<prompt> Human: In short, the past couple of years I realized my current path in life isnt what I wanted. I switched careers from retail and customer service and transitioned into telecom and pretty much tripled my salary. I went from making 18K a year to 60K. My finances increased, my savings had actual savings and Ive been able to travel and even made a trip to Tokyo finally happen after years of trying and was able to make my first car purchase recently.Unfortunately, Ive come to realize one thing hasnt changed the past year and a half and thats my habit of impulse purchasing. I first realized that this was out of control when I realized that during my trip to Tokyo I pulled extra money out my savings to buy expensive items like a Nintendo Switch. Not because I really wanted one I do but I never really buy consoles day 1 but just because it was in front of me.With the money I make and the bills I pay even with the car payments me and my husband will be sharing I shouldve been able to eliminate 8K in debt thats been hanging over my head since I was 24 Im 28 now. I wont go into details but its medical and manipulative ex boyfriend abusing what was once my good credit to fuck me over between the ages of 21 23. Something about the idea that I have extra money that Ive never had in my life is just alluring. And extra Several hundred dollars just sitting there I have no plans for all the time is just tempting to spend and thats been me since I got my first paycheck with my new job. Expensive dinners, more expensive shopping list and just stupid shit I buy constantly has been sapping away at my savings and improving my credit the past year and a half and it makes me sad that Ive become the spitting image of everyone I know with shit credit and bad habits. Ive already made a budget but I need to change my habits and thats the hard part. I feel like Im at the point where Ive recognized whats ruining me and I need to change. Assistant: Its called lifestyle creep. The best way Ive found to combat this is automatic enforced savings... pay yourself first.If you have access to a 401k contribute more. Set up an automatic withdrawal on the day you get your paycheck to move money to a savings account or an IRA.Human: I have a 401K thats 5 of my paycheck. Ive been thinking about upping it to 15 and probably should stop thinking and start doing  <response>: 5 is not enough to support a dignified retirement. Frankly if you went from so little to where you are now, I would toss 10k into the 401k and max out a Roth. Doing that now is a help of a lot easier than doing it later. 