Let Luc Finance Celebrates Three Years
I recently attended a great presentation by Dr. Elizabeth Dunn over at HappyMoney about spending money in ways that maximize happiness. It consolidated several principles we’ve discussed on this blog into one concise list, and I thought happiness and money would be great topics to review as we celebrate three years of Let Luc Finance. That’s right! My blog turned 3 this month!
I want to share Dr. Dunn’s list, add some of my own commentary, and remind you of past posts I’ve written on these topics, which might be useful to revisit. (One note – If you’re struggling to make ends meet currently, spending money on material goods to satisfy your basic needs is more likely to maximize happiness, so focus on those things first!)
For those who have “extra” money and want to spend it in ways that will maximize happiness, this list should help. Let’s get into it!
5 Ways to Increase Happiness as You Spend Money Today
- Buy Experiences
- Happiness is maximized when experiences are memorable, unique, and social.
- When we do something twice, we enjoy it less the second time.
- Consider this: Pick One! Drinks, Dinner, An Excursion, or WiFi
- Make it a Treat
- Is there something you started buying for pleasure that you no longer really notice or relish?
- Cut that first, and then after some time make it an occasional treat again so you enjoy it more.
- Current boredom predicts how happy we will be in ten years, so spend money to change the routine and minimize boredom.
- Consider this: A Special Halloween Edition Post About Treats
- Or this: A Rare Luxury or a Baseline Expectation?
- Buy Time
- What is measured is valued.
- Consider your material affluence vs. your time affluence.
- Time affluence promotes happiness and health.
- If there is a task you dread, then spend money to minimize, eliminate, or outsource it.
- Read this: Each of your dollars is your own employee, and you get to control its job.
- Pay Now, Consume Later
- Recent expenditures can lead to increased pain sensitivity, including physical pain.
- Paying in advance helps us feel like it’s free later (all-inclusive resorts or MoviePass, for example).
- We also derive happiness as wait in anticipation for the upcoming vacation or event.
- Try this: We Buy Stories, Not Stuff
- Invest in Others
- Spending money on others helps us feel happier.
- We don’t have to be philanthropists either.
- Spending even $5 on someone (buying their coffee or Chick-fil-A or whatever), brings us happiness without almost any noticeable financial loss.
- Consider these: Gratitude and Charitable Giving
Let Luc Finance – By The Numbers
For those that like numbers, including myself, here are some you might find interesting, as I look back on the last three years of Let Luc Finance:
- 18 blog posts in 2015 (started October 2015)
- 56 blog posts in 2016
- 30 blog posts in 2017
- 15 blog posts in 2018 (so far)
- 119 total posts in 3 years
- I continue to respond to emails with questions and thoughts about personal finance. In fact, I’ve engaged in 311 email conversations with readers!
- I think it would be so cool if I could know how many dollars have been saved or used to pay off debt as a result (at least in part) of this blog, but I know it’s at least $100,000!
As always, you can find every post right here.
I hope you can spend money with happiness, save with happiness, and live with happiness, using money to enhance your life in line with your core values.
