<prompt> Human: A little background about me, Im 22 and I definitely wasnt always as financially responsible as I am now. I was in debt and decided to pick up a second job until I got out in the middle of last year. Both of my jobs are servingbartending so I make a really good money and was able to pay off my debt within a couple months of really cracking down. Well, two jobs left me with no extra time to spend money and the drive I had to save just stuck. Even when I didnt need both jobs anymore, I couldnt quit one. I put in my two weeks and I was devastated over it and my boss could tell small family owned place and were all good friends so he didnt even bother trying to replace me because he could tell I would change my mind. I just got back from a 5 day trip and Im realizing maybe I have a problem. I knew I was going to have a hard time spending money so I told myself to let it go and just focus on having fun. I budgeted 1,500 and spent 1,300 and although I had fun on the trip, Im back at home wishing I didnt go. The friend I went with keeps posting picture and texting me about the trip and Im getting frustrated. Everyone keeps asking me how the trip was and I dont even want to talk about it. I cant help but think of the money that was lost instead of the fun things we did. I cant help but feel really sad about it. I dont want my life to pass by while Im penny pinching and afraid to spend money I have. Whats the point of saving if Im just going to get emotional every time I make a large purchase?  <response>: Yea, like the other posters, its very important to remember that money is only as good as the stuff it can buy you. As a 22 year old, Im sure you havent reached all of your long-term financial goals, but it sounds like youve got a very good start.The most impressive thing is that you budgeted for your trip beforehand. If you make the decision to spend a certain amount, and then you save up for it, you shouldnt feel guilty spending it. I tend to be grouchy about spending money too though, so here is what I do:Once you have determined that something is worth the money and you know how much it will cost, change that amount into a percentage in your head. For example, if Im saving up 3000 and I save 300 in a month, I dont think of it as another 300 in the pot. I just think Im 10 closer to my goal.Then when I fully fund whatever it is, I quit worrying about the dollar amount of things. other than to make sure I dont go over my allotted amount. I basically spend the entire amount in my head before the trip, then I can just focus on having fun. If its not my money anymore, I dont need to worry about it.It also helps to keep the amount youre saving separate from the rest of your money. I use a spreadsheet for this, but you could even go as far as to open a separate account. If you think that you have 10k in the bank all along instead of 13k then you wont even notice that 3k was spent. 