I know what you mean with the social events and having to get the right outfit, then the right accessories.. And the cost of the event.  Not only that, but our time is valuable as well. 
   I think that the more you save, the more you get use to it.  And the reward of being able to pay off your bills will be worth it.  It took me many months to be able to set spending rules for myself and actually follow them.  The only big bills I have left is my car and a dang speeding ticket! lol...

Thanks for your great advice Monument.. and I'm sorry things didn't work out for you and your last girlfriend.. Hopefully you guys can at least stay friends.  I was with an abuser and I left him.  I was so in love with him even at the time he was verbally abusive.  We use to be a great couple and like you said, we started to only care about each other.  I started going to church and it just made me realize that he wasn't the type of guy I needed to be dating.  I'm much happier now, I remember feeling like this weight was lifted off of my shoulders when we finally broke up.  I realize now the relationship was more of a learning experience for me. 

Some might think it'd be crazy to "unfriend" your spouse on facebook, but it might be something to reconsider.  In a new relationship, facebook could be something to look into, reading your crush's every update, evaluating new friends.. it's new and fun and it shows insight about the person, that you wouldn't get unless you're with them 24/7 which is impossible.  But in long term relationships, facebook could be disastrous.  Because we are constantly cultivating ourselves with a sense of newness and novelty in our relationships.  If you think back to the beginning of  your relationship, there was more mystery.  You didn't know every little thing your partner was thinking or doing.... And the pursuit of knowing each other drove you to new points of desire and passion.  The conventional wisdom tells us that in relationships there should be no secrets, there should be nothing to hide — but if nothing is hidden, then what is there to seek? When you’re in a long-term relationship, you don’t need more information about your partner, you need less. So go ahead, unfriend your spouse, you just might gain a lover!

You can help people help themselves, but you alone cannot help them.  They will change when they want to.  Obviously your friend is not ready to change, and is choosing his addiction over you.  It hurts and it doesn't feel right but that is the reality of this disease.  An addict will hurt anyone to get what they want, and also use people.  I would be careful when trying to help him.  Let him know that you're there for him because you care for him obviously, but that's really all you can do.  When he wants your help, he will reach out to you.  But you need to make sure you're in a good place to actually be helping him.  It takes a very strong person to be able to help an addict.