Should You Buy a Gift or an Experience?

Give someone a gift and they will likely enjoy it for a season or two… but gift someone an experience and it will become a piece of them forever. A boat club membership is a gift of unlimited memories.

There is a long-held assumption that because a physical item may last longer, it will bring more joy. However, studies conducted around what is known as the Easterlin Paradox show otherwise. The paradox states that, “…at a point in time happiness varies directly with income both among and within nations, but over time happiness does not trend upward as income continues to grow.” To put it simply, your happiness does improve with the more more money you make but only up until a certain point. The vast majority of people do not have an unlimited supply of wealth, so it begs the question of what should any given person spend their money on?

Research also shows that at the time of purchase, people are equally as happy with the experience they paid for and the ‘thing’ they bought. However, over time, the joy once felt for the material items will slowly fade while the memories of the experiences are only heightened. We simply become accustomed to the presence of the material item while we replay the memories of an event over and over and then share the experience with friends.

CareFree Boat Club does not simply offer a one-time chance to make a memory- as a member you have unlimited access. Our fleets are here to use as if they were you own without any of the cleaning, maintenance, or surprise costs that go along with owning. One day you may want to take the kids out for a day of tubing and water-skiing and the next you may want to take your significant other on a romantic sunset cruise. Our wide variety of boats covers it all. Don’t worry that you can’t wrap a membership and put it under the tree, we have an entire marina’s worth of amenities at your disposal.

It makes the most sense to put your money towards something that will grant untold amounts of fun for the entire family to enjoy. In essence, gifting an experience will leave a greater impact than simply buying a present, but a membership that holds unrestricted potential is a far superior choice to a one-off thrill. Get in touch with your local CareFree Boat Club for someone on the “nice list” this year!