It's not like UPS driver was some average sized person... he's 6'6", 300, and was a 4 year starter in Division II.

Most of the people in these "frugality" stories are solidly middle class (if not upper middle), on their own, so they're probably making well over median household income together.

From that level of income, there's alot of options as to where you can be frugal and still enjoy life. I mean, homes can be found for less than $1000/month. If your household income is high enough that you could afford $2500/month, then you've got ALOT of wiggle room to design your finances in a way that doesn't leave you living paycheck to paycheck.

Some of the hardship of making those choices is just prioritizing saving over enjoying your money... the <$1000/month rent may be in a bad school district but you don't necessarily have to pay $2500/month to get into the good one. Maybe $1500 gets you in there, but in an older TH w/o the yard you really wanted.

It certainly takes alot of discipline to make that choice when you'd just get by at $2500 like everyone else at your income level ... but it's still alot easier than trying to stretch things when you're at the bottom of the income scale.