The bar for charity is also remarkably low. You can probably get a charity dinner with VIPs for something like $100 in some places. Education might be a little too expensive in the US, but here, you can also sponsor someone for a semester for a little money. If you want more fun, there are several events which give out a shoutout to donors for only about $50, and you can go in with an anonymous troll name.
These numbers are all third world and that's part of the fun - look at poorer countries and see how much impact you can do with a little money.
My big realisation during my late 20s was that I'd grown jaded from working on other people's commercial software projects, and it'd sure be nice to have enough financial independence to quit that career for good at some point so I could spend more of my time doing things with more self direction & creative freedom.
Money is useful for paying baseline living expenses, and also useful to use as "fuel" to help get you where you want to go. Where do you want to go? What are your long term goals/hopes/dreams? Is your job helping you progress toward those dreams or goals? If not, worth having a hard think about what you want from life and considering changing a few things.
With a relatively well paying software job, relatively low expense ratio & enough luck (no surprises with large financial costs) it's possible to funnel surplus income into investments until investment income covers annual living expenses. Then you can wave the day job goodbye and do whatever or switch to a new career that's more lifestyle focused and less of a grind, or have a solid foundation for taking a lot more risk (let investments pay you a basic income while you start a business that might take a few years to grow before it can generate you a decent wage).
After essentials, I use money to buy time from having to work. I spend as little as possible. No electronics, clothing, etc. unless it must be replaced. I’m still using a 2013 MacBook Pro I got at a previous job. I only own two pairs of shorts, a few T-shirts, and a pair of flip flops. No video game console, smart speakers, microwave, Apple TV, or whatever.
My free time is spent on things that mostly don’t cost money. E-books are free, so are TV, movies, and music as they are easily pirated. I don’t spend money on games, as there are thousands of old games available for free using emulators.
Walking is free, biking is free, gardening and many sports can be free, spending time with friends and loved ones is free.
Illegal sharing, whether it’s wrong or right, isn’t the same thing as stealing (since nothing is taken), or selling someone else’s work.
Ironically enough, I take uber black to get on my bargain barrel Southwest airlines flight. Also, services or upgrades that charge $20-30 to automatically assign you a decent boarding number are also totally worth it.It takes an ordinary income just to feed them.
As a rule I give away a 10th of my income to my church and other good causes.
I imagine looking beyond yourself may bring you more joy, less of a feeling of emptiness.
I could probably count on one hand the meaningful tech I have bought. I would invest in people, experiences and then tech.