10th grade, I saved up THB 3,000 for my first Nike basketball shoes. At 30, I start to see people save up 20% for their home down payment.
Once we start to make a paycheck or receive our credit card, that stopped. Everything seemed so easy now. The wait is gone. So was happiness. It was both less and short.
Fun money gave some of that that back: having a thing or service to want and the progression to reach that. The result feels happy, the progression feels happy, and the anticipation feels happy.
Side note: that basketball shoes was made for indoors, so it didn’t last long. I never bought another sneaker or sports shoes surpass 3k.