LIfestyle creep, also sometimes called lifestyle inflation, is when you spend more as your discretionary income increases. What you once considered luxuries, like taking a cab instead of public transportation or planning an expensive vacation, become regular line items in your budget that you might consider necessities. Lifestyle creep typically happens because of an increase in income, such as a promotion or raise, but can also be because of a decrease in costs. You get a raise at work, and decide to rent a bigger place, get a second car, go out to dinner more often, and take longer vacations. While it’s important to enjoy your money, and, as your income increases, some adjustments make sense, lifestyle creep can be a problem if you’re getting into debt or just not hitting your savings goals. Here are some ways to enjoy what you have while avoiding lifestyle creep:

Set financial goals

Are you saving toward anything? What is your motivation to save or invest? If you don’t have important financial goals motivating you, it may be time to set them. Knowing you have a goal will make it easier to skip an expensive cocktail or decide to buy slightly cheaper concert tickets. Maybe you want to get a permanent life insurance policy, like whole life insurance or universal life insurance, retire early, or save up for a down payment on a house. Whatever your goals, it’s important that they’re realistic and that you have a workable plan to meet them.

Evaluate your spending

Avoiding lifestyle creep doesn’t mean you should save every penny or severely limit yourself. However, it’s important to know where your money is going. This can mean consciously deciding what you want to save on and what you want to splurge on. It may also mean putting together a rough budget and adhering to it.

Be selective about upgrades

If you’re making more money, it’s normal to want some upgrades—you just want to make sure they’re the ones you want most. Consider what would really improve your life. Do you want to move to your own apartment, without roommates? Will a better car improve your commute significantly? Or, do you have a bucket list of destinations you want to visit? It can help to visualize what your life would be like with each upgrade you’re considering and make a pros and cons list for each.

Plan alternative activities

Leisure activities that get expensive can be a big source of lifestyle creep. One creative way to avoid this—and have fun—is to plan some leisure activities that are free or inexpensive. For example, maybe you love walks in the park or going hiking. Maybe there are free concerts you can take advantage of, or a community garden you can join. Or, maybe you really love cooking at home. The key is to figure out what you enjoy.

The bottom line

A raise or promotion can be a great reason to treat yourself or make some much-needed upgrades to your lifestyle. However, to avoid lifestyle creep, it’s important to know where your money is going and make conscious decisions about where you’re spending.