IMHO, I would say no. If you economize and pay for your own travel, it would not be worth it to obtain Gold status, only to see your status as worthless when sale and cheaper fares become available on other airlines. If you prefer a particular airline, then try to be loyal and if 'elite happens', so be it. If you can afford to pay 1st class for your leisure travel, of course you would have all the benefits of elite status so you would consider pursuit of it a trivial matter.