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When I was a kid my grandparents and great grandparents repeatedly told me that I should save for a rainy day, and that if I wanted something I should save for it. I only got an allowance of $1.00/week as a kid. My father told me that if I wanted something that I had to earn it, and he would also drop me off in a neighborhood after any significant snowstorm so I could earn spending money.
All of that advice has paid off. I have credit cards, but only use them as debit cards and pay them in full each month, and pay no annual fee. I have had no debt for the last 15 years. I live within my income and have managed to save enough money in various investments that unemployment for an extended period of time would not be a major problem. I've also been able to enjoy vacations and buy extras when I wanted them. But rather than just spending the money as if there was no tomorrow, I tend to think carefully about whether I really want to spend the money for that purpose.
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