Travel experiences make life richer

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Here is the question: Should you spend your money on a luxurious weekend on the lake, diamond earrings or a new carpet? Pick the getaway weekend. It will provide the most pleasure in the long run, according to recent studies at the University of Colorado and Cornell University.
According to Allure magazine, the research involved more than 1,500 people between college age and 69. In one project, 97 people were asked to rate recent expenditures over $100. Half were told to choose a life experience and the other half were requested to focus on a material possession and rate them according to the happiness they brought. The experiences got higher ratings.
In another project, 57 percent of the subjects said that paying for an experience made them happier than buying an object. The conclusion, researchers told Allure, was that "rich experiences" help to "create a richer life."