No. 10 HAPPY MONEY

Don’t ask if money can buy happiness; of course it can. The better question is, Why are we always striving for more money, since earning north of $75,000 doesn’t accrue additional happiness? Part of it is about scorekeeping. We can be millionaires, but if the Joneses have more, we feel we need more too–a phenomenon that gets maximized in a reality-TV world.

Another reason for our 24/7 striving may be that we’re buying the wrong brand of happiness. “We are doing things with our money that make us happy in the moment, but that’s not always the best strategy for long-term well-being,” says Harvard Business School professor Michael Norton, who researches the psychology of happiness. Buying a new car, like eating french fries, can satisfy a craving. But spending on experiences like leisure and travel or on friends and loved ones offers longer-term bang for the buck. The reason? Such pursuits enhance the feelings of meaning and social connection that undergird happiness. Keep that in mind the next time MTV Cribs comes on.