The Latte factor

Have you heard that people are having so much financial trouble today because they just plain spend too much? Drink too many lattes? That we just buy so much more than people used to, and we have so much credit card debt?
According to this article it's all not true. They compare prices in the 70s with prices today. Bascially they say we're spending more on basic things like housing and health care. The basics take up close to 3/4 of every family's income. Even though we eat out a lot more often, overall food costs are way down. Cost of clothing and appliances are also down. For example, they mention that a refrigerator which in the 70s would have cost 2 week's income to buy now costs less than two days' income (Not for us though!) .
Interestly enough, they also say that the majority of American consumers carry no credit card debt from month to month. I had always heard that most Americans carry about $8, 000 in credit card debt.