I came across this blog posting online which talked about how young people get caught up in trying to buy too much stuff when they are just out of college. and that they would be better off spending their 20's looking for and paying for experiences; particularly taking that road trip around the country or taking that trip to Europe or China.

http://www.thesimpledolla...-twenties/

On the one had, buying lots of "stuff", unless you actually plan to use said stuff, only gives you momentary pleasure but eventually ends up collecting dust while making your bank account much smaller. On the other hand, going on trips to Europe or backpacking the Rocky Mountains or Great Wall of China, or going to baseball games in every MLB stadium is very expensive, but you get to collect and share those memories for years to come.

So who here likes the idea of trading stuff for experiences? Who wishes they did more traveling instead of buying that latest iPod gadget or expensive Prada purse? Who got into serious debt doing either?

I'll say no to traveling at this point of my own life. I buy vintage music equipment for my own delight - I love to fiddle with that stuff and. if needed. I can sell them later on for the same amount of money that I got them for in the first place.

I'm in debt. But that was mostly for covering my living experiences during my university years (only about 20% would have been used for "recreational expenses", or whatever you'd like to call such purchases) .

I would travel first before getting a new car. But, that's just me.

Meeting people in other countries is one of the greatest experiences. You learn so much.

I generally do think discretionary experiences beat discretionary toys.

In retrospect, through my younger years I'd have benefitted far more from buying certain long-term essentials and very little else. (Aside from a select few indispensable pieces of art, written literature and music [which, thank God, can now be digitized and materially gotten rid of].)

Amassing stuff obliges the owner to it. I like the notion I'm as untethered as possible.
[Edited 8/26/09 11:43am]