Money isn't everything?

I grew up very poor but I also have a very nice level of comfort now.

Loved ones mean more, my child died almost 12 years ago and no amount of money will ever compensate for that. We retired early, I gave up work at 55 because I thought fuck it, we pay tax on our workplace pensions. I paid for some private therapy when she died as didn’t want to wait so again that did help more than someone who couldn’t afford to having to wait for the NHS. But while it helped and can help solve almost anything it can do nothing about death.

I’m so sorry for your loss but glad his employers treated him properly

Totally. When my husband had cancer he was paid his full salary for his entire illness and was also paid his full (city) bonus the year he died despite only working incredibly part time for a small proportion of the year.

Money makes life a hell of a lot better.

I was widowed and insurances and pensions mean my kids haven’t had to have a drop in their standard of living and they can live in a mortgage free home and to do all the things they would have done if their dad was here

private health care meant their dad lived over 2 years longer than he would have because he had access to treatments he wouldn’t have got on the NHS

Money means my kids had ADHD and Autism diagnosis within 2-3 months of initial enquires and that meant they had access to meds sooner which meant that theor grades improved and I could plug the gaps with tutoring.

I can’t control some of life throws at us but money makes it far easier to manage it

Absolutely agree with you 100%. Having been poor growing up, it remains a huge fear of returning to that state. Feeling cold and hungry is fucking awful.

I'm well off now but live modestly. However, there probably isn't much I can't afford if I want it. I'm just really mindful that I don't waste the money I now have.

I truly believe beyond running a home and providing for a family extra money doesn't bring extra joy. I've seen in people a baseline of happiness that isn't really affected longterm by their wealth.
I suspect that the relatively small amount of money between 'hardly able to make ends meet' and 'managing fine' would bring more relief & happiness than 100 times that amount to a rich person.

Money doesn't solve everything,but it sure as hell helps with a lot of things that make people unhappy. At various points in my life,I've been absolutely skint,and also relatively well off. Not stinking rich by any means,but had enough not to have to think twice every time I was going to spend money. I know which I preferred. It's nice to have a 'financial cushion' just in case. When I was poor,I was constantly worrying that my cat may get ill, incurring massive vet's bills. I've always had pet insurance,but you still have to find the money upfront then claim it back from the insurance company. I used to wake up in the small hours of the morning,and start doing calculations in my head about whether I was going to have enough money in my account to pay the water bill this month,or whether I'd have enough to put on the gas meter and actually be able to have the heating on when it was freezing cold. In my experience, people who say that money can't buy you happiness are usually very well off!
Another remark I frequently hear is that money can't buy you health. Well,I agree that it isn't the solution to ALL health issues,but it can certainly help with a lot of them. I have been in severe pain for a year now with osteoarthritis of one of my hips, and it's probably going to be at least 5 months to a year before I have any hope of having a hip replacement operation. If I had loads of money,I wouldn't have hesitated to go private and get it done ASAP! Basically,as a previous poster has said,money gives you options,it gives you a choice,that you probably wouldn't have if you are poor. It makes life much less stressful.

My father is a fan of the charming (possibly Greek) saying - life is like a shit sandwich, the more bread you have, the less you taste the shit.

I always think of money as a means of buying a support system. For example, I had a nervous breakdown last year and have had to stop long-distance driving. I come from a dysfunctional family, most of whom are now dead and the ones that are left are awful. I have a few friends but they're all ill or disabled so I can't ask them for help. My youngest autistic DS is at uni about a 2 hour's drive away and I've had to pay for taxis for him. I'm not actually rich at all but for various reasons I've had that money available. God knows what I'd have done without it.

I've never been very poor but I dread being so but I have no pension so at some point I will be.

You only become happier by accumulating more goats.
😂😂@Goatsarebest

Since receiving £25k in private psychiatric treatment I am unequivocally of the opinion that money does buy happiness.

So many of the stressors that I’ve had over the last 20 years would not have existed if I had money.

Ive volunteered at food banks and, more than once have delivered a food bank parcel to someone who’s been diagnosed with cancer and can’t work. Their job is zero hours so they get no sick pay and it’s going to be at least 5 weeks before they get any UC.

Even getting cancer isn’t the great leveller.

Would you say that's true of your husband?

Good for you.

Other people have other priorities, and that is also fine.

I’ve been both below the poverty line (as a child) and well off (now), and though money doesn’t bring happiness by itself, it definitely helps. I had a mostly happy childhood but I remember having to walk around with no sole on my shoe because we didn’t have the money to replace them, only eating one meal a day, the electricity going off in our house because we hadn’t paid our bills. I look back fondly (ish), especially now my brother has died because I know how much love there was in our house despite the fact we had nothing at all.

It’s much easier to be happy now, I haven’t had any money worries in years, we can do basically whatever we want within reason, my kids can have whatever they desire, I don’t get stressed when I see a big bill. But I’d probably still trade it all to have my brother back.

Ok Just a boasting brag that you have gone from rags to riches then?

So have you not answered your own question?? Money buys better quality. You wouldnt go back to your old life.

I'm an introvert who dislikes beach holidays. Having someone fussing over my sun glasses and handing me melon is my idea of hell.

My point is that having enough money for the things you want is what makes someone happy. Above that amount it's just money you don't have a use/need for.

What holiday gets people to clean your sunglasses?? 🤐

Depending on your age, you were more advantaged than most of my generation (45). I never went abroad until I was working and paid for it myself.

For your IL family, im curious if they married out of love or necessity? You seem to have landed on your feet as they say, would you go back to a childhood lifestyle??

We always say money can’t make you happy but all things being equal I’m happier with it than without.