Recent years have witnessed the growth of luxury(奢侈品) brands. It's clear that a new generation of young, materialistic people is increasingly relying on luxury brands to improve its self-image.

I am a fashionista too, at least in spirit —I love to look at clothes and shoes. But I don't understand why people spend lots of money on designer labels. When a young woman buys a handbag that costs two months of her salary, that's a scary thing.

What's interesting is that scientists have found that having luxury things doesn't lead to happiness.

Study after study has shown that although we want material things, when we get them we don't suddenly become "happy" people. In fact, a series of studies have shown that individuals who spend money on travel and similar experiences get more pleasure than those on material things. That's because experiences are more easily integrated into a person's identity. If I travel to Yunnan, that adventure affects how I think in the future. My memories become a part of me. Moreover, as Van Boven has observed, young people who pursue happiness through “things" are liked less by their peers. People prefer those who pursue happiness through experiences.

It's natural to want to express yourself through your appearance. So my advice is: create a look that isn't tied to a designer label. Convey your own message. Take some lessons from the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. He was always in Levis jeans and a black turtleneck. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, routinely appears in hoodies and sneakers. These people, successful people, have style.

You don't have to break the bank to send a message about who you are. Take a trip. Go out into the world. Then come back and confidently create your own signature look.

Things You Shouldn’t Do While Shopping

● Leave your kids alone.

If you plan to bring your children with you to do holiday shopping, make sure that they are well-rested and fed. 【小题1】 It’s also not the staffs responsibility to watch over your children since they have to attend to other customers. If you do have to take your kids with you, use this as an opportunity to teach them the manners every parent should teach their children.

● Park like you own the place.

The only thing worse than shopping in stores during the holidays is parking at the store. Be patient in the parking lot and avoid unnecessary honking (鸣笛). It is also suggested that you leave your car at home and take a cab, Lyft, or Uber instead. 【小题2】

● Keep the shopping cart (购物车) in the middle of the passageway.

Keep in mind that the flow of traffic in the passageways is the same as on the road—stick to the right and let people pass on the left. 【小题3】 You shouldn’t park your shopping cart in the middle of the passageway, because that could make it difficult for other shoppers to get by.

● 【小题4】

For the clothes that don’t fit after the try-on, fold or hang them and return them to a staff member on your way out. This will make the shopping experience more pleasant for both the shoppers and the staff since the changing rooms won’t be filled with unwanted and messy clothes. 【小题5】 By keeping your changing room clean, you’re showing respect for your fellow shoppers and the staff who work there.

BEIJING (News Agency) — Children in China today spend five times more money than their parents did when they were young.

So what are all these children buying? The list is long: iPads, cell phones and jeans are typical items that children “have to” buy. And they will do anything to get them. They ask their parents over and over until they buy them.

But parents also need to take the blame(责备) for spending so much money. They want their children to have the best things. They end up competing with other parents over whether their children have the latest products.

So it’s no wonder children find it hard to learn the importance of saving money rather than spending it all the time.

And it's hard to save when companies use advertising (打广告)and clever slogans (口号) to encourage young people to buy their products. They even encourage children to keep asking their parents for something until they get it.

Today, you don’t even need to have money in order to buy something. Banks give out credit cards and loans (贷款) all the time, so people are saving less and less. We are used to carrying lots of money around. And if you don’t have much, you can always borrow some.

But this hasn’t always been the case. When our grandparents were young, there was very little money and everyone had to save hard for things they bought. They only bought things they needed, not things they just wanted.

The older generation made the wise expression, “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” This is as true now as it was 50 years ago. They give money a great deal of value. And we all have a lot to learn from them.