Lemondrop

In case you didn't know, the tax man cometh. In other words, this could either be a really good day or a really bad one, depending on where you fall on the refund-or-pay-up spectrum. And if the conversation I had with my own tax guy on Tuesday morning is any indication, there are a lot of folks falling into the latter category, especially those who've had to risk penalties and pull out funds from 401(k)s and the like because they are jobless. But it's just money, right?

According to the findings of a recent psychological study conducted at San Francisco State University, your happiness depends on how you spend your hard-earned cash, not how much you have.

The study's authors, Ryan T. Howell, PhD, and Graham Hill, tracked 154 college students and asked them to rate how happy they felt after making experience purchases (concert tickets, drinks with the girls) versus stuff (flat-screen TVs, another must-have handbag). Turns out those who shelled out for experiences were more likely to say the purchase boosted their endorphins, and that it was money well spent -- regardless of how much or little the outing cost. The lesson in all this: Wiis and DVDs pale in comparison to memories made with friends.

Now, how do you plan to spend your (we're being optimistic here) refund?