Does money make you happy? Probably no. The researchers argue that income and levels of happiness are practically independent of each other. However, it has been found that there is a link between happiness and how a person spends money. If you know how to use finances correctly, you can make yourself happy. No matter how much money you have. We will provide 5 tips for those who want to stay happy regardless of their financial level.
Tip 1: Spend money not on things, but on impressions
How do you find stable happiness that doesn’t depreciate or have an expiration date? The best option would be a cool impression. For example, a safari vacation or a visit to a beautiful gambling resort in an exotic country. New wooden flooring for your apartment is nothing compared to the pleasant memories you will experience in the process and the future. Read Katmandu reviews to become more experienced in the gambling topic, or study the brochure given by the travel agent to choose a destination for safari.
According to a research paper published by scientists at Harvard University, one reason that puts experiences above other things is our ability to quickly get used to what we have. Having experienced an interesting emotion in the process of choosing special wooden floors, a person will quickly forget about the exclusiveness of the Brazilian cherry or other valuable material. In turn, the moment of meeting a wild animal on the morning African safari will not lose its value.
Tip 2: Buy products that bring you a new experience
Exceptions to the first tip are things that bring new impressions. Such purchases can be called experimental. Often they include electronics, musical instruments, sports equipment, as well as things that push us to be active in the fresh air. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology found that “experimental purchases” provide a person with impressions similar to a new life experience. For example, a smartphone helps to communicate with other people, but the self-improvement apps installed on it help to improve life in the long run. Even though the phone itself does not generate happiness, this is a tool through which we make ourselves happier.
Tip 3: Buy gifts for others
It may seem surprising, but people are happier when they spend money on others than when they spend it on themselves. Moreover, it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to feel better. Even in very poor countries like India or Uganda, Harvard researchers have found that people who think about giving things to others are happier than those who think about themselves. Even the willingness to spend a tiny amount to bring pleasure to a friend improves the mood of a person for the better.
Tip 4: Donate to charity
This tip is strongly related to the previous one — caring for others makes us happier. Charity is the transfer of your attention and opportunities to those who need them most. Elizabeth Dunn, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, said at a 2015 conference, “In both poor and rich countries, people who donate money to charity are happier.”
Tip 5: Treat yourself to small “goodies”
Of course, you can consider giving up your favourite Starbucks coffee drink as a way to save money, but these small pleasures make us happy: new soft socks, an album of our favourite band, a fresh pedicure, and so on. In this regard, the Harvard researchers repeat their thesis of rapid addiction: “Infrequent and large purchases always lose in terms of pleasure delivered by frequent and small ones, because we quickly get used to them.”
As an example, the researchers conducted an example of periodically skipping a beer at a bar and buying an expensive dining table. Each beer trip is a new tasting experience, as well as communication on various topics with different people. And the table is always the same. Quite often, new things do not bring joy after we have adapted to them. That is why small “weaknesses” are better than big ones.
In Conclusion
Extra expenses on work that takes up a lot of free time, such as hiring a repairman or cleaning lady, can be expensive. But, by spending part of the money on them, we can free up a few hours a day for ourselves, and then spend them for our own pleasure. This is proved by both professional research and simple everyday experience. The time that you do not need to spend on cleaning, repairs, car maintenance, etc., you can spend on reading a book, walking, leisure, and many other useful and enjoyable activities. So, use this chance to please yourself!
