We hear much about how the middle class is being hollowed out. Never has it been so easy to live on so little, with so many luxuries close to free (communication, entertainment, travel). But peer pressure / advertising have us consuming that $5 mochacrappacino latte and $100/month cell phone plan. A little common sense and you can live better than kings of yore:
Only drink coffee you brew yourself at home.
Books are free. Borrow them from the library or download from manybooks.net
Never purchase new: bicycles, computers, musical instruments. Look on ebay and craigslist.
Only buy used cars, 2 years old, 30,000 miles. Do not finance with loans, save in advance so you can pay cash.
Monthly pay off your full credit card balance - never carry a debt.
Do not use national banks, use a local credit union.
Do not invest in safe, low yield investments (treasury bills, bonds, etc.) Use that money to pay down your mortgage.
Buy real estate near a job center.
Pack a lunch every day.
Do not ingest candy, soft drinks, dessert. Minimize packaged foods. Shop the perimeter of your supermarket.
Never use a financial advisor. No one beats the market long term - invest in index funds.
Minimize health care expenditures by sleeping well, excercise, balanced diet. Walk and use stairs when given the option.
Minimize expenditures on phone plans - live with a dumb flip phone, no data, $10/month.
Do not take vacations that involve air travel.