I think the point was more "don't spend because it's implied you need to spend" and instead just take time to think a bit about what you actually want/need. If

I think the point was more "don't spend because it's implied you need to spend" and instead just take time to think a bit about what you actually want/need. If you don't succumb to frivolous spending, that's great! A lot of people have issues with frivolous spending though, and those who should be very well off based on their salary end up living paycheck to paycheck while accumulating things that just end up in storage or in a pile. Eating out all the time, buying stuff just because it's on sale, getting the newest and latest/greatest just because, it happens all the time and so much effort gets put into collecting and curating a mass of "stuff" that doesn't really ever prove valuable to the buyer. The author talks about the "keeping up with the Joneses" phenomenon, but it doesn't even have to be that expensive. Just look at how popular the "____"-crate market was for awhile. (still is?) Neither the author nor myself is advocating that everyone must live a spartan lifestyle, but simply to review what it is you do put time, energy, and money into.