If you buy through our links, we may earn money from affiliate partners. Learn more. I have loved saving and budgeting since I was a kid. But saving eventually became an unhealthy compulsion for me. After years of denying myself every small pleasure, I experienced "frugality fatigue" and went on a splurging binge, even dipping into my savings. I realized I had to make a change to protect my future wealth, so I added fun spending and a weekly treat to my budget so I don't feel deprived. The first time I created a savings plan, I was 8 years old. I wanted an iPod Shuffle. I needed $100 to make the purchase, so I saved my $5 allowance each week until I finally had the magic amount. I still remember the day my dad took me to Best Buy and I emptied my entire piggy bank — one $5 bill at a time — at the checkout counter and walked away with my new iPod.