What do you spend your money on that greatly increases your quality of life? Is it books, good coffee, Uber/Lyft, massages, gym memberships, vacations, etc?
Gym - what gym has the best equipment for me to get to my fitness goals
Bicycle - which bike is going to make my daily commute the most enjoyable? Weight, reliability etc.
Clothes - when I'm on my bike and it starts raining what rain jacket gives me the no movement resistance while keeping me dry?
Skills - what books, websites, subscriptions can I get to learn new skills the most efficient way
There's a bunch more. Each of these categories are a problem I have, an experience I want to maximise or a direction I want to take myself.
You'll notice that the people that have the best quality of life are the people who understand their needs. Money to them is just a tool to meet their needs.
I was recently wondering about the bike. I commute 15 km each way and have a cheapo bike. I could afford way better (say , a 5000€ one compared to the 300€ I currently own) but has always wondered about the actual improvement.
I tried a new bike a few times on my commute and yes, it may have been better but not that significantly. The 15 km are mostly flat, save for a step part of a few hundred meters, and 1/3 of the path is in a forest (the other is on well separated bike paths).
I was wondering if a super bike is actually and objectively worth the investment (I know that some peine just live nice bikes and that's great, I am more thinking about the case of someone who sees them as a pure commodity)
Experiences. Whether it's travel, an event, spending time with friends, etc.
I also think spending money to live in a comfortable apartment or home close to work is extremely important. I used to commute from SF to SV one hour each way. Now I live 10 min from work and my quality of life has significantly improved.
I have a few things that I have luxury versions of, so they are not just things, but also become a bit of a hobby, which makes them more fun to use, and the thing is that I use them daily:
Trips to the coffee shop with the wife for 'work dates.' Winter accouterments (good parka, gloves, hat, snow tires). My accountant, and any way I can trade money for time.
For me I would say travel increases my quality of life above all else. Being able to go somewhere even for a weekend and being able to clear my mind and relax is one of my greatest investments. Other than that saving up for quality products (computer, monitor, bed, etc.) greatly benefits my quality of life since I don't have to replace things as often, still using a keyboard I bought 10+ years ago.
I've noticed that I'm the happiest when I have a sense of being intensely alive. Therefore investing in experiences has a compounding effect where you gain triple-pack utility from the experience itself, the memories it grants you, and the satisfaction of having the personal impression of a life being well lived.
Regarding material possessions, simply follow the rule of use. The more you use an item, the higher its quality should be. Computers and its peripherals, bed and bedding, shoes, glasses, audio equipment, e-reader...
Food, sex, alcohol, etc... all that stuff can be the greatest high for a very short amount of time, and then I tend to experience some sort of depression after. Overall, with those things the net balance is pretty even and it's not worth the headache. Though fighting those impulses is not easy.
The things that last beyond the moment take both money and effort, usually. Creative projects, improving relationships, education.
Sometimes there's a bit of crossover. I'm planning to do a creative film+vr project so I am investing in some gear and new toys... within that I'm playing some stuff and having a bit of fun though I know it will pale in comparison to the happiness that comes from creating something.
I agree with some of the other answers here vis-a-vis tools and utilities (headphones, grill, etc.)... not for exactly the same reason, e.g. a grill might just be for cooking food (let's ignore the community-party aspect of it), but those things keep bringing back returns so it's like an investment in many short-lived moments which is worthwhile too.
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[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 124 ms ] threadSometimes my life is just a cycle of those 3 things :)
Bicycle - which bike is going to make my daily commute the most enjoyable? Weight, reliability etc.
Clothes - when I'm on my bike and it starts raining what rain jacket gives me the no movement resistance while keeping me dry?
Skills - what books, websites, subscriptions can I get to learn new skills the most efficient way
There's a bunch more. Each of these categories are a problem I have, an experience I want to maximise or a direction I want to take myself.
You'll notice that the people that have the best quality of life are the people who understand their needs. Money to them is just a tool to meet their needs.
I tried a new bike a few times on my commute and yes, it may have been better but not that significantly. The 15 km are mostly flat, save for a step part of a few hundred meters, and 1/3 of the path is in a forest (the other is on well separated bike paths).
I was wondering if a super bike is actually and objectively worth the investment (I know that some peine just live nice bikes and that's great, I am more thinking about the case of someone who sees them as a pure commodity)
I'm happy to save on accommodation and food costs if it means more money to spend on experiences and time with people where I'm traveling.
I also think spending money to live in a comfortable apartment or home close to work is extremely important. I used to commute from SF to SV one hour each way. Now I live 10 min from work and my quality of life has significantly improved.
- A good manual coffee machine.
- A kokomo barbecue.
- A decent German car for commuting.
First: shoes, jacket, headphones.
Then: bed, computer, stereo.
Then: floor, kitchen, bathroom.
Then: tools, truck, yard, garden, grill.
Last: a good view and plenty of time to enjoy it.
Always remember above all else good health and good friends are worth pursuing.
cheap things:
- a comfortable bed and a high quality bedding,
- a computer screen, mouse and keyboard,
- regular cleaning service in my home,
- books
expensive, but greatly improving my life quality:
- skiing,
- my family,
- a comfortable and well designed house.
- Meditation training
- Books
- Head phones
Regarding material possessions, simply follow the rule of use. The more you use an item, the higher its quality should be. Computers and its peripherals, bed and bedding, shoes, glasses, audio equipment, e-reader...
Food, sex, alcohol, etc... all that stuff can be the greatest high for a very short amount of time, and then I tend to experience some sort of depression after. Overall, with those things the net balance is pretty even and it's not worth the headache. Though fighting those impulses is not easy.
The things that last beyond the moment take both money and effort, usually. Creative projects, improving relationships, education.
Sometimes there's a bit of crossover. I'm planning to do a creative film+vr project so I am investing in some gear and new toys... within that I'm playing some stuff and having a bit of fun though I know it will pale in comparison to the happiness that comes from creating something.
I agree with some of the other answers here vis-a-vis tools and utilities (headphones, grill, etc.)... not for exactly the same reason, e.g. a grill might just be for cooking food (let's ignore the community-party aspect of it), but those things keep bringing back returns so it's like an investment in many short-lived moments which is worthwhile too.