Here's the thing.
People spend all kinds of money on crap that doesn't make them happy and isn't actually important to them.
Figure out what really is important to you, and what really does make you happy. Then spend money on that, and ruthlessly cut everything else.
Hint: It's probably not dining out AND going to the theatre AND new cars AND latest technology AND manicures AND 100 cable TV channels AND new clothes AND frequent, lavish vacations AND etc. etc. etc.
If dining out is a very important experience to you, okay. (Though I'd say by doing it less you'll actually enjoy each experience more, so you should still even cut back on that.) But it likely isn't, you're just being lazy (and using the complainypants excuses of "I work hard" "I deserve it" etc.)
Figure out what actually is important to you. It's okay to spend money on that.
But mindless consumption is where the status quo is. You need to switch to deliberate, conscious spending.
This resonates with our philosophy. You still need to live life, but just do it on your own terms.
First you have to figure out what they are and then eliminate or reduce all the other expenses that are just habit.
Then search out the best deals on whatever is left. Honestly, we do not go without anything, in fact we live an amazingly filled life but what other people pay for "stuff" that is lesser quality than I may have chosen just blows me away. They just go in and buy something! I research the deals, the various models/styles, weigh up if we can get away without it, do a zillion calcuations before ever pulling the trigger on anything!
For us, a miser is not paying their way, taking others generosity for granted, never sharing, but most of all having money be more important than friends and family.
We love to travel and that is seen as a luxury by many, and fair enough too; it is. I would never go into debt or starve to travel. But we budget for it and enjoy every last second while there and every second we remember it. I would give up many things before I would give up that "luxury".
Doing stuff like buying coffees out, new clothes/shoes/bags each season, books, music, makeup, flash cars, boats, knick-knacks, eating out, dvds, going to the movies etc. are things I happily forfeit to have our airfares. In fact, I often work out what % of an airfare I could buy with a >>>insert widget here<<<. It's quite fun!