Can money buy happiness? While it's a controversial question and the answer to it varies greatly depending on the individual answering, I personally believe that money is capable of contributing to your happiness if and only if you use it towards what genuinely make you the happiest.
More important than whether or not money contributes to our happiness is whether or not spending money on experiences trumps spending it on material items. We live in a day of instant gratification. For example, if we have an extra $300 lying around, initially one might feel more excited about a shopping spree rather than a plane ticket for a trip that's not happening for months. When that $300 is deducted from your bank account after buying a plane ticket, what do you have to show for it? Absolutely nothing for months until you actually go. Moreover, after purchasing $300 worth of material goods you have all of those things to show for it and hold onto. Your ego's wants are instantly satisfied because that's the impatient kind of world we live in today.
If we can forget about the need for instant gratification, then we'll open doors to plenty of enriching experiences to keep with us for a lifetime and in the end we'll be much happier than we rather would with a whole bunch "things." Research has been done and the scientific evidence has been made that experiences bring people more happiness than do possessions. But why? Possessions only last so long -- they deteriorate, break, get lost, go out of style, become unnecessary clutter or may no longer be wanted and needed. When someone has a wonderful experience sky diving or going on a vacation for example, their happiness begins from the moment they decide they want to physically do or go somewhere. The anticipation of booking an experience starts it all, then after booking it comes the excitement of waiting for such a cool experience. Next, time comes around for you to actually participate in your experience which is the peak of this happiness cycle. Finally, the memories of the adventure in which you just partook in will remain with you for the rest of your life and you'll always have that to joyfully look back on which in turn, will bring you happiness even far after that specific experience is done with.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, while money can be used to make you happy under certain circumstances, what happens if you don't have it? What happens if you have other things to pay for or don't make as much as you may need to in order to partake in these enlightening experiences?
Do not ever let money inhibit you from pursuing opportunities to make lifelong memories. Money is only paper and it comes and goes all the time. If you set a goal and are determined, then you're already half way there. There are countless options to turn to and everything will fall into place once the decision is fully made to do whatever it is you want to participate in. Pursuing opportunities is far more meaningful than saving your dollars -- money can always be replenished but experiences often cannot.
At the end of the day, you can't take your money to the grave with you. It won't matter what car you drove, what house you lived in, the things you had or honestly how much you even made so long as it adequately supported you and your lifestyle -- what matters is the quality of life you lived, what you chose to do with your years here and how happy you were. Use what you have as a resource to enrich your life as much as you can so you can have beautiful memories of phenomenal experiences to take with you.
