Advice: Saving but Indulging

It is my first year as a college graduate, my "freshman year in the real world" as I like to say. In May 2014, I left behind the comfy, predictable, familiar world of academia and joined the working class (not that I hadn't worked before, but part-time jobs are very different from full-time jobs). The time leading up to graduation was terrifying because I knew how hard it was to find a job for people my age with only a Bachelor's degree. Finding a job with this qualification has been likened to how it used to be to find a job with just a high school diploma. I didn't want my four years of additional education to result in me just working as a waitress somewhere, a fate I had seen fall on several of my older friends. Therefore, I considered myself lucky, especially considering I received a liberal arts degree, to be given a job offer a few days before I even graduated. The job had nothing to do with my major and was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but it was a job. It didn't pay great but it paid well enough for me to live within my means. So, I took the job, knowing that it would be a way to make money to pay my bills.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the job. Sure, it wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but it was a decent first job after college. I knew I wouldn't work the job forever. Just over two months into having the job, I got lucky yet again and was contacted with a job offer. This offer was in an industry I was very passionate about and a position with tasks and responsibilities that fit my interests and skills. I was very excited by the offer. However, this wonderful offer had one catch: it paid less than my current job. I've always said I would prefer a job I really loved rather than a job that paid me a lot of money. But the job I already had was paying me just enough to make it through every month, and this new potential job would pay even less. After a lot of considering and getting advice from people I love and trust, I took the job. The position would probably only last a year anyways, so I decided I would just be even more frugal and cut back for that year. I wanted to stay true to my belief that a job I really loved was more important than how much money I made.
I've been with this other job now for seven months. I won't lie; these seven months have been difficult. The last week or two before payday every month are normally filled with worry that I'll overdraft. I basically live off sandwiches for lunch and pasta for dinner because it is a cheap option. While money is definitely a continuous concern, I can't say I am unhappy or not enjoying my life. This is partially because I really love my job, but it is also partially because of the advice I received when I first took the job and the pay decrease. The person who had the job previously told me, "This year is going to be tough, but don't not do anything just to save money. I did that and was miserable. Don't be afraid to have some fun sometimes, even if it might cost a little money."
This is some of the best advice I've ever been given. These past seven months have definitely been difficult, but I indulge sometimes and it has made all the difference. I go out to dinner with friends when invited, but I always ask that we go somewhere affordable. I've gone to see a film if it is one I've really wanted to see. I've saved up for a few concerts and big events so I don't have to miss out on them. I don't always get to do what I would and I spend a lot of weekends at home alone, but I do enough of what I want to do that I am still enjoying my self-coined "poor year." The following year(s) might be poor too, but I know I can get through it because I have so far this year.
So, here is my advice for other people maybe in my situation: Even if money is tight, don't be afraid to indulge as long as you are still living within your means. You might not be able to save as much as you would like, but you will be happier and make memories that will allow you to look back on the year fondly. You can still have fun, be social and spend money sometimes, even with a small income. Speaking from experience, it really does make a difference.