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Buy Experiences, Not Things!!!

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“Buy experiences, not things.  Spending on experiences makes people happier than spending on things.  Things get broken and go out of style.  Experiences get better every time you talk about them.”  — Jean Chatzky

This is such a great quote and has completely changed the way I think about spending money.  I use to ache, and I mean ache, to buy the next best thing to come out on the market.  My current laptop was never good enough if there was a newer model out there.  I would keep my current phone for about 18 months because I disciplined myself to skip one phone upgrade, but I won’t skip two.  Material things were what I thought would make me happy.  I guess I have that “have to have it” gene and, for a while, it was running rampant.

It Only Feels New For A Couple Weeks

This is very, very true for most things.  We tend to want to buy material things because of the excitement and thought of having something new.  What we don’t seem to realize is that the new feeling wears off and it is not so new any more.  If you are lucky, the new feeling will stay with you for a couple weeks.

Think of it this way…have you ever been itching to buy a new car?  The excitement of that new model in the color you want?  Well, maybe it will feel new for a couple weeks, maybe even a month, but then that fades.  But guess what doesn’t fade…the monthly car payments.  They tend to stick with some people for 5 – 7 years.  Now, I am not saying to not buy a car if you don’t absolutely need one, but do you absolutely need a new one?

Spend Your Money On Experiences

Instead of thinking of the new gadget or material thing you could buy, why not take the money instead, and spend it on experiences?  A lunch with a friend could prove invaluable.  A weekend vacation with one you love could save a relationship and make a bond even stronger.  A family vacation can strengthen a family unit.  When you spend money on experiences, you are buying memories and those memories typically stay with you a lot longer than any material gift you buy.

“Experiences get better every time you talk about them.”

Have you ever gone on a trip with friends and created some awesome memories?  You know those kind of memories that, every time you talk about them, they get better and better.  I know many times where I have been with friends, reminiscing over past experiences, and ended up in tears due to so much laughter.  That is what buying experiences will give you…invaluable memories.  Imagine taking a loved one on a weekend get-away that only you two share.  It will touch their heart more than buying them a new watch or necklace.  Don’t get me wrong, a new watch or necklace is nice too, but experiences build bonds.

Final Thoughts

I am sold on experiences being more important than material things.  Experiences create a bond between people…something that they equally shared.  This will strengthen friendships and relationships with loved ones.  Even if you buy yourself the experience of going bowling over a new hat, the bowling will most likely be more memorable.  I agree with Jean Chatzky…spend your money on experiences and get more out of life that material things that get old and fade away.  Build memories that get stronger, along with your relationships, as the years pass!!!

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