I've always been thoughtful about my spending. I got married 12 years ago and worked while my wife went to school full time. About 10 years ago, I discovered the MMM blog and started making a concerted effort achieve financial independence. I am just about there now.

For me, I didn't feel like there were many trade-offs. The key take-away is prioritizing value and figuring out what brings you joy in life. By doing this, I was able to eliminate a lot of unnecessary spending. I don't feel like I ever missed out on anything.