Money really can buy happiness.  Okay, so there’s no store where you can purchase happiness directly (it’s a little tough to find retailers that deal with intangibles these days), but what you purchase can have a direct and measurable effect on your happiness level.

Spend Money on Others

It’s been found that when people spend money on others, they report feeling happier than if they had bought something for themselves.  For some people, the initial parting with their money might feel questionable or make them feel slightly bad depending on the amount being spent.  But it’s really the result of spending that money that creates happiness in the spender.  Donate to your favorite charity and you’ll be able to see people in need finally receive valuable help.  Buy a gift for a friend or family member, and you’ll see their face light up, which is more rewarding than buying something for yourself only to experience buyer’s remorse.

Buy an Experience

People who spend money on an experience also report feeling happier than if they had bought material things.  Even the souvenirs purchased during a trip don’t seem to bring as much happiness as the memories attached to it.  You can relive memories again and again and experience the same emotions without getting tired of it, whereas the initial thrill of a material possession will eventually die out, and you’ll get bored with it.  And it doesn’t have to be a big vacation that brings happiness.  A small gesture like going out to dinner with a friend on a stressful night, when you really just need to vent, can bring more happiness than if that same friend had bought you a silly card to cheer you up.

Invest Internally

If you do spend money directly on yourself in an attempt for happiness, you’ll get greater results if you spend it on something that will benefit you for an extended period of time.  For example, if you invest in exercise and eating healthy, you’ll feel better physically which will result in feeling better emotionally.  Never underestimate the positive effects of treating yourself well.  If you eat a lot of junk or not-so-healthy food on a regular basis, try eating well for one week and you’ll notice how much better you feel on the average.  And there’s nothing that compares to the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing a workout!

Money will not buy you happiness, though, if you’re constantly on a shopping spree or spending your life in search of more money.  If you do increase your income, your money will probably just find another place to disappear to and you’ll be back in the same spot, feeling miserable and setting a new monetary goal.  Try not to think about the money itself.  Instead, consider the experience you’re looking for and the results that it will produce for you or someone else.  Then put the necessary money toward it, and feel the happiness roll in.