One is fees, and much has been made about the low-cost index fund approach to investing. The other is your savings rate. The more you put away, the less you depend on the market return to do the heavy lifting for you.
You can have it all—a nicer lifestyle and an adequate savings rate. But you need to be deliberate about how much you are going to save and how much you are going to spend.
Minimize Taxes by Maximizing Tax-Deferred Retirement Accounts
One of the best ways to increase that savings rate is to use tax-deferred retirement accounts like 401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, and defined-benefit plans.
One of the easiest ways to save more money is to simply work harder and make more money. You can keep the same spending habits and save more if you just make more.