Buy Experiences, Not Things

People who spend more money on experiences report higher satisfaction with their lives. Experiences provide more satisfaction than physical goods because experiences create a connection with others. Experiences also make us happier because they create memories.

You’re likely to enjoy your experiences more if:

• The experience brings your closer with others.

• The experience creates stories you’ll want to share again and again.

• The experience is aligned with who you are and who you want to be.

• The experience is a unique opportunity not easily available.

Satisfaction with experiences tends to increase over time, while satisfaction with things tends to decrease over time.

References

Dunn, Elizabeth & Norton, Michael (2014) Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending