Small dollar values don't matter if you're gunning for civilizational change. If you are making a substantial income or very productive work, saving money on groceries or nights out don't matter much. In the AI-based future where lots of long term value will be decided immediately, it is likely not worth saving a little extra money to donate to causes that will only be relevant for the next few years (until they're surpassed by the importance of ASI). The headache and lifestyle hit on buying the less expensive canned corn at the grocery store just don't really matter. The big decisions do.
I don't think EAs should be forced to live like hermits (or Jesus) and get stuck in the most frugal lifestyle possible, and think that if they don't do this they are immoral (which according to standard utilitarianism they basically are). I think we should just care about the big ticket items, and try to move the biggest levers possible to change the world. Even if this means eating meat or spending money on fancy dinners that could have gone to the less fortunate, I think the most important thing anyone will do with their life is gun for literal transformational change.
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