When Mr. Scoutie Girl and I go to a Phillies game, we spend a lot of money. We buy hot dogs and beer and ice cream and t-shirts and, this last time, $10 silly bandz in the shape of the Liberty Bell. We also spend good money on good tickets that get us just a wee bit closer to the action. We love the experience of going to a game, feeling the crowd surge around us, and cheering on our boys on the field.

We leave the game with little more than we came in with and a lot less in our wallets.

We buy the experience of Phillies baseball.

In a day & age where most of us have to choose between unconscious consumption of material goods and the conscious acquisition of experience, there are more & more of us choosing experience.

What makes people feel good emotionally happier, more satisfied is now changing. Where many of us used to prize instant gratification and adhered to the credo of “More Is More,” the New Consumers are seeking more purposeful pleasures. Pleasures that are longer lasting and that offer deeper satisfactions.
– The New Consumer in the Era of Mindful Spending

While experience might be fleeting, memories last a lifetime. Or, as long as we remember them. Which is a hell of a lot longer than that $5 t-shirt you just bought from Old Navy. Trust me, I know.

So can buying indie combine the pleasure of material consumption with the satisfaction of experiential spending?

I think it can. The hunt for the perfect item, the connection to the artist or designer, the feeling you get every time you touch an object that has been loved by its maker… to me, that’s an experience. It transcends that quick rush you get when you hit “add to cart” and creates a lasting pleasure that can be relived on a daily basis.

While we must all be mindful of the amount of “stuff” we consume, buying indie can satisfy both the long-term & short-term happiness we crave as consumers.

What do you think – does buying indie make you happier?

{phillies facial hair print by malachy egan}