Money CAN buy happiness?!

This is a great story and I love happy news stories. And funny that's it's still on the topic of consumerism - seems to be a theme for me recently posts-wise, yet I'm really not much of a shopper myself. But anyways, did you hear the story in the news yesterday about how shopping and spending money can actually make one happy? This definitely ties in to the theory in "Story of Stuff" (see below post) about how we're so driven to get more stuff, however, this has a bit of a twist.

According to research done at the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School, money can buy happiness, but, only if you spend it on someone else. It seems our society is always trying to keep up with the Jones' but that of course means spending money on oneself to have the nicest house with the white picket fence or the fastest car, a new boat and whatever else you might want. We seem to think that the more we have the happier we'll be. I have to admit I'd be pretty happy to have any, or all of those things. But in this case, the money spent needs to be spent on others and then you'll be happier than if you bought something for yourself. Isn't this great? I just love this story and it just goes to show that the lesson we learned in kindergarten is true: giving is better than receiving. And if you happen to be a fan of shopping, well, who can complain if you're buying something for someone else because really everyone wins!

Ok, now I'm off to pick up some Easter treats, and no, they're not for myself! :)

Happy Easter!