One question that looms over consumers of today is just how to allocate the money that they do have. Should they invest it, or should they spend it on something that could be considered frivolous?

It makes logical sense to assume that if one spends money on a physical object, it will last longer, as will the happiness it brings. People tend to feel that an investment into a physical item holds more of a lasting value than a vacation, or a concert, or something that is a one-time experience. There are many that feel that if they can’t show a physical object that was acquired with money, then it must have gone to waste. That, however, is misguided thinking. According to recent research, it is completely wrong.

According to Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University who has spent the last two decades studying the subject of money and happiness, “One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation. We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed, but only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them.”

So instead of combing over online retail sites for the latest and greatest gadgets, experts suggest that you will gain greater happiness by spending your money on experiences like vacations, participating in outdoor activities, traveling in general. In other words, the shiny paint on a new car will eventually fade, but going on a vacation affords the traveler experiences that they will keep in their hearts for a lifetime. The value of the physical item goes down, while the value of the memories created by experiences only goes up, becoming an ingrained part of our identity.

Cruise America has a great idea! What better experience could one have than traveling on the open road with their family and loved ones? And what way could possibly be more comfortable than traveling in one of our class C rental RVs? And what makes this idea even greater, is that you don’t need much money to make it happen! Traveling in an RV is much more economical than traveling in the traditional way, having to spend money on airlines, hotels and restaurants.

“Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods,” says Gilovich. “You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless, they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences.”

At Cruise America, we provide the means for people from all over the world to create wonderful memories with their family and loved ones. We make it possible for travelers to rent our top-of-the-line class C RVs any time of the year, in most any region of the United States and Canada.

When you are on a vacation, you can’t help but create memories, whether on your way to your destination, or once you have arrived. As a matter of fact, at Cruise America, we like to think that the journey is the reward. And next time you wonder if it’s worth it to take a vacation, just think about the happiness that fond memories can bring, and your question will be answered.