GO SHOPPING
They say money can’t buy happiness, but Elizabeth Dunn, UBC psychology professor and co-author of Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending, has other ideas. Q: How can spending money make you happier?
A: One way is to buy experiences. Indulging in a nice dinner out or a weekend away will provide more happiness than buying a high-definition TV or other shiny things. Another is to make things a treat…so don’t buy that expensive smoothie every day. Buying time can also buy you happiness. Another pair of heels isn’t going to change the way you spend your time, but paying a cleaning service so you don’t spend your Saturdays cleaning your house will. Another trick is to pay now, consume later. Pay for that vacation right away—you get the financial pain out of the way, and you get the pleasure of anticipation, a valuable source of happiness. Or you can invest in other people. If you have $5 in your pocket, use it to make somebody else’s day. You’ll give yourself an emotional boost as well. Every time you are buying something that’s intended to make you happy, stop and ask yourself, how will this purchase aect the way I spend my time? If it’s not going to make any dierence, just put your wallet away.—