M.C.
My first answer to your question is that, despite what TV and ads would have you think, I believe that most of us who live within our means DON'T buy clothes, get manicures, have babysitters, eat out, or take trips! My DD's clothes are all hand-me-downs or presents from grandparents. I ask for clothes or gift certificates for my birthday and christmas, and use those to buy clothes (usually from the sale rack at the outlets or marshalls). I literally wear my clothes for years. I try to buy things that are classic and conservative, so they won't get outdated quickly. I keep my fingernails short and unpolished, and paint my own toes at home. We very, very rarely hire babysitters, although we do have DD in daycare 4 days/week, since we both work full time. We eat out 1-2 times/mo. Trips are almost always to visit family--so we pay for plane tickets (grandparents are in chicago and ny, aunt and uncle in boston), then stay and eat for free. We eat 75% vegetarian, which is WAY cheaper (and more healthy, and more environmental) than eating meat, and we make our food at home, including bringing sack lunches to work, and avoiding pre-made, pre-packaged, and processed foods. We cook ahead on weekends and use the crockpot a lot, to avoid last minute take out during the week. We also use cash only for everything except groceries and gas. If you don't have money in your wallet, you simply don't buy it. We have food, gas, and a roof over our heads--everything else is a luxury.
That being said, since we've gone on this budget (necessitated by paying off medical bills for our little girl, who was born with a heart defect), we're actually much more comfortable and less stressed about money than we were before. We know what we have, we know we're not overspending our means, and we never get surprise credit card bills that we can't pay. We're saving up for home renovations, put money in retirement and college savings accounts, and pay ahead on our mortgage. Despite what our consumerist culture tells you, you don't need a lot of stuff to be happy. Your girls are your greatest blessing, and enjoying your time with them is free!
Oh, and we spend $150/wk on groceries for a family of 3, including non-food items that we buy at the grocery store. With that, we buy lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and some fresh fish (which isn't cheap).