Reasons Why People Should Spend Money On Experiences

We live in a society that’s obsessed with consumption and we constantly seek out instant gratification. We seem to always want the latest product, even though we’re completely satisfied with what we already have. Houses, cars, latest gadgets and high-end fashion are all items that we’re pressured to buy. Advertisers are experts at convincing us that if we buy these items, our lives will be much better and more fulfilled.

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How did you feel when you bought that last pair of expensive trainers? That latest watch on your wrist? That new car in the driveway? You felt happy right? But how long did that happiness last and how happy did they actually make you feel? Now think back to that last holiday you took with your partner. That music festival you went to with your friends. Or the last big family birthday celebration. I bet those experiences made you happier and were more enjoyable than those item purchases?

As the saying goes; money can’t buy you happiness. That may be true to a certain extent but we think it depends on what you’re spending that money on. We hope you agree that we’ve already learnt one thing here, experiences make you happier. But what other reasons should convince us to spend our well-earned money on experiences?

Experiences Can Live On Forever

As a continuation from above, are you still thinking about that 40 inch TV you bought back in 2009? Do you still talk and laugh about it with your friends and family? Does it still make you happy today? We doubt it. While buying items like that may make you happy momentarily, that initial buyers high will not last.

Spotting caiman at Ibera Wetlands, Argentina.

Great experiences can live on forever. That long weekend away with your significant other. The year you went to Glastonbury festival. The fun club you joined. All those pleasant feelings are imprinted in your memory for you to remember at any time for the rest of your life. To make you smile on the way to work on a rainy day or laugh with those who you share that memory with. What item have you bought in the past that brings you that same sort of never ending happiness?

Experiences Are Meaningful to You and Help Define You as a Person

When you purchase the latest iPad or designer bag, what are those items saying about you as a person? Probably nothing. You’re just one of millions of people making that exact same purchase of something that you probably don’t really need.

Spending money on experiences can be more easily tailored to your passions, which define who you are as a person. These experiences are therefore more meaningful to you. Buying a season ticket to see your favourite football team shows that you’re a passionate and dedicated sporting fan. Purchasing a once in a lifetime skydive shows that you’re a thrill seeker and brave. Buying a round the world ticket shows that you’re adventurous and free spirited.

Don’t just follow the crowd by buying items that might not be important to you. Think about what your passions are and buy experiences closely related to those passions. Those experiences are what matter to you and will be far more fulfilling.

Experiences Can Be Life Changing

We wouldn’t be writing this blog post while being only 6 weeks away from another epic trip travelling the world if it wasn’t for previous travel experiences. Ten years ago, that purchase of flights to Australia and a working holiday visa changed our lives forever.

Horse riding in Tupiza, Bolivia.

Since that Australian experience, our lives have been immersed in travel ever since and we wouldn’t have it any other way. If we hadn’t taken that initial trip together we would have missed out on a further ten years of unforgettable travel experiences. Plus many more future years to come.

Who knows, a year from now we could be full-time travel bloggers, travelling the world and getting paid for it. It would be all down to that first year away in Australia when we caught a serious case of the travel bug. We don’t think buying a car of the same value would have had the same effect on our lives!

Experiences Teach You Life Lessons

Understanding, patience, acceptance, organisational skills…..the list goes on. These are all life lessons taught while travelling to new places. Travelling the world puts you into many situations and not always good ones. You have to learn to deal with various scenarios and outcomes. The world is a never ending classroom for you to develop yourself, for the better, as a person.

By the way, it doesn’t have to be travel experiences. For example, visiting museums and exhibitions to learn about historical events can be an eye opening experience. They could even give you a whole new perspective on your life. We’ll never forget the first time we visited the Holocaust exhibition at London’s Imperial War Museum.

Staying on a houseboat in the Keralan backwaters, India.

Experiences do not just equip you with facts and figures. They teach you how to be virtuous, compassionate and humble. These lessons may seem minor at first but the more experiences you take the more they start to shape and develop you as a person.

Not All Experiences Cost Money

The best thing about good experiences is it’s not always necessary to spend money. Sometimes it’s the free smaller experiences that can bring you just as much happiness and enjoyment. Take the kids to the park. Go for a walk and explore the city you live in. Go to a lake or another body of water and enjoy the nature around you. You never know who you might meet or what you might see that could bring enjoyment, positive memories or a new perspective.

We’ve always been a firm believer in spending our money on experiences. We may be poor in personal possessions when compared to many others but we’re rich in experiences that shape our lives and personalities. We’ll take our memories with us forever and will continue to reminisce, smile and laugh together. That’s all we can ask for.

Of course, we know certain items are essential. You need a car to get around, a mobile phone to stay in contact and a roof over your head. But next time you’re about to buy something that isn’t essential or important to you, stop. Think about spending that same well-earned money on an experience that may be much more worth investing in.

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