Those purchases will vary among individuals, but a running theme is that spending money to have experiences with other people is a great bet for boosting happiness. That might also involve charitable giving. Also indulging in a modest splurge can help. Rubin writes that she often used whatever low-quality pens were available, but got a thrill from buying several of her favorite pens that cost what she considered a pricey $3 each. "My new pens weren't cheap, but when I think of all the time I spend using pens and how much I appreciate a good pen, I realize it was money well spent," she writes. Use money to eliminate sources of irritation, marital conflict or clutter. And it's wise to use discretionary money to support your health, because fit people are generally happier. However, the unused gym membership and the treadmill that acts as a clothes hanger don't count.

-"Your Money: The Missing Manual" by J.D. Roth. The new book by the creator of the popular personal finance blog, GetRichSlowly.org, is an introduction and exploration of many personal finance topics, from spending and saving to credit and investing. But time and again, Roth comes back to the notion of what money is good for -- and what it's not good for.

 When people are poor, a boost in income and spending can increase happiness a lot. But people who are middle-class and comfortable get rapidly diminished happiness returns from more spending. Then, the trick to gaining more happiness is to simply realize when you're satisfied. "If you don't ask yourself how much is enough, there's this temptation to keep spending in a fruitless quest to find fulfillment," he said. For Roth, it was his collection of books, which numbered in the thousands, and his insatiable desire to own more. He ultimately realized he could borrow any book he wanted at the library, and if he wanted to own a book, he had money to buy any book he wanted. "I don't necessarily have to own a book that I think I might eventually read," he said. "By reducing what I want, I've made myself much happier."

Now, he finds experiences give him more bang for his buck. That's why he recently returned from a trip to Belize with his wife, and planned a long train ride with a friend from Chicago to Portland, Ore. When you start ignoring product advertisements and taking control of your money life with concrete financial goals, the path to joy becomes clearer. "Living life on your own terms is one of the best ways to find happiness," he said.

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