A few years ago, Debbie Jankowski went hunting for a way to bring her life new joy. She found the solution in her bank account. "I had always been thrifty, but I decided it was time to spend money on things that would broaden my world," says Jankowski, who's based in Philadelphia.
She splurged on sightseeing in Ireland and jungle-roaming in Costa Rica with her husband, along with a yoga retreat closer to home. "These outings have refreshed me and given me perspective," she says.
New research confirms what Jankowski discovered: Money can buy happiness-if you spend wisely. We asked experts to explain this and other glee strategies, none of which require rose-colored glasses or doing anything with life's lemons.
