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Post by mustlovecats on Sept 10, 2018 19:07:52 GMT
I grew up very poor and the fact that I have even a little bit of money does make me happy. Money makes things easier. Some people have a lot more than me and my experience is there’s a point where more money isn’t more happiness, and I don’t believe in chasing money at all costs. But yes money is a good thing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 19:14:42 GMT
I'm as poor as the church mouse that the other church mice feel sorry for but I'm generally happy with my lot. I can make a small amount go a long way and I don't think having more would make me happier.
I'd like to be in a position to help my brother out more, he's working all hours and still struggling to make ends meet
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Post by Crack-a-lackin on Sept 10, 2018 19:27:01 GMT
I checked No, but only because at this point I have enough money (and extra to do some fun stuff with). Other times in my life I’ve not had much and I’ve been pretty unhappy because I was stressed trying to figure out how to pay my rent.
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Post by anniefb on Sept 10, 2018 19:30:35 GMT
Yes because I’d be able to stop work sooner and do more of the things I love plus help out family who are struggling.
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mallie
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Post by mallie on Sept 10, 2018 19:38:22 GMT
Not happier, but definitely less stressed. And being less stressed is definitely happier. For me, if I had enough money to not work or to be able to find a job I actually enjoyed, my happiness would skyrocket. There is nothing like waking up every day knowing the odds are in favor of being verbally abused, cursed at, having things thrown at me... I can guarandamtee you that if I had enough money to not have to live like that, I would be happier!
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Post by hop2 on Sept 10, 2018 19:56:53 GMT
Having money can, for some people, make it easier to be happy. For people whose stress and not being happy stem from financial issues having more money might help. If there are underlying issues then no it won’t help. But clearly it doesn’t make people happy, solve all problems or help with mental illnesses that cause issues.
I have access to less money now that I’m divorced but I’m generally happier because I have more freedom to be myself. Right now my only woes are financial woes but I can see ways to fix or improve those. So it doesn’t drag me down.
Sure I have dreams of what I’d do if money were no object - but I can be happy where I am. Admittedly I am not destitute and I can feed, house & care for myself. Cable TV might not have made the cut but I’m good. Actually when I looked at the cost and figured what I could do with that $100 or more dollars a month my other choices won out ( ie take a vacation - visit my kids or whatever )
I can understand where money woes can weigh a person down and make them unhappy. I’ll agree with that. But I also understand that there are many other factors involved in ‘happiness’ that money won’t solve - including mental illness.
There are also people who aren’t made to be happy, thier outlook on the world is such that they will never be happy no matter how much or how little they have they are just miserable bitter people wether by birth or by whatever those people choose to see the worst in everything.
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Post by katlady on Sept 10, 2018 20:04:45 GMT
I would be less stressed, which could mean happier. But we are generally happy right now.
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Post by Linda on Sept 10, 2018 20:10:35 GMT
People who are comfortable and can cover their needs are the ones who say that money can not buy happiness. I've been dirt poor on welfare and I've been working poor and now I'm middle class - there's less stress now but I wouldn't say I'm any happier and we still seem to be paycheque to paycheque - I'm not exactly sure why (I'm not the money person for the household) but it seems that more money = more things to spend money on. We've made choices over the years to maximise happiness even when it didn't maximise financial security. I've been a sahm for 18 years now - yes, we would have more money if I worked but our family is happier with me not working.
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Post by jumperhop on Sept 10, 2018 20:16:16 GMT
Yes, I can not tell a lie. Money makes my life happier. Jen
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Post by deekaye on Sept 10, 2018 20:27:41 GMT
I don't necessarily think that it is MONEY that makes me happier, but not having to worry about lack of money makes me happy. In our "early years" we struggled to make ends meet just like most everybody else which of course led to occasional squabbles and unhappiness. Now, several years later, we are empty nesters with both girls graduated from college and on their own, so we don't have the money worries we once had so the LACK of worries is what makes me happy, not necessarily the MONEY. Did any of that rambling make sense?
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Post by chaosisapony on Sept 10, 2018 20:47:12 GMT
Yes. Money gives freedom and I'm definitely happier when I can make choices based on what I want to do not just what is cheapest.
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The Great Carpezio
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Sept 10, 2018 20:50:44 GMT
I'm of the "money can't make you 'happy', but it can make life easier and certainly 'happier'." I think you would be hard pressed to find someone struggling or just getting by that wouldn't find more money a tool to being more happy than they currently are.
But like others have said, if you tend to be unhappy overall in life, it won't suddenly make you a happy person but maybe just a little less unhappy or less stressed.
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The Great Carpezio
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Something profound goes here.
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Sept 10, 2018 20:55:11 GMT
Oh, and I like the point that at the very least, with more money, we can give more money to things we find important, so I would think that 90% of the population would get some happiness or "less unhappiness" by being able to be more generous with those we love or at least organizations we care about.
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Post by kamper on Sept 10, 2018 20:56:28 GMT
My Dad always said "You can't buy happiness" is just rich people propaganda.
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janeliz
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Post by janeliz on Sept 10, 2018 20:58:59 GMT
It certainly doesn’t solve everything and it can create plenty of problems, but I know more than a few wealthy people who seem happier than pigs in shit.
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Post by MichyM on Sept 10, 2018 21:04:29 GMT
I'm in the easier, not happier camp. I've been stone cold broke (waving hello to my 20's) and comfortable. I am not "more happy" now, but my life is easier in a lot of ways now that I'm not broke any more. I've never been what most of us would consider "wealthy" though. That said, if I was, I don't think I'd be any more or less happy than I am now.
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Post by KelleeM on Sept 10, 2018 21:10:10 GMT
Right now more money would make life easier in a few ways. I’m generally very happy with my life though.
In 1998 I was in the process of leaving a craptastic marriage after 10 years. I had two kids who were going with me. My ex hadn’t worked consistently for a couple of years and was waiting for his disability to be approved. I wasn’t making much money but we were surviving. My parents were letting the kids and I move in with them. My ex, who had absolutely no business whatsoever spending a dime on anything that wasn’t necessary, always bought lottery tickets (he probably spent $5-10 a week but it was money we could have used for other things). On a Saturday, four weeks after I told him we were leaving and four weeks before the date we were moving out, he opened the newspaper to see his numbers listed. It was a state lottery with a fixed jackpot of $100,000. He thought money would make me stay. I would have still left even if it was without a dime of that money. In the end we came to an agreement about how the money would be divided and it absolutely made me happy! It relieved a ton of stress, paid off some bills, replaced a car that was unsafe to drive, helped a few family members in small ways, purchased a gift for my parents that they had always wanted but wouldn’t spend the money on, and allowed me to leave my ex without the guilt of knowing he had no way to pay his rent. Yes, it made me and a few others very happy.
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iluvpink
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Post by iluvpink on Sept 10, 2018 21:17:27 GMT
I voted other. Overall I'd say it definitely helps. But there are some things money can't buy. Friends, family, health (physical and mental), self esteem, etc.
But for me, as one with some significant anxiety, I've had enough money (not a ton, but enough for necessities and fun stuff) and I've had not enough (wondering each month if we could pay the mortgage, sometimes not being able to and wondering how long before we got a foreclosure notice, paying overdraft fees every couple of weeks as it neared pay day). For me, having enough definitely makes me much less anxious and happier.
At this point in life I have enough for the most part. A healthier retirement account and a big chunk of money to set up a health trust fund for dd if she is ever not able to get health insurance would definitely make me a bit happier. But generally I just try to not worry about that too much. But I'm happy with everything else in our life that we have. Bought by money or not.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Sept 10, 2018 21:18:35 GMT
In my opinion, happiness is something that is within. It is part of your overall general persona and core being....and heart and soul.
In general, I am happy and content with my life and who I am. There are days when there are 'bumps in the road" or things don't go as plan, but this type of stuff does not change the core of my being...my heart and soul, my persona. Nothing is perfect, we all have rough times and moments. So to answer the question, no money wouldn't make me happier per say, because I am already content. For me content is a more accurate description than happiness.
It hasn't always been this way. I spent up until my early 30's being who I thought I needed to be to get accepted and included in the family clique of favorites, being what was expected by certain people in my life, being who I thought I should be according to society in general. I was unhappy, miserable. Deep down, I knew and felt like I wasn't being me, my true self. I was repressed. I worried about what other people thought.
Not going to go into the all details, but one night in my early 30's I simply decide I was done. Done with my Marriage. Done with being treated like crap by Family. I made the decision to change my life. It didn't happen overnight. I was very broken, unhappy, emotionally battered-bruise-scarred by my now ex-husband. I was miserable in my soul and core being. I was lost. I had no idea who "I" was. It was one day at a time. I learned to say no. I set boundaries. I made decisions based on what would make me happy, not what others wanted or expected me to do. I healed inside. It's been twenty one years and "I" will always be a work in progress. Self care is a necessary part of one's life and wellbeing. I can honestly and humbly say, I am happy and content. If I never have more than that what I currently have, that would be quite alright with me.
An abundance of money would certainly make my life better, easier and enable me to do more of the things that I currently cannot afford to do (travel). But money or not, I am already content in my core...heart and soul.
If I suddenly hit the lottery for an abundant amount, I would still live in a studio apartment because that is what I like.
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moodyblue
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Post by moodyblue on Sept 10, 2018 21:46:45 GMT
Money doesn't automatically lead to happiness. Money can't buy a cure for my husband's cancer - but having enough money (in the form of good insurance and my income) means we don't have to worry about losing our home or not being able to pay bills as he goes through treatment.
Money DOES provide freedom - and choices. I'm still working, even though I could draw my full pension, because of the health insurance and the last couple years we have left on the mortgage. With a lot more money I could retire now instead of in two years and stay home with my husband.
I do believe that people who are unhappy now aren't likely to be happier with money. But for many of us, who can be and are happy at least most of the time, more money might relieve stress or provide more choices and the freedom to do what makes us happy.
I also know that being able to help people who are struggling financially would be an awesome thing, so I'd love having LOTS of money to do that.
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Post by mygigiscraps on Sept 10, 2018 22:28:00 GMT
Hell yes, it would. If money or lack of it didn't affect happiness, you would see rich people giving all of theirs away. Never have I seen someone volunteer to be without money if they had it. Will it fix all problems? Nope. But it certainly has the power to make a lot of them easier to live with.
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Post by papersilly on Sept 10, 2018 22:40:41 GMT
Hell yes, it would. If money or lack of it didn't affect happiness, you would see rich people giving all of theirs away. Never have I seen someone volunteer to be without money if they had it. Will it fix all problems? Nope. But it certainly has the power to make a lot of them easier to live with. i saw a blurb the other day that said that if Jeff Bezos (of Amazon) gave his $536,000+ employees $200,000 EACH from his personal fortune, he would still be worth $50 BILLION. i was telling DH that the $200,000 would be a life changer and Jeff Bezos's lifestyle still would not suffer it if he gave that away. hard to wrap your head around that kind of wealth.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Sept 10, 2018 22:45:29 GMT
Money buys travel. Travel and happiness are pretty much synonymous for me. That is true for me as well. It certainly doesn’t solve everything and it can create plenty of problems, but I know more than a few wealthy people who seem happier than pigs in shit. Yes, but I also know wealthy people who are abjectly miserable despite not wanting for anything. Drives me nuts. In my opinion, happiness is something that is within. It is part of your overall general persona and core being....and heart and soul. And that is really the ultimate truth.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2018 23:59:01 GMT
NO BRAINER!!!!!!!! We are scraping to get by on our SS incomes. When DH does his Pinterest or Etsy, we do okay. When I do some Nannying, we're okay. By okay, I mean that we're able to pay our monthly bills, have food on the table, gas in the car....... It doesn't mean that we're able to go out to restaurants, get delivery food, go out for entertainment, buy things, get my hair colored, or get mani/pedis, etc.......... but we're okay! Having our heads on our pillows together nightly means the world to us.
Having money now vs. 30 years ago is entirely different for me. I'd use it to pay copays for all things medically related. I'd have the house stocked with healthy foods (expensive). I wouldn't worry about paying bills on time. We'd be able to take trips to see family. Above all, things wouldn't be so tense.
Right now DH has been turned down to go to a cancer center because it's "not in the contract" of our PCP. If we had $$, I could immediately bring him in to Moffitt for a 2nd opinion and possibly a plan. I'd be able to get secondary health insurance to help. I'd be able to get us both dental plans that we are SO overdue for! And most of all, we'd move back to NY!!! It ALL takes $$.
Lastly, keep in mind that 30+ years ago, my ex and I were making good $$ with our law practice. We went on vacations, kept updating MY house, had 2 babies because we could afford to have me stay home........... It was nice, but I'd do it differently now & put a % of it aside. So, in essense, money DOES make me happier!!! Definitely. But I'm not shallow and vapid, just craving "things". The older you get, "things" don't mean as much but being able to buy necessities would be an ultimate pleasure!!!!!!!!!
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Post by happyOCgirl on Sept 11, 2018 0:13:34 GMT
I broke up with a guy for various reasons. One of which was how he viewed money - he would be extremely frugal to then spending every cent he had. Four days after we broke up, he won 12 million in the lottery. He did have rough spots throughout his life and I was genuinely happy for him. I thought it would help him be less stressed about money and have a chance to do the things he always dreamed about. It ended up causing him a lot more stress. People were asking him for money all the time. He had a difficult time spending it because he thought once he started, he wouldn’t be able to stop.
I don’t know if there would ever be enough to buy happiness, though. I think if you are happy with your life, that’s the biggest thing. However, to have money to not have to worry about the biggest financial burdens in your life - that would be amazing!!
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Post by peasapie on Sept 11, 2018 0:16:38 GMT
I have rich friends, poor friends, and in between. They all have problems. However, it's nice to have enough money to throw at some of those problems.
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julie5
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Post by julie5 on Sept 11, 2018 0:18:16 GMT
Money doesn’t make me happier but it provides the necessities that make me happy-food and home. I’ve been homeless so the home thing is pretty big for me.
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compeateropeator
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Post by compeateropeator on Sept 11, 2018 1:09:48 GMT
I am a pretty happy person but I think I could be happier not having to think about bills, to be able to give freely to charities, to be able to travel spur of the moment, giving large gifts, etc.
I recently quoted that money can't buy happiness country song to my 12 year nephew during some conversation and he thought it was hysterical.
I know everybody says money can’t buy happiness But it could buy me a boat It could buy me a truck to pull it
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Post by freecharlie on Sept 11, 2018 1:12:52 GMT
Yes, but not too much. $250,000-$500,000 tops.
Anything more than that and DH would buy stupid shit with it and irritate me.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 11, 2018 1:35:30 GMT
YES. For the single reason that if your resources allow you to move around and over life’s obstacles, life in general is a lot less stressful. DH and I were pretty much dirt poor for the first 20 years of our marriage. Now we’re not. Life is so much better when you have options.
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