Money can’t buy happiness. Yes, it’s one of the oldest and most enduring clichés. Yes, we all know what this means. It simply tells us that what we value most in life are things we can’t purchase from a store. After all, where can we get friendship, health, and happiness? These things come to our life when we take care of ourselves and the friends that we have. But people nowadays believe that, contrary to popular belief, money can get you happiness. You just have to know where to spend it. And the bright news in these gloomy economic times is that joy can be affordable on any budget.

It has now become apparent that we should nurture the things that we value. When we see the things that we love most last throughout the years, we know we’ve made the right choices. We also constantly have to work on improving the quality of our life. The point is to keep changing and growing. It’s not that what we have will perpetually grow old on us. We simply have to want more so that we feel more worthy. Life is all about exploring new territories and finding that we need to adjust to the changes that happen around. It’s not that retail therapy doesn’t help, but in order to get more bliss from our cash, we need to be more thoughtful about what we spend it on.

One of the best ways to invest in happiness is to shift our attention to doing rather than owning. Our fondest memories aren’t on things that we bought. Instead, it was on what we did. It was that trip we had with the family or the night out spent with friends. None of these involve shopping. It’s not only that those things are fine while doing them; it’s more because when it’s over, they morph into sweet memories that we will always cherish. We hang on to that view of the ocean and how fun it was spending the day laughing. Our minds wash away the painful past, and what remains are memories that grow even better and brighter. We get a fresh dose of joy every time we revisit that cozy corner in our minds.

The point is not to waste our money on constantly buying something that makes us momentarily happy. Material things quickly lose their luster. Of course, there are some experiences that require us to shell out cash. We can’t travel the world without first purchasing a plane ticket. If it’s our soul that’s urging us to dole out the cash, then we must go ahead and do so. While saving up, we must learn to appreciate the simple things in life. It’s those mini treats that make the wait more bearable. In these difficult times, we need to be wiser about how we spend. The experience will overshadow the cost of the items we bought. Moreover, we also need to learn the value of giving. By sharing our blessings with others, we enhance the relationships that we have. Sometimes, giving will give us a feeling that is like no other. After all, it’s these unique experiences that stick to our minds in the years to come.