How to Money · Friday, September 18, 2026
A New York Times article suggests prioritizing spending on experiences that evoke 'collective effervescence'—the feeling of being alive and connected when around others at events like concerts or sports games. While acknowledging this can be a recipe for reckless spending, the hosts agree that experiences can provide lasting memories and that prioritizing them over material possessions is valuable.
“she was advocating for what she called, I'll write it down because it was collective effervescence is what she called it. Essentially, when people get to-”
“It was a way to identify the feeling that you get when you're around a bunch of other people. A lot of times it's at concerts. A lot of times it's at sporting events. You are rooting for your team. You're singing at the top of your lungs.”
“I think there's a lot of truth to that and that we buy stuff instead of funneling money towards experiences that are going to one, produce that anticipation on the front end and to the memories on the back end, I think that's a really worthwhile expense.”