"Actually, the economics would tell you that, since women have expanded the labor market, the purchasing power of a single salary has gone down precipitously. It's a spiral, the more two-income families there are, the less one income will buy."
I find that very interesting. Where did that data come from? On one hand, it makes sense, but how would an expanded workforce, whether it were men or women holding the jobs, cause our purchasing power to decline?
I think there's not enough money in two-income homes due to the "wants" I elaborated on above, and the fact that there's less saveable or debt-reduction income to go around because that second income also has to cover things like daycare for the kids, work wardrobe, maybe a second vehicle, extra payroll and income taxes, after-school care for the kids, more expensive convenience foods rather than cheaper home cooking, lunches away from home, an extra bottle of Scotch for the "weekend recouperation period," etc.
When I sat down and crunched the numbers, it was absolutely NOT worth the time and money for me to work fulltime outside of the home; and I was making really good money. I was getting burned out when my son hit Junior High age, and he was struggling in school, so that's when I quit my Corporate Career to be a SAHM/Classroom Mom. I know I stated earlier that I would never live off of another person's earnings, but I did make the exception for those few years there when the kid needed an extra helping hand and we lived on DH's income alone. I was basically working for FREE when there were more important matters at hand, which was the STUPIDEST thing I ever did, LOL!
Wonder how many millions of second-earners are doing the same right this minute? Hey you Cubicle Dwellers! Crunch the numbers and go home if you can. ;)
You are right in that there is a cost associated with working outside the home, if one has children and I've heard others make the same calculation, but usually with pre-school aged children. Some of your costs depend on living conditions. The second car is usually always needed unless the breadwinner commutes via public transportation, etc.