I remember when I had my first real salaried job out of college. I had a salary of around $40k, and I was extremely strict about how I spent my money. I managed

I remember when I had my first real salaried job out of college. I had a salary of around $40k, and I was extremely strict about how I spent my money. I managed to limit myself to $10k/year in the inner Bay Area. This was in 2010. And, yes, I accumulated some savings. At the same time, I deprived myself of many experiences, which had a cost, in happiness, connections, and knowledge. Nowadays I make and spend order of magnitude more. I would never have gotten to the point I am, though, if I had stuck to spending $10k a year. Even if you're crassly trying to maximize wealth-at-the-time-of-retirement, extreme frugality is a suboptimal strategy. Set a budget. Don't waste money stupidly. But spend it, and spend it on meaningful experiences that provide you value.