Originally Posted by
Stung 
How the hell do you build self esteem?
Simple: by doing something esteemable.
If you are driving the Prius because it is affordable with no payments, then you have achieved a financial goal, even if it is not the car you ultimately want. If you want an SUV, that is fine, but it is not the vehicle that builds your self-esteem; it is the ability to
meet your goals while living
according to your principles (affordable).
The action to build self-esteem is to either save money or get a higher paying job (both goals in themselves) in order to afford an SUV according to your principles.