A lot of frugality has to do with structural changes like getting a lower home loan rate, challenging your electricity provider to give you a better plan, knowing where to go for discounts, knowing how to structure your affairs to minimise tax, knowing how to use free alternatives (e.g. doing pull-ups and chin-ups as a compound exercise can be just as useful as using machines at the gym), etc
Or making lifestyle changes - e.g. having friends over instead of buying drinks at the pub
Or investing in yourself to earn more.
All of the above things require effort and know-how, though. Band-aid solutions like those in the article are really just a red herring.