Key Takeaways Skipping a purchase isn’t automatically saving. Real savings only happens when you deliberately redirect that money to build wealth, cut debt, or invest for the future. If you’ll likely pay for something later—especially at a higher cost—you’re postponing, not saving, and your budget may be giving you a false sense of progress. Putting off a purchase can feel like victory. Your bank account feels fuller, and you enjoy a brief rush of “look at how sensible I am.” The problem is that m ...