Reply to A massive income required to live the idealized american dream around here?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]When you compare a middle-class lifestyle today to 50 or even 25 years ago, we eat out a lot more, have a lot more technology, have better car, travel a lot more, and have bigger houses.

See e.g., The 90s Weren't that Great: https://www.slowboring.com/p/the-90s-werent-that-great
[/quote]

If you travel more, have fancier cars and electronics and eat out a lot more, that’s not the same comparison. [/quote]

But that is what is largely happening when people say "we cannot afford it".  Along with not eating out/taking lunches to school and work, we also took one vacation per year, for 2 weeks at most.  It was always a driving vacation, with the popup trailer in back.  We stayed in campgrounds and used the public facilities and grilled/used the very basic kitchen to cook meals.  So the main cost of the trip was Gas.  It would be like only spending $750-800 for your yearly vacation at most.  We might get pizza or go out 1-2 times during the trip.  Otherwise, we stopped at a store, got food and cooked a basic dinner.

oh and those vacations ended when the oldest kid was about 12/13, as my parents cut back even more and tried to start saving some for college.  So after age 10 for me, I never got a vacation---we didn't take them.  And previously it was driving, camper and campfire cooking.

Most people I hear complaining are spending much more comparably on vacations alone, way more. 
Add in dining and all the entertainment extras, and it simply is not Apples to apples

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