AIBU to think, can money buy happiness? in some ways, it absolutely can!

[Relaxednhappy]

Before I say anything else, I know and wholeheartedly appreciate that this is a very privileged position to be in. And this is not a stealth boast it is an acknowledgment that I think A LOT of people won’t admit to.
Not everyone gets to make these choices, and I don’t take that lightly.

But I also think we should be honest about the conversation.

I always used to sit on the fence with this question but…”Can money buy happiness?

Since buying my new house, finishing it exactly how I wanted, everything is new and we have added all the modern comforts, I’ve noticed something shift in my life and in my mental health.
Everything is clean and new.
Electric blinds that open with a button.
A robot hoover that keeps the floors clean without me thinking about it.
A Quooker tap that gives instant boiling water-this speeds up cooking time too.
A large washing machine and dryer that actually keep up with life.
A dishwasher that saves hours every week.

None of these things are “life-changing” on their own. But together , they remove friction from my day.
I am less stressed so my performance at work improved, this got me to a position where I could go for a promotion and therefore more money.
I also bought a brand-new car. I no longer worry about breakdowns. My petrol costs are lower. It’s automatic, so driving feels easier and calmer. There’s no constant background stress about “what if something goes wrong?”

What money has really bought me isn’t “stuff.”
It’s:

• Time
• Convenience
• Reliability
• Peace of mind

And that peace of mind has given me something priceless, mental space!! I have more time to relax. Less daily stress. Fewer small frustrations draining my energy. More time to spend quality time with my family. When your environment runs smoothly, your nervous system does too. Of course, money can’t fix everything. It doesn’t replace relationships, purpose, or health. But it can remove many of the daily pressures that chip away at your wellbeing. So no, money doesn’t buy happiness in a fairy-tale sense. But it can absolutely buy comfort. It can buy security. It can buy time. And sometimes, that’s enough to make you happier, healthier, and more at peace.

Anyone else have any similar thoughts and experiences?

I’m in a fortunate position in my life where I am in a happy relationship, my kids are doing ok and I’m generally content with my life. The only stressor I have is money. Both kids are in private school (had to move eldest from state secondary in yr 9. Youngest then had to be given the same opportunity for private education). I’ve had to remortgage to pay the school fees. The anxiety around finances is constant. It affects how much I sleep at night. It hangs heavy every day. I have no pension and am constantly worried about whether I’ll ever be able to retire or will have to work until I die.

In my situation, a windfall would absolutely buy me happiness. It’s the only missing piece in the jigsaw of my life currently.

Maybe it's more accurate to say it can remove quite a lot of misery. Quite a lot of problems CAN be fixed with money. Not all, but a lot. Depends what your problems were.

i absolutely can see that health is number one, like a pp has said though I am also able to afford private healthcare which helps immensely with my health issues. That is worth its weight in gold!! I am so thankful and grateful for it.

It sure can.

And it can buy love.

The sad reality of our NHS though is that money may well be what saves you from cancer. You can have private annual health screenings. You can see a consultant within a week at the slightest hint of a symptom and get the scans and tests done without delay. Therefore you can get diagnosed at an early stage. Your treatment is informed by medical need not cost cutting policies.

I see it in the people around me. Those with private health insurance and financial means are faring far better health wise than those struggling to get by. One wel off friend had a few changes in bowel habits, decided something wasn't quite right and was in front of a consultant within a week. Very early stage bowel cancer diagnosed and successfully treated. Another less well off friend was back and forth to GP for well over a year, kept being dismissed, eventually ended up in A&E in agony and was diagnosed with a bowel obstruction and stage 4 bowel cancer and was dead a few months later.

This I agree with.

Knowing I have a chunky-sized amount of savings I can dip into for emergencies is a lovely, comforting feeling, especially with no partner to lean on. To not have that ‘How will I pay my phone bill next month?’ or the ‘How can I afford to replace my leaking washing machine’ type worries anymore makes my life that bit easier.

If you have incurable cancer and you suddenly win the lottery, you still have incurable cancer.

The only difference is you'll be more comfortable due to the money, and reassurred you'll have something to leave your loved ones.

But you'll still be desperately unhappy you're going to die of incurable cancer.

Money gives people choices and that is the most valuable thing to have.

100% agree.

It can buy health too. From access to private medical advice and treatment to affording an excellent diet, gyms and trainers.

Growing up on a very large family, we only got one bath a week, the rest of the week it was a wash at the sink. Hot water was a luxury.

Cost of living rises has an even bigger, negative impact people on lower income and benefits. People are having to chose between heat and food, or not eating so they have enough to feed their DC.

Why do you care? It was a well ordered easy to read post. It’s her thoughts and feelings. It was audience appropriate. Get over it.

I would be very unhappy if I were living in poverty. I am fortunate to be very comfortably off, this gives me freedom from worry. Which is priceless. My husband, son, family and friends bring me happiness.

Maybe for some people it can buy happiness.
Some people rule their lives with their head, some with their heart....I suspect the head crowd would agree that indeed money can and does buy happiness.

Money hasn't necessarily bought you long term happiness; you have pride (some might say smugness) in achieving the home of your dreams, but ten years down the line will you still feel like this about your home and your ten year old car?

Conversely, those people who leave high powered stressful jobs to pursue a low paid more satisfying life-style, I think do have happier lives.

I’d like to think I will because I keep things nice. My car might be 10 years old them but hopefully with good upkeep etc it will still be doing well and I have the money to put into if needs be.

I have had a lot less in my lifetime so I can compare, not being smug at all. I don’t think of it like that

My job is not high powered or mega stressful either which helps immensely!!

For me, more money would make me very happy as I’d have the choice to do what I wanted to do rather than what I have to do. The money itself doesn’t give the happiness, it’s the options/choices it enables that gives the happiness.

I am always left scratching my head when rich people say they’re unhappy. They have all the money they need to make the changes to create the life they want. If they’d just give their money to me I’d show them how it’s done 🤣

If you have cancer and can afford drugs not obtainable on the NHS, or treatment in another country that is more advanced in that type of cancer, then it may well cure cancer, and while you’re receiving treatment in lovely surroundings, with nutritious food and constant care, free from worry about bills etc, you will recover more quickly.

There isn't a single problem in the world that's better when you're poor. Yes, of course money buys happiness. It buys freedom to choose where to live, where to work, how much spare time you have. It buys nice holidays. It affords better health care and dentistry and often better schools. It means your car starts first time in the morning and you won't lose your job because you can't afford the MOT. It means you don't wake up in the morning praying to god that the boiler or roof holds out, because otherwise you're really fucked.

And if it can't, and you're told that categorically your cancer cannot be cured?

You still haven't bought happiness but you have bought a lot more comfort.

This is exactly what 'money can't buy happiness' means.

I've yet to meet anyone who would be happy to die of cancer or anything else for that matter.

Especially if they're young with their whole life ahead of them.

You could also buy a property without neighbours😳

In that case a lot more comfort can be termed as happiness, in that all your needs are catered for, your family will be secure when you’ve gone. If in the time you have left you’ve been able to tick a few things off the bucket list, eg holiday, doing things you’ve always wanted to do, then I’d say it can buy you happiness, maybe a different kind of happiness. Someone in my family has an incurable but treatable cancer and she is going to all the things she has wanted to for as long as she’s able.

I think money can take away a lot of the worries that result in unhappiness. But I think that real genuine happiness comes from elsewhere.

Having benefited from £25k of psychiatric support I can say, with absolute certainty, that money does indeed buy happiness.

What I so often see in my circles is that lack of money means:

• you’re trapped in a bad relationship (can’t afford to run 2 households, can’t afford a rental deposit for a flat to house you & kids, can’t afford the legal fees for the vexatious hell your abusive husband will put you through, etc etc)
• you can’t afford to fix broken and necessary appliances - e.g. boiler
• you can’t afford things that might help you get a better paid job i.e. further training or childcare or a car or a regular commute by train
• anything going wrong - the car breaking down, a few days off work if you or DC get sick - could set off a chain of genuinely catastrophic financial problems

So yeah, money can buy choice and freedom and safety and stability and security and better health and better prospects. And that’s why inequality is such a massive issue.

I don't think money necessarily bys happiness, but I do think it's a LOT easier to be happy with money becuase it removes many (not all) of the things that reduce happiness eg ,

• as with OP, able to enjoy a nice home that is comfortable and efficient and lovely.
• Removes stress of worrying if you can meet the bills.
• Allows finances to always be able to do the things you enjoy - whether that's hobbies or holidays or eating faancy food or attending sporting events or learning a language or a skill etc etc etc.

But happiness of course, comes from much more than that. So money removes barriers, but doesn't bring the happiness in itself.