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2011 Money Resolution: More Fun, Less Stuff

This year, make it your mission to get more happiness from your discretionary dollars. Here's how to do it (11 Photos)

Sara Eckel on Dec 26, 2010 at 4:36PM

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2011 Money Resolution: More Fun, Less Stuff

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Choose Experiences Over Things

You might think that a new couch or a pair of must-have boots will make you happy, but studies show that spending money on material things brings less pleasure than splurging on experiences, like vacations, concerts or restaurant meals. Ryan T. Howell, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at San Francisco State University, explains that experiences produce memories, which bring more long-term pleasure than objects. "Your shoes degrade," he says. "Your memories don't."