You Feel More Happiness from Your Experiences than from Your Material Possessions -- It's Science!

Based on research from the University of Texas at Austin, people are happier when they spend money on experiences versus material possessions.

The university conducted two separate studies -- the first included over 2,000 adults split into groups of experiential consumers and material consumers. The results of this study concluded that the adults who purchased experiences (including sporting events) demonstrated higher levels of happiness than those who purchased material items (including jewelry and clothing).

The second study included over 5,000 adults who were first asked to rate their happiness and then subsequently asked if they had made a material or experiential purchase in the last hour. The result? The same as the first study! Those participants who made an experiential purchased had rated their happiness levels higher.

Researchers concluded that, "a possible explanation is the endurance of experiences in people’s memories, while the perceived value of material goods weakens over time."

FIREWORKS AT FOO FIGHTERS' EVERYTHING OR NOTHING AT ALL -- CITI FIELD, 7/19/24