I'm going to start by acknowledging I'm privileged not to worry too much about finances since I have a well paying job that I quite enjoy. I realize that the grind is a bitter necessity for some.
That said, living simply affords you the time to do this kind of thing. Notice how there's no 70 inch MagnaPhallix 5000 OLED TV in the background. It's old furniture in a cave. If you're happy with simple things and time spent with friends you don't need the grind as much.