When I started using Mint, I became aware of how I was spending my money. That cognizance made it easy to cut back in areas like going out to eat and going out at night in a way that didn't impact my quality of life. I started hosting group dinners and did my nights out more efficiently (happy hours, house parties, etc.)

2 years later I had a ton of savings, quit my job and left to travel the world for a while.