I don't spend money on stuff most people do. That's how I get what I want.
Same, mostly. People all have their own resources and priorities.
Sadly, I don't have real data to actually draw the conclusion, but everything seems cheaper when I'm not drinking, which is most of the time. It's not a moral thing...I think I'm just "over" it. I also pretty much never eat out. Part of that is because there are almost no restaurants that can accommodate the diet that works for me, and part of it is that it literally costs 3~5x as much to eat out for food that is almost universally less healthy and no better than what I can make.
There's a bunch that has gone into where we are financially, and some of it absolutely is just luck. But, the key is to figure out what your priorities actually are and stick to them. And no matter what you actually want out of life, your first priority should always be to get out of debt as fast as possible, even if it means you're making 6-figures and living like a pauper. The
only exceptions are zero-interest deals, short-term emergencies, and if a purchase is going to make you more money than the debt costs (which can include things like mortgages as long as your interest rate is lower than inflation).
Then, save up for rainy days or big purchases. My Gibson was planned, but I bought my PRS on a whim. I was saving up for something for a while, but I didn't know what it was going to be. And, it turned out to be that.
Once we have a Fractal suddenly our old gear doesn't seem as great and can be sold. That goes a long way to recouping the investment.
Yeah, that. My FM3 was something like "profit" after I sold 2 amps and ~15 pedals. I think I'm slightly in the red since it happened, but that's mostly from guitars (went from an Epiphone and a G&L to a Gibson, a Fender, a PRS, and an acoustic). And, I'm still selling pedals. I'm pretty much down to the ones that I kind of have at least a mild emotional attachment to, but I don't really have any plans to use them again. I'll sell them whenever I get around to it.
ETA: Oh, I think it also helps that I don't fancy myself much of a guitar collector. I have more than I need and less than I probably would own if money were literally no object. But...apart from some passing fancies, I don't think I actually want any more guitars. No shade on anyone who likes having a big collection - I get the reasons. I just don't feel the same drive to actually own them. When I do get that itch, if I just sit on it for a week or two, it usually goes away.
"Recycling" gear is the way to ease the gear acquisition. Reduces how much cash goes out for purchases.
