Would you rather be rich or happy

[Lardlizard]

?

Being rich would make me happy so I'd choose rich every time

Rich without a doubt.
I’ve been poor and unhappy, I’m currently comfortable and unhappy, being rich means I could buy myself some short term happiness.

It's such a funny question, as obviously it's everyone's ultimate desire to be happy! Riches are only desirable because they buy the means to happiness. Happiness is the desired goal. So the answer (happiness) should be obvious.. but interestingly it isn't. Most people say they'd prefer to be rich.

I heard an interview with Paul Mckenna, the hypnotist, about his books on losing weight. He asked many many overweight people why they wanted to be slimmer. "To be happy" they all said. So he wrote his book about how to lose weight successfully, and initially titled it I Can Make You Happy. No one was interested, it was a flop. He retitled it and sales skyrocketed. It was now called I Can Make You Thin.

Strange isn't it!

I too am surprised at how many people are saying rich

I just can’t understand the mindset of someone preferring the be rich and unhappy

Are you serious? Happy! Who would want to be rich and depressed?

But in order to be happy I don't think I would be dirt poor - surely most people need good quality shelter, food, clothing etc to be happy.

If I were rich I could change my life which would lead to happiness

Rich

Why does it have to be one or the other?

Having loadsa dough does not make you happy. How would you spend it all? It would get very boring after a while.

And if truth be known, the ultra rich are tight as ducks arses anwyay lol.

I'd settle for a bill/mortgage free life with a good disposable income and a bloody good cushion to see us through. Dreams on....

I know I would be much happier if I had more money. So ... rich

Rich, coz that would make me happy in itself.

Rich, because then I wouldn’t have to do the job I do now and that would make me very happy.

Happy. And I say that as someone who has pretty much fuck-all money. I'll never undervalue happiness, because I know I wouldn't survive the depths of unhappiness again - though a little more money would help out a hell of a lot.

Honestly at this point, rich. I am so broke right now. I even started up a gofundme for myself. I know it sounds so pathetic, But I am a single mother, my father is terminally ill so i'm worried 1. about my daughter feel like Im failing her and 2. my father, whenever he does pass, I dont even think I could afford to give him a proper send off he deserves. I literally have so many bills coming out everyday from being in my overdraft for so long and I have about £5 to my name right now! So being rich, would likely make me so over the moon right now lol

Happy. I have absolutely no idea why a person would choose rich in the questions "rich OR happy". People saying, 'oh I was miserable poor'. Yes but this time you wouldn't be because the question is "rich OR happy". You would be happy.

In RL it's more complicated. Relative wealth is misery-inducing. Being poor with rich friends is much worse than everyone having the same. Debt makes a person unhappy. Not having a lot but having enough and everyone being in the same boat is generally fine.

Been both (kind of). Happy is better. Happiness does need reasonable amount of financial security though.

Some people are so poor that all they have is money,

As pp said being poor, having no roof over your head that's not stable makes being happy hard.

I've definitely been poor and kept a sense of humour however... I know a few rich families who suck the joy out of life with a pervading obsession with money, every moment.. And I think that's such an incredible waste.. They are the most miserable people and I know.

However I know plenty of happy rich people too.

• by mumsnet standards I am poor, however I have feel very rich because for the first time in a decade I'm working again, I have my own wage coming in, dh whose job was crushed in the cc is finally earning a reasonable wage! We have some savings so we don't need to worry about the boiler. We desperately need a new kitchen which we can't afford however and we would struggle to get a new car.

But, having income and savings feels amazing... Happiness is a state of mind

Happy, no question.

Rich.

Most, not all admittedly but most, of my issues are currently caused by being poor.

If I could take away the stress of those it would mean dealing with the other issues that money won't fix much easier and that in turn would make being happier easier.

I'd rather be loaded, then I could be miserable in ultimate comfort if I wanted to.

RICH, happiness is overrated!

I don't really know what happy is, so I would settle for rich.

Happy.