Scientists identify the one purchase that genuinely boosts happiness
Researchers have found that happiness isn't boosted by buying material things, but by spending money to free up time from unwanted chores. What matters most is how that freed time is then used.
New possessions typically bring joy only briefly — a phenomenon sociologists call hedonic adaptation, where happiness levels return to their previous baseline fairly quickly after a significant positive or negative event. Several studies suggest that placing too much value on material goods can actually reduce life satisfaction — people who prioritize possessions over relationships or personal growth tend to report more anxiety, while so-called "retail therapy" is often linked to regret.
Buying time as the exception
However, researchers point to one type of purchase that genuinely appears to raise happiness levels: spending money to buy back time. This means paying others to handle unpleasant tasks, such as house cleaning, yard work, or grocery shopping.
A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people who spent modest amounts of money to save time reported greater happiness and overall life satisfaction than those who did not.
How the experiment worked
Participants were first given $40 to spend on material purchases. A few days later they received another $40, but this time the money had to be used to pay others for unwanted everyday chores, freeing up personal time. The results showed that spending on time-saving, rather than on goods, led to greater happiness and reduced stress.
Researchers stress one important caveat: simply gaining free time is not enough on its own. It matters just as much how that time is then spent — for instance, with family or friends, on a personal project, reading, or exercise — and that this plan is actually followed through. It is the deliberate use of the freed-up time, not merely its existence, that appears to be the key to greater life satisfaction, regardless of a person's income.
