When it comes to the entertainment part of your budget (your budget does allow some fun money, right?) making your spending count is a big deal. If we feel deprived, it saps our willpower and can lead to self-sabotage and binge spending. Luckily, there are a few proven tricks to make your entertainment dollars work hard for you:

• Spend on experiences, not things. We get far more pleasure from doing something than from having something. Shiny new possessions become stressful clutter and junk, but memories just get better with age.
• Spend your money on something that’s at least a little bit in the future. The time spent browsing for vacation deals, researching things to see and day dreaming about a trip are all part of the value you get for your money. Plan ahead for pleasures to maximize your anticipation.
• Spend some of it on someone else. In studies, sharing money makes people happier than hoarding it all for themselves. So, treat a friend to dinner, or spend your next vacation fund on an eco-tour with a few volunteer days, or spend money on something else that makes someone happy.

No matter what your budget, make room to spend money in a way that makes you happy and satisfied. It’s one of the keys not just to financial stability but also to a happier life overall.