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In a world that is constantly pressuring us to buy more stuff, it can be hard to keep sight of just how rewarding spending money on experiences can be. Once you learn why experiences can get you far more bang for your buck, you'll abandon your Amazon cart faster than you can say Alexa.
Experiences become part of our identities
Every one of us is a walking sum our life experiences. While part of your identity might be wrapped up in a big house or fancy car, it's not truly what makes you who you are. That's where your experiences come in.
Every trip you've been on, every new friend you've made and even the new foods you've tried add up to shape your perspective on the world. Next time your Target run gets out of hand, ask yourself what that cart of stuff will do for you as a human being before handing over your Red Card. Put it all back (yes, even the clearance stuff) and spend your money on concert tickets or a museum pass instead.
Experiences bring people together
Best when shared, experiences bring people together and strengthen bonds. Nothing strengthens a relationship like getting together with friends and loved ones to share a meal, a film, or even a trip. But that's not the only way experiences bring people together.
Have you ever met someone at a party, discovered that you have a lot in common and wound up talking to them all night? It's wonderful when that happens, but you know what else? Nobody ever bonds like that over stuff.
Experiences last longer than things
Material items have a shelf life. Eventually, that huge television or fancy piece of jewelry is going to become outdated or even such a part of your everyday life that you don't even notice it anymore. The excitement you felt when you first got it diminishes a little bit every day and soon, you need another new thing to fill the void. Experiences, on the other hand, are with you forever and live on as a part of you. They can be revisited with a single thought and enjoyed all over again. Best part? They don't take up any space at all.
Experiences don't clutter up your life
Anyone with a shopping habit knows how quickly life can become cluttered with too much stuff. That pair of shoes you just had to have or those soon-to-be obsolete gadgets become burdensome and lead to storage issues and even problems with your mental health (yikes!). You'll never have to clean, repair, or find a space to store an experience.
Experiences can shift your world view
One benefit of traveling is the opportunity to become a different version of yourself with each new adventure. There's a big world out there that's simply brimming with different cultures and new perspectives to explore. Even if you choose something simple like trying a new restaurant, that experience will become a part of who you are. No trip to the mall can ever do all of that for you.
