I have pretty well given up benchmarking my expenses against the more frugal memebers here. For example, I think I spent more than $250/mo on food 40 years ago just out of school.
For me at least, I am far from the point where the pleasure vs. spending line flattens out.
I totally understand doing whatever one has to do to make lemonade out of lemons, but I equally
do not understand electing that pathway if others are available.
It is somewhat different with a young family. Kids are all the entertainment you need, and if you can keep down family expenses you can live fairly cheaply and still have fun, at least until they want ski-ing lessons, riding lessons, music lessons, soccer fees, Tai-Kwan Do ...
.
And then, if you find yourself alone you may well want more activity.
I do think it is possible that some do not understand what their lives really cost. For example, under modern standards of pet care, the life cycle cost of anything more than a goldfish or perhaps a guinea pig can be huge.
Ha