Here's a recipe for living on one 'median' income:
* Pay your cars off.
* Get down to < $300 / month on food.
* Stop eating out except on special occasions.
* Turn the thermostat up / down in summer / winter.
* Cap mortgage or rent at $1000 / month.
* Live close to work
* Stop buying lots of crap you don't need.
* Build some savings
The key thing is, if you can manage on one income, a LOT of expenditure just melts away. Day care, gas for commuting to two jobs, much easier to eat at home, etc. etc.
