I don’t think living cheaply necessarily has to be at odds with socializing. And if living cheaply is a value of yours, which it seems to be, I would focus on finding people to interact with who have that same value. Spending more money than you’re comfortable with on drinks and dinner and only having a somewhat fun time is such a disappointment the next day.
More than anything, getting to a point where I'm free financially is a big goal for me. The way I look at it, most people are working a shitty 9 to 5 job to buy things they don't need to impress people who don't care and they don't even like all that much. Having a lifestyle without that many costs simply makes reaching the point of being financially independant far more easy. Right now I'm just going a bit to extremes when it comes down to my spendings as I'm in a stage to build things up again. One of the problems I have socially is that 95% of the people just think and do exactly the same and I have a hard time relating to that. Like you say, I'd love to find more people with similar ideas but it's not that easy :)
Life is funny. You say it’s not that easy, but I think it really is. Being patient and faithful and devoted when times are tough, that is difficult.
I recently heard someone talk about how much money they wasted employing the wrong people. It’s the same with your personal life. The best partner for you is probably only one step away from you. It’s just a matter of connecting the dots.
It seems easier said than done, but it isn’t. And taking the extra time to find the right person is well, well worth it!