Economy
The Happiness Budget: Why Spending Less on Things Can Buy You More Joy
We live in a world where happiness is often sold to us with a price tag. A new phone, a bigger car, a better wardrobe—advertisers make us believe these things will make us feel complete. But here’s the twist: the less you spend on “stuff,” the happier you might actually be.
It’s not about being cheap; it’s about being intentional. Creating what I like to call a “Happiness Budget” can change how you see money, helping you buy fewer things and get more joy from life.
Why getting more stuff won’t make you happier
When was the last time you really spent a lot of cash? Who knows, maybe it felt great at first, but for how long? This is known to psychologists as the “hedonic adaptation.” We quickly get used to new things, and the way they make us feel soon goes away.
You might want to spend your money on something more important instead of the next thing you want. That’s where making smart money choices comes in. For example, people who focus on learning how to grow and manage their money—like those exploring trading crypto—often feel more secure and free to spend on experiences that genuinely matter.
A report from Futurity supports this idea: people who spend less on material goods and more on meaningful activities report higher long-term happiness.
The Happiness Budget: What It Really Means
The Happiness Budget isn’t a strict rule—it’s a mindset. You’re not cutting spending just to save money; you’re choosing to spend on things that bring lasting satisfaction. Here’s how it works:
- Cut spending on status purchases. Buying to impress others gives you short-term excitement but little long-term joy.
- Redirect money to experiences. Buying a new device doesn’t always make you as happy as going on a trip, doing a hobby, or learning something new.
- Put money into freedom in the future. Put money away or invest in ways that will make you less stressed about money later. Having peace of mind is worth more than anything else.
- Get fewer things, but make sure they are better. Choose quality over quantity when you do buy anything. It feels better and lasts longer.
It’s not about denying yourself – it’s about being careful with every dollar.
Why Less Feels Like More
You have to appreciate what you already have when you spend less. It also makes room for thankfulness. You like a simple cup of coffee with a friend more when you’re not trying to find the next big thing in fashion.
The trick to happiness is to stop comparing yourself to other people. When you’re not trying to “keep up” with the latest fashion, car, or tech, you feel lighter. You stop working just to buy things you don’t need, and that frees time and money for what truly matters.
Building Your Own Happiness Budget
If you’re ready to try this, start small:
- For a week, write down everything you spend. Pay attention to how much you spend on things you don’t need.
- Go out to eat or buying things on a whim less often. Then, spend that money on something important, like a weekend trip or learning a skill you’ve always wanted to get better at.
- Ask yourself, “Will this make me happy next year or just this week?” before you buy something.
Last Thought
Making better choices with your money might make you happier, but having more money doesn’t mean you’ll be happier. It’s not about giving up things; it’s about being free. You spend less on things that don’t matter and more on the things and people that really make life great.
No one will remember the fancy shoes you bought two years ago, in the end. The walk with friends, the new skill you picked up, or the peace of mind you felt when you knew you had enough money are things you’ll always remember.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the Nigerian private sector in July 2026 contracted to 52.5 points from 53.4 points in June 2026, a statement made available to Business Post has shown.
This occurred despite the business environment sustaining its growth last month, with an increase in new orders experienced, as inflationary pressures softened, and output and employment modestly rising.
The Head of Equity Research West Africa at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Muyiwa Oni, said the PMI indicated that the private sector recorded its slowest since March 2026, as businesses also increased their input purchasing activity to keep up with current demand requirements and prepare for future workloads.
“Nigerian businesses reported improved customer demand in July while better pricing and new product launches also helped them to capture new orders arising from the increase in demand. These factors helped to keep the private sector activity in an expansionary territory, although this moderated when compared to June,” he was quoted as saying.
It was stated that while input costs increased at their slowest pace in five months, panellists reported higher costs for fuel and raw materials. Selling prices also softened in line with the picture for input costs in July.
Headline inflation eased slightly to 15.91 per cent y/y in June from 15.93 per cent y/y in May, snapping three consecutive months of price increases.
Although July inflation is likely to be higher m/m, it is expected to print lower, likely at 15.72 per cent y/y, primarily driven by favourable base effects from the corresponding period of last year, because there are no expectations of the magnitude of m/m inflation witnessed in July 2025 (1.99 per cent) to materialise this year.
“We retain our 2026 growth forecasts at 4.1 per cent as we see the oil sector growing by 3.45 per cent y/y in 2026, from 8.50 per cent y/y in 2025, while the non-oil sector is likely to grow by 4.11 per cent y/y, from 3.71 per cent y/y in 2025.
“The risks to our outlook include country-wide insecurity which may constrain food production, exchange rate pressures resurfacing, extreme-weather related conditions and higher fertiliser prices impacting crop yield, and a volatile global environment which may affect sentiment and constrain capital flows,” Mr Oni noted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Sahara Upstream, a Nigeria-focused crude producer, has deployed a new 380,000-barrel tanker to boost exports from the OML 18 block as part of a wider push by domestic operators to invest in infrastructure and lift output and exports for Africa’s biggest oil producer.
The MT D Adesanya, which can hold more than 62,000 cubic metres of crude, will operate alongside the MT D Bayero, receiving crude from shuttle vessels at Bonny Anchorage, one of Nigeria’s main crude export hubs, before transferring it to the FSO Cawthorne storage facility.
Sahara said the tanker would help cut turnaround times, currently about 30 to 48 hours, and support a planned 50 per cent increase in exports from the block’s current level of about 950,000 barrels per month.
The block currently produces about 36,000 barrels per day, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), with Sahara targeting output of 60,000 barrels per day.
OML 18 is one of the Niger Delta’s oldest producing assets. It began production in 1970 and contains an estimated 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves.
Shell, Total and Eni sold their combined interests to Eroton in 2015 as part of a broader shift toward domestic ownership in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
This development comes as Sahara Upstream is deepening its exploration and production footprint through Asharami Energy Limited (AEL), its upstream E&P business, which says it is targeting 350,000 barrels of oil per day by 2030 through its subsidiary, Enageed Resources Limited (ERL).
The growth target comes as AEL also marks a major safety milestone, achieving 6 million Lost Time Injury (LTI)-free man-hours in its OML-148 operations — reinforcing the company’s commitment to operational excellence and safety leadership.
According to Asharami Energy, the milestone reflects its ability to execute complex operations safely, in line with Sahara’s Beyond XXX vision, which builds on the group’s 30-year legacy of responsible enterprise while marking its next chapter of impact, innovation, and sustainable growth.
The developments position Sahara Upstream and its subsidiaries among the domestic operators driving increased investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure, as the group works to scale up production and exports for Africa’s biggest oil producer.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading energy firms in Nigeria, Aradel Holdings Plc, has expressed its desire to optimise its enlarged portfolio and improve operational efficiency in the second half of 2026.
The company is planning to build on the success it recorded in the first half of the year, where it grew its revenue by 577 per cent to N2.5 trillion from N368.1 billion in H1 2025.
The significant rise in earnings was driven by higher production volumes together with stronger realised crude oil and gas prices, with the average at $90.4/bbl and $2.08/mmscf, respectively.
In the period under review, the Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) increased by 688 per cent to N1.4 trillion from N176.4 billion in the corresponding period of last year, while the operating profit surged by 789 per cent to N1.1 trillion from N118.6 billion due to higher revenue and crude handling income at N149.8 billion, partly offset by underlift cost and general and administrative costs.
The net cash generated from operations was N975.6 billion between January and June 2026 versus N140.8 billion in the same period of 2025, reflecting the cash generation of the enlarged organisation.
The net debt contracted by 70 per cent on a year-to-date basis to N46.5 billion from N475.1 billion as of December 31, 2025.
Aradel, in the period under consideration, improved its post-tax profit by 30 per cent to N191.0 billion from N146.4 billion, a development that impressed its chief executive, Mr Adegbite Falade, who said, “A firmer price environment supported performance, generating net cash from operating activities of N975.6 billion and a closing cash balance of N1.7 trillion.”
“Our enlarged portfolio provides more opportunities to generate stronger cash flow and returns for shareholders and unlocking that potential is our main focus.
“We reaffirm our full year production guidance of 110 – 140 kboepd and remain committed to operating responsibly in a changing energy landscape and to delivering lasting value for our stakeholders,” he stated.
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