As Frank Chimero recently pointed out, it’s nice to have the option to pay for things.

Before I tell you why I agree, first let me say that I’m a twenty-something with a massive student loan and more than a couple credit cards to pay off. I’m also not terribly good with numbers. More often than not, my financially challenged self pounces on the opportunity to take advantage of the burgeoning Free economy. But there are still a lot of services, goods and causes that I, like Chimero, love to pay for or donate to when I have the chance.

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Chimero’s post refers mainly to Internet ventures and tools, but when I started to think about the things that I love to pay for — that actually bring me joy to give money to — they all exist in the real world.

Recent things that I’ve loved paying for:

• Admission to the “Entrepreneurs” talk, which gave me access to smart and interesting people who shared their experiences of building projects that are making a positive change in the world ($6).
• The April issue of Harper’s, made especially wonderful by Roberto Bolaño’s “The Return,” a clever, funny and memorable short story ($6.95).
• Admission to MoMa, where I was able to witness Marina Abramović‘s performance work in person, an experience that in many ways made me more aware of what it is to be human ($20).


Screenshot of 'The Artist is Present,' live from MoMa, 12:00 EST, Sunday, April 18

• A community acupuncture session at Third Root, a co-op wellness center that strives to serve “folks from every walk of life, not just those with access to resources or privilege” (services are provided on a sliding scale, plus a $10 first-time paperwork fee).

Save for the opportunity to watch “The Artist is Present” streaming live during museum hours (an experience that is nothing like seeing it in person), none of these are available for free online.

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The most obvious reason why it’s nice to pay for things is that it supports projects that might not exist without your donation. But it’s also nice because you can discover a lot about yourself during the process of deciding what’s worth paying for.

Looking at this list, it seems that I’m a person who values intimate experiences that promote wellness and stimulate her emotions and intellect. That’s good information to have when I need to consider how to spend my money and direct my energy in the future.

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Taking stock of what we love paying for can help us understand what steps we need to take, financial and otherwise, to be more true to ourselves. As we read in the growing abundance of books, projects, studies and articles on happiness, understanding your passion shines a light on the path to fulfillment. There behind each item on the list you make will be a hint about what drives you, and where you need to go next.

So it’s worth thinking about: What do you love paying for?

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(BTW: At the risk of making it seem like this post was just a prelude to a plea for support, I should note that, after reading Chimero’s post, I added a donate button to Things & Things. If reading my posts gives you pleasure in life, you can now let me know by dropping a buck in there. I’ll publish your name on my About page, and give you many thanks in return.)