Instead of saying "I can't afford this," ask a question: "what can I do instead?"

The statement is a dead end.
The question is an open door.

Instead of indulging in a vacation that would absolutely devastate your savings, how could you invest into skills and assets that will make you wealthy enough to travel on a whim later?

If something doesn't feel worth the cost, what about it do you actually want from it? Can you get that essential thing some other way?

Nobody likes hearing "no," but everyone appreciates a good "but"~