Well, I've had problems way before I started graduate school so I'm pretty happy with where my self-esteem and confidence levels are right now. Life right now is a step up for me but that's because I have been through worse mentally.
But let me tell you about how I live and you can decide if I live well.
I share a bachelor's with one other person in downtown Toronto. We pay about 600 together for rent and utilities and bills every month. It's basically one room + one bathroom totaling slightly smaller than 400sq ft. We then spend about 600-800 every month for food, going out, necessities, whatever.
I like to think I don't have to limit myself too much but I consider $50, a splurge. If I can go without, I usually do and sometimes that includes food. I'm always OK with it. I get a haircut about twice a year and just trim it myself in between. I don't buy new clothes for myself. Usually, when I go to my parents for weekends, they will get mad at me because they think I'm not taking care of myself and take me out shopping :T Unnecessary but it means I don't have to clothes shop much.
In the end, I walk away with maybe 1000-2000 in savings. Last year, I had almost no savings because of a one-time huge expense. This year, I was expecting things to be better because I was TAing a bit more. But with the worst case scenario in the strike (let's say I don't get my lost hours back) I think I'm probably going to be back at 0 by the time September rolls around.
Which I'm okay with! The way I present this just seems so sad but I am in a really happy place mentally. I'm in the best place I've ever mentally, my supervisor is wonderful (compared to my undergraduate supervisor and the supervisors around my department), and I actually really freaking love what I do (both research and teaching). And I have a little financial flexibility in my current situation. The thing is, I don't make 15k. I make about 20k and this is how I live. I honestly can't imagine what living on 15k is like.
So. Even though I'm really happy where I am, I recognize that this is not really a basic living standard for everyone. The only reason why I'm happy where I am is because my life is so much better now than in my undergrad. And I think that's why so many graduates think they don't deserve better (attitudes that lead to strike breaking and anti-union sentiment). Their conditions have improved from undergraduate but they don't realize that things should and could be better. Almost like Stockholm syndrome. God, the union is not fighting for things we don't deserve but things we do deserve or at least consideration that should be given to us.