The question of whether money can buy happiness has probably been asked for as long as money has been around. The answer that you get will likely depend on who you ask. In her recent Newsweek article, Sharon Begley provides some interesting commentary on the subject.

The basic answer provided in the article is that your current financial situation will likely dictate whether money will buy you happiness. It cites research showing that when money is capable of bringing people out of poverty, it often does bring happiness as well. More money for those in the middle class and above, however, tends not to bring any additional happiness. Of the reasons given for this, I found two to be particularly interesting:

Too Many Choices

With added wealth comes added opportunity to choose what to do with your money. Having too many choices can be overwhelming and lead to indecisiveness and unhappiness.

Increase in Needs

With more disposable income, the things that you consider needs are likely to increase. Spending money on needs isn’t as pleasurable as spending money on wants, even if those needs are just perceived to be necessities.

So what does buy happiness once your basic needs are met? It would seem that friends, family, and the way you spend your time are the most influential. As most people work full time, your job satisfaction plays an important role in your overall happiness. So surrounding yourself with people whom you enjoy and spending time doing things you enjoy play a larger role in your happiness than more money would.

For some people, money can obviously make a significant difference in their lives. For most people, though, the more intangible wealth that comes from people and experiences will hold the true key to greater happiness. Whichever your situation, you can use Lending Club to increase your happiness by making P2P loans to others.

Trying to save money? Look online before buying anything. Seeing as how you are reading this blog, you are already well connected to the Internet, so you have probably already shopped online. However, you may still be surprised at how much stuff you can find online at drastically discounted prices.

For example, magazine subscriptions. First of all, buying magazines at the grocery store is an incredibly bad deal---a one-year subscription to Discover Magazine costs $24.95 from their website. That's 67% off the cover price---not a bad deal. However, eBay has an even better deal: $9.00 for a 2-year subscription! That's less than a quarter of the normal subscription price! I've bought magazines like Wired and the New Yorker from eBay for drastically discounted prices and always received them as promised by the seller.

Of course, you should also look for standard excellent deals online. You can grab books, DVDs and CDs for much less on Amazon or Half.com than you will be able to in a store. In fact, buying books from a bookstore makes almost no sense--even with two-day shipping, most books from Amazon are cheaper than buying them from a bookstore. And with Amazon Prime, that shipping fee is even lower.

Also, consider buying some items used. You can get used textbooks and other items on Amazon or Half.com for seriously cheap prices. Just look up the item as you normally would, and the used copies are mentioned on the same page. If you plan your classes early enough, you can get some great deals.

Shopping online is an awesome way to save money, and these savings can quickly add up. Just be sure to hit Amazon, eBay and other sites before going shopping. Also check airline websites for exclusive air fare discounts when planning your trips home from school. These savings will help stretch your funds farther, but if you still need funds to cover educational expenses, consider a P2P loan on Lending Club.

All of the personal finance advice in the world isn't going to help someone whose financial mindset is fundamentally flawed. Changes in mindset are required in many instances where large changes are desired. Whether you are looking to live a healthier lifestyle, build better personal relationships, or reach a financial goal, the first thing that may need to change is your outlook on the situation.

After reading Thomas Stanley and William Danko's book, The Millionaire Next Door, a few years ago (and the sequel, The Millionaire Mind), I came to the same conclusion: Most people won't become millionaires. It's not that people aren't capable of taking the actions that are required, but rather that they aren't of the right mindset. The thought patterns of the millionaires profiled in these books are in sharp contrast to those of the general population. The perception of the rich and their way of life is also shown to be askew.

Consider two of the main thought patterns discussed:

Live Below Your Means
It's not about how much you make, but how much you have after you're done spending. The simple rule is the foundation of many financial strategies, but one that many people can't seem to achieve. Considering the average American household with at least one credit card has nearly $9,200 in credit card debt, it's safe to say that many people aren't living below their means. Living below your means doesn't mean saving every penny. By living below your means, you position yourself to seize the most rewarding opportunities when they present themselves; something that living beyond your means often precludes you from doing.

Avoid Leading a Status-Centered Life
In a society of rampant consumerism and compulsive spending, it's easy to get caught up in the wave of attaining social status. The difference between appearing rich versus being rich is often linked to this idea. Going against the norm in regard to leading a status-centered life is often one of the most difficult changes in mindset. Unlike living below your means, which you might be able to keep private, not caring about others’ opinions of your social status is a much more public adjustment.

When you think about the rich, you likely don't imagine people living below their means without regard for social status, but research shows that this is actually the norm. The rich know that delaying instant gratification can lead to greater future rewards. Those living beyond their means and leading social-centered lives can get caught in a downward spiral. While they're not getting rich, the desire to feel rich, or what they think being rich should feel like, may grow even stronger.

Change can be hard, but is often required to fix the root cause of your current situation. If a change in mindset is required, your journey may be a difficult one, but one that you can achieve. In fact, using Lending Club and trying person-to-person lending may be a sign that you are of the right mindset already. You may have decided that the time has come to refinance your credit card debt, only to realize that such an action can be a first step to more rewarding financial lifestyle.

Are you one of those people who have trouble curbing impulse buys? Do you ever go out shopping and come home with way more than you meant to? If so, there is help---a way to stop you from buying the things you don't really need. All it takes is a piece of paper and a pen...and some patience.

Next time you are planning to go shopping, make a list of everything you want to buy (excluding the bare necessities) before you go. If you really want to buy it, write it down. If you are strongly considering it, write it down. Anything that you probably would have bought, you should write on the list.

Now, here is the trick. Don't actually buy anything. Just come home with the list. For the next 30 days, you aren't allowed to buy anything on the list---you have to go without the stuff. However, after 30 days, while you are home (not at the mall), look at the list. See if there is something on there that you still really want, something you need and can realistically afford. For most items, however, you should find yourself reconsidering them---you don't REALLY need them, you don't really have the money, and/or you can definitely go without them. You will find that a list of dozens of wanted items will probably turn into a list of two or three.

Impulse buys occur because you can't stop yourself from purchasing something while you are at the store. If you can hold off on the purchase for a period of time, you will actually think about the purchase---reason can take time. Once reason does kick in, however, you might notice that your bank account has a lot more money in it than before.

We at Lending Club want you to try and curb your impulse buys as part of your overall financial plan and limit the compulsion to spend. What to do with the savings? Invest in some person-to-person loans on Lending Club, of course!

Recent declines in the value of the Dollar have yielded new lows in its worth relative to the Euro. This trend may lead you to wonder what is causing these changes and how you can protect yourself against its declining value.

The value of the Dollar, relative to other currencies, is influenced by many factors. The most recent declines are likely due to the Federal Reserve’s larger than expected cut of the Fed Funds Rate. While this cut does make money “less expensive” it also signals that the Fed’s concern over inflation may be rising. Inflation is a general weakening in the value of the Dollar, which would lower its worth relative to other currencies.

In order to combat weakness in the Dollar, the general strategy is to shift funds into other forms of money. This can be done by exchanging Dollars to a foreign currency, investing in companies with operations in countries with an alternative currency, or purchasing gold, or a similar instrument of money, which is frequently traded for Dollars. Each of these strategies tries to accomplish the same thing: place your wealth in a medium that will increase in Dollar value as the Dollar continues to fall. If you look at the gold option, for example, you can see how as the value of the Dollar falls, it would take more and more Dollars to purchase the same amount of gold. In this way, the gold that you purchase today will be worth more Dollars in the future.

As with any type of investment or wealth building strategy, trying to protect against a weakening of the Dollar has inherent risks which should be carefully considered before any action is taken. Lending Club doesn’t favor any particular Dollar protection strategy and is not recommending any of the options discussed in this post. Everyone needs to evaluate their own situation and decide if they need to take action in this regard. Knowing that you have options, including those discussed in this post, is an important first step in that decision-making process.