How to Budget for Happiness
Money can't buy happiness--we've heard it a million times, but is it true? Not according to a recent article on themorningcall.com, which suggests that spending money can, in fact, make you happy--provided you know what to spend it on.
So, are we talking about a shiny, new sports car and a McMansion to rival all others? Not at all. Financial expert Gregory Karp says that buying happiness is about buying experiences--vacations, admission to concerts and other social activites --not stuff; and he backs his claim with numerous studies, which indicate that good life experiences contribute more to a person's happiness than the material things that he or she buys.
Does that mean we'll all find ourselves deliriously happy if we run out and book a pricey vacation? Not exactly. It means that we can decide what makes us happy, and direct our money towards those things; it means we can decide that certain things are worth spending our money on, and that others are not.
Do you have a place for happiness in your budget? If not, it may be time to rework your budget. Decide what you want out of life, and then draw up a plan to make it happen. Live frugally, and with intention.
What Makes You Happy?
Are there certain things that you love, and are willing to scrimp for? Can material things make us happy too? Do you consider whether something will make you happy before you buy it? Share your answer!
Nice to see that people are still reading the Morning Call. My first job, when I was seven years old, was “Assistant Paperboy,” delivering the Morning Call to my neighbors. I still think it’s a pretty good newspaper, for a rusted-out, seen-better-days sort of town like Allentown, PA.
I feel good when I have good information and I scrimp on some things to get books or CDs that have it, mostly the type of stuff that helps me to live better or do better as a person and that includes spiritual information from my church.
I know eating out is supposed to be the worst thing for a budget, but it really makes me happy. I don’t go to bars or drink much, I don’t buy a lot of clothes, I drive an older car that’s paid for, so I treat myself to dinner a couple of times a week. It really makes me happy – plus I don’t have to cook or clean up, which makes me even more happy!
On my deathbed I know I won’t regret that I didn’t keep up with the Jones’. The only regret I would have is if I didn’t allocate my resources to making memories with the people I love. That’s happiness.
I will save money on “instant” things, like eating out or trinkets. Instead, I like to buy quality things for my home, like good furniture and appliances that last, and beautiful decorations, like pictures, window and floor coverings, etc. These things make my living areas beautiful, and give me and my family pleasure every day for years.
I think happiness comes in bits and pieces and if you’re smart and fairly patient and can plan for the good times, you don’t need to spend much to achieve and savor a “high” once in awhile. You can feast like a king if you’re smart enough to fill your freezer and learn to cook, for instance. And be able to live in the moment and enjoy it for what it is, also. Life on this earth is such a short, temporary thing, and there’s great physical and mental suffering daily for so many, doesn’t hurt to be mindful of that. I’m glad I believe there’s a heaven to come. I can get great joy just sitting in my own rocking chair with a cup of coffee on my back patio on a summer night and thank God for so much.
Cindy M summed it up in a nuttshell. I’m with her, my simple pleasure is being home with my kids and making memories that last. I spend all my money on making my home a better place-a place where my kids will always want to be. That’s what makes me happy. Sitting on my porch on a summer night and thanking god I’m alive.