4 Reasons Experiences Are Worth Investing In

By now, the elation and anticipation of buying the latest Apple product has lost its lustre, and as the bills pile up, buyer’s remorse settles in.

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In reality though, this feeling only lasts until our next pay cheque, after which we slip straight back into our routine of looking to buy more stuff. This perpetual cycle of buying material possessions, according to Shaun Lamont, Managing Director of First Group, is unlikely to lead to long-term satisfaction. “Let’s be honest, how many of us have passionately pursued a material purchase – be it a gift for a child or an extravagant item for ourselves? It may have resulted in temporary excitement, joy even, but if you think about it, that feeling lasts no longer than a few days.” On the flip side, Shaun argues that experiences offer us so much more. Research supports this thinking and, in fact a 20-year study conducted by Cornell psychology professor, Thomas Gilovich, showed that experiences bring people more happiness than ‘things’. “The idea that experiential purchases are not only more satisfying, but longer-lasting than material purchases is a compelling one”, Shaun says. “Having been in the hotel and leisure industry for over