My parents raise three kids on one salary. When my parents had my brother in 1981 my Dad made $11,000 a year. He was a traveling sales man. I'm being serious. He worked his way up from do to door to a city wide sales manager, to regional, to country wide, to president of global sales and marketing. I remember moving from their first place (a duplex) to a small home, to a bigger one in a development. Last year at work he grossed a half million. (I won't even get into his stocks)

His secret. (well not really a secret) He lives by the Millionaire Next Door. Looking at him you'd think "average guy" and you'd be wrong. He is a multi-millionaire. But, never drove a new car, never divorced, stayed in a total of 3 homes in the past 30 years (25 in the current one), lives below his means, and invested a good portion in stocks (as well as taking bonuses in stock option). Most importantly, he worked his ass off. He was one of the first "frequent flyer" with Continental (his card is actually metal with engraving), and one of the first with Marriott Rewards. He never said no to the company, and now they never say no to him.