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 took your post at face value, which was "Wealth without work. It’s a sin."

I understand

Its a notion that I’ve come across recently and it makes a lot of sense to me, mostly with trust fund kids and I suppose you can add lottery winners here too, many of them either end up as poor as before or not much happier than before as another PP stated.

I mean as in all relationships. Friends, family, partner. Doesn’t have to be romantic

Which sort of proves what I have been saying all along: money doesn't buy happiness.

Because my post was essentially in response to your comments:

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.

And I referenced three very rich people who were famously unhappy. I could have said many more.

all the things you describe are not luxuries and can and will break at any time. Not sure where is your happiness based on these things but somewhere along the line of thought there is a missing piece of logic

I get Ubers to work, it costs me £30-£40 a week, I could get the bus for £10 a week but the convenience of getting an Uber and the time is saves is worth every penny.

My happiness is not based entirely on these things…I’m merely acknowledging the positive impact they have had.

Please could you use the time you’ve gained to write your posts yourself and not via AI?

I really, really hate the way AI writes.

Ok, I like it.

Like I said, you’re taking it far too seriously. I stand by my comment. I don’t think it’s narrow minded to scratch my head at why rich people don’t use the millions they have to sort themselves out of they’re not happy. They have the funds to change anything with a click of their fingers. I hear therapy works wonders.

I am fortunate enough to a) be intelligent and educated enough to have a well-paying job and b) have very good delayed gratification.

As such I have tonnes of savings, and if anything goes wrong that I can just 'money' away as a problem, I do it.

My darling cat needed lots of treatment? Money no issue. Car issue? (It's 15yo!). Money no issue. Something breaks or needs fixing? Money.

Our household income is great, but also we just don't have many daily expenses because we avoided lifestyle creep.

I absolutely hate people saying that large sums of money aren't life-changing. It's extremely arrogant to do so when not having to worry about any random expense under 1k on a monthly basis is a definite benefit to my life.

I think it's extremely arrogant of you to not understand that people don't all think the same way about money, and I doubt anyone here has said that large sums of money aren't life changing.

Some rich, and some less well off, have the intelligence to know that whilst money can indeed buy comfort, and in some cases peace of mind...it cannot, and does not, buy happiness.

Very predictable how some posters use threads to brag and boast.
Predictable ... and very boring.

Only if your happiness is driven by stuff. I also think that your brain will quickly adapt to your new equilibrium, and the shiny veneer of it wears off.

Freedom is linked to happiness, sure. But that doesn't necessarily mean financial freedom.

Money buys you freedom from worrying about how you pay the bills. That's happiness for a lot of people, especially if you know what being on the breadline is like. Worrying about whether my card was going to be declined when going to buy the weeks food made me unhappy, that's an absolute fact.

It buys you choices and opportunities and gives you the simple ability to be able to afford things that make you happy, be that hobbies, holidays or simply a nice pair of shoes. That's happiness for a lot of people as well.

Money buys you the ability to look after your health. That's definately happiness.

I think it's dishonest not to recognise things like this for what they are. It's an uncomfortable truth in an unequal world that on average, people who have money live happier, longer lives, and there are plenty of studies which back that statement up.