We're paying for a lot more on a daily basis then our grandparents did. Cell phones (and their plans), internet, SuperFanatic T2 access, etc. Some of these things are becoming less of a "want to have" and more of a "have to have." I guess you could argue that you are likely not paying for a landline anymore, but those are cheaper than your cell phone plan (I think, I don't have one).
Not only this, but many of our grandparents had gardens, that allowed them to cut down their food expenses. Many grandmothers did not work fulltime, so she was home cooking the night time meal as opposed to ordering out, because she got home late from work.
My wife's parents were like this, he worked in a factory 20 miles away, every morning her mom got up and fixed his lunch and a large breakfast, eggs, bacon the whole deal. When he got home from work, he would work in the garden, it was his hobby. Picking weeds, and such. My MIL canned a lot of stuff they grew to eat later in the year. It was a joy to eat dinner at their house, everything was homemade, lots of steak, potatoes and gravy, fresh baked bread. My MIL worked part time at the local care center. My FIL always had at least 2 hot meals a day at the dinning room table, always with a slice of homemade pie or cake for dessert.
It was just a different America, you could actually have a nice life on a single income or a full time and the other part time job. Those days are gone.
