Like healthy eating, trying too hard to force yourself to have good habits with money tends to backfire. Instead, focus on small, gradual changes you can stick to.
Ironically, always buying the cheapest available option can lead to spending more money over time. Instead, focus on only buying things with lasting value.
An investment should be something intended to grow in value or provide income. For anything else, the word becomes a euphemism to justify big purchases.
All around you, people are making decisions with their money, and many of them are not great choices. Focus on your own situation and the decisions that make sense for you.
It's easy to turn saving into a journey of deprivation and lack. By focusing on the parts of your life that you love already, you can find the joy in the journey.
There are plenty of things working against the average person making money. The only way to overcome them is to focus on your own situation and what you can do to change it.