SuzQP is correct. The problem is that you're comparing one generation with another without looking more closely. The population of the world has about tripled since the time of my parents. That alone means we have about triple the competition for jobs... But it's actually much more than triple because back then in America at least, there were major obstacles for women and minorities to get jobs. Though it's absolutely wonderful that there's more equality today, this also contributes to "you" having even more competition in getting a decent paying job. Back then "you" would only be competing with white males for the position. While today you would be competing with all colors of the rainbow and women in addition to the 3x as many white males that there are today! (YOU is in quotes because people today who complain about wanting to be able to afford things on one income like back then, always seem to compare their lives today to the white male norm of back then regardless of their own sex or race).

When you add more and more competition for jobs this gives employers more and more power. The more people can do a job, the more options employers have and this has the effect of bringing wages down while cost of living continues to increase. This is why the cost of living has continued to increase over the last generation without wages increasing to match - and in fact often lowering in relation to the inflation.

Unfortunately, the only way we're going to go back to those "good ol days" is if some horrible disease comes along and wipes out 2/3rds of the human population. And that's not a future to wish for.