On what do people spend money for enjoyment?

I am feeling that I don’t know how to enjoy my money. I spend money just like others: on brands, expensive bars, cafes, gadgets, and eating at different places. Those experience give me short lived satisfaction and happiness. It does not change me or give me something everlasting or long term. The only long term memories that I get from spending money are from travelling. But getting vacation between work is quite hard and far between. What are some of the things that people do to enjoy money that you earn in day to day life?

I can’t speak for others, but for me it’s not about a specific thing. I don’t collect things or go out to fancy dinners a lot. I’ve travelled a little and enjoyed it, but it’s not a particularly strong motivator in my life. Most of my hobbies are pretty inexpensive.

What money does for me is it gives me the flexibility to enjoy things or solutions that I want in the moment. In other words, it’s not on what I’m spending the money, it’s more a case of I don’t have a lack of money holding me back.

It’s less an issue now, but in my 20s I’d sometimes be hanging out with friends and maybe someone says they’re hungry. Then someone else suggests getting a pizza. Someone in the group would usually say their budget was tapped out and they couldn’t spring for an extra pizza. The same sequence might play out for going to an aquarium, playing mini golf, renting a car to take a trip, and so on.

The specific activity isn’t important. What is important for me is having a little extra spending money to have the flexibility to just do whatever might come up in the moment. Some might call that having options, others have suggested that’s a form of freedom.

Sometimes having money is a more practical thing than a pleasurable activity, but it can still feel good. For instance, once I was travelling with someone and we got hit by a snow storm. They were tapped out financially and figured we’d have to sleep in the car. I was able to rent us a motel room so we’d be warm and comfortable until the snow plows cleared the road.

That is what money does for me. It’s not watches, cars, or hobbies so much as a tool that I can use to make situations go a little bit more smoothly, make interactions go just a little bit better, and worry about small purchases less.