when a rich person says 'money doesnt buy you happiness"

[pingIspom]

aibu to feel like screaming ?

money does buy happiness otherwise they'd give it all away

It won’t buy happiness, it will however reduce stress

It reduces stress about money, that's all. Nothing can buy happiness can it?

Life is easier in terms of money worries for rich people. Does it stop bereavement? Life threatening illness/accidents? Divorce? Stillbirth/miscarriage? Addiction? Estrangement from family and friends?

To say money buys happiness is a simplistic view.

It can’t be happiness, it can buy the pretence it does and I imagine if you are unhappy anything will help.
Money makes life easier, not happier.

It can buy you the kind of misery you prefer. (Woody Allan)

I'd be pretty happy with lots of money.

I think a lack of money can make you miserable but being rich won't necessarily make you happy.

I think if my life was easier it would also be easier to be happier! The whole saying makes me feel quite ragefull, you know whoever is using it has no idea of the stress of poverty.

It doesn’t buy happiness. It makes unhappiness a bit more bearable though. Your OP is somewhat lacking in logic though.

if i had £800 per week i would be extremely happy, very happy

I used to live near someone who was wealthy in a very wealthy place, he worked all the time apart from going to a nearby pub in the evening. He is past retirement age and has enough assets to live in luxury - however there is always someone richer than you.....

There's lots of things that money can't buy. But it can certainly make life so much easier in many ways.

Does it stop bereavement? Life threatening illness?

Yes. A man living in Kensington has a life expectancy of 81, and in Govern, Glasgow, 55.

I'm happy now, I could also be happy living in a hotter country, without any debt, and my kids having access to better education. So it might not "buy" happiness, but it would certainly make life easier if we had more money!

Money buys you 'things'. Some 'things' are pretty necessary (somewhere to live, food etc) and yeah, if you don't have money for them you could be pretty miserable. Having extra above that is nice, but if your happiness is solely attached to how many 'things' you can afford to buy then I doubt you'd be happy even if you have more money than you knew how to spend.

I know quite a few very wealthy people and can honestly say money definitely does not buy happiness. A lack of money can make people unhappy but just being able to buy material possessions is not a route to happiness

Yanbu. Yes all experiences some of lives worst problems like mental health problems, bereavement, family woes and so forth but I'd much rather be crying about my lot on a boat in Cannes than a bedsit in Scunthorpe.

Money buys you choice.

You might still be unhappy, you can't buy your way out of bereavement, say, but you can choose a lovely memorial for the lost loved one rather than have to put up with what you can afford. It can't buy you good health, but it can buy you private treatment. It can't buy you a good relationship, but it can mean that you aren't terrified to divorce because you can't afford rent on your salary alone.

Choices. That's what being rich gives you.

Theres definitely a balance needed. Money buys choice, opportunity and security. Too much choice and things become worthless, too much opportunity and its losses any merit and to much security and it's easy to become complacent.
I agree though when its said by someone who's perhaps not mega rich but definitely well off its screams of having no idea how other people live.

Lifecraft it's Govan btw.

And that's life expectancy, ie you being the dead person. Being rich doesn't safeguard you from losing people you love.

Been on both sides&hand on heart agree that whilst in theory money cant buy happiness-it does give me fantastic choices&the ability to not stress the small stuff like petrol,bills,food&nice roof over head..

Yes. A man living in Kensington has a life expectancy of 81, and in Govern, Glasgow, 55.

It's a startling comparison but I think too simplistic. There are complicated socioeconomic reasons behind differences like this, it's not purely having or not having money. If you handed the man from Govan £1 million and moved him to Kensington, he wouldn't necessarily live to 81. And vice versa.

bullshit is what I think when I hear this.

It doesn't buy happiness but it does buy security and choices which may make life easier. Humans are an ungrateful, entitled lot. People who casually bandy this phrase around have no idea about the difficulties and stresses caused by lack of money.

@InTheHeatofLisbon

Agreed. Higher life expectancy doesn't automatically indicate a happier life.

It absolutely buys you 'health'. In the last month I've spent over £800 on 'health'. I'm now skint and will be trying pretty hard not to spend anymore

Dentist - £200 - x rays, hygiene appt, one filling

Cortisone injections- £400

Eye test and contact lens fitting - £130

Medication - HRT and supplements- over £100