Merely hearing or saying the word “splurge” can make us think of excess, gluttony and recklessness. It carries, often, an implication or obligation of shame. Splurging in the financial sense can be harmful. But it can also be healthy, provided we plan proactively and understand the limits of our budget.
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In a piece for CNBC, Jessica Weiss, a happiness expert, discussed how money really can buy happiness. “The catch? You need to know what types of purchases actually trigger that lasting and sustainable kind of happiness,” Weiss wrote. Below are six things you shouldn’t feel guilty spending money on, according to Weiss.
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Live Music Events
Gen Z and millennials, which are largely driving this year’s spending on music festivals, should be glad to hear that attending live music events is worth the money. If you want to make the most of the splurge, sing along with the audience.
“When we sing together, our brains release oxytocin (the bonding hormone) and endorphins that create what sociologist Émile Durkheim called ‘collective effervescence’ – that buzzy feeling of connection that washes over a crowd,” Weiss wrote.
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Novel Experiences
Thinking of traveling somewhere you’ve never been or maybe taking a class to learn a new hobby or skill? Go for it (within reason). Novel experiences change our perception of time in a way that can be happiness-inducing. You don’t need to spend much to enjoy the perks.
“Even small novel experiences like checking out a new farmer’s market, calling a friend you haven’t spoken to in ages, painting your nails an unexpected color, can create what researchers call ‘time abundance,’ making life feel richer and more textured,” Weiss said.
Time-Saving Products and Services
Many of us overspend on conveniences, to the point where it hurts our financial health, but according to Weiss “buying time is akin to buying sanity.” If you can afford to splurge on outsourcing tasks by using tools or hiring people, you should go for it without an iota of guilt.
“When you outsource tasks you dread, you’re not being lazy – you’re being brilliant,” Weiss wrote. “Your future self, the one not frantically cleaning before guests arrive, will thank you.”
Relationship-Building Activities
Once you get past the honeymoon phase with your partner, the spark in the relationship may burn a little less brightly. Spending on bonding activities for the two of you can help bring you closer together. You should also put energy (and possibly money) into maintaining or strengthening relationships with family and friends.
“That dinner with friends or plane ticket to visit your sister? It’s not just a purchase,” Weiss wrote. “It’s a deposit into your emotional retirement account, paying dividends for decades.”
Generosity
Some financial experts, like Rachel Cruze and George Kamel, are such firm believers in giving to charitable causes on a regular basis that they recommend building it into your budget. You may want to take them up on this, if only for the selfish reason that generosity provides a happiness buzz.
“Scientists call it the ‘helper’s high,’ that warm rush when you cover a friend’s lunch or donate to causes you care about,” Weiss wrote. “Your brain literally rewards generosity more richly than self-indulgence.”
The Little Things That Brighten Your Day
It’s the little things that count, right? This thinking can apply to spending. Splurging on small delights here and there can brighten your day, and you shouldn’t hold back on tiny treats if your budget allows for them. In fact, indulging in this way may help prevent you from splurging on bigger, pricier things.
“Your brain’s pleasure systems prefer multiple small hits over one big one,” Weiss said. “That $4 specialty coffee twice weekly delivers more cumulative joy than one $400 splurge.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Splurges You’ll Never Regret, According to Happiness Expert Jessica Weiss
