How to buy happiness

If you're a reasonably healthy middle-class American adult you too can buy happiness. Here's how ...

Coding Horror: Buying Happiness 

1. Buy experiences instead of things
2. Help others instead of yourself
3. Buy many small pleasures instead of few big ones
4. Buy less insurance
5. Pay now and consume later
6. Think about what you're not thinking about
7. Beware of comparison shopping
8. Follow the herd instead of your head 

Number two was probably the hardest one for me -- pre-kids. Now 'helping others' is most of what I do. Obviously, there are other ways to do that.

The list and explanations fit my own experience. It's the best guide I've seen.