hampshire who found himself out of work and he took a job at the local Wal-Mart. At first, he was driving forklifts at night, stocking shelves, making just a couple dollars above minimum wage. But he was quickly recognized as a hard worker and within six months, he was made a shift supervisor and nearly doubled his pay. He would have had quite a career going for himself there today had he not been recalled back to the job he was laid off at (where he makes about $30 an hour as a machinist).
BTW, if you were to work your way up to managing a Wal-Mart store (most Wal-Mart managers started at the bottom stocking shelves and whatnot), you could expect to make well into six figures. Working these jobs need not be a dead-end experience. Opportunities abound for those who are willing to grab them.
You can also do very, very well with McDonalds. I've know several very wealthy senior McDonalds people and McDonalds franchise owners. Cream always rises to the top (untill the milk gets homogenized, anyway)