a two earning household. Your example here is the latter. That means that the two earners are only making 35k a piece and that is extremely inefficient financially. Both earners are basically just above the median earners in America- for all locations. Two earners can almost make 70k and work at McDonalds. To be clear I'm not dissing fast food workers here as much as emphasizing each of these couples are low income earners which is a major impact on their household. If one of them earned 70k and the other stayed home the car/gas costs drop and the childcare is nonexistent. At most these two are making $16-17 an hour which is closer to $14 an hour after childcare.

I know a couple almost exactly like this with two kids. Basically they moved to a less desirable apartment 2 years ago, he got a higher thought not significantly higher paying job and they figured out how to mostly work opposite hours so that they don't pay much in childcare. In two years they went from a 1 room apartment to buying their first home in the last 6 months. The example above is one where they need to make life changes not just both work full-time. Without knowing more if I was one of those two I would work 80 hrs a week (I have done this before) at two different jobs and look for closer to $20 hr. I would make sure we don't eat out and only live on the necessaries for food. If my spouse worked I would make sure it is at a time when I could be home to be with the kids, that may mean she is working at night. Way easier said then done and it would probably take a major toll on your marriage but if you could unite on it for even a year or two it would completely change you situation.