Per Mr Macaw:
Nah, it's always ben like that. I think it's to do with standard of living.

I don't think so.... Back in the day guys who worked in, for instance,
steel mills and automobile assembly plants owned houses and sent their
kids through college.

Nowadays my impression is that most non-professional/non-technical
workers are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
--
Pete Cresswell