Question: What’s the best thing you’ve ever spent money on?
I’m sitting on a Delta flight as I write this and I’m about 12 hours into a 20-hour trip back home from a marathon travel trip to Israel, Paris, and Africa. I’ve been gone for 21 days and have hiked well over 100km, explored new cities, and endured others. My stomach is at war with me at the moment due to contracting something in Africa and I am exhausted…but my heart is full and I wouldn’t trade any of it for anything. I paid for the trip out of my savings and I would do it all over again. I believe the return on my investment was significant.
So what makes a good investment…a good investment? It’s certainly more than just earning more money. A recent article in the February issue of Men’s Health magazine addresses this issue and the following list is what they call the Bang for the Buck Bible:
- Give a gift to someone you know or are close to. There is no better feeling than when someone’s life has been made better just because you contributed in some way.
- Invest in something you have to train or work hard for, like a marathon. The feeling of accomplishment carries more meaning than any single purchase.
- Travel. It creates feelings of connectedness to people and places around the world that provide vivid and lasting memories.
- Stretch yourself. Invest in learning a new hobby that brings you joy and expands your mind and senses.
I think this is a pretty decent list and it only gets better if you can find a way to combine them into the same activity. Going on short-term mission trips is a perfect way to do this because you’re providing some type of service to someone in need, you certainly work hard, you travel to places that are sometimes difficult and uncomfortable, and what you learn about yourself and others really expands your mind.
I’d say going on a short-term trip gives you a pretty good bang for your buck! It certainly was for me!
Delivering school supplies shipped from Texas!
I would love to hear what the best thing you’ve ever spent money on!
Let me know in the comments below!