I think more people are "living simply" because they have to, but I don't think it makes it easier. How hard is it to shop at Goodwill for some items rather than buying them new? How hard is it to be mindful of the food you buy so you aren't wasting a lot of produce and things? How hard is it to get that old vacuum fixed than getting a new one? Some things we have seriously taken for granted. It's just reverting to a different mind set.
Cooking at home is probably harder (more time consuming) than going out to eat, but with just a little bit of planning you can come up with an easy schedule to accommodate this. Or, do all of your cooking on one day and refrigerate it for later. This is a big time saver for me! Not to mention healthier over all.
I will admit that being poorer than I was a few months ago has caused me to spend my money differently, but honestly they were changes I wanted to make anyway. I think of it as more of a change in perspective than a change in income (for the most part).
