I play the lottery sometimes.  Like most people who play, I imagine what it would be like to win millions of dollars. So far, I haven’t had to make any decisions about how to use all that money.

For some people, they’ve been “lucky” enough to have to make that decision.  However, according to this article from CNN it hasn’t always been a lucky thing for some of those folks:

Winning the lottery: Does it guarantee happiness?

One of the things I found interesting in that article is the idea that spending money on experiences brings more happiness than buying material things.

From my experience, that is true.  Not that I’ve had millions to spend on experiences, but I’ve gained much more long-term happiness from the things I’ve done, than the things I’ve bought.

For example, I can think back to a Disney World vacation I took with some of my family in 2008.  Thinking about the fun we had together still brings a smile to my face.  If you ask me about something I bought in 2008 that brought me happiness, I wouldn’t be able to think of a thing.

Whether you win a pile of money or not, before you buy something, think about whether it truly will make you happy.  If it’s only momentary happiness it might be a good idea to use that money toward something that will bring you happiness over a long time.

To your happiness!