英語閱讀：談一談花錢的藝術

　　摘要：研究結果有些顯而易見，一般而言，有錢人確實會比掙扎在溫飽線上的人更幸福。但是，研究也發(fā)現(xiàn)，合理消費才能使你在買單時更快樂。

　　Money can’t buy happiness, right? Well, not true. According toa recent article in The Wall Street Journal, over the past fewyears, new research has given us a much deeper understandingof the relationship between what we earn and how we feel. Theresults may seem a bit obvious: Yes, people with higher incomesare, broadly speaking, happier than those who struggle to getby. But the research also shows you have to spend strategicallyif you expect those bank notes to put a smile on your face.Here are some ways to better spend your money:

　　Buy experiences, not stuff.

　　金錢真得買不到幸福么?也不盡然。最近，《華爾街日報》的一篇文章就指出，在過去的幾年間，新的研究讓我們對掙錢多少與心理感受間的關系有了更深刻的認識。研究結果有些顯而易見，一般而言，有錢人確實會比掙扎在溫飽線上的人更幸福。但是，研究也發(fā)現(xiàn)，合理消費才能使你在買單時更快樂。下面就奉上一些消費建議：

　　相比實物，為體驗買單。

談一談花錢的藝術

　　In a recently published study, Ryan Howell, associate professor of psychology at San FranciscoState University in the US, found that when people don’t have much money to spare, they tendto stick to material goods.

　　美國舊金山州立大學的心理學副教授瑞安•豪威爾最近發(fā)表的一項研究顯示，當人們沒有多余的錢可以支配時，總會選擇購買物質產品。

　　“People think that experiences are only going to provide temporary happiness,” he told The WallStreet Journal in an interview. “… but they actually provide both more happiness and more lastingvalue.”

　　他在接受《華爾街日報》的采訪時說：“人們認為體驗只能帶來暫時的幸福感，但事實上它們不僅能帶來更大的幸福感，還具有更長久的價值。”

　　Buy lots of little things, rather than one big thing.

　　相比大件，入手一些小東西。

　　No matter how much money you spend on something and how special that product is, you willget used to having it over time and it will become just another object. People adapt to having newstuff, and anything that disrupts that adaptation is likely to prolong happiness, says an Atlanticarticle. Buying small things can give us frequent small pleasures that are different each time theyoccur, as they forestall adaptation.

　　《大西洋月刊》的一篇文章則寫到：不管你在付錢時所買之物多么昂貴或是與眾不同，隨著時間的推移它都會失去新意，成為一件普通物品。追求新鮮是人的本性，而任何可以打破習慣之物都能帶來更長久的幸福感。買一些小物件則能在上一件物品失去新意之前，不斷帶給我們新的愉悅感。

　　Buy what you like.

　　為心儀之物買單。

　　No keeping up with the Joneses. “There are a lot of reasons someone might buy something … butif the reason is to maximize happiness, the best thing for that person to do is purchase a lifeexperience that is in line with their personality,” Howell tells Forbes. Howell recently co-authored astudy finding that when people spend money just to project a certain image, it doesn’t bringhappiness.

　　莫攀比!豪威爾在接受《福布斯》采訪時就說，“讓人掏錢的理由有千千萬，但要獲得最大的幸福感，就一定要為真正符合自己心意的人生體驗買單。”他最近的一項合作研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，如果一個人只是為了塑造自己的某種形象而消費，那么他將很難獲得幸福感

　　Be sure to buy time, too.

　　時間也要算在內。

　　It’s also important to consider how what you’re buying will affect how you spend your time. Forexample, that big house in the suburbs may seem like a good idea, but according to The WallStreet Journal, a 2004 study by researchers from University of Zurich in Switzerland found thatpeople with longer commutes reported lower overall life satisfaction, all other things being equal.

　　考慮到你的消費對自己時間的影響也很重要。比如，在郊區(qū)買一幢大房子也許是個不錯的想法，但是據(jù)《華爾街日報》報道，2004年瑞士蘇黎世大學研究人員進行的一項研究顯示，在同等條件下，通勤時間較長的人整體生活幸福感較弱。

　　Try giving it away.

　　予人玫瑰，手留余香。

　　Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Canada,found that in countries as diverse as Canada, South Africa and Uganda, giving away moneyconsistently made people happier. This was even true when people were giving away even whenthey themselves were relatively poor.

　　來自加拿大的不列顛哥倫比亞大學的心理學副教授伊麗莎白•鄧恩則發(fā)現(xiàn)，不論在加拿大，還是在南非、烏干達等很多國家，時不時地向他人施舍錢財會讓人感覺更幸福。而這也同樣適用于并不富裕的人群，樂善好施也能為他們帶來幸福感。

　　精打細算九大省錢妙招

　　Financial happiness doesn't come easy when your money isn't right. Debt, overdrawn accounts, and too little income can drain you emotionally.

　　This situation is all too common. But some people have discovered how to be financially happy. What's their secret?In most cases, it's all about adopting smarter financial habits — something anyone can learn.

　　財務狀況不好時不太會有經濟上的幸福感。債務、賬戶透支以及收入太少會讓你很泄氣。

　　這種情況太常見了。但是有些人已經知道如何在經濟上找到幸福感。他們有什么秘訣?大多數(shù)情況下與更聰明的理財習慣有關——任何人都可以學習它們。

　　1. They take steps to reach goals.

　　1. 他們想辦法實現(xiàn)目標。

　　Wanting to find your financial happiness is one thing; taking steps to achieve this is an entirely different story.

　　想有良好的財務狀況是一回事，采取措施實現(xiàn)它完全是另一回事。

　　Financially happy people don't wait for money to fall into their lap. They pave their own path. Here's the thing: if all you do is sit back and moan about your finances, things may never change. Identify where you need to make improvements, and then create a realistic financial plan that works for you. If you need a little help, get a financial planner.

　　經濟條件好的人不會等錢進口袋。他們?yōu)樽约轰伮?。事情是這樣的：如果你做的只是坐著抱怨自己的財務狀況，境況可能不會改變。確定自己需要改進的地方，然后想個實際點的財務計劃。如果你需要幫助，可以去找理財規(guī)劃師。

　　2. They spend within a budget.

　　2. 他們的花費控制在預算之內。

　　These individuals realize that there are limits to what they can do — financially speaking. Like anyone, they would probably enjoy shopping whenever they like, going on vacations whenever they like, and spending money however they like. But this isn't the reality for most people, and financially happy people know this. They stick with a budget, which is how they avoid unnecessary debt and have enough income to pay bills.

　　這些人意識到他們在經濟上有限制。和別人一樣，他們可能也想隨性購物、隨性度假、隨性花錢。但這對大多數(shù)人來說不現(xiàn)實，而他們知道這一點。他們堅持在預算內消費，這就是他們如何避免不必要的債務以及有足夠的錢支付賬單。

　　3. They pay credit balances and maintain good credit.

　　3. 他們付卡帳并且有良好信用。

　　Being financially happy starts with being financially responsible. These individuals understand the dangers of credit cards and the importance of good credit. They may only use a credit card when absolutely necessary and pay off the balance each month. Their habit of timely payments and only buying what they can afford contributes to low debt and a higher credit score.

　　財務狀況良好始于對其負責。這些人了解信用卡的風險和信用良好的重要性。他們可能只在非常必要的時候用信用卡，并且每個月付清欠費。及時付款和只買付得起的東西的習慣讓他們有低債務和高信用。

　　4. They plan for financial misfortune.

　　4. 他們未雨綢繆。

　　It may look as if financially happy people have zero financial worries. But they know that misfortune can happen at anytime, and they take steps to protect themselves and their families against unforeseen events.

　　經濟狀況良好的人看起來沒有財務上的擔憂。但他們知道不幸可能隨時發(fā)生，為了應對無法預見的事情，他們會采取措施保護自己和家人。

　　For example, they will have life insurance to protect their spouses and children in the event of anuntimely death. And they will have set aside a cash reserve as backup in a financial crisis. Careful preparation provides peace of mind.

　　例如，他們擔心自己過早死亡，所以會買人壽保險保護配偶和孩子。而且他們?yōu)榻鹑谖C留有預備金。精心準備會帶來心靈上的穩(wěn)妥。

　　5. They don't define success by the size of their bank accounts.

　　5. 他們不以賬戶數(shù)額的大小界定成功。

　　While these individuals work hard to care for themselves and family, happiness and success isn't necessarily determined by the number of zeros in their bank accounts. They recognize the danger of basing success on a dollar amount. Financial happiness comes from knowing that they're on the right path and making responsible choices with their money.

　　雖然這些人為了照顧自己和家人很努力，但幸福和成功不一定由他們銀行賬戶里零的個數(shù)界定。他們認識到把成功建立在金錢上很危險。經濟上的幸福感來源于知道自己走得正確，并對如何花錢做出負責任的選擇。

　　6. They find satisfaction in what they have.

　　6. 他們在自己擁有的東西中找到滿足感。

　　Financially happy people live within their means and ignore the temptation to keep up with everybody else. Income levels vary and they realize that keeping up with the Joneses can bring more headaches than joy. They do what they can according to their income and they're content with their life — even if it means driving a regular car and living in a smaller house.

　　經濟上快樂的人量入為出，能抵住和他人比較的誘惑。收入水平各不相同，而且他們意識到攀比帶來的痛苦比快樂更多。他們根據(jù)收入條件做自己想做的事而且滿意自己的生活——即使這意味著開更普通的車和住更小的房子。

　　7. They control impulse spending.

　　7. 他們能控制沖動消費。

　　Impulsive spending can bust budgets and drain finances. A person who's financially happy doesn't shop on a whim. They typically plan purchases and only spend if it's in the budget.

　　沖動消費會超出預算并花光錢。財務狀況好的人不會因一時興起購物。他們通常會想好買什么，而且只會在預算內消費。

　　8. They are well-informed borrowers.

　　8. 他們是消息靈通的借款人。

　　Whether they're applying for a credit card or applying for a mortgage loan, they always compare different products and do their homework to ensure they're getting the best deal. If they don't feel comfortable with a particular offer, they're not afraid to walk away.

　　不管是申請信用卡還是抵押貸款，他們總會比較不同的產品，會做功課以確保他們得到的是最好的。如果他們覺得某個價格不合適，他們不怕放棄。

　　9. They haven't avoided retirement planning.

　　9. 他們不排斥退休計劃。

　　If you're in your 20s or early 30s, retirement planning may be the farthest thing from your mind. But if you want to be financially happy in your later years, you need to start now.

　　如果你現(xiàn)在是20多歲或30歲出頭，退休計劃可能是你最不會想到的事情。但如果你想晚年在經濟上寬裕些，現(xiàn)在就要開始考慮了。

　　Retirement planning isn't something to put off until you're in your mid-30s. The age that you start preparing dictates your quality of life in retirement. Financially happy people think long-term and they know that the decisions they make today have a major impact on their financial future.

　　退休計劃不是推遲到35歲左右才考慮的事。你開始準備的年齡決定了退休后的生活質量。在經濟上有幸福感的人會從長遠考慮，而且他們知道今天做出的決定對未來的財務情況有重大影響。