Name: Stop Buying Things & Start Doing Things (Experiences Are More Valuable)
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Stop Buying Things & Start Doing Things (Experiences Are More Valuable)

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Sharing is caring!This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!It’s a pretty simple message: “Stop buying things and start doing things.”Our culture centers around consumption.&nbsp;We buy certain brands or certain types of items for the status and recognition that we think it construes.We buy bigger houses, only to fill them with more things.&nbsp;Even our standard of living tends to be conflated with the GDP measurement of the country.“We no longer live life, we consume it.” — Your Money or Your Life.But study after study over the past few decades has found that the purchase of these material goods isn’t what makes us happy, it’s the experiences we have that make us happy.“This might seem counter-intuitive. After all, when faced with a trade-off between doing and buying, many people opt for the material good because ‘it will still be there’ long after the experience would have been enjoyed. In one sense that’s correct: The material good lasts while the experience is fleeting. But psychologically it’s the reverse. We quickly adapt to the material good, but the experience endures in the memories we cherish, the stories we tell, and the very sense of who we are.” — Time Magazine.“One reason that paying for experiences gives us longer-lasting happiness is that we can reminisce about them, researchers say. That’s true for even the most middling of experiences. That trip to Rome during which you waited in endless lines, broke your camera and argued with your spouse will typically be airbrushed with “rosy recollection”. — New York TimesBuying things will not make you happy.Of course, we need some amount of money and things to meet our most basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, etc. But beyond that, the way we spend our money would be better spent on cultivating the types of experiences we love rather than just buying things to fill our homes.Those of you who love to travel or explore the outdoors&nbsp;are probably nodding your heads in agreement. The actual act of doing the things we love is so much more fun than buying the things that allow us to do it, and thankfully the things we buy are meant to get us out there doing.Backpacks to carry our gear, tents to sleep in, mountain bikes to go riding.These are all worthwhile things to spend money on, so long as you’re out there actually using them.But let’s face it, the gear for many different hobbies can be very expensive indeed.If you’re out there and using them and having fun, that’s all that really matters. Thankfully, the relative cost of an item goes down with time, as well: a $300 tent used once might as well be a stay in a luxury hotel, but a $300 tent used hundreds of times over a few years is a much cheaper proposition–not to mention all the memories it provides along the way.In some hobbies though, it seems like the gear and accessorizing can supersede the actual activity itself, a sort of consolation prize for not doing the activity. I’ve seen this in ultralight backpacking where people get wrapped up in the latest and greatest gear, the online forums, and cutting their base weight ounce by ounce, but some rarely get out and actually go backpacking.I’ve seen this in places like the Overland Expo where people plan for years and years buying every trick, gadget, and accessory for their truck for every contingency, but never actually can break away to go on that dream trip and drive the Pan-American Highway.It is easy to convince yourself you need to go buy something else, something newer, something better, just one more accessory, just one more thing in your pack to make your trip easier, more successful, more something. But every time that thought pops into your head, take more than just a few days to really analyze whether that is true.Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.Be sure to remember that every dollar you spend on gear and gadgets is one less dollar you can spend on getting out on your adventures, making that dream trip come true, and having those experiences that will be cherished for the rest of your life. Also, remember that we actually buy things with time NOT money.I do know that it is far easier to find things to buy and add than find things to eliminate or to get rid of everything.Every long term traveler, whether they are backpacking around the world, thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, or overlanding across South America, has that story of all the stuff they brought but didn’t need or use.“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”&nbsp;— Antoine de Saint-ExuperySometimes it is best to just put the endless preparation and purchases behind you and start getting out there and creating memories. That is the secret to living a remarkable life and having a story worth telling.What do you think? Do you feel that consumer culture has consumed your hobbies? How have your own purchases either enhanced or detracted from your experiences? How do you balance the purchasing of things, with getting out there and doing things?Click to Tweet“Stop Buying Things &amp; Start Doing Things”Share on FacebookPin on PinterestDownsizing and Minimalism for Long Term TravelDo You Have a Trust Fund? Thoughts on Financing Long Term TravelatRyan is an author, adventurer, perpetual wanderer, and self-proclaimed dirtbag (but that might not mean what you think). Originally from Seattle, he headed to Washington D.C. where he spent five years working for Congress before heeding the call of the wild. He set out truck camping to road trip across the American West, and then across all of Central America and South America. When he isn't on the move, you can find him living as an expat in Colombia. He is also the author of the best selling book: Big Travel, Small Budget that will help you travel more for less. Follow the adventures on social media or read more.Sharing is caring!That’s really a great advice! We are always fascinated by the materialistic world rather than enjoying what we have already. I don’t want to become a victim of this so I am changing my thoughts too.ReplyI love this post! Its crazy how travel and roadtrips change your life. I only wish I learned this mentality earlier. Great site! experiences &gt; thingsReplyHey Ryan! Just discovered this site and its very exciting! My husband and I should be leaving on my first big road trip this coming summer!We recenly went on our first multi-day backpacking trip and we made do with a lot of cheap stuff. I could see other hikers we met looking at our gear with more than a little derision and superiority. A $30 Canadian tire tent, dollar store head-lamps, my dad’s old pack, homemade dehydrator food and *gasp* cotton clothing. The only thing we bothered spending a lot on were new lightweight hikers and socks. I do now understand why people get the nice gear, it certainly adds to your comfort, but it was the experience and the amazing views that stay with me, not the fact that my clothes smelled. It was actually amazing how many day-hikers or one-nighters that had all this expensive gear who were i awe of our journey!ReplyRyan, you make some great points here. While I’ve kept my gear fetish mostly under control, a few years back I fell into the habit of accumulating technical outdoor clothing. Being a dirtbag myself, I would NEVER pay retail for this stuff but was always sniffing out deals – I’d buy at the end of season, outlet stores etc. and it almost became an obsession because “it was a great deal” – $50.00 marmot soft shells, $28.00(!!!) for a new $150.00 patagonia retro fleece… You get the picture. I was looking thru all of this stuff recently and realized I may have enough of it for the rest of my life (I’m mid 50s). I guess this could be an upside – I know that now if I go into an REI or whatever I just go “nope, I don’t need any of that stuff” which is both somewhat comforting and disturbing…ReplyThe great thing about being a gear-junkie in the past is that I can completely outfit four or five people for backpacking or climbing, and two for mountaineering/ice climbing, kayaking, or mountain biking. 😉ReplyGreat Article Ryan! I’m planning my winter escape and considering your article. Focusing on the bare-minimum I need to buy/bring.ReplyI love the message. Too many people have their priorities in the wrong place. They think buying the perfect piece of gear will get them outdoors, when in reality they have most of what they need.And there are alternatives, like borrowing gear, renting gear, and trading gear.And of course, just making do with what you’ve already got.ReplyI find this is really prevalent when starting a new hobby. It’s easy to get caught up in the gear you think you need to start a hobby, or that your lack of gear is holding you back.I’ve started to only buy a piece of gear when I realize I need it, rather than stock piling gear “in case” I need it. I also tend to ask myself, “will this new piece of gear make me enjoy doing X more?” If the answer is yes then I’ll go ahead with the purchase. If not, I’ll wait until it’s needed.I also find that you can get caught up in researching your purchases so much that you’re paralyzed with the choices you have. Reading reviews, tech specs, the forums, etc. can leave you paralyzed by fear of choosing the wrong option. I’m currently in this position when trying to get a new sleeping bag. I’ve wanted one for months, but I can’t find the “perfect bag” so I’m stuck with my old one which I hate. I need to learn to just get out there and buy one and be happy with it.ReplyHey Ryan, I love what you’re saying here and I agree wholeheartedly!I think one of the issues I see is that a decade ago, when “times were good” (i.e. we were in the middle of a ginormous housing bubble), most Americans did have the economic resources to buy many possessions as well as experiences. Yet now that the economy is not so hot, many of us are faced with a dilemma: Which area do we cut back on?Luckily, I’m seeing more and more people trending in the direction of experiences over possessions. This is definitely a positive development, and I’m glad to see you’re leading the charge! Keep it up 🙂ReplyGreat article, Ryan. I definitely agree. I’m always struggling with buying new gear. I’ll see something online and immediately jump on Amazon to see what its going for. Lately I’ve been trying to follow the same advice you mentioned. Keeping things simple and planning more trips with the gear I have. Keep up the great work. Thanks!ReplyGreat Post. I like to spend my money on trips and gear I need for those trips. I love testing out new gear but should prob try spend more on trips for the memories and less on gear!ReplyI’ve actually been thinking this very same thing lately. And I often find myself being a victim of this gear game. Always purchasing… Yet my memories lie in the experiences I’ve accumulated. I would rather watch myself succeed than sit on the sidelines talking about it. I choose to live. Great post, I enjoyed it very muchReplyHey Ryan. I’ve got to say, what you’re doing is very inspiring. I really enjoyed your latest article. I too have fallen into the gear trap. I’m trying to get away from that, especially when I consider that my income isn’t what it once was. I’m more than happy to use my big old hiking boots, originally bought to keep the mud and snow out, on my summer treks as well despite the weight.I hope you do drive down to South America. That would be an epic adventure. I recently met a Spaniard who motorcycled his way from Spain to China. Take care! Good luck!ReplyCurrently in Colombia

Sharing is caring!This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!It’s a pretty simple message: “Stop buying things and start doing things.”Our culture centers around consumption.&nbsp;We buy certain brands or certain types of items for the status and recognition that we think it construes.We buy bigger houses, only to fill them with more things.&nbsp;Even our standard of living tends to be conflated with the GDP measurement of the country.“We no longer live life, we consume it.” — Your Money or...

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A sports enthusiast, Ryan helps cover sports betting news from around the country, highlighting some of the more interesting events going on in the USA.

Stop Buying Things & Start Doing Things (Experiences Are More Valuable)

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