AIBU to ask- people who were once poor and are now well off, how much happier do you feel?

[Iwantmydrivewayformyself]

I’ve been struggling for money for a while but due to a change in circumstances, it looks like for the next six months I’ll be able to put away £1000-£1200 in spare money. Only until I go back to finishing my degree, anyway.

It’s made me realise that I feel so much less stressed and freer having money spare. It is temporary so don’t flame me for a ‘stealth boast’ and I will be saving 80% of this money.

But I have to ask- those of you who were poor and are now rich, well off, wealthy, whatever you want to call it, do you feel happier or does the novelty off being rich wear off?

I’m doing a very niche degree, which if it goes well AND I find a job I’ll be set up for life as the jobs pay extremely well. However there are few and far between. I’m going to be extremely poor for the next few years, however, working part time and studying. Hence why I need to save, otherwise I won’t be able to afford much at all.

So does being well off or rich make you happier? Or does the novelty wear off? Do you think family and love gives you a better quality of life, or does money make you happy?

Although I’m better off right now I’ve also changed location and I’m so lonely, so I’m unhappier in that respect.

Brought up extremely poor (when I give examples to people now they think I’m making it up!) I know that feeling. Sadly so does DH.

That might be why we are such boring homebodies and tend to squirrel away as much money as we can!

Both of us brought up in houses where the bills were paid, there was enough food and the house was warm. But that was it.

I realise that is more than a lot had.

We were really broke for the first ten years and then due to an inheritance we were soooooooooo close to hammering the mortgage. We then had to move to further DH's career (it was the right move, eventually )

So we then had to start again in the south of England, our mortgage repayments quadrupled and everything down here is so expensive.

We have had eighteen years of living on very little, I worked in a school to work around DS.

Last year I got a job back in my field, work part time and I have for the purpose of this thread just checked my account and we have in excess of £1k in it.

But the feeling never goes away...

Recently I needed four new tyres on my car (£150 each) booked it in and then the shocks went, the bill was £1,000 I was OMG ing all over the place and DH said, we have that in savings cease and desist and I then went..... oh yeah.

There's a whole level of stress we just don't experience, and I am deeply grateful for that. Both DH and I have had periods of being very poor in the past - counting every penny - going without basics. Now we have a massive (shabby) house in a very nice neighbourhood, DC in private schools and never worry about money. We're still careful with money - we're not rich and we have to budget very carefully but we never have that sick, sinking feeling I used to get if something breaks and you can't replace it,. of holes in the soles of yoru shoes and no chance for new ones. I really appreciate the difference.

I was brought up in a very poor family, married a man with his own business and we became rich. He developed MS, we lost everything as his business went and we now live in council housing and have some money but nowhere near what we had. I wish my H was in good health again and I miss the money.