Our financial advisor gave us these tips:

• Don’t create excessive overhead for managing money. Ideally, you know your monthly expenses, put all the money to cover them in a bill account. That money doesn’t exist and comes out with automatic payments. What remains is “carefree” money that you should enjoy.
• Work towards a new $0. This is for building a safety buffer. You pretend $250 is $0. When you get to $250 in the bank, you start to watch your finances much closer to figure out how to not spend. Then next month, you make the new $0 as $275. By doing this, you get in a better habit of saving.
• Take company matches on 401K & other benefits if you can use them. This should be more money you pretend doesn’t exist because the long term gains are very good compared to the short term outcomes of more money now.
• Have forcing functions built into your calendar for reviewing finances. Once a week, once a month. You shouldn’t stress about money constantly, but you shouldn’t be unaware either.
• As others have said, there’s a big mental & emotional component to doing this work & having the self discipline needed.
• Always pay off the Credit Card balance. Always.
• …No seriously, do not carry CC debt…

I’ve had life style issues 3 times in my life, which I’m really fortunate for honestly. You only get lifestyle creep from growing means & a failure to adjust your situation. It’s significantly harder for many people in our modern world to do some of these steps because people are already paycheck to paycheck. If you get a raise, it’s a blessing (I’m a UU), but you got to use it for good, whether that’s your security or the security of others.