As I get older, I realize that this generation is obsessed with buying the latest gadgets. The newest iPhone may be great but we all know the excitement of buying that will fade within days and you’ll be sick of it and buy a new one when it gets released. So why do we spend all of our money on material things when they’re not going to last?

Spending money on experiences is so much better.

Trust me.

Instead of buying that phone or those clothes, spend your money on an experience. It can be anything: going out to dinner with friends you haven’t seen in a while, going to your favorite band’s concert, or booking a trip to somewhere you’ve wanted to go for forever. Even though those experiences aren’t going to last a lifetime, the memories will. You will be able to look back and remember what you were doing and how you felt.

Experiences help define your purpose and passions in life. Over the past five years, I’ve spent my money going to 15 different European countries. At the end of every day, I write down what we did so that even though I’ll remember the trip in general, I can also remember the specifics of every day. But because of these two things, I have discovered that I lovewriting and traveling. Both of them give me a sense of joy and I hope to get to continue doing it for the rest of my life.

Traveling helps you get new worldly perspectives. It doesn’t have to be traveling overseas, it could be just taking a hike in nature. It shows you the different ways to look at the world and how different people and things live.

Experiences teach you life lessons. Going to musical events teach you to be compassionate and accepting. Traveling teaches you patience, understanding and organizational skills. (I now know how to pack for 10 days without going overboard but still giving myself options, it’s great.)

And best of all, experiences make you happy. I can only remember one time that I was traveling where I wasn’t happy. We were lost in Berlin, Germany at 1:00 A.M. after all of the subways had shut down for the night. We all had to take different taxis back to the hotel. But now that I look back at it: that’s an adventure I’ll never forget and one I can never recreate.

So spend your money on experiences! Yes, you need clothes to wear, food to eat, and a place to live in. But do you really need to spend $190 on a pair of shoes that probably won’t last?

No.

I convinced one of my good friend’s to not buy a new car last year and go to Europe with me again instead. So now we get to go and experience Austria, Switzerland, and Germany in July and I could not be more excited. (PSA: She plans to get a new car soon anyway, I’m not that much of a jerk.)

But go live. Experience things that make you happy. You won’t regret it.