Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you rather have more money or more free time?

109 replies

chompin · 28/04/2022 20:14

Heard something recently about two groups of women who lived in poverty. One group were given more money, the other more free time. Whilst both experienced increased levels of happiness, the group given more free time had higher levels of happiness. After some thought I think I would probably prefer more free time when initially I would've thought it would be more money

OP posts:
coodawoodashooda · 28/04/2022 20:17

More money. I have more time and less money just now.

motherofchihuahuas · 28/04/2022 20:17

Same

clpsmum · 28/04/2022 20:18

More money without a doubt

Oblomov22 · 28/04/2022 20:19

More money. I have plenty of free time already.

over2021 · 28/04/2022 20:20

More time. I work too hard.

MaChienEstUnDick · 28/04/2022 20:20

With a decent standard of income, more time definitely.

In poverty, more money - no point having free time if you're cold, hungry, can't afford fares to go anywhere...

SleepingStandingUp · 28/04/2022 20:20

Well if I worked 60 hour weeks and ran around after a family and was poor, I could see how more time might help because you would actually get time to rest.

If you don't work and the kids are grown or at school you possibly get lots of free time so extra wouldn't help.

For me, I get enough free time as DH and I support each other, so I'll take the cash please

Foodbanksshouldbeobsolete · 28/04/2022 20:20

That's a hard choice. I could really do with both. Probably more money at the moment, because at the moment any free time I do get seems to be taken up worrying about money and trying to fix problems that only exist because of lack of it (eg. Doing my own DIY and minor house repairs is so time consuming compared to getting someone in, shopping around for bargains takes extra time, etc.)

Upamountain43 · 28/04/2022 20:20

I chose to work part time and have enough to live on and enjoy life a bit. If I wanted to work full time I could in a heartbeat but I have no interest in doing so.

As long as I have enough money for food, to keep warm etc and a bit left over I will take more free time every time.

Original poster
chompin · 28/04/2022 20:21

Those saying more money as they already have enough free time, do you work FT and have children?

OP posts:
Yahyahs22 · 28/04/2022 20:25

As a stay at home mum, more money to do stuff with my kids.

ButtockUp · 28/04/2022 20:25

It really depends on your time of life and what your aspirations are.
Right now, I have all the time I want or need. I don't need the money.
Ten years ago I would have said money.

lollipoprainbow · 28/04/2022 20:30

Money

comealongponds · 28/04/2022 20:33

More money can buy more free time though. You can pay a cleaner, use things like Hello Fresh (reduces time spent meal planning and shopping), afford a car so you don’t waste time on unreliable public transport etc

Foodbanksshouldbeobsolete · 28/04/2022 20:34

I don't actually get any free time. The closest I get is going to the dentists or for a smear test.

There might be a reason I'm losing my shit a bit 😂

So even though I said money, I probably need some free time. Risky though, I might get a taste for it!

Fileexplorerrrr · 28/04/2022 20:36

More time definitely!

With demanding jobs and long hours, we outsource as much as we can but time is still very precious And very limited at the moment.

Gizacluethen · 28/04/2022 20:38

Time. I feel like I'm always running round a d would love time to make our house nice

Oatsamazing · 28/04/2022 20:40

Money, if I had more free time I would use it to earn more so might as well just take the cash.

Chewchewaboogiw · 28/04/2022 20:40

Time because you cant get it back.
At the moment we live very frugally but we both in late 50s / early 60s work part time in low stress jobs. We both look and feel better than 10 years ago in demanding public service jobs.
My g p said it was making me ill.i was v devoted to it and took.work home literally and emotionally.

The only thing that bothers me about the decision is having less £ to pass on to dc.

( 38k and house.. but the latter cd be taken with care needs) if was in poverty id choose money as no fun , but at present we live frugaly and scrape by and time is appriciated .

PermanentTemporary · 28/04/2022 20:41

Well, both, in that money buys time.

I would like to give up work though. I feel like I'm hitting a wall.

EmmaH2022 · 28/04/2022 20:41

comealongponds · 28/04/2022 20:33

More money can buy more free time though. You can pay a cleaner, use things like Hello Fresh (reduces time spent meal planning and shopping), afford a car so you don’t waste time on unreliable public transport etc

exactly!

Butfirstcoffees · 28/04/2022 20:42

Surely it depends on where you are in life.

I would love to see some data on the women picked and their situations before and during the study.

If you are currently on the bones of your arse, with costs rising, loads of free time isn’t going to help the stress and impact on your mental health never having enough money brings. people always say money doesn’t bring you happiness. It doesn’t on its own. But the shit life throws at you is always a bit easier if you don’t have money to worry about and can spend your money doing things you enjoy, rather than having to spend it to survive.

If you are very financially comfortable and can have more free time and you have plenty of money to enjoy that free time doing whatever you want, then yes I would think that would make you happy.

NotTerfNorCis · 28/04/2022 20:43

Money, so I can retire early.

Lemonyfuckit · 28/04/2022 20:43

More time. But then it's easy for me to say that as I don't live in poverty I'm very very fortunate in that respect as am very comfortable (and I work much longer hours than I would like). Time seems like a bit of a luxury compared to the very real need, especially at the moment with the cost of living crisis, for people to pay the bills and put food on the table.

StopFeckingFaffing · 28/04/2022 20:44

More time

I opt to work PT coz I value my free time above the extra cash I could earn working FT

I appreciate that I am lucky to earn enough to live on without working FT

Swipe left for the next trending thread