Yes, they do. In other parts of the country.
What your parents did 20+ years ago has very little bearing on the cost of raising a family in San Francisco, today. It takes more than one spouse with a sub-$100k job. Again, $100k just isn't that much money in a place where rent on a decent one-bedroom starts at $2,000 a month.
Sure, when? 15+ years ago?
Also, why would you assume that my SO also makes 100K? She doesnt, as a hair stylist - she makes very little comparatively.
What egregious expenses did I have in my post if anything? The ONLY luxury items I had in my list were a beer with friends and a bottle of wine.
The problem I think we are seeing here is that everyone who thinks that 100K is a lot of money is:
Not/has not been Married
Has no kids
Is under 35
Also, @JasonKester: "wearing monogrammed blazers to school"
You fail to understand that simply having a kid is going to cost you ~1500 in childcare expenses, assuming you dont have a stay at home SO to watch after the child.
Its not a status statement -- try looking up what freaking baby sitters/nannies cost for an infant, whom you cannot slap a monogrammed badge on their blazer and dump them off on the corner.
This is a common problem with YC/HN -- there are a lot of <30-somethings thinking they have it all figured out.
/lawn
Dear god. >_<
Anyway, my parents raised my sister and I on a single teacher's salary that was a lot less than $100K. Yes, kids do cost more than being a bachelor. However, a lot of the expenses I see batted around as justification for why you need $100K just to live today are utterly ridiculous. 90% of American households get by with much less than that.