Televisions were prohibitively priced as to make one even a stretch.

And, travel was prohibitively priced so that only the ultra-rich could afford planes. When cars hit the scene en masse, it brought rise to car trips.

So, I guess you're saying people aren't living within their means? But they weren't necessarily then either... And boy, I sure miss all of the great stuff from the 50s.

It's just astounding how cheap televisions have become. A 32" flatscreen is like $150, and weighs ten pounds.

An internet connection with youtube is $30 which is WAY more variety than "back then".

Can't forget Qubo and Me.tv. Good times, for sure.

Also, I'm suspecting you're not a Spanish speaker, so I guess it's okay to discount a channel that over 10% of the US has utility for.

Cable TV is a relatively recent invention, has quickly declining subscription rates, and has always been billed as premium.

It's possible, I suppose... You'd need to be a one income family at 100k, because there's no way you could cover that and child care. But yeah, a stay at home spouse and a working spouse who brought in 100k might be able to make it work south of 280.

EDIT: just realized you said Bay Area, not San Francisco. That changes things.