Are You Living for Short-term or Long-term Happiness?

Have you ever reflected on your spending habits? How much do you have in your savings account? No matter how much or how little money you have, the number one thing you should always have in mind when spending is to spend it wisely, because nowadays, earning money is not easy as 1, 2, 3.

What is it that you truly desire?

Happiness means joy, contentment, and pleasure. Different people define happiness based on accomplishment, money, and fame. Others describe happiness if they have a fun moment with their kids, love life, and family.

But, living a purposeful life doesn't happen overnight. Whether you are keen on saving money, or a chronic spender, you should always think of getting more value from your purchase and look at it as an investment or something that will appreciate over time. More often than not, we are guilty of splurging ourselves on material things that only bring immediate happiness and gratification.

But have you ever carefully thought about how wise investments can give you long-term happiness?

Defining Short-Term Happiness: An Instant Gratification

• Example 1: If you want happiness for an hour – go shopping for the latest fashion trends.

It goes without saying that wearing tailored and designed clothes give us a sense of pride and a boost in our self-confidence. However, your fondness for fashion trends shouldn't dictate your spending habits. In reality, fashion trends, in nature, are fast-changing, which makes them costly. One minute, chiffon skirts are in… then they're out… just like that, meaning these are all immediate rewards or short-term pleasures.

Keeping up with the latest fashion trends can hurt you financially in the long run.  Apart from the fact that it is expensive, the clothes you buy don't gain value as time goes by. Fashion trends successively shift – what is fashionable today can go outworn tomorrow.

Example 2: If you want happiness for a month – buy the high-tech creme de la creme smartphone.

Anything new and modern never fails to catch our eye. I know for sure that you feel enormously excited whenever a big smartphone company unveils its latest model. Smartphones are launched now and then, but people don't want to feel outdated. For this reason, they upgrade by buying a new phone. Obviously, having a smartphone in this technology-driven generation makes life easier, but this doesn't mean that the more high-end phone you have, the more life gets easier.

Do you necessarily need to change your phone every time a newer model is released? In fact, mobile phones don't appreciate but only depreciate, which doesn't make it a wise avenue to invest your hard-earned money. 

And in case you need further convincing…

“May IPHONE kanga, may IPON ka ba?”

Unveiling Long-Term Happiness: A Lifetime Benefit

If you want happiness for a lifetime, buy an affordable house and lot property.

The best investment you can make is buying a house and lot you can call your own. It gives you a sense of stability, security, and safety in life. And most importantly, the value of a house and lot in the Philippines significantly appreciates over time.

Could you be any happier with having a property that serves you multiple benefits? Aside from having an affordable house and lot, you can also rent out your property and have a tenant lease on it. Then, you can use your recurring income to pay for your personal expenses or reinvest it in another property. Alternatively, you can also sell it in the future if you need to and you'll surely get a profit from the sale.

Balancing Short-term and Long-term Happiness

Spending on things and activities that will make you happy is not a bad decision. We are humans, after all. We tend to show the same things to our family and friends that we achieve success in our chosen career path or job.

However, spending a tremendous amount just to please them will not going to help you. At the end of the day, you will have to face a lot of trials such as paying your bills or reaching financial stability. Remember, there are two different kinds of people - the one that's giving you a positive attitude and motivation and a person who you can't still please everybody.

• Create a vision board.

One of the best ideas you must consider is to exercise discretionary spending or create a vision board. Allocate a fixed budget for your daily life cravings or short-term pleasures. This includes food and activities, such as ice cream, chocolate cake, and wine, watching an entertainment show, or buying your favorite magazines.

• Choose a better lifestyle.

Create a lifestyle that does not spend too much money, such as reading books. You can also binge-watch your favorite show on Netflix and DVDs or have a productive and positive rest day. If you have a passion for creative writing or writes fiction, develop them so you can use these skills to save more money for your needs and wants.

• Identify beliefs that empower you.

Evaluate yourself and determine beliefs that work. Then, indulge yourself in limiting beliefs that empower you and healthier ones. Of course, you'll be struggling on your first attempt or you might see signs of depression along the way, you need to be tough and take control of your emotion. Spend time and relationships with happy people who make you feel good. As such, the desire to limit your short-term pleasure is achieved.

Spend Your Everyday Life with a Lifetime Investment

In Lumina Homes, achieving your long-term happiness won't be that hard and seem so far off anymore. With Lumina Homes, you can purchase your own house and lot in a community built in the best location. You can do this at a very affordable price. With Lumina's flexible payment options, you can own your dream house and lot through PAG-IBIG housing loans or bank financing which both offer incredibly low-interest rates.

To know where our affordable house and lot for sale properties are located, check out our website's property listings to contact our accredited sellers near your area. We have over 50 key locations nationwide, which are conveniently located near the city center.