What does the average American even spend on?

I see a lot on here about how Americans barely scraping by and living paycheck to paycheck and how we need to be taxed more to pay for programs. I'm a Brit, and I don't know if we are better off than you guys, but I'm pretty sure that we are.<br><br>From my not so well travelled observation of the US, it seems so much cheaper than the UK, prices for fast food and food in general has gone through the roof in the UK. I see a lot of posts on here of Americans going to McDonald's and stuff, and even though it's more expensive than it was a few years ago, prices are so much higher for us than they are for you, so I don't see how someone can't even afford a couple of burgers from McDonald's anymore.<br><br>Gas is also much more expensive for us, our salaries are of course higher than yours so that's not too bad, but it's crazy to me that you guys complain about prices when gas is so cheaper for you. I travelled to the US last year and it was crazy to me how much more I got for my money there than I do at home, and the food being so much cheaper really blew my mind.<br><br>One of the other things that I have noticed on this sub is how so many of you seem to be struggling, but have multiple children which of course makes life more expensive. I know a lot of people just have kids and want a big family, but can't you just embrace being an adult childfree? From my limited observations of life in the US, it looks so much better than ours, so why do you keep having kids if you can't afford it? The average cost of a child is so high, and we have a lot more assistance in the UK than you do, so if we struggle, I can't imagine how hard it must be for you.<br><br>I know that I don't know too much about the situation in the US, so I'm not trying to be preachy or something, I'm genuinely interested. I can only go off of what I've seen travelling, which was LA and the Bay Area, so obviously not the most representative sample size.<br><br>Maybe it's just the cities I've been to, but I saw so many Tesla's and big SUV's, and even if you can't afford to eat out, why do so many Americans insist on having cars that size? I know you guys barely use your feet, which is of course your right, but why not get a smaller car? I not trying to be preachy or anything, I just want to know more. We're so much less car reliant in the UK and it really shocked me how much you guys insist on having cars.<br><br>So yeah, I'm just interested. Why is life so expensive for Americans when so much stuff is so cheap?