"UT how about you post some evidence that, in the last decade, an increase in the number of dual income households has increased the median disposable household income."
Past Example: 1 Wage earner earning $60000 50% allocated to mortgage - leaves $30000 Tax (at todays rates) = $12000 - leaves $18000 to pay food, utilities etc
Current Example: 2 Wage earners each earning $120000 50% allocated to mortgage - leaves $60000 Tax (at todays rates) = $24000 - leaves $36000 to pay food utilities etc
Now even today you can feed a whole family for less than $100 per week. ($5200 p/a)
Allow for car fuel costs of say $100 per week (on the high side for most just doing basic travel to and from work etc) ($5200 p/a)
Other costs to allow for: - $200 per quarter for water - $1000 p/a - $700 per quarter for electricity/gas - $2400 p/a - $1500 p/a for home/car insurance.
All these expenses = $15300
Therefore for single wage earners there is $2700 worth of disposable income for other incidentals, and $20700 for two wage earners.
"So you're telling me that a trend has emerged *only* in the decade where we've moved to dual income households?" Well the time line fits nicely with the emergence of more generation X into the housing market and it is the mid to later generation X where women have worked towards more financial independence and like to have their own job. I am sure the trend was certainly there earlier, but it would have also been helped along with the natural market cycle of accelerating growth at that time as well.
