There is no way you can retire affluent if you spend your entire life pretending to be wealthy. Why not try being happy with what you have.
If you don't put aside enough money for retirement, you're doomed to a life of poverty. Ideally, 10% to 15% of your monthly income should be earmarked for retirement savings.
Your retirement funds should take precedence over anything else. If you're saving for your kids' college, don't sacrifice your own retirement.
One common blunder is to deposit retirement funds in the incorrect accounts. The money should instead be invested in IRAs or tax-advantaged retirement accounts.
You won't be able to save for your retirement if you rely on credit cards to make all of your purchases and financing everything.
If you do need to borrow money, good credit is a must to secure the best possible terms and rates.
Investing all of it in high-risk stocks is surely not good. But at the same time, don't be afraid to be a little more aggressive with your allocations.