Splitting The Bills is The Only Way to Achieve The Modern American Dream

For decades, the American Dream has been painted as a picturesque home, 2.5 kids, and a comfortable lifestyle attainable by the hardworking middle class. The 1990s saw the last gasp of the single-breadwinner model, where families could thrive comfortably on one income. Yet, fast forward to the present, and the canvas has changed dramatically, highlighting the necessity of dual incomes. Let’s delve into this economic metamorphosis.

The Wage Stalemate

The ’90s boasted average hourly wages between $12 and $14. When you adjust these figures for inflation, they would translate to roughly $20-$24 today. However, today’s reality sees many Americans barely surpassing this threshold, pointing to a disconcerting wage stagnation. The Economic Policy Institute reported that from 1990 to 2021, net productivity rose 54.8% while typical workers’ hourly pay stagnated, increasing only by 22.7% over the same period (after adjusting for inflation).

The Skyrocketing Shelter Quest

Every mogul knows the value of real estate. In the ’90s, a typical American home was priced at a median of $100,000 to $120,000. Today, this tag has soared past $349,000, with metropolitan hotspots demanding even heftier premiums. Per February 2023 data from Zillow, the typical home price in the D.C. metro area is a whopping $615,692. The new age of homeownership isn’t just about location—it’s about affordability. 

Education’s Escalating Invoice

Education, the golden ticket to prosperity, now comes with golden prices. 1990’s tuition rates of around $9,500 (in today’s currency) have tripled by 2023, reaching over $30,000. Consequently, the quintessential cap-and-gown photo often comes hand-in-hand with a burdensome student loan, which has tripled since the ’90s.

Childcare: The Working Parent’s Paradox

Dual incomes often mean dual workers, leading to a surge in childcare reliance. Families in 1990 allocated an average of 10% of their income to childcare. In the current era, this slice has expanded to a whopping 25-30%. The average annual cost of infant care in Washington, DC is $24,243—that’s $2,020 per month.

Healthcare: A Burden on the Budget

In the 1990s, employer-sponsored family health insurance premiums averaged about $4,200 annually. By 2022, they had soared to over $22,000. Even with employers covering a significant portion, the out-of-pocket burden on families has grown disproportionately.

Shifting Norms: Society’s Changing Structure

The 1990s marked a time of major changes in society. However, in today’s world, the concept of a single provider for a family is rapidly diminishing, except in many Black households. According to the Center for American Progress, a staggering 84.4% of Black mothers were the primary, sole, or co-breadwinners in 2017. Black women face a disproportionate burden, spending up to 41 percent of their annual income on medical expenses and transportation. In stark contrast, white caregivers spend an estimated 14 percent of their income on the same necessities, as reported by AmericanProgress.org. In essence, Black women earn less but bear the brunt of higher costs in order to support their families. As gender equality advances and family dynamics evolve, more and more households are opting for two working adults out of both choice and necessity.

The Retirement Gamble

Pensions are no longer the norm, and faith in Social Security has waned. In the ’90s, around 35% of private-sector workers had a defined benefit pension. By 2022, this had plummeted to under 15%, placing more emphasis on private retirement savings. Before 1978 most companies offered Pension plans that were fully funded by the employer, but corporate America needed a way to reduce costs and transfer the risk from the company onto the employee. Congress was determined to create additional options in order to shift funding away from pension plans, hence the birth of the 401(k). SmartAsset.com suggests the typical 30-year-old should have about $50,000 in a retirement savings account such as a 401(k).

Consumerism’s New Horizon

The digital age has reshaped desires. Aspirations today are peppered with the latest tech, global escapades, luxury cars, and upscale experiences, escalating the average American’s cost of living. Research by Forbes.com says a family of four will need a higher vacation budget, with the average vacation costing about $3,600. Even more staggering, the average car payment for a new vehicle in 2023 hit a new all-time high of $725 monthly.

Economic Tectonics: Globalization’s Footprint

Globalization has brought both opportunities and challenges. Increased competition has led to job outsourcing and wage pressures, especially in sectors like manufacturing which were once stable sources of single-income family support.

In Retrospect

In today’s economic game, having dual incomes is a powerful strategy. The combination of rising expenses and changing societal norms has transformed the traditional American Dream. One of the main reasons for the significant wealth gap among Black individuals is the prevalence of single-parent households. Life, it seems, was meant to be handled in pairs.

Are we splitting the bills yet?