What percentage of happiness is financial security

[Imagineit]

Just that really. Im watching the film 'the pursuit of happiness' and it got me thinking

No way Laurie, that doesn't make sense, it can't have gone up by that much? Was it dollars you were looking at?

A great deal. The absence of financial worries, the freedom brought about by not having to do certain things.

I can afford my bills and have savings if day my washer broke ...
However I think health and family are just as important
I'd say it's 33% split between health, family and money

Being financially secure makes me feel more relief than happiness.

I think happiness is separate and I have been happy at various stages of my life, some when I had money and some when I had none.

But the thing is, I always had a roof over my head and food to eat, so in that sense I haven't experienced true issues linked to financial insecurity. A lot of us won't have.

So with my current life experience I would say that my happiness is much more linked to my health, people around me and love. But that would only be the case until I got to a level where my lack of finances severely impacted my ability to stay warm, dry and fed.

I think the saying that money doesn't buy happiness is true, but I also think that not having enough and having constant worries brings its own unhappiness. Having been very poor, I know that I would rather have enough money . Some put by for emergencies and little luxuries takes the stress out of everyday living , being stressed constantly does not promote happiness.

I would say about 80-90%

because lack of money is lack of choice.

love, family and everything else is very important.

5 years ago I was a single parent on a not so good wage, compared to living costs. A job move and a few promotions later I am comfortable. Before everything was impacted by a lack of financial security.

The stress impacted my life, my relationships, my health everything.

My mum died last year. Being financially comfortable hasn’t made losing her easier, but it did mean no one was worried about funeral costs. I have been able to take my dad away as a distraction. And the kids. Taking time off work wasn’t a stomach churning choice. If she had died 5 years earlier I know I would have been so much more stressed. Not been able to take time off work and I know my mental health would have been in the toilet. Now I could afford to get ds a counsellor and not have to wait forever to help him.

Being financially secure has meant I can spend so much more time thinking about other things and enjoying them, not constantly worried.

people say money doesn’t make you happy and it doesn’t. But a lack of money, is so stressful and relentless and impacts everything else.

I grew up on the breadline and I still had a happy childhood but

I was lucky I had a lot of love but it does get slightly depressing when you go camping year after year whilst all your friends go abroad.

Split with long term partner and fighting for my share of the joint house . I was very lucky that I kept the house I had when I met him so have a roof over our heads ( still have a teenage child at home) . I am
paying off credit cards In my name we had to use when he lost his job. I had partially retired but now have had to take a second job and work 7 days a week . A small lump sum to pay everything off would mean we we were more secure and the immense pressure would be off . We will get there but it’s hard . I still think the most important thing is health though.

A huge amount. I have only just now reached a pount where I fee secure. I am in my 40s and have worked all my life to feel like that. Dh whom i met 20 years ago is the same. We never had any handouts from parents, always done everything ourselves. We have been unfortunate with some career situations but touch wood things are ok now. The difference to my mental wellbeing is enormous. I have been able to reduce my anti anxiety meds. I have the head space to look after myself. I can afford some help for my son who is dysgraphic. I cam afford some after school care which means I don't have to run from the train and be the last to pick my children up. We are not rich by any stretch. No private schools, no Maldives, no house, we live in a flat. But I can cover our life expenses without ronbing peter to pay Paul. If I need private dental treatment I can get it. If my kids rip their uniforms I can order new ones without waiting for pay day. Dh and I get on so much better because we are not arguing over money. I think this is as close to being happy I have ever been.

I was pretty much going to write what Bertie says above.

I was looking for the info mentioned on the ‘above this salary happiness isn’t impacted’ - I remember it as over about £55,000 a d came across this article which is interesting:

www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/how-much-money-happiness/amp/

From 2010: amp.theguardian.com/science/2010/sep/06/earnings-pay-happiness-research

There are plenty of ways to be unhappy even when you are financially secure, but yes, of course it takes a huge source of anxiety and stress away.

Being financially secure is the foundation for a good peaceful and happy life but good health is of great importance too

It's got to be different in the UK vs the US - they have much higher cost of living in most places there, plus health insurance comes out after you get paid so you notice it whereas for most people NI just feels like tax.

I think sometimes people who have always had financial security don't even realise that the things that make them happy they can do because of money, because to them they are just their "normal"

e.g. someone living in a house might be happy watching their kids play in the paddling pool or having a bbq - which someone in a flat can't do.
Or someone else might get a feel good buzz helping the PTA and someone else might feel sad/guilty they can never help because they are always working to make ends meet.