Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. It’s a time to celebrate the one you love, which often costs a fair amount of money. Not only that, but studies show that even thinking about money can lead to less enjoyment of an activity.
So, how can you get the most out of every dollar you spend, so that Valentine’s Day, and every other day, can be entirely focused on the relationships that are important to you?
Here are a three suggestions that are scientifically proven to increase your enjoyment, without spending a dime more. The third one will rock your world.
Photo by Andressa Lyrio do Couto on Unsplash
Buy Experiences
When we think of Valentine’s Day, we often think of giving or receiving chocolates, flowers, or maybe some nice jewelry or accessories. Now, those are definitely very sweet gifts. But what would you think if I told you there was a way to make each dollar you spent much more enjoyable?
Studies have shown that people get more pleasure out of experiences rather than just gifts. This makes sense, if we stop to think about it.
Think back to Christmas morning. How quickly were presents unwrapped, and then maybe even forgotten? Looking back, the best part of the holiday season wasn’t the opening of presents, but the other traditions where we got to spend time with family and loved ones. The stories we tell are rarely of the gifts we receive, but of the experiences we share.
Pay Beforehand
No one likes paying for things. Studies show that the actual act of paying for something lights up the same parts of our brains as physical pain. With that in mind, paying beforehand becomes an important step so you can truly enjoy a special date night.
Credit cards, in this case, don’t count as paying ahead. Why? Because a month or two later, you see the expense pop up in your statement, and you experience the pain of paying from your bank account. When that happens, it can potentially sully the nice memories you made.
When planning your Valentine’s Day, then, paying ahead of time, and even avoiding the use of credit cards, can actually increase your sense of enjoyment.
Build Anticipation
Christmas continues to offer some great lessons. Receiving a present is fun. But so is opening a wrapped present. And even more so is the anticipation from seeing the present underneath the tree all December.
The time when we know we’ll receive something, but we don’t know what, gives us time to imagine the possibilities of what we could receive.
When you read up above that the third tip would rock your world, didn’t that make you feel excited to see what it could possibly be? See, creating a bit of anticipation can be incredibly simple.
So instead of just giving a gift, this Valentine’s Day try building some anticipation for the moment as well. You could try wrapping your present and having it on display throughout the day before opening it. Or you could purchase tickets to a show, or a fancy dinner, and then spend all week deciding what you’re each the most excited about.
Enjoy the day!
These tips will help you get the most enjoyment out of every dollar you spend, creating memorable moments that will bring you and your loved ones closer than ever.
Finances can create stress in a relationship. If you think that worrying about money has created some problems, we’re here to help with that, too. Sign up for a free Bronze Account and we can help you get on the right path towards financial peace of mind.