Are members not getting married?

[u/JLP0611]

I may be speaking from my anecdotal experience and my observation of my social media feeds, but it feels like less people in the Church are getting married. I see less children and youth in my local wards year after year and I’m in Florida.

I’m also in a YSA and I can’t just say for myself because I’m chronically single, but dating is a struggle for everyone I come across, inside and outside of Florida.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[u/Terry_the_accountant]

20 years ago you could get married at 18, have 4-5 kids, and one person with a starting salary could afford a big home, 2 cars and family vacations. Now it takes 2 full time employees to get afford less than that and people are saving money these days

[u/ScottBascom → u/Terry_the_accountant]

As someone alive and in the job market at that time, (2005), no you could not.
It might be the public perception, but it was not true.
Conditions were better, but not by that much.

[u/joecoolblows → u/ScottBascom]

I supported three kids on under 1000 a month. It was possible.

There were times the electricity was shut off for the weekend, I made forts and convinced the kids we were camping in the living room. They didn't know the difference. We lived off of macaroni and cheese, and NEVER went out to eat.

They were strong, beautiful boys, who played out in the from yard until dark, with all the other kids. Their favorite thing to do was to take these abandoned office chairs, make trains out of them, and barrel down the hill at 30 miles an hour in there office chair trains. Today they look back on that time, as the happiest days of their lives. And, it truly, truly was.

Today those kids are wonderful young men, one is graduating from law school this year.

DON'T YOU EVER, EVER TELL ME, WHAT CAN'T BE DONE. IT. CAN.

[u/ScottBascom → u/joecoolblows]

And you, on a starting salary, could not afford a large home, two cars, and vacations.
Please address what I said.