The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that the term "lifestyle creep" is when incomes go up, people tend to make small, regular upgrades -- and items that were once luxuries become necessities. In a Globe special, Deidre Cross writes that lifestyle creep, or lifestyle inflation, can take many forms: a premium gym membership, expensive foods added to a shopping list or a nicer car. Hans Friedrich, a Sun Life Financial adviser, says lifestyle creep happens to the best of us. "People's income goes up, but they never really seem to get ahead of the game," he said. Mr. Friedrich said in his experience, people tend to not notice lifestyle creep has happened for five to 10 years, because that is when they usually realize they are not meeting financial goals and it can risk derailing long-term plans. Those experiencing lifestyle inflation also persistently feel broke, despite yearly wage bumps or bonuses. But if seemingly small purchases are adding up, you can reverse this by budgeting. The trick is to keep your savings on track and fulfill long-term goals. Mr. Friedrich suggests setting up a dedicated savings account used to save for specific future expenses that are not typically included in a monthly budget.