From Here to Financial Happiness

Day Thirty Four Wishes Come True (Maybe)

A week ago, we thought about your everyday spending and pondered how you might use your dollars differently so you can squeeze more happiness out of your money. Today, we'll think about bigger purchases – maybe much bigger.

It's time to create a wish list of expenditures you might make over the next few years. There are all kinds of possible choices: a new car, new living room furniture, a major remodeling project, a special vacation, or extravagant weddings for your adult children. As you draw up the list, glance back at what you wrote yesterday and ponder the major purchases that brought you happiness in the past, as well as those that failed to do so.

In creating your wish list, there are two goals. First, it's a chance to have a little fun. Who doesn't like to daydream? Second, by drawing up a list, you can compare different possibilities and consider which should be a priority and which aren't such a great idea. My advice: Revisit the list every month or two. Some items will quickly slip off the list, but others will stay – an indication that these could be worthy uses for your hard‐earned dollars.

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