why does it take two incomes just to get by for the middle class nowadays?

Answer 1

Because EVERYthing is so flippin' expensive. The utilities in this country are robbing us blind. You need two incomes these days just to live very simply and barely get by to pay your mortgage/rent and the utilities...gas (don't get me started)...and food...if you have children....even more so. Not all companies offer health insurance any more either - the costs of that have sky-rocketed as well. VERY hard to just work and have the things like food, clothing, utilities, & health-care in this country unless both are working. It's sad what it's come to.
Those that say two incomes are needed because people want too much or want to live too high have no idea what they are talking about...can barely pay for the basics even WITH working two jobs...they take nearly 40% out of your paycheck in taxes right out of the gate.

Answer 2

Becasue the majority of people work for other people, or own a business. Those people have limited incomes in that they can only make as much as their boss allows them to make, no matter how hard they work. I work for a company where they have the system perfected, all I have to do is follow the system. The more I work the more I make. Simple. I have passive and residual income as well as comissions. It's kinda like McDonalds, they have a system, and the people that follow the system make money. The more they follow the system (by opening more chains), the more they make. Income in these situations is limited by ourselvs, not others.

Answer 3

This is called trickle down economics or supply side economics. In reality it is the result of 20 years of "off shoring/ outsourcing" of work that used to pay well here in the US. Leaving us with low paying jobs that require two incomes or more to make ends meet.

You can thank the former Preppies/Yuppies (now neocons) that run our big corporations (example Malwart) that insist on huge profits without paying their workers a living wage. More commonly called corporate greed.

The flip side to this is the high quality of American products and workmanship. What I mean here is the auto workers that are being fired by US makers and then hired by the Asians. The best built cars in the world are made in the US, they just have Japanese names on them.

Now if we could just convince the neocons how shortsighted their policies are.

Answer 4

The nature of jobs have changed. You used to be able to negotiate wages and benefits, even for a small supermarket job. Now, businesses can say "This is what you'll get paid. If you don't like it, we'll find someone else..." So wages stay low, while the cost of living rises. Also, keep in mind that we have a MUCH higher standard of living than most other places in the world. Do we really NEED internet access, cable TV, or a personal car? Part of what makes living so hard is that we do live in a very consumer-focused society.

Answer 5

That's what gets them in middle class sometimes; having two incomes. People want more 'things' nowadays than a few decades ago.

Answer 6

Numerous reasons, among them:
1. Housing and medical care have increased in price to a great extent.
2. People want more. In the 70s a family of 5 could get by with a small car, now they need a far more expensive minivan to fit child safety seats. People pay for cable or satellite tv. More people send children to private school.

Answer 7

Hi dear
yeah that's true that even two incomes for a middle class family is not enough and their could be loads of reasons for this jeopardy.
And the most important factor for this condition is the overspending in families. More over due to the micro families styling, their is only husband and wife who are earning but they also want to safe for future. that's why they are just passing their life.
hope this will help you
take care!!!

Answer 8

Because the prices on everything keeps going up. I have been raising my two kids on my own since my divorce and have noticed everything every year electircity, cable, phone, food you name it keeps going up so it takes two incomes to keep up with the bills, food etc...

Answer 9

inflation is too high, housing costs too high, taxes target the middle class, and advertising and marketing keeps raising the bar of the definition of middle class

Answer 10

Because no one will compromise or make do and mend...have to have everything and have it now also top of the range...In short people are becoming very greedy..