I mean both have their points, It is not a good thing to not focus on your future, like savings, investments, insurance, etc. but at the same time if you are not going to get enjoyment at all it seems that there is no point at all to work if your not happy at all, you do work hard every day not just to survive but as well to buy something that you wanted, and eat something that you wanted, not just eating enough food. It just going to defeat its purpose or probably gonna be some kind of slave of money. In my opinion, the main issue here is buying something that you can't really afford, for sure there will always be limitations with that, I mean you surely could buy sometimes things and eat food that you want, but not really to the point where it just takes a huge percentage of your money or savings. Just like you said he's probably buying a lot of things that make him happy because he has money in his bank which I think is okay since he did have savings so he could buy things that he wanted.
Still buying things that you couldn't afford is going to be different because you are on the road to being broke meaning you're not saving anything, investing anything something like that because all of it is just going through spending, which is surely going to be a bad decision in the long run. If you want to achieve financial freedom, having a solid financial foundation is just really important, like savings, investment, insurance, and emergency funds. etc. As well as having assets and passive income. I mean you could get to the point where you could build your wealth if you are starting to earn already, but if spending all of it and not saving anything you surely not going to save anything in the end in your future.
If you really want to be successful in life, you need a very strong mindset, discipline and endurance During the process. What you always think about is what you become. But still, you don't just think about it, but also act upon it. You need a very good knowledge of it. Some people just think and continue thinking until it becomes pressure to their heart and blood and cause some deadly sickness to them. Some even say it after thinking about it, but don't act upon it.
So many people wish to be rich but still they keep on getting poor because they are just wishing to become what they don't and not working for.