Summary of Happy Money

Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending is a book by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton that explains how to use money to increase happiness. The book is based on the authors’ extensive study of people’s attitudes and behaviors towards money and how it affects happiness. It outlines five key principles to spending money in ways that are both enjoyable in the moment and increase happiness over time: (1) Make it a treat; (2) Buy experiences; (3) Pay now, consume later; (4) Invest in others; and (5) Think differently about possessions. In addition to these five principles, the authors provide interesting conclusions about how happiness and money intersect, inspiring readers to make practical changes in their own financial behavior.