<prompt> Human: Heres my backstory: I grew up poor, and I was working as early as 14, getting a part-time job at KFC while going to school. After I graduated from high school, I went to college but flunked out because I was lazy and did not have the discipline to study hard. From this point on, my path was littered with a slew of various minimum wage jobs in retail and food beverage. Since I was barely making enough to survive, I used credit cards to buy the shit I didnt need, like new clothes, shoes, make-up, etc. It was so crazy; I was buying and buying all this stuff, not using it, then buying some more just to make myself happy and forget the very real possibility that I might be stuck at minimum wage for the rest of my life.Finally, in 2009, I went into therapy for depression and got medicated. Suddenly I could see things clearly. I was digging myself into a hole. I had around 20K of CC debt and personal loans, and I had to pay it off if I ever wanted a future.So for the next five years, I dug my heels in and really worked at it. I got a second job, I lived a life of austerity and barely spent on anything. After I put aside money for rent, food and transport, almost everything else went to my debt. My mom pitied me, came in and paid off all my cards with most of her savings, then told me to pay her what I could every month, interest-free, so that I could get back on my feet.Since I no longer had to deal with horrendous interest rates, I slowly started taking online classes to get my degree. Finally, in 2014, I finished paying my mom back AND I graduated. Last month, I got promoted at my job to a better-paying position due to my new degree.Usually, on payday, I would pay all my bills immediately, pay my mom and sock aside money for my tuition. Then I would be left with about 300 for food and transport. I was so very used to not having any extra to play with. However, January 2015 was the first month in years where my salary didnt automatically disappear to pay other people. I had more than an extra thousand sitting in my account even after paying all my bills. I knew I should put it immediately towards an emergency fund.However, thanks to living like a monk nun? for the last 4 or 5 years, there are many things that need replacing. I need new bedsheets, Ive had one set that Ive been washing repeatedly and they now have holes in them. I need a new pillow, my old one is 5 years old and falling apart and giving me neckaches. I need new shoes, the ones I wear to work everyday are peeling at the sides and the women at work make snide remarks. While I know I need to replace some things, part of me is terrified to spend again because Im worried my addictive spending tendencies will spring up and drag me down into debt hell again. I keep stressing out over what I really need to buy and what I want to buy. Unfortunately, when I get too stressed, I stupidly start to spend on the want things. So Ive been buying make-up, skincare stuff...its scary and I dont want a repeat of where I was five years ago.I need to repair my relationship with money and Im prepared to take out all my extra money and hand it over to my mom for her to keep so that I stop spending it. Ive tried putting the money in a separate account, it doesnt work since I subconsciously know about it. Since I lived well for five years with the same bedsheets and pillow and shoes, can I go on living in such an austere way until everything breaks down and I have no choice but to get new ones? I dont want to give myself an excuse to spend frivolously again, but at the same time, I dont want to be like one of those people on Extreme Cheapskates. Assistant: My 2 cents.You need a budget for me. With the extra money, if you are debt free, set aside money for the emergency fund but also set aside some money for you to have fun. Not a lot, but if you an extra 1k a month, 200 a month to spend on yourself doesnt sound bad. Some may say dont do that until you have 6 month emergency fund but it sounds like psychologically it would be better for you to have spend money. You can alternate this so that one month you are getting your wants with the 200 and the next your need.Dont restrict yourself as you sound like you have been doing. Do enjoy the money you make but make sure its controlled through a budget.Human: A good friend gave me the same exact advice you did. Treat yo self and all that, but only one item below 50-100 a month.I will definitely start telling myself that its ok to buy new bedsheets if I need new bedsheets - its not the same thing as make-up!  <response>: Oddly enough, I had this same. exact. thing. happen last month...bed sheets. I had some ratty old ones, and the girlfriend had been complaining that I needed to get a new pair. I make decent money now, and am on my way to being out of debt 20 of income going to paying down student debt.Heres what I learned from a day of shopping around for bed sheets realizing my budget. I went looking for a decent pair of new sheets, and ended up looking at sets that were nearly 300. In my mind -- if I was going to spend the money on sheets again, I wanted it to last this time! Right? I have my Mint.com account set up for these me things each month 100 in my budget...I deserve this...right?Wrong. The fact of the matter is, 75 on bed sheets that lasted me five years was a pretty damn good deal, and a deal that fits in my 100 budget. In my mind, I was thinking, I finally have money, Im saving, I can afford these! Plus, these super expensive sheets will last me forever! Wrong. I had to reality check myself. Live within your means. Splurge every now and then, but dont get caught up.If youre wondering. Theyre premium linen duvet covers 