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 Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira sold at N1,343.64/$1 Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, April 17, after shedding N1.34 or 0.10 per cent against the greenback from the previous day’s rate of N1,342.30/$1.
In the same vein, the Nigerian currency depreciated against the Pound Sterling in the same market window during the session by N5.03 to quote at N1,824.39/£1 versus the previous rate of N1,819.36/£1, and lost N10.05 against the Euro to sell at N1,591.14/€1 versus N1,581.09/€1.
At the GTBank FX desk, the exchange rate of the Naira to the Dollar remained unchanged at N1,355/$1, and it also maintained stability in the parallel market at N1,375/$1.
Interbank liquidity increased to N124.34 million from N74.255 million the previous day, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed.
Meanwhile, external reserves remain at $48.70 billion, down from the 2009 peak of $50 billion amidst uncertainties in the global commodities market.
Global oil prices dropped sharply on Friday after Iran signalled that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to commercial shipping during a temporary ceasefire in the Middle East.
Crypt assets also gained on the news from Iran’s foreign minister, who declared the Strait of Hormuz open, drawing a positive response from President Donald Trump. The development helped ease worry around risky assets like crypto.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was bullish, as traders weighed possible scenarios ahead of next week’s US-Iran cease-fire deadline.
Ethereum (ETH) appreciated by 3.2 per cent to $2,410.53, Bitcoin (BTC) jumped by 2.8 per cent to $77,124.22, Ripple (XRP) rose by 2.7 per cent to $1.47, Binance Coin (BNB) expanded by 2.5 per cent to $643.97, Dogecoin (DOGE) added 1.0 per cent to close at $0.0988, Cardano (ADA) improved by 0.9 per cent to $0.2578, Solana (SOL) soared by 0.4 per cent to $88.53, and TRON (TRX) gained 0.4 per cent to sell at $0.3275, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 apiece.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil prices plunged by 9 per cent on Friday after Iran said passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz was open for the remaining ceasefire period.
Brent crude futures lost $9.01 or 9.07 per cent to trade at $90.38 a barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures depreciated by $10.48 or 11.45 per cent to finish at $83.85 a barrel.
Iran said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz is “completely open” for the remainder of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, bolstering hopes of a breakthrough in the weeks-long crisis over the crucial oil route.
Iran had maintained its blockade of the strait despite a two-week ceasefire with the US, which expires on Tuesday, and previously said it would not open the key waterway while Israel continued to strike Lebanon.
Business Post had reported that oil prices weakened to around $88 per barrel after Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X that “all commercial vessels” would be allowed to pass through the strait throughout the remainder of the ten-day ceasefire in Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump thanked Iran on Truth Social, but stressed that the US naval blockade of the regime’s ports would remain “in full force and effect” until a peace deal was completed. “This process should go very quickly in that most of the points are already negotiated,” he added.
A second round of truce talks between the US and Iran is expected to take place as oil tankers are beginning to test the waters at the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the fact that all ships can sail through the Strait of Hormuz, this passage needs to be coordinated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Market analysts noted that if these initial tankers make it through, flows will begin to partially normalise. However, a handful of vessels does not equal restored capacity. The backlog alone will take significant time to clear, and producers across the region are still dealing with disrupted output and logistics.
Prices had already fallen earlier in the Friday session as possible further talks between the US and Iran over the weekend and a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel raised investors’ hopes that the war in the Middle East could be nearing an end.
The American President also said on Friday that the US has banned Israel from further bombing in Lebanon, using a harsher tone than usual with the longtime US ally.
By Dipo Olowookere
The daily stock trading hours on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) have been expanded by an hour to 4.00 pm after extensive stakeholder engagement, ensuring alignment and operational readiness ahead of the go-live date.
A statement from the bourse on Friday said the extension was approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Before now, trading activity on Customs Street resumed from 9.30 am to 2:30 pm, but from Monday, April 27, 2026, the resumption time would be 9.00 am, and the closing gong would be struck by 4.00 pm from Monday to Friday.
It was explained that this action was taken “to deepen market liquidity, enhance price discovery, and broaden investor access.”
The NGX has witnessed renewed investor interest due to increased awareness of equities lately, especially as the nation and the global community await the much-anticipated listing of Dangote Refinery shares later in the year, all things being equal.
The statement also noted that this extended trading window would provide greater flexibility for investors, improve responsiveness to market-moving information, and support broader participation across the market.
The development builds on the momentum of Nigeria’s recent reclassification to Frontier Market status by FTSE Russell, reinforcing NGX’s global positioning and enhancing its attractiveness to a broader pool of domestic and international investors.
It further stated that this reform reflects strong regulatory collaboration and underscores the SEC’s continued commitment to advancing market development initiatives. Alongside Nigeria’s Frontier Market reclassification, it signals a deliberate shift towards a more accessible, liquid, and globally competitive market.
With this development, NGX reinforces its position as a leading multi-asset exchange, deepening liquidity, improving market access, and supporting efficient capital formation within Nigeria’s financial markets.
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