Stuff is actually cheaper in relative terms now than it was one and two generations ago.

The big difference is that people want more stuff. They get caught up in a cycle of wanting/needing/desiring the latest/greatest/newest gadgets/appliances/toys/cars.

Thirty years ago, people had one phone bill for one phone line. They usually drove a car for 8-10 years instead of getting a new one every few. They lived in the same house their entire lifetime, instead of "trading up" every decade or so. They bought little or no "fast food", and drove smaller cars. When oil prices skyrocketed in the late 70's, we closed off our upstairs in the winter and camped out in the living room. We traded in our big cars for smaller ones. We conserved.

Weekends used to be about something besides shopping. Kids used to play outside with their friends instead of being involved in sports all year, saving tons of wear and tear on cars, lots of gas, and hey, we were creative enough to be the ones who developed computer systems in garages. Kitchens were remodeled every 30 years, not every 5. No one except chefs would consider buying commercial appliances.

If we scale back our living, live without some of the stuff, we can live on one income. Many of my friends and family are able to, and raise kids, and save for retirement. Life is actually much more enjoyable when weekends are not only for shopping for more stuff, but for doing things together as a family.

Want to save on groceries? Grow a garden or buy a share of a CSA (community supported agriculture). Don't buy stuff with ingredient lists...buy whole foods and cook them yourself. Get your books from the library instead of buying them. Make your own coffee and lunch. Want to spend more time with your kids? Be one of the millions of people who have found a way to supplement their income by working from home, if you need to work at all. You may find that by not having a second job, your expenses will go way down, especially with childcare, wardrobe, food, and you will also pay a lower tax rate. And you won't feel like you have to buy your kids all the latest and greatest gadgets because you feel guilty for being away so much.

We used to both work full time. We paid about 40% of our income in tax because we didn't have kids. Now, I work part time, from a home office, my own business. We make less, but actually have more money in the bank, more money at the end of the year. We live more frugally, but enjoy it so much more. We plan to retire early. Life is what you make it. Make it the best you can.