Reminding yourself to live simply

This article in Kiplinger's contains a lot of the usual mumbo-jumbo about keys to financial security, but this one jumped out at me. It's good to remind yourself periodically in a positive reinforcement sort of way:

Key 7: Live simply today for a more comfortable tomorrow
Deferred gratification is no fun, but it's the only way I know to fund your long-term goals -- college for your kids or grandkids, that vacation home you've always wanted, early retirement, a generous bequest to your alma mater. Take a close look at your current lifestyle, and if you see a lot of spending that is dispensable, consider it found money for the bigger dreams in your life (see The Invisible Rich).

Now, I'm not saying that you should live a hermit's life, but simply that you should be mindful of your spending choices. I've been running the expenses numbers from last year and have a certain amount of frustration with our burn rate because I think it's too high (mostly due to costs associated with the new house). However, as I've said, you can't put life on hold between now and retirement, so I probably just need to let it go and do a little living for today. In the end, it's really a balancing act.