What Makes Couples Happier?
Research shows that happiness is often born by spending money on experiences, not possessions, with friends, and not alone. Furthermore, research has shown that nearly 100 million Americans plan to go on family vacations in the upcoming year. So, how can we make the most out of a family vacation?
Planning a vacation has proven to take a lot of work because there are a lot of unknowns when planning.
How much money should you bring? What can we do while we are there?
These are just some questions swirling in our heads as we prepare for a vacation. As you do, you can feel the dollar signs add up as you make decisions. It takes some fun out of it. And that's for those who plan ahead.
A friend of mine took a trip to Hawaii and didn't plan for anything, he just swiped his credit card for the entire trip. The pain of paying for that trip cost lasted for the years that followed.
All-inclusive vacations destress the time we spend lending up to a vacation. And according to science, they can improve the vacation experience because it reduces or eliminates the pain of paying while you're submerged in paradise.
From the palm trees on the resort to the use of bold, bright colors, all-inclusive vacation resorts are designed to make a person feel like they have stepped into a dream.
Why All-Inclusive Vacations Can Make Couples Happier
All-inclusive vacations wrap guardrails around our vacation spending decisions. Payments for the whole experience are made upfront. Folks don't get caught up in the euphoria of paradise and lose track of their spending decisions. The vacation has already been paid for, making it easy to enjoy the resort amenities without the pain of paying.
Dan Ariely, Professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University, researched the outcome of paying for a vacation before, during, or after the vacation. Ariely found that "when you pay upfront, you start the vacation, you've paid for the whole thing, and now you don't think about money, and that's a great way to experience it."
More specifically, Ariely further emphasized that all-inclusive vacations allow individuals to experience more of what the vacation offers, making them happier.
How to Select an All-Inclusive Vacation
If a past experience of meager food and entertainment has you questioning whether an all-inclusive vacation is right for you, consider a recent Washington Post article that found a lot of luxury has entered into the all-inclusive category as resorts focus on delivering a five-star experience.
If you're convinced that an all-inclusive vacation is the way to go, create a list of what you and your spouse are looking for from vacation. Here are a few examples to help you get started:
When do you and your spouse want to go?
If your schedule is not beholden to a school calendar, off-peak dates are open, making the trip much less expensive.
Where do you and your spouse want to go?
Before diving into your search, consider the climate you're looking for first and how practical it is to travel to different areas of the world. Do you have your passport? What are the crime rates? How accessible is the location?
How do you and your spouse relax?
Do you want an active vacation, or does drowning in a sea of booze while lying on the beach more relaxing for you and your spouse?
Last consideration
Do you want to be around kids, or would y'all prefer an adult-only resort?
Whatever you decide, only spend the amount of money can afford to not have in the near future. Leaving a vacation to strap yourself in the future is only going to make you and your spouse miserable in the future.
Citations
Ariely, D. (2013, February 5). The pain of paying. Dan Ariely. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://danariely.com/the-pain-of-paying/
Follow Modern Husbands
Start, Strengthen, or Rebuild Your Marriage. Our Marriage Toolkit empowers couples with evidence based ideas from 40+ of the nation’s leading experts in managing money and the home as a team.
Winning ideas from experts to manage money and the home as a team. 2023 Plutus Award Finalist: Best Couples or Family Content
Winning ideas to manage money and the home as a team delivered to your inbox every two weeks. You'll even receive a few free gifts!