Having just made the transition to a new home and a grown-up’s budget...I have barely changed my habits or expenses. Mostly because my budgeting style is effectively what kb is arguing for, although I had never thought of it that way. Once in a blue moon I take a look at the recurring payments and cull whatever doesn’t bring me joy à la Marie Kondo. My approach to buying stuff is one I took from Adam Savage: when you first buy something, buy the cheapest, because you don’t know if you will use it often yet. When that breaks, buy the best there is (or the one that makes you the most happy).

Basically, my approach to budgeting is to make it invisible. The only thing I care about is that I don’t have to worry about money: that I can pay all my expenses and have enough wiggle room to buy things that make me happy. So I make sure that I never have less than one month of expenses in my checkings account, while also moving money to my savings regularly, because if I see a large number on my checkings account I get the irresistible urge to buy shit I don’t need.