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Traditional Catholic Faith => Catholic Living in the Modern World => Topic started by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 09:51:04 AM

Title: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 09:51:04 AM
This meme caught my attention -- I wanted to discuss it and take it apart.


For starters, you have housing costs which are insane. No, you can't just go "1960s" when it comes to a house. There is such a thing as the real estate market, the going rate for the average house, AND the fact they build homes to a certain size today.

My first "starter" home was in an old part of a small Texas town. No subdivision, no name. The homes were all built in the 1970s, and were about 1200 square feet. I talked to one neighbor -- she said someone raised a family of 5 in one of those homes. Ok, that's 1960's style for housing. That home cost me $80K in 2004. Could you get such a home for that price today? Maybe, I don't know. But I know this: such homes are NOT made anymore. The average home is 2,000 square feet, usually in a subdivision. Probably with HOA fees as well.

Maybe in some rural areas you could get land, and put down a manufactured home. They don't last as long as a regular, permanent house, so there's that.

(I know "trailer parks" exist -- but I think that's cheating. That's apples and oranges. The 60's family in the meme wasn't living in a "trailer park", so let's be real.)

Next point --

That 1960's family probably went on one vacation a year. The man of the house had a stable, well-paying job, and wasn't being laid off every few years.

I don't think the only reason "life is so expensive in 2025" is because we insist on Internet, smartphones, and computers. Those things are actually quite cheap for the most part. Think of all the things you DON'T have to buy, once you shell out for that $400 computer: typewriter, record player, security system, accounting/tax services, etc. Same for the $200 Android phone you buy once every couple years -- you don't have to buy a walkman, batteries, camera, maps, handheld games, other games, newspapers, magazines, pedometer, altimeter, weather radio, musical instrument tuner, dictionary, books, etc.

And BTW, a 32" flat screen TV probably costs WAY LESS than that huge black & white TV, if you adjust for inflation. As a percentage of your hourly salary, I mean.
A 32" flat screen TV costs $79 today.  That's about 5 1/2 hours of minimum wage ($15/hour) work.

Even if we fast-forwarded to the mid or late 80's, there is one reason you WOULD NOT want to go back: the tech. Tech was SO expensive. Not only did computers suck, but they were ridiculously expensive for what they did. Every kind of tech was expensive: TVs, receivers, amplifiers, ham radios, computers, video game systems, you name it. Everything else was better in the 80's -- but not the tech. If you love tech, you would DIE being sent back to the 80's.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 10:04:55 AM
Someone should take them up on the offer -- put their feet to the fire, and actually run the numbers.
A trailer home on 1 acre of land (not crammed together in a "trailer park" because that's not how residential living was in the 60's, especially in the photo)
A single car, in decent condition, enough to fit the whole family
Food (Groceries; mostly home-cooked meals)
Dining out once a week (to mirror the 60's family, not because it's required for young Catholic families today)
Yearly vacation (to mirror the 60's family)
Life insurance (to mirror the 60's family)
Home insurance (to mirror the 60's family)
Electricity
Phone
Water
Gas
Gasoline for car
Car insurance
etc.

Then compare that to a $30,000 salary and see if it adds up.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 10:10:21 AM
I saw a meme that said it's easy to support a family on one income, if you aim for a 1960's lifestyle and standard of living. Can you calculate how much the following expenses would be, assuming a cost of living in a small town in Texas? A trailer home on 1 acre of land (not crammed together in a "trailer park" because that's not how residential living was in the 60's, especially in the photo) A single car, in decent condition, enough to fit the whole family Food (Groceries; mostly home-cooked meals) Dining out once a week (to mirror the 60's family, not because it's required for young Catholic families today) Yearly vacation (to mirror the 60's family) Life insurance (to mirror the 60's family) Home insurance (to mirror the 60's family) Electricity Phone Water Gas Gasoline for car Car insurance etc.

Yeah, that meme hits a nerve because there’s some truth baked into it—but only if you’re very honest about what a 1960s standard of living actually was, not the nostalgic highlight reel we carry in our heads.
I’ll walk through this like a real household budget, small-town Texas, single income, modest expectations. I’ll flag where modern reality sneaks in and ruins the fantasy.
Baseline assumptions (important)
Housing
Trailer home on 1 acre
Mortgage + land payment:
👉 ~$700–900/month
Home insurance:
👉 $75–125/month
Property taxes:
Texas hurts here, even in small towns
👉 $200–300/month
Total housing:
💵 $1,000–1,300/month
(This is already higher than the 1960s reality because property tax and insurance are much heavier today.)
Utilities
Electricity
Trailer, modest AC use, Texas summers:
👉 $120–180/month
Water
Well or municipal small-town rates:
👉 $40–70/month
Gas (propane or natural)
Cooking + heat:
👉 $40–80/month
Phone
One basic plan, no premium nonsense:
👉 $40–60/month
Total utilities:
💡 $250–390/month
Transportation
One family car
Car payment:
👉 $250–350/month
Car insurance:
👉 $90–130/month
Gasoline:
Maintenance fund:
👉 $75–100/month
Total transportation:
🚗 $535–760/month
Food
Groceries (mostly home-cooked)
No organic everything, no delivery apps:
👉 $650–850/month
Dining out once a week
Family diner, pizza, Mexican:
👉 $200–250/month
Total food:
🍲 $850–1,100/month
(This is one of the biggest inflation shocks vs the 1960s.)
Insurance & “Adulting”
Life insurance
Term life, single breadwinner:
👉 $25–40/month
Health insurance
This is where the meme quietly dies.
Employer plan, family coverage:
👉 $500–900/month
(out-of-pocket not included)
Total insurance:
🛡️ $525–940/month
(1960s families barely paid for health insurance; today it’s a pillar expense.)
Yearly vacation
1960s-style:
👉 $2,000–3,000/year
👉 $170–250/month
Miscellaneous (clothes, toiletries, school stuff)
No brand chasing, hand-me-downs:
👉 $150–250/month
Monthly Total (Realistic Range)
[th]Category[/th]
[th]Monthly Cost[/th]
Housing$1,000–1,300
Utilities$250–390
Transportation$535–760
Food$850–1,100
Insurance$525–940
Vacation$170–250
Misc$150–250
Grand Total
💰 $3,500 – $4,900 per month
Required income (single earner)
To actually live this without panic:
That’s before retirement savings, emergencies, or major repairs.
So… was the meme lying?
Half-true, half fantasy.
What makes it possible:
What breaks the 1960s comparison:
In the 1960s:
Today:

Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Ladislaus on February 04, 2026, 11:59:40 AM
Quote from: Matthew on Today at 09:51:04 AM
The homes were all built in the 1970s, and were about 1200 square feet. I talked to one neighbor -- she said someone raised a family of 5 in one of those homes.

True ... our home was 3 bedrooms and more like 1000 square feet, and there were 7 people, the 2 parents and 5 siblings.  At one point, though since it was 4 boys and 1 girls, we couldn't really stick 4 boys in 1 smallish bedroom while the girl (she was the youngest, so it was a few years before she needed a room) ... during the Summer between my Junior and Senior years in High School, my brothers and I took the initiative to finish a completely unfinished basement, where we put up walls to make 3 more bedrooms, drop ceiling, doors, carpet, etc. ... of course regretably in that 1970s - 1980s "plywood panel" look that was in vogue then.  But we made ourselves (the 3 older brothers) 3 bedrooms and and an extra living area down there, while my youngest brother and my sister too the 2 bedrooms upstairs.  We didn't have A/C either until I was in High School, and there were a few times that we could really have used it.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 12:07:21 PM
Our first home (purchased by my Boomer parents for $15,000) only had 2 bedrooms. With 3 children, 1 boy and 2 girls, our days were numbered in that home.
Sure enough, as I approached teen years, my parents decided to move so we could have separate bedrooms for the boys and girls.
We actually moved into a SMALLER home, albeit with 3 bedrooms and a finished basement.

I remember the panels in the basement -- we had that in our basements as well.

We also didn't experience air conditioning at home -- not even a window unit -- until 1994, when we moved into our 3rd (and "final") home.
Again, this was northern Illinois, which certainly needed A/C from time to time -- but many homes didn't have it.
There are times when Illinois is hotter than Texas *at a given moment*. Strange, but true.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Ladislaus on February 04, 2026, 12:13:02 PM
Now, with that said ... our family home, that my parents purchased for $40,000 in 1973, Zillow shows it to be worth $240,000.  That would be a $2,000 per month payment given today's interest rates, property tax, insurance, etc.

On top of that, with food costs ... for my family (I have 6 children) our food budget is about 50% higher than my mortgage payment.  Used to be "neck and neck", but it's 50% higher.

Then the cost of automobiles, gasoline, and everything else that you need to buy, from toiletries to other supplies, tools, etc.

I don't believe that you could do a 60s lifestyle on a single income unless you were making, oh, about $100K minimum.  $25,000 of that would go to just the mortgage on this tiny 900-square-foot house, and $100K is probably only like $75K after taxes.  Then if you have another $25,000 on food.  That leaves $25,000 for EVERYTHING ELSE ... cars, gasoline, other supplies, books, school supplies, etc. etc.  You MIGHT just barely scrape by on $100K living a 1960s lifestyle in my old family home.

NOW ... looking it up, only 18% of wage earners in the US make $100K or more.  So only about 1/5th of the population could afford said "1960s" lifestyle on the one income.

So, that's nonsense, as my little neighborhood there consisted ENTIRELY of blue collar types, people who worked at a factory, or did other blue collar jobs that didn't even particularly require any skill or education, or who worked in retail or something else.  In other words, THERE'S NO WAY that the demographic I knew in that area was in the top 18th Percentile of Wage Earners, rendering them "Upper Middle Class".  These folks there were absolutely LOWER MIDDLE CLASS and even UPPER LOWER CLASS.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Ladislaus on February 04, 2026, 12:20:12 PM
Oh, almost forgot THE worst part of that 3 bedroom small house for 7 people ... it also just had ONE BATHROOM.  At one point we rigged up a toilet in the corner of the basement for emergency, and then we partially finished off that area as well, so at least you could close a door and have some privacy.  It was unfinished otherwise, as it was near the furnace and hot water heater ... but in a pinch, an emergency, it was a life-saver.  No shower or tub or anything like that, just a toilet closer to the wall on top of a concrete floor, and just finished outside of it by accident because we finished the other side of the 2x4s and that resulted in some privacy ... but you had to watch for spiders and such down there LOL.

When I and 2 of my brothers were in High School and all had to leave at the same time, we had assigned 10-minute shower windows in the morning, and we rotated who had to wake up the earliest.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 12:59:26 PM
Quote from: Ladislaus on Today at 12:13:02 PM
So, that's nonsense, as my little neighborhood there consisted ENTIRELY of blue collar types, people who worked at a factory, or did other blue collar jobs that didn't even particularly require any skill or education, or who worked in retail or something else.  In other words, THERE'S NO WAY that the demographic I knew in that area was in the top 18th Percentile of Wage Earners, rendering them "Upper Middle Class".  These folks there were absolutely LOWER MIDDLE CLASS and even UPPER LOWER CLASS.

I second that --
My dad never worked a skilled job, or even a trade -- the most skilled thing he did was security guard. So yeah -- being able to buy a house and raise a family on close to minimum wage, or manual labor/unskilled jobs -- that just shows how sweet the Boomers had it.

And how cooked we are now.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: St Giles on February 04, 2026, 01:18:36 PM
Quote from: Matthew on Today at 09:51:04 AM
Same for the $200 Android phone you buy once every couple years 
I must be doing it wrong. My phone is going on 10 years old... and it was a free upgrade.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Matthew on February 04, 2026, 02:14:53 PM
Quote from: St Giles on Today at 01:18:36 PM
I must be doing it wrong. My phone is going on 10 years old... and it was a free upgrade.

I was giving an average, rather than an extreme case. More compelling that way.
Yes, many people could get by with a $50 Android phone. They are quite capable -- about 90% similar -- to a $200 phone. You can hardly tell the difference.

As for how long you can keep it -- it depends on the BATTERY firstly. They don't last forever. Next of all, it's a portable device, and has quite an adventurous life. It can be broken, cracked, dropped, dunked, lost, stolen, etc. So I'm just being realistic that not everyone can use the same smartphone for 8 years.

Next of all, what is the latest version of Android your phone was given? As you know, it's up to the manufacturer how long they'll support your phone with upgrades to new Android versions. After several years, some apps will no longer install on it, due to your Android version being too old. It takes a lot more than 3-4 years for this though.

As an aside, iPhones are luxury goods, designer goods, for status. That's what they are.
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: Seraphina on February 04, 2026, 03:02:30 PM
My parents purchased a real fixer-upper home formerly rented by the National Guard while they expanded their housing capability.  This was 1956.  Only one room was livable. Three small bedrooms, combination living room dining room, medium sized kitchen, small bathroom, full, unfinished cellar, unfinished garage beneath the house. It’s on 1 1/7 acre, corner lot, half wooded, in 1956, a total jungle of shrubs, vines, ivy, trees. poison ivy covering everything. Originally built in 1923, back porch, kitchen area enlarged, garage dug beneath in 1925.
My parents paid $9,000 for it. It got fixed up gradually by Dad, my uncles, friends, etc. My folks moved in in December 1959. 
Title: Re: Support family 1 income, but 1960s standard of living?
Post by: St Giles on February 04, 2026, 03:11:19 PM
Quote from: Matthew on Today at 02:14:53 PM
I was giving an average, rather than an extreme case. More compelling that way.
Yes, many people could get by with a $50 Android phone. They are quite capable -- about 90% similar -- to a $200 phone. You can hardly tell the difference.

As for how long you can keep it -- it depends on the BATTERY firstly. They don't last forever. Next of all, it's a portable device, and has quite an adventurous life. It can be broken, cracked, dropped, dunked, lost, stolen, etc. So I'm just being realistic that not everyone can use the same smartphone for 8 years.

Next of all, what is the latest version of Android your phone was given? As you know, it's up to the manufacturer how long they'll support your phone with upgrades to new Android versions. After several years, some apps will no longer install on it, due to your Android version being too old. It takes a lot more than 3-4 years for this though.

As an aside, iPhones are luxury goods, designer goods, for status. That's what they are.
I change the battery every 4 years, and try to minimize the number of cycles on it. I avoid apps and downloads as much as possible, because life was and still is fine without them, and cycling the solid state memory with downloads can wear it out causing catastrophic failure. It stopped getting updates long ago. I wouldn't call them cheap, just paid for in part by the phone bill.