Living deliberately
Personally, I can't live a truly simple lifestyle in large part because of my family. They rely on my money but don't share all of my dreams and aspirations. That's OK, of course. Family is about trade-offs, occasionally even sacrifices.
I live very frugally. We rent a nice large house, about five minutes walk from my work. We economize on a lot of things, but have everything we need, and more besides. We are very fortunate.
Like I said earlier, I prefer the term "living deliberately." Figure out what makes you happier in the long run. Rarely is it "things" that will make you happier. Read Jesus, Buddha, and Thoreau. Use their wisdom to help you make the best decisions you can about your own life. Don't criticize others for choices that they have made, or situations they have been forced into. I always remind myself that other people are not as fortunate as I am.