One advantage of having little money is that (at least for me), it encourages me to think sensibly! When I had loads of money! I would splash out on the most stupid and expensive items. As the income flow decreased, I turned to loans and credit cards (this is some 20 years ago). Finally, when all the money ran out and the credit card heavies were knocking at the door, I thought "oh fcuk!!".
I slowly climbed back a short distance from that financial misery, with a few hiccups along the way due to pretty women. Nowadays, I realise that my income is quite limited, and I have learnt to live totally within my cash means - no loans or credit or HP or mortgage. If I don't have the cash, it ain't happening. But I'm happy with what I've currently got on my modest teacher's salary...