The first car you pay for yourself will feel faster than any car you’re handed.

Something you paid for yourself carries information a gift cannot. Every time you use it you are reminded of the hours it represents, and that changes how it feels to own, independent of what the thing actually is. Gifts are received and purchases are earned, and the two sit differently even when the object is identical.

Notice which of your possessions you value out of proportion to their price, and what those have in common. Then, when you get the choice, buy it yourself even if it takes longer and the version is worse. What comes with it tends to outlast the object.