# Do you prefer buying Things or Experiences? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 7, 2017, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401 "2017-06-07T23:46:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/21 "2017-06-08T14:55:07Z")
I agree with an earlier poster who said he prefers to buy tools that enable him to have experiences. Most of my disposable income goes to tools and materials that let me do things. Having said that, back when my husband had a regular job that paid Christmas bonuses, he would give me a percentage to use as I would and I spent it on spa days. So I voted “experiences.” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/22 "2017-06-08T15:03:57Z")
I prefer experiences to things, but I make experiences myself, so I spend more of my money on things. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/23 "2017-06-08T15:17:21Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Neither. I like to buy stuff that enables intellectual activity, like tools (from oscilloscopes to wood saws to CNC machines). If it makes sense to outsource the things, I’ll do that (using a makerspace instead of buying tools). I really don’t want the things at all, just the ability to use them for other activities. Don’t intellectual activities count as experiences? Maybe even the very definition of experiences? We’re pretty much on the same page. I don’t buy tools just to amass the most impressive tool collection possible; I buy tools that I intend to use, whether it’s for money-saving DIY or for the personally satisfying DIY experience. For music, I prefer buying CDs instead of downloading MP3 files. It’s an old habit (I’ve been buying CDs since 1989), but at least part of it is because I feel better having the physical “installation disc” in case my MP3 collection ever somehow gets wiped out - and once in a while I do browse through the liner art/cover books. My wife and I together have about 500 CDs now. For further reading, see [Materialism.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_materialism) ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/24 "2017-06-08T17:44:55Z")
Things are temporary, take up space and have to be maintained. Experiences not only last a lifetime but also shape who we are. I prefer the latter. Of course, the immature male in me votes for experiences that involve my thing… ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/25 "2017-06-08T17:50:34Z")
I’m lucky - I have nearly all the Things I want, so I like to spend my time and money on Experiences. Several have made a good point about Things that give you Experiences, though - I hadn’t thought of it in that way when I read the OP. I guess in general I’m happy to ‘rent’ the Thing that gives me the Experience, rather than buy it and have it take up house room. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/26 "2017-06-08T18:19:06Z")
Both. But I’m led to idly wonder what category call girls come under, here. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/27 "2017-06-08T18:19:07Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I guess in general I’m happy to ‘rent’ the Thing that gives me the Experience, rather than buy it and have it take up house room. That’ll depend on how often you use the thing. Home theater system? I use that pretty much every day, so I’m not renting that. Living quarters in a far-away city that I don’t visit very often? Yeah, I’ll rent that (i.e. hotel). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/28 "2017-06-08T18:37:56Z")
Things. I definitely prefer to have a thing around that will bring me enjoyment over and over again vs. a one-off experience like an expensive dinner at a fancy restaurant. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/29 "2017-06-08T18:52:39Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Don’t intellectual activities count as experiences? Maybe even the very definition of experiences? Yes, but the thread is about _bought_ experiences, which I would say is a different thing. A concert is an artificial, pre-packaged experience that is “imposed” on you. It’s not completely passive but it’s not in the same ballpark as writing a short story or a piece of music or learning a bit of math, where the experience is generated internally. The same is true of most of the things mentioned here, like vacations, expensive meals, cruises, etc. There is some gray area, clearly. I’d suggest that if you buy a fancy hotel room and seek out amenities on your vacation, then you are more the passive experience type. But if you get a cheap room away from tourist trap type stuff and mainly just explore the area then you are closer to generating your own experiences. I don’t have a problem with passive experiences (I like to unwind too), but ultimately they aren’t as memorable as ones that originate in my mind. The activities I like frequently do require some tools/materials (although sometimes not much more than a pen and paper), but buying tools isn’t quite the same thing as buying an experience. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/30 "2017-06-08T18:56:56Z")
Things, hands down. And my wife is totally polar opposite. She’d rather spend money on extravagant vacations, I’d rather buy a fun little sports car or jet ski that we can enjoy for years to come. There are experiences I enjoy, of course, but material things generally have a more lasting value for me. And just to let you know how these negotiations typically go, we own neither a sports car nor a jet ski. But I’ve racked up a decent amount of frequent flyer miles. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/31 "2017-06-08T18:59:45Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > All things produce experiences. But a thing usually produces experiences multiple times for one purchase price while for experiences you usually have to do a separate purchase for each experience (buying a TV vs going to a movie theater). This is exactly my point of view. So I’m definitely in the preferring “Things”. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/32 "2017-06-08T20:13:33Z")
This one is tough! I picked Experiences, buuuuut when I buy things for myself I buy the best goddamned thing possible. Maybe I should pick Things? However, the Best Goddamned Things I buy tend to be things that are going to be an Experience (like motorcycles, instruments, etc). So, I guess Experiences. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/33 "2017-06-08T22:15:25Z")
When my wife accepted my proposal, I gave her the choice of a diamond ring or a 2 month honeymoon in Europe, knowing that I would be between jobs. As I hoped, she accepted the trip and I don’t think either of us has regretted it, 53 years later. Definitely experiences. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/34 "2017-06-08T22:23:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Mangetout** : > > I prefer experiences to things, but I make experiences myself, so I spend more of my money on things. I was trying to phrase how I felt, but this is about it. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/35 "2017-06-09T10:12:58Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I prefer experiences to things, but I make experiences myself, so I spend more of my money on things. Exactly. You phrased it better than I would have. I love my “toys.” Anyone who follows my posts has seen countless tales of my boats, airplanes, RVs, offroad toys, etc. Although I have the typical male fascination with fast and dangerous stuff, these are \*means \*to an end, not the end itself. A perusal of our family photo albums will show hundreds of pictures of us in the amazing places our machines have taken us, but the machines themselves are seldom featured, except in the background. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/36 "2017-06-09T12:46:52Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > I like things that enhance experiences. Another vote for along these lines. I don’t buy things to just have them. I do things with them that I enjoy over and over. So the OP is sort of a false dichotomy. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2017, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/37 "2017-06-10T00:10:01Z")
Things. Experiences are great, but when you lose your job and need to make rent, you can’t sell that vacation you took last year. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2017, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/38 "2017-06-10T00:20:15Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Another vote for along these lines. I don’t buy things to just have them. I do things with them that I enjoy over and over. So the OP is sort of a false dichotomy. Yup. I couldn’t vote either/or. A television is a thing, but I bought it because I love the experience of couch-snuggling while watching Netflix. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2017, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/39 "2017-06-10T03:53:40Z")
Experiences. I have virtually no Things and plenty of Experiences, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401/40 "2017-06-10T04:15:09Z")
You can experience things, but the closest to thinging an experience is taking a picture. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-prefer-buying-things-or-experiences/788401.md?page=3)