[sageb1]

"I suspect the biggest reason both parents work in some families is because far too many people are carrying mortgages and/or car payments larger than they can really afford. Everything's fine on two salaries, but they suddenly find that they're locked into that structure and can't have one parent stay at home. They'll tell you that "they have to work" to pay the bills - but they'll seldom recognize that their predicament is as a result of their own free choice."

This is very true. Maybe it's time that Americans cut the consuming, made better choices about what it is necessary to "have." Keeping up with the Joneses gets pretty expensive. The more "things" we have, the more time we need to spend taking care of them.

[GraceCoolidge]

Maybe it's time that Americans cut the consuming, made better choices about what it is necessary to "have." Keeping up with the Joneses gets pretty expensive. The more "things" we have, the more time we need to spend taking care of them.

I've noticed another shift in how we think of money. It seems as if now, your standard of living is based upon how much credit you can get, rather than the salary you earn. I am struck now by how cars and houses are advertised with prices of x dollars per month. I don't recall seeing that when I was growing up. People get roped into monthly payments and then they are trapped financially, with real danger if someone ends up out of work involuntarily. No one seems to think about total cost, it's always "how much can I finance?" They end up upside down on expensive cars that are financed over 84 months and carrying huge mortgages at artificially low introductory rates or interest only payments...