Sometime in my late twenties I decided my quality of life is good enough, and to not buy fancier stuff. A decade later I still live in the same type of home, drive the same class of car, and eat the same type of food. Inflation made my expenses higher, but my wages have increased more. Living below my means has reduced stress to a degree I couldn’t imagine. When the tech layoffs came, I didn’t stress out because I could go 2-3 years without a paycheck and not miss a bill. When I need to cover a major expense such as AC replacement or urgent air travel I just have cash to cover it.

While my peers might take fancier vacations or drive nicer cars, I wouldn’t trade. I have a confidence in finical stability, and I focus on things that really matter to me.