Go Ahead, Live a Little!

I once had a frugal co-worker surprise the pants off of me when she announced she bought some concert tickets. The tickets were expensive – well, they were the normal price – but I had never seen her splurge like that before. She explained to me that she doesn’t like to spend money on material items, but has no problem with spending it on experiences – especially when shared with friends.

It made sense, and I liked the concept. New research from San Francisco State University backs it up. Researchers found that “buying life experiences” leads to greater happiness for the person and those around them.

"People still believe that more money will make them happy, even though 35 years of research has suggested the opposite," said Ryan Howell, assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University. "Maybe this belief has held because money is making some people happy some of the time, at least when they spend it on life experiences."

So go ahead, blow a little dough on something that will be memory-making, like a big-name concert or a weekend trip. Make room for these splurges in your budget, and you can enjoy them guilt-free. Local coupons, like those in the Entertainment Books for sale, can save you some money while you do it. Most coupons are buy one, get one free deals, so they make sense to use with a friend, and they include coupons and discounts for local attractions and entertainment.

Shared activities and experiences don’t always have to be expensive. Meeting for coffee can be a small indulgence that satisfies your need to connect more often.