Money

Just received a notice from the county bar association that my membership dues need to be sent in.  A whooping $90.  I know $90 doesn't seem like much, but when I'm budgeting paycheck to paycheck, this wasn't something I planned for.  Plus PJ's 30th birthday is in a few weeks and I was thinking of having a party, but of course that equals $$$.  I really don't understand how some people do it.  Friends of ours have new cars, vacations, shopping all the time and they make about the same that we do.  It blows my mind.  Are they racking up credit card debt or are PJ and I just bad at budgeting?  Of course my 80K in undergrad and law school loans are really what kill me.  Worst decision ever.