When I bought my modest house, in 1992, it cost 3 and one half times my gross income. It may seem strange, but that was a rather poor income at that time. I now earn much more and am doing quite well. Only part of this is because I have no mortgage. Now my house is worth nearly 6 times my gross! Anyone who thinks that young couples today should just do without to stay at home with their kids, just can't do the math.

It's true. I make a decent salary, but it is just barely enough for myself. I could never support one or two other people on it. Maybe if I moved to some rural area of the midwest or south or something, but then my salary would probably decrease accordingly.

Two incomes are not needed to make a home. I raised my family of two kids on one income, as a self-employed potter. No, we did not have cable TV or cell-phones. We didn't eat out at the fancy restaurants, we didn't have $85.00 sneakers and $100.00 jeans, but if you know the difference between "needs" and "wants", you can do just fine. I wouldn't trade all the luxuries in the world for the time I spent with my kids growing up and volunteering in their schools. I can't imagine having children and then handing them over to day-care workers for 8-10 hours of their lives every day. I bought a 1200sf "fixer-upper" house, which, again was all that we needed. My "kids" are now in their early 20's, both in college, and doing great.