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Lots of great advice, especially about buying quality. Something that has helped me, toy-freak that I am:
Anytime you want to buy something 'signifigant' (e.g., not groceries), think about it for a month. You'll often find that you didn't want the thing as much in the first place, and not end up spending that $100 or $200. Use that month to hunt down bargains as well; waiting a month or two can mean getting that hot item for half of what you would have paid for it.
Bump on the advice to buy quality, and take care of what you buy. Save up for it, and buy something that will last a long time, even better if it's on sale, doubly good if it's a repairable item or has a lifetime guarantee. I got $1000 of good cutlery (Vier Sterne, complete set) for about $350, and I will never need to purchase knives again, because I take very good care them, and because they all have lifetime guarantees. My parents, on the other hand, have about $500 worth of cheap, lousy cutlery. All of it is dull, which is dangerous to the user, and none of it is really usable. They spent more than I did, but have gotten less out of it, because they were too focused on buying 'bargain basement' goods, rather than getting high-quality goods to last a lifetime.
Last but not least, use real cash for your weekly 'spending cash'. It's nothing to buy a $5.00 latte at Starbucks on your Visa card, but actually forking over the money gives it a very real feeling. This little tip has saved me a lot of money over the years, and has the added benefit of small change -- throw it in an opaque jar or box, and every few months, you'll have an extra $20 to $100 in change which you can throw back in your bank account.
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