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I agree with the OP. In adition to more workers-per-household, we also have:
-shrinking families, because having a big family is too costly....some deciding to have no kids at all.
-couples waiting until later in life to have kids...early 30's is common now.
-more 60+'ers working into their 70's...& beyond....less & less will ever be able to retire.
-multi-generational households, to share costs.
Despite all these changes, we still have an increasing % of Americans living paycheck-to-paycheck..now upto 60%.
The 60%'ers jobs, & wage rates, are now under attack by Millions of illegals crossing the border. They'll work for a lot less than our 60%'ers will, so the 60% will be squeezed even more moving forward.
It depends on how you define “supporting a family”. To my parents, it included giving my brother and I the best education possible. My father was an accountant, who hardly could have been called “rich”, but he could have afforded to support the 4 of us in a middle class lifestyle. But my mother worked as a school teacher too, so they could send us to good schools, and then college and graduate schools with no loans on our backs. So now we are both able to do that for our own children, without our wives working.
I was raised by Dem parents who were conservative in several ways, my dad an accountant. Fiscal responsibility and learning to "work and save your money for the things you want" was a core foundational practice, which started when I was 7 yrs old and got my first savings account at the bank. My 10-year-old self did *not* appreciate these lessons; my adult self is very grateful for that core foundation.
People don't *have to* have the latest of everything--those are choices being made. Don't want to be in debt? Prioritize.
Many years ago when I bought my house, a year later, I could be heard saying, "I *want* a new 50" plasma TV; I'm getting a new roof." Adulting Priorities.
I was raised by Dem parents who were conservative in several ways, my dad an accountant. Fiscal responsibility and learning to "work and save your money for the things you want" was a core foundational practice, which started when I was 7 yrs old and got my first savings account at the bank. My 10-year-old self did *not* appreciate these lessons; my adult self is very grateful for that core foundation.
People don't *have to* have the latest of everything--those are choices being made. Don't want to be in debt? Prioritize.
Many years ago when I bought my house, a year later, I could be heard saying, "I *want* a new 50" plasma TV; I'm getting a new roof." Adulting Priorities.
While all this is true I dont think there is any denying the current economic state is having a real effect on people's lives. I have always been frugal, my grand calls it something else but that is besides the point, and I am feeling the pinch. I can identify with the TikToker having to make sacrifices and substitutes, and this is because prices have increased so much and while some are seeing their incomes increase I haven't had a raise in several years. I work for a small private business and with Covid government shutdowns and increased prices profits have suffered. Thankfully I have been frugal and have very little debt.
It used to be that one income could support an entire family of 4 with no problems, with a stay at home wife.
Sometime in the 90's, but really early 00's it really became a necessity for two incomes to support a family.
In 2024 you need two incomes, plus side gigs to support a family of 4.
What is next? Moonlighting. Its already happening, where people are holding multiple jobs at the same time to survive. There are rumbles about this, but it does seem that employers will start making employees contract workers going forward. People will need to hold multiple contract jobs in order to survive in this new economy.
You are correct in part. But there are still families who live on one income. There are some families who through no fault of their own such as illness, divorce, low paying jobs, etc., cannot live on one income. However, there are many who could. We are a consumeristic society and lots of folks have to always be shopping and buying the latest next. In my opinion the majority of people have little impulse control. I speak from my observations of people I know.
It used to be that one income could support an entire family of 4 with no problems, with a stay at home wife.
Sometime in the 90's, but really early 00's it really became a necessity for two incomes to support a family.
In 2024 you need two incomes, plus side gigs to support a family of 4.
What is next? Moonlighting. Its already happening, where people are holding multiple jobs at the same time to survive. There are rumbles about this, but it does seem that employers will start making employees contract workers going forward. People will need to hold multiple contract jobs in order to survive in this new economy.
It used to be that one income could support an entire family of 4 with no problems, with a stay at home wife.
Sometime in the 90's, but really early 00's it really became a necessity for two incomes to support a family.
In 2024 you need two incomes, plus side gigs to support a family of 4.
What is next? Moonlighting. Its already happening, where people are holding multiple jobs at the same time to survive. There are rumbles about this, but it does seem that employers will start making employees contract workers going forward. People will need to hold multiple contract jobs in order to survive in this new economy.
It used to be that one income could support an entire family of 4 with no problems, with a stay at home wife.
Sometime in the 90's, but really early 00's it really became a necessity for two incomes to support a family.
In 2024 you need two incomes, plus side gigs to support a family of 4.
What is next? Moonlighting. Its already happening, where people are holding multiple jobs at the same time to survive. There are rumbles about this, but it does seem that employers will start making employees contract workers going forward. People will need to hold multiple contract jobs in order to survive in this new economy.
You can thank 50 years of neoliberal capitalism for that. When the billionaires write the rules, the little people get screwed.
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