Why You Should Spend Your Money On Experiences, Not Things
Look. I know we don’t really know each other yet, and I’m not trying to overstep. But I get this feeling that you’re a little obsessed with stuff.
Well… guess what? I am, too! And you know what else? It’s nothing to be that ashamed of. In our fast-paced, ever-advancing, technology-trumped society, who can blame us if we’re kinda stuck in that “money buys happiness” mindset? Developments have become so second nature that it’s likely this very adaptation to technology that fuels our apparent need for more.
While “fine” and “dandy” are two words often used to describe it, (tech has certainly made many things faster and more convenient), something’s to be said about the simplicity that material goods just downright lack. Yet for some reason, despite evidence that things consistently let us down, we still think they’ll provide extreme happiness and allow amiable recollections of instant gratification to dictate our every purchase. You would think we’d have learned by now, but we’ve still got a way to go.
There’s hope, though! Sure, ads for the trendiest gadgets and gizmos are all over us like a cheap suit, but there’s one type of purchase that isn’t advertised nearly as much — one that’s even more valuable and will make us far happier: life experience. So next time you’re about to shell some out for those “must have” gold minimalist hoops or the sleekest flat-screen you ever did see, consider these four reasons why buying experiences is better than buying things.
We Adapt to Them Less Quickly
Stuff is great, but we get used to it too fast. Experiences stay with us. Yes, our new car is delicious with its delicious new car smell, but it’s only delicious for a few weeks before turning into just a big piece of metal that gets us from here to there. The memory of renting a tiny house with our closest friends will be with us for years, providing happiness much more long-term. We don’t get used to or bored with experiences because they’re unpredictable and become a part of us rather than a part of our garage.
We Anticipate and Remember Them More
Stuff’s fun for a bit, but the hype is quickly lost. With experiences, the excitement’s always there, not only while it’s happening, but before and after, as well. According to Drs. Thomas Gilovich and Leaf Van Boven (professors of psychology at Cornell University and University of Colorado Boulder, respectively) because we usually buy experiences that we identify with and that allow us to grow in some way, we often “mentally revisit” them more than things; we find pleasure simply in thinking about them. When it comes to material goods, we usually find pleasure only when using them.
They’re Different Every Time
Stuff stays the same. Those sunglasses you bought a month ago will look identical and act identically today as it did then — they’re not gonna suddenly spice things up next week. But having a weekly coffee date with a friend or taking a road trip with a group will 100% be more spontaneous and novel than a product that doesn’t change. Though you may have a general idea of how it’ll go, you don’t actually know what to expect.
We Can Share Them
I think we can mostly agree that we’re often better off with people than by ourselves (not to say that alone time is never appreciated). According to Dr. Daniel Gilbert (professor of psychology at Harvard University), because we’re so naturally social, our happiness tends to increase almost any time we act in a way that improves our connections with others. What’s great about experiences is that we can share them with people, something that plain old things don’t quite give us the opportunity to do. Spending money on living life with good company is one of the best purchases you can make.
It’s not that we shouldn’t buy ourselves nice things — we can and occasionally should. But we should accept each thing for what it is and nothing more; a new pair of trendy shoes will look cool on our feet while protecting them from the ground. That’s it. A new pair of high-tech headphones will let us listen to music with less background noise. That’s it. We frequently put too much faith in material goods — we expect them to be elixirs of life/love/joy and are then surprised when they don’t sustain our existence/find our soul mate/provide everlasting happiness. This causes us to start the cycle again as we try to satisfy such desires with more things.
But don’t fret. Next time you’re in a materialistic jam, simply ask yourself if the thing’s worthy buying. Try saving up for something that could make you significantly happier, cause who knows? The experience may actually end up being priceless.
