> But instead of spending the money

You just can't. You can deceive yourself all you want and skip all life events this way, but ultimately spending money cannot be substituted by not spending money and if attempted will cast long shadows onto your life if it going to exist at all. It's an ultimate bean counting, going over a same bag that never grows.

> A small inconvenience to pay to save

This thinking is literally penny wise and pound foolish. Taken me way too long to realize.