Early 30s, paid-off house, $100k invested... so why do I feel poorer now than I did at 22 with $10k?

When I was in my early 20s, I had less than $10k in savings. I didn't even like looking at my bank account, but strangely enough, I felt richer back then. I’d spend $50 on a night out without overthinking it and just lived in the moment.

​Now, I’m in my early thirties. I’m incredibly fortunate to have a fully paid-off house and $100k invested. On paper, I know I’m doing fine.

​Yet, day-to-day, I feel poor:

​I still check every grocery receipt line-by-line.

​I almost exclusively buy things on sale/special.

​I drive a beat-up older car.

​I constantly catch myself overanalyzing small purchases.

​Meanwhile, I see videos of people my age getting interviewed on the street saying they have less than $50k net worth, but they drive brand-new cars, wear fresh clothes, and look like they’re living the high life.

​It feels like a weird psychological paradox. In my 20s, I had low stakes, zero long-term planning, and carefree spending, but no security. Now I have maximum security, zero housing overhead, and a solid compounding portfolio, but I'm hyper-aware of every dollar leaving my account.

​Has anyone else experienced this shift? How do you unlearn the strict frugality that got you to a good financial position so you can actually enjoy the security you worked for?