Those "well payed positions" have had flat salaries for decades, same as every other non-C-suite job, at least until recently (and now we have inflation eating

Those "well payed positions" have had flat salaries for decades, same as every other non-C-suite job, at least until recently (and now we have inflation eating salary increases). Working one job to support kids, a house, and a stay-at-home partner used to be possible. Not any longer. If your partner can't work or you'd prefer to have more attention paid to raising the kids, then two simultaneous jobs for the wage earner seems like a requirement today. Or you could choose to live like a common laborer, cheap old house, beater for a car, having to shop carefully on a budget. The middle class is not what it used to be, although you are encouraged to think it is [citation needed :-)]