Turns out money CAN buy you happiness after all

Well, this is thoroughly awkward.

Contrary to nearly ever life lesson you grew up with, money really CAN buy happiness. At least, that's what a new study from Cambridge University is telling us. After studying 77,000 bank transactions by 625 people over six months, researchers found that spending can perk up your mood - providing it's on things that match your personality type. After sorting people into one of the "Big Five" personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism), it was found that money spent in line with each type could improve mood.  

Paramount Pictures/ via Giphy

Think of it like a Gryffindor person getting house points in Harry Potter for being courageous, and you're onto the right idea. So if you're a thoughtful person, you might find yourself happier after spending money on the gym. Bit of an extrovert? Maybe you'll be happier spending the same money in the pub. Sandra Matz, the lead author of the study, said: ​"Our findings suggest that spending money on products that help us express who we are as individuals could turn out to be as important to our well-being as finding the right job, the right neighbourhood, or even the right friends and partners." Just try not to go overboard with what you spend your moolah on. Oh, and pay your taxes too...