“You can’t buy happiness”: is it really so?

What you really can’t buy is “even more happiness”: research shows that after a certain amount ($55 a year according to some sources, $75 according to others), the correlation between income and feelings of well-being disappears. So what is the right way to “buy” happiness?

1. Spend money on experiences, not things.

Most likely, you have come across this advice more than once on the Internet, but, unlike the mass of information that comes across on the Web, there is real research behind it. So, out of 1000 Americans surveyed, 57% said that they were given much more pleasure and joy by purchases like traveling, going to a grand concert or other event than material purchases such as a gadget or even a car.

Perhaps the whole point is that we look forward to such events, and then remember with pleasure, while we simply use things.

2. Buy “little treats”

One of the main conclusions that happiness researchers have come to is that we quickly get used to what (and who) surrounds us all the time. This means that pretty soon a big purchase becomes something ordinary: the new expensive iPhone, the release of which we have been waiting for, after a couple of weeks, turns into an ordinary smartphone. Therefore, it is much more important to pamper yourself more often with inexpensive trifles, such as, for example, a new book or a cup of coffee.

3. Spend on others, not yourself

It is no secret that for most of us, connections with others are incredibly important and affect our mental well-being. Perhaps that is why when we do something for others, the reward center in our brain is activated and social bonds are strengthened.

4. Don’t spend money on insurance

You quickly get used to the good, but you also get used to the bad, which means, according to the authors of the study, you should not buy insurance. “Purchasing extended warranties and exploring the possibility of returning the purchased item in advance, it is as if people are planning for the future disappointment. It’s not entirely clear why this happens, but research suggests it makes us less happy.”

5. Pay for purchases immediately

The modern market with its tempting offers encourages us to buy something now and pay later. Hence all these installments, interest-free loans and, in general, “life on loan”. It’s quite easy to get used to this, and once you get used to it, you become unhappy: debts accumulate, it’s impossible to create an airbag …

The authors of the study strongly recommend to refrain from such behavior. They recommend saving up for a thing and only then buying it, along the way enjoying the anticipation of using it.

6. Think ahead about what it would be like to have the thing you dream about.

Often, dreaming about something, we forget about the details: what will the use of this thing entail? And happiness, according to scientists, is just in the details. So before making a big purchase, try to think about whether it promises a huge headache. Everyone makes such mistakes, even the “rich and famous”: for example, George Clooney was happy with the Tesla as a new toy, but soon sold it because it “constantly stuck on the side of the road.”

7. Stop making “comparison shopping”

When we endlessly compare one thing to another, we run the risk of ending up buying a more expensive thing than we planned (or one that has “bells and whistles” that we do not need).

8. Ask friends about their experiences

The best way to predict whether we will enjoy something is to ask friends who have something similar. In addition, by looking at your situation from the outside, they may be able to tell you whether you should shell out for this purchase or not.