A new psychology study suggests that buying life experiences rather than material possessions leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them. The study was presented last week by San Francisco State University.

The study demonstrates that experiential purchases, such as a meal out or theater tickets, result in increased well-being because they satisfy higher order needs, specifically the need for social connectedness and vitality – a feeling of being alive. These findings support an extension of basic need theory, where purchases that increase psychological need satisfaction will produce the greatest well-being. People still believe that more money will make them happy, even though 35 years of research has suggested the opposite. Maybe this belief has held because money is making some people happy some of the time, at least when they spend it on life experiences.

I discovered this only about 6 months ago – I used to buy a lot of stuff but after recent possession detox I realised I can live as happily (if not more) without it. Sure, I still treat myself from time to time but it’s far from compulsive

To honour findings of the reseach I’m going to find some cheap flights – anywhere…