<prompt> Human: Hi guys, Ive been lurking here for a while and thought Id share my recent issue. I got my first real job after college about 10 months ago. 59,000year. 5 going to the 401K. Take home pay is about 3380month. No debts. I started out pretty frugal, and I was aware of the risks of lifestyle inflation from the beginning. I spent my first 6 months in a really crappy living situation. I was renting a room in a house with a family, and Ill spare you the details, but it was nonstop noise and annoyance. It was relatively cheap though -- 600 month, including utilities. Because I was so annoyed with my living arrangement though, I made a partially emotional decision and moved to a 1BR apartment in a really desirable part of town for gasp 1100 month, not including utilities. I thought I was okay with this decision, but last month I had to do a 600 car repair, and also discovered that my food spending was increasing alot. I had barely saved a couple hundred dollars that month, which is really bad, because Im only about 1500 into saving up my emergency fund. Heres the good news. The new apartment is month-to-month, so I can leave whenever I want to, but being used to having an entire apartment in a nice area to myself, and being a bit anti-social, Im finding myself really against the idea of finding a roommate, even though Ive been living with roommates all my life before this. Classic lifestyle inflation. I guess there isnt really a question here. I know I have to force myself to downgrade somehow. I was just wondering if you guys had any similar experiences to share. Have you ever made a significant downgrade in your lifestyle? What was it, and how did you get over the mental hurdle?Assistant: For sanity sake, sometimes moving out, even with higher rent is worth it.You said you spend a lot on food. You just need to start cooking. Cooking is not a downgrade from eating out, most people find cooking enjoyable...its just cleaning the dishes thats not so enjoyable.Personally, the only thing what others might consider a downgrade would be riding my bike instead of driving or even taking the bus to work when the weather corroborate. It was difficult at first, but I am enjoying.Human: For sanity sake, sometimes moving out, even with higher rent is worth it. Youre right about that. I actually had a hard time falling asleep most nights at the old place because of the noise, which must have affected me at work. Cooking is a good idea, and Ive been doing that a bit for dinners, but lunch at work tends to be eating out since coworkers tend to invite me, and that alone can add up to alot.  <response>: Try bringing a lunch eating in a common area with them? Or if going out, eat a sandwich before lunch, then just get a drink to go along with the socializing. 