To think money could actually buy happiness?

[nonamemummy]

I personally feel money could buy happiness
Do you agree?

I always think when I hear how “money can’t buy happiness” that to the contrary, the absence of money certainly causes unhappiness.

Obviously there’s a limit to how much money you need, but I can definitely say that I’m much less stressed than I was in the past due to a good income!

When I was at university I worked full time whilst studying full time, had no financial support from family but a low student maintenance loan due to their income. I also rented in London. So I lived payday to payday; had to worry about covering rent monthly; had to choose between travel costs to work or paying for food; missing uni for work etc. My life wasn’t even that bad in comparison to others, but I definitely felt stressed and unhappy and that manifested in my health. Think teeth grinding, low vitamin d, low ferritin, weight loss, skin problems etc.

You’ll notice. The ones who have money. Say it doesn’t buy you happiness

Disagree I'm lucky to be financially comfortable. After reading the posts it hasn't changed my mind. We all experience death of loved ones, illness etc. Some of us will have MH issues, have a crap family etc. Having the freedom to resolve issues through counselling, taking a less stressful job as you aren't reliant on the salary make for an easier and stress free life.

You’ll notice. The ones who have money. Say it doesn’t buy you happiness

I’m quite well off (not about to buy my own private island or anything, but don’t have any financial worries) and I said it can buy you happiness, because it can buy you choice.

Not everything in life can be fixed with money, but a lot of things can be made easier by it.

People are idiots if they think it can buy you happiness. It can take away some of life’s pressures for sure but, not buy you happiness.
Multi millionaires suffer from depression

No. It can ease many of the day to day stresses. (While likely bringing its own different ones.) It can make life easier with less worries. Nothing on earth can buy genuine happiness.

It can buy happiness for people with intact mental health, yes. I don't have any mental health issues so I feel money could buy me happiness as it means I could do things I don't have the option to at the moment (private speech therapy for my DS for example) and maybe send him to a nursery that specialises in non verbal children and one's with sensory issues and of course, I could give up my job and devote more time to him and encouraging him as well. I would probably feel better in myself too as we could have more holidays and things too.

For people with certain mental health issues though, I don't think all the money in the world could buy them happiness or good mental health or people that have terminally ill children for example. Money is nothing to these people a lot of the time and doesn't help, they need help, luck, miracles and medical interventions over money and often money cannot buy those things. This is shown by the amount of rich people that sadly take their lives or suffer terrible mental health issues

It can buy happiness for people with intact mental health, yes. I don't have any mental health issues

....YET! @YappityYapYap...be careful what you wish for MH issues can strike at any time and in many ways....unfortunately

While it cannot prevent illness, bereavement etc etc day to day it would take away the constant worry, stress, arguements over money, panic when unexpected bills come along so yes I do think it would massively make me happier. Also would allow treats, holidays, a new car all of which would also make life better

I'd rather be fucking miserable in a comfortable house with clothes that aren't falling apart, any kind of food I needed (but couldn't be fucked to eat) and without the overriding necessity to go and do a job I hated to avoid being fucking miserable and sleeping on the street.

The money might not actually make me happy, but being miserable in comfort is so much better than the alternative.

Money can’t buy health but it can make being ill alot easier.
You can pay privately for doctors,
Suffering a cold, you can afford night nurse.
Child with mental health issues, you can pay for the help.
Broken leg, you can afford a cleaner.

I don’t think some of you actually understand...when you have money and a certain standard of living it doesn’t matter when you are upset, sad, depressed etc etc because you are not sitting there thinking “oh well at least I have a lot of money in the bank”....the money means nothing sometimes!!it has no bearing! A rich girl suffering from depression has no mass on her surroundings/money in the bank!! She still suffers from depression! Iyswim

Yes, but if she were a poor girl with depression she would be facing being evicted or hungry too.

We may be arguing over semantics. I would say that money improves happiness levels. It doesn’t make you truly happy.

Dearryme

But even depression is easier to deal with when you have money.

Money can buy you therapy, a home, food.

It can buy happiness for people with intact mental health, yes

My husband has a 20 year history of poor mental health. Three years ago, he had a complete and terrifying breakdown. We’re not in the UK so obviously not under NHS.

We have private health insurance so he was admitted to a private mental hospital within 48 hours of seeing his GP (who saw him same-day as we contacted the surgery for an appointment), he spent three months in hospital having every single treatment you can imagine- CBT, one-to-one psychotherapy, psychiatric care, nutritional advice, fitness classes, music therapy etc.

Because he’s lucky to be in well paid and permanent employment with full sick benefits, he was fully paid for the time he was out of work (11 months in total). We’ve always had I come protection insurance so had that as a back-up.

The hospital he was in is in our city and I was able to see him every day. The cost of parking/bus fare/taxis wasn’t something I had to consider.
When visiting, I was able to walk in with stacks of books and magazines and treats that I had no problem buying.

I’m also lucky enough to have a well/paid, permanent job that gave me the flexibility I needed to support him. If I was working on a minimum wage zero-hours contract, I don’t know what I would have done.

He ended up on a lot of medication that we had to pay for out of pocket- we’ve never had to worry about choosing between his medication and our food shopping.

We were able to go on holidays and weekends away as he recovered, and the change of scene helped him immensely.

We were able to keep up private therapy for him.

There’s nothing that could prevent my husband having a mental health problem- it’s just the luck of the draw, like many illnesses. However, having money helped us hugely during such a difficult time. So, while it didn’t make us “happy”, it took away a lot of things that would have made us much, much unhappier.

Similarly, I’m fortunate to never have had terminal cancer. If I did, I’d obviously be devastated at the thoughts of leaving my family, but knowing that I have life assurance, private pensions, investments etc would mean that I’d at least know I was leaving them with financial security and removing that worry.

But even depression is easier to deal with when you have money

can be. There are no givens.

But it's not either or is it?

Now take that depressed rich girl and put her in a house share or a manky,mouldy ,cold flat. Without enough money to put the heating on. A low paid job where she's talked to like shit. Not enough healthy food or even any food at all.
Add a kid or two.
Add bailiffs at the door.
Add debating between food or medicine.
Put her on the streets.

In my eyes the only people that say money can't buy happiness are either wealthy enough or the optimistic poor trying to make themselves feel better.

If your life is shit ,it will be shit regardless of incomes but can you really not see how added stress and worries and lack of fairly basic things can add to the pile of shit? There's a reason why more people on benefits /low incomes commit suicide or die alone than wealthy ones.

I'm neither, money would give us the extra room (yes just one room)we so desperately need, and with that room the possibility of another baby. That would make me ridiculously happy .

I think that sometimes money can lead to discontent in the unmotivated. If you can have whatever you want, would you always be seeking more?

Several studies have shown that money does bring happiness - up to a point. That point is an income of about £70 per annum. After that, the law of diminishing returns kicks in, and further increases in wealth bring few if any additional boosts to happiness.

Which makes sense when you think about it. An income in the upper or mid 5 figures will provide a lot of security and all reasonable (yes I know this is subjective) comforts for a person and their family. Once that is secured, additional material gains don't add much.

Plus, people get used to a certain level of material comfort very quickly, and chances are when you become richer, you will surround yourself with others who are at the same level if not higher, and you will compare yourself to them and perhaps find yourself lacking. This is why even objectively very wealthy people often consider themselves 'poor' - they aren't ocmparing themselves to the average Joe or Jane, but to their wealthy peers. Hence, extra wealth can lead to discontent. Wouldn't mind trying out the theory however!

@speakout not from where I’m standing

Dearryme I am truly sorry you are suffering.

But I assume you have a home? Enough to eat?

To a certain extent, yes. I entered a contest a week or two ago with a prize of 30k, so about 15k after taxes. I have been daydreaming ever since of how amazing it would be to win. I go between paying off all our debts so our incone is finally enough to live on each month, or paying off most things and taking a family vacation we could never afford otherwise.

It seems so silly. But just the possibility of 15k has had me imagining a much improved life. No debt would mean far fewer arguments. Quality of life would significantly improve.

If I played the lotterly and won more, wow. I coupd send the kids to whichever colleges they wanted, no stressing about scholarships. I could help set them up in good careers. We could move to a less dilapidated house.

Most of my happiness could be solved by not feeling crushed by poverty.

Money certainly makes life easier but I don't think it makes you any happier once you get to a certain level where you have everything you need (housing, bills paid etc) and a few things you want (car, holiday). The things that money can buy usually only give a certain period of happiness- that luxury holiday, a lavish wedding, a Michelin star meal etc. Those experiences are time limited. What money can't buy is contentment, happy relationships or health.

My experience is that making/ having money often comes with big compromises, for example my dh got promoted and earns a lot more than before but he now travels the equivalent of half the year. Money doesn't make up for his time with his family but we know it's only for a short period so we will have that sacrifice- for now. Neither of us are any happier really than what we were before- I'm a lot more stressed for sure! But I also know that having a choice is a privileged position to be in.

@flyingspaghettimonster, it would bring happiness....for a short time. However, in most likelihood, once your debts were paid, you'd look at something what that you don't have that would make you so much happier if you had it.

I never felt as happy as when I had a health scare and it turned out to be nothing, but even though I feel much more grateful for good health, the good feeling that I get from it is nothing like what it felt like when I had the all clear, and even at times, I do forget about it when something else is causing me much stress, frustration, fear.

Happiness is really about being able to focus on what you have rather than what you wish you did. It's a mindset, and most people I know I would consider the happiest don't have much money. What they have though is time to appreciate what they do have.

Money pays for security - a roof, warmth, light, water, taxes, communication, entertainment, food, medical bills, childcare and clothes.

With these basics taken care of, building up savings and then mental health therapy would be next on the shopping list followed by holidays.

Yes, money can make you happier, but it may not be possible to be completely happy.

It always makes me laugh when the 70k argument gets trotted out. Many many people have a income tens of thousands under that.

It's small comfort to someone to be told that people on 100k aren't really that happy anymore, when even a quarter of that income is unattainable to them.

Some comments on this thread reek of privilege, ignorance and "let them eat cake".