<prompt> Human: I make 46k but that should go up a few thousand next month. My field is lucrative IT, so in a couple years I can be making 80-100k with a new job.My car was 19,500 a 1.5 year old Accord coupe, but with TT it came up to 21,200. I also have to pay higher insurance now, which is about 450 every 6 months. My car payment is 370 mo.I owe 31,600 in student loans and thats another 250mo but I try to pay 430mo.I save about 1000mo.I know Im in a privileged position and that most of my peers are not so lucky in this economy, but I hate that I have to pay so much for my student loans and car. I wanted to buy a cheaper car after my old beater died, but my parents were like have some respect for yourself, you have an income now, you can drive a newernice car. It went against my principles I read PF and Money Mustache type blogs a lot but it sure felt nice to get the car. Now the new car smell has faded and Ive realized that Im a simple person who could have been fine in a 10k car.Rationalizing, I realize that I will save a good bit on maintenance since new Hondas are golden, and that I saved about 5k of depreciation by not buying brand new. I can expect the car to depreciate 2k every year currently. If I stay in my metro area I would keep this car for ten years but if I move to a big city I would sell it cause its a manual and I hate driving it in traffic... Should have thought about that. I want to be wealthy and be able to retire early and I feel like Ive severely hindered myself. Is this not really a big deal?  <response>: I want to be wealthy and be able to retire early and I feel like Ive severely hindered myself. Is this not really a big deal?The alarming part about your story to me is that you knew it wasnt a good idea, but rationalized it to yourself andor caved to peer pressure. Afterwards, you realized again it wasnt a good idea. In the long run who knows what the money you could have saved or invested and put towards the new car instead might be worth - but if the behavior doesnt change that is going to be far more damaging, and it wont be limited just to car purchases. 