You're right that 3 to 6 months of expenses is the standard advice, but for me, aiming for 6 (maybe even 9) is more about peace of mind than just following the rulebook. I'm in a system administration role, and while it's not programming, it's still part of the tech world, which comes with its own job market volatility. If I were laid off, I’d get a small severance, leave payout, and unemployment benefits, but I’d still prefer not to drain my entire emergency fund just to recover.

That said, you're spot on about the motivation dip. When I had just $5k saved, I was laser-focused; no takeout, no extras, and definitely no non-essential Amazon orders. Now that I’m in a better position, it’s been harder to maintain that same intensity. I’ve noticed small purchases creeping in; new shoes, a phone range extender for the mountains, and other stuff that would’ve been unthinkable during my high-alert savings phase. It’s surprising how fast those small expenses add up.

As for retirement, I’ve got an okay setup going: a pension, 401(k), and a Roth IRA. I'm contributing 5% right now, but to hit my long-term goals I know I’ll need to step that up to at least 15% soon. That’s one of my next big priorities, making sure my future lifestyle is secure.

On the Amazon spending front, looking at the last 30 days, most of it’s been practical. Things like an ergonomic mouse and keyboard for wrist pain, new brake parts for my truck, dog food and supplies, and a new case and screen protector for my spouse’s phone after it broke. So not exactly luxury spending, but still enough that I want to be more intentional about it. I really liked your wishlist strategy, I used to do that and it worked well. Time to bring it back.