Money Does Buy Happiness (If You Spend It Right)

The best investment you can make isn't in stuff. It's in experiences.

There's a lie people tell themselves:

It's bullshit.

Money absolutely buys happiness. If you spend it right.

The problem isn't money. The problem is what most people spend it on.

They buy stuff. Cars. Houses. Gadgets. Clothes.

What Robert Kiyosaki called Doodads.

And none of it makes them happy. Not for long.

Because stuff depreciates. The new car becomes old. The house needs maintenance. The gadget becomes outdated.

You get a brief hit of dopamine when you buy it. Then it fades.

But experiences? Those appreciate.

They grow in value over time. They become stories. Memories. Part of who you are.

And they pay you back three times.

The Problem: You're Spending Money on the Wrong Things

Here's what most people do:

They work hard. Save money. And spend it on things that don't make them happy.

A bigger house. A nicer car. A new TV.

They think:

"Once I have this, I'll be happy."

But they're not.

Because the happiness from stuff is fleeting. It's shallow. It doesn't last.

Within weeks, the new thing becomes normal. You stop noticing it. You start wanting the next thing.

It's called the hedonic treadmill. And most people are stuck on it.

They keep buying stuff. Hoping the next purchase will finally make them happy.

It won't.

The Real Cost: You Miss What Actually Matters

Here's what happens when you spend your money on stuff instead of experiences:

You accumulate things that don't matter.

Years go by. Your house fills up with stuff. And none of it brings you joy.

You look back with regret.

You realize you spent decades working to buy things you didn't need. And you missed out on experiences you'll never get back.

You never expand your horizons.

You stay in the same place. See the same people. Live the same life.

And you never grow.

You die with a garage full of stuff and a life empty of stories.

That's the cost.

The Distinction: Stuff vs. Experiences

Here's the line most people never see:

Spending money on stuff vs. spending money on experiences.

Stuff means: Physical objects. Things you own. Things that sit in your house.

The new car. The bigger TV. The designer clothes.

Experiences mean: Travel. Adventures. Time with people you care about.

The trip to Europe. The concert. The weekend getaway.

One depreciates. The other appreciates.

One loses value over time. The other gains value.

One becomes clutter. The other becomes part of your identity.

Why Experiences Are Worth More

Here's what makes experiences different:

They pay you back three times.

When you buy stuff, you get one hit of happiness. The moment you buy it.

When you buy an experience, you get three hits:

1. Anticipation. Planning the trip. Looking forward to it. The excitement before it even happens.
2. The experience itself. Living it. Being there. The moments you'll never forget.
3. The memories. Looking back. Telling the stories. Reliving it for years.

That's three returns on one investment.

They connect you to people.

Stuff isolates you. You buy it. You own it. You keep it in your house.

Experiences connect you. You share them. You meet people. You build relationships.

They expand your perspective.

Stuff keeps you the same. You buy it. You use it. Nothing changes.

Experiences change you. You see new places. Meet new people. Learn new things.

You become more than you were.

They become part of your identity.

Nobody cares what car you drive. Nobody remembers your TV.

But they remember your stories. The trip you took. The adventure you had.

Experiences define you. Stuff doesn't.

The Trip That Changed Everything

Last year, I took an almost 4-week trip to hang out with friends in Sydney.

It wasn't the first big trip I've taken. And it won't be the last.

But every time I travel, I'm reminded: This is what money should be spent on.

Not stuff. Not bigger houses or nicer cars.

But experiences. Adventures. Moments that matter.

Because here's what I've learned from travel:

​It expands your horizons.​

Most people live within 100 miles of where they grew up. They see the same things. Meet the same people. Think the same thoughts.

Travel breaks that. It shows you how big the world is. How different people live. How much you don't know.

And it makes you better.

It reminds you that people are just people.

No matter where you go, people are fundamentally the same.

They want connection. They want to be seen. They want to live a good life.

Travel reminds you of that. It makes you feel more connected to the world.

It gives you stories.

​The best conversations I've had aren't about the stuff I own.

They're about the places I've been. The things I've seen. The people I've met.

​Those stories are priceless.​

It forces you to grow.

Travel is uncomfortable. You're in new places. Speaking different languages. Navigating unfamiliar systems.

And that discomfort makes you better. More adaptable. More confident.

You can't buy that with stuff.

The Waiter Who Got It

Recently, I was at my hole-in-the-wall diner. The one I go to on Friday mornings as a tribute to my blue-collar days.

I used to do that occasionally with coworkers. And I see the same thing now. Blue-collar guys having breakfast. Talking about work. Family. The work that the house needs.

For a few weeks, Sal, my usual waiter, wasn't there. Wendy was filling in for him.

Last week, I found out why.

Sal went on his own 19-day, 9-country European holiday!

He visited a lot of the places my wife and I have been. London. Rome. Venice. Switzerland. And parts in between.

The whole trip cost him $2,300. He did it with a group. Traveled by bus.

His face lit up as we talked about the shared locales. What we loved about those places. How much fun we had.

How much he loved visiting the island of Capri, off the west coast of Italy, and that he and his 40 bus-mates had a private boat excursion around the island.

How busy and fun it was.

Almost needing a vacation from the vacation.

But how worth it it was.

And how we both want to do those kinds of trips again.

The Value of $2,300

$2,300.

That's less than most people spend on a new TV. Or a couch. Or a weekend shopping spree.

And Sal got 19 days in 9 countries.

Airfare. Hotel. Transportation. Breakfast. All included.

He budgeted for lunch, dinner, entertainment, and shopping.

And he came back with stories. Memories. Experiences that will last the rest of his life.

That's the best $2,300 he'll ever spend.

Not on stuff. On experience.

Now, granted, my preferred method is cruise ships. I don't have to pack and unpack, board and un-board the bus.

When my wife and I travel, we split time traveling by train and hotel, staying in some towns for a few days to a week, then end with a cruise to get the best—and worst—of both worlds.

But the principle is the same.

Whether it's $2,300 on a bus tour or $15,000 on a cruise and train trip, the value isn't in the stuff you buy.

It's in the experiences you have.

The Three Returns on Investment

Here's why experiences are the best investment:

Return #1: Anticipation

The moment you book the trip, you start getting value.

You plan. You research. You look forward to it.

That anticipation is happiness. And it lasts for weeks or months before the trip even starts.

Often, we plan, and budget, for our trip a year in advance.

That's a lot of joyful anticipation!

When you buy stuff, you don't get that. You buy it. You use it. That's it.

Return #2: The Experience Itself

This is the obvious one.

You're there. You're living it. Seeing new places. Meeting new people. Having adventures.

The joy in the moment is real. And it's worth every dollar.

Return #3: The Memories

This is where experiences really compound.

Years later, you're still talking about the trip. Still looking at the photos. Still reliving the moments.

The value doesn't depreciate. It appreciates.

The trip becomes part of your identity. Part of your story.

And that lasts forever.

Soon after a few years of these trips, I started putting the images in my screensaver folder on my computer.

And I bought a digital picture frame, filling it with pics of the trips.

The Framework: How to Spend Money on Happiness

If you want money to actually buy happiness, here's the framework:

1. Prioritize Experiences Over Stuff

Before you buy something, ask: Will this bring me lasting happiness?

If it's stuff, the answer is probably no.

If it's an experience, the answer is probably yes.

2. Budget for Travel Every Year

Don't wait until you can "afford" it.

Make travel a priority. Budget for it. Plan for it.

Even if it's a small trip. Even if it's $2,300 like Sal's.

The ROI is worth it.

3. Don't Wait for "Someday"

Most people say: "I'll travel when I retire."

But life is short. You don't know how much time you have.

So don't wait.

If you died in a year, what would you regret?

Start there.

4. Turn Holidays Into Learning

Travel isn't just about relaxation. It's about growth.

Every trip is a chance to learn. About business. About people. About yourself.

​I turned a 23-day holiday into a business masterclass.​

You can do the same.

5. Share Experiences With People You Care About

Experiences alone are valuable.

But experiences shared are priceless.

Travel with your spouse. Your friends. Your family.

Those shared memories deepen relationships in ways stuff never will.

The only thing I regretted about my 26-day trip last year was that Amy chose to stay home to take care of Sanjay, who passed a few weeks ago and last year, we were starting to see the beginning of the end.

So while it was great hanging with my friends from Sydney and my other LoA friends, it wasn't the same without Amy.

6. Meet People Along the Way

One of the best parts of travel? The people you meet.

On the trip. At the hotel. On the tour.

People are just people, no matter where you go.

And meeting them reminds you how connected we all are.

7. Don't Let Cost Stop You

You don't need $10,000 for a trip.

Sal did 19 days in 9 countries for $2,300!

There are ways to travel on any budget.

Bus tours. Hostels. Off-season travel. Budget airlines.

The cost isn't the barrier.

Your mindset is.

The Conversations That Matter

Here's what I've noticed:

The best conversations I have aren't about stuff.

Nobody cares what car I drive. Nobody asks about my TV.

But when I talk about travel?

People light up.

Like Sal did when we talked about Rome. Venice. Switzerland.

We shared stories. We connected over the places we'd been. The people we'd met. The adventures we'd had.

That's what money should buy.

Not stuff.

But moments like that.

The Math of Taking 3-Week Holidays Every Year

People always ask: "How do you afford to take 3-week holidays every year?"

The answer is simple: We prioritize it.​

We don't buy a new car every few years. We don't upgrade our house. We don't accumulate stuff.

We save for experiences.

And the math works out.

A 3-week trip every year? That's doable if you cut the stuff you don't need.

The bigger house. The nicer car. The designer clothes.

None of that brings happiness.

But the trip does.

The Bottom Line

Money does buy happiness.

If you spend it on experiences, not stuff.

Stuff depreciates. It loses value. It becomes clutter.

Experiences appreciate. They grow in value. They become stories.

And they pay you back three times:

In anticipation. In the experience itself. In the memories.

So stop spending money on things that don't matter.

Stop accumulating stuff you don't need.

Start investing in experiences.

Travel. Meet people. See the world.

Because life is short.

And when you look back, you won't remember the stuff you owned.

You'll remember the places you went. The people you met. The adventures you had.

That's what money should buy.

That's what actually makes you happy.

So book the trip. Take the vacation. Spend the money.

Because the best investment you can make isn't in stuff.

It's in experiences.

Reply with this: One experience you've been putting off and one step you'll take this week to make it happen.

⚔ The Dojo Drill

Today’s training:

The Brotherhood Drill

Invite someone to:

• coffee
• training
• conversation

Strong men build strong circles.

📚 Leader’s Library

Book I recommend this week:

​The Obstacle Is the Way — Ryan Holiday​​

Why?

Because what separates leaders from losers is their willingness to move towards challenges and not away from them.

P.S. Know a martial arts gym owner who’s stressed about money or student numbers?

Do them a favor: send them to The Leader's dōjō 武士道場, my free Skool where I help owners get more students and keep them longer with simple systems.

One forward from you could change their gym: The Leader's dōjō 武士道場​

Chuck