Money isn't everything?

[coulditbeme2323]

Is a sentiment of the rich isn't it?

I grew up not poor - but very normally. End terrace, Dad was on the tools, Mum a receptionist, a week in a cheap Spanish resort in the summer if Dad got overtime. We were very happy - but I sense it was pay cheque to pay cheque.

My husband grew up with generational wealth, went to a school everybody in the country would know, etc etc.

His parents (who I love) and their friends always talk about how money isn't everything and if they lost it all it would be fine. I am not blaming them because they don't know any different - but it's not true is it?

Perhaps it's because I grew up working class, but I love private medical care and not having to wait a year for an op, I love a holiday where somebody comes around with frozen melon and cleans your sun glasses and you aren't rushing for a sunbed at 7am, I love not having to look at what I spend.

I get there for example is no point in being in an awful marriage and rich, or getting cancer and being rich - but even in those circumstances money helps doesn't it.

Ianbu am I?

I am not sure what you mean.

Would you say that's true of your husband?

Since receiving £25k in private psychiatric treatment I am unequivocally of the opinion that money does buy happiness.

So many of the stressors that I’ve had over the last 20 years would not have existed if I had money.

Ive volunteered at food banks and, more than once have delivered a food bank parcel to someone who’s been diagnosed with cancer and can’t work. Their job is zero hours so they get no sick pay and it’s going to be at least 5 weeks before they get any UC.

Even getting cancer isn’t the great leveller.

You only become happier by accumulating more goats.
😂😂@Goatsarebest

I think to a degree it probably has to be yes.

I always think of money as a means of buying a support system. For example, I had a nervous breakdown last year and have had to stop long-distance driving. I come from a dysfunctional family, most of whom are now dead and the ones that are left are awful. I have a few friends but they're all ill or disabled so I can't ask them for help. My youngest autistic DS is at uni about a 2 hour's drive away and I've had to pay for taxis for him. I'm not actually rich at all but for various reasons I've had that money available. God knows what I'd have done without it.

I've never been very poor but I dread being so but I have no pension so at some point I will be.

My father is a fan of the charming (possibly Greek) saying - life is like a shit sandwich, the more bread you have, the less you taste the shit.

Money doesn't solve everything,but it sure as hell helps with a lot of things that make people unhappy. At various points in my life,I've been absolutely skint,and also relatively well off. Not stinking rich by any means,but had enough not to have to think twice every time I was going to spend money. I know which I preferred. It's nice to have a 'financial cushion' just in case. When I was poor,I was constantly worrying that my cat may get ill, incurring massive vet's bills. I've always had pet insurance,but you still have to find the money upfront then claim it back from the insurance company. I used to wake up in the small hours of the morning,and start doing calculations in my head about whether I was going to have enough money in my account to pay the water bill this month,or whether I'd have enough to put on the gas meter and actually be able to have the heating on when it was freezing cold. In my experience, people who say that money can't buy you happiness are usually very well off!
Another remark I frequently hear is that money can't buy you health. Well,I agree that it isn't the solution to ALL health issues,but it can certainly help with a lot of them. I have been in severe pain for a year now with osteoarthritis of one of my hips, and it's probably going to be at least 5 months to a year before I have any hope of having a hip replacement operation. If I had loads of money,I wouldn't have hesitated to go private and get it done ASAP! Basically,as a previous poster has said,money gives you options,it gives you a choice,that you probably wouldn't have if you are poor. It makes life much less stressful.

I truly believe beyond running a home and providing for a family extra money doesn't bring extra joy. I've seen in people a baseline of happiness that isn't really affected longterm by their wealth.
I suspect that the relatively small amount of money between 'hardly able to make ends meet' and 'managing fine' would bring more relief & happiness than 100 times that amount to a rich person.

Absolutely agree with you 100%. Having been poor growing up, it remains a huge fear of returning to that state. Feeling cold and hungry is fucking awful.

I'm well off now but live modestly. However, there probably isn't much I can't afford if I want it. I'm just really mindful that I don't waste the money I now have.

Money makes life a hell of a lot better.

I was widowed and insurances and pensions mean my kids haven’t had to have a drop in their standard of living and they can live in a mortgage free home and to do all the things they would have done if their dad was here

private health care meant their dad lived over 2 years longer than he would have because he had access to treatments he wouldn’t have got on the NHS

Money means my kids had ADHD and Autism diagnosis within 2-3 months of initial enquires and that meant they had access to meds sooner which meant that theor grades improved and I could plug the gaps with tutoring.

I can’t control some of life throws at us but money makes it far easier to manage it

Totally. When my husband had cancer he was paid his full salary for his entire illness and was also paid his full (city) bonus the year he died despite only working incredibly part time for a small proportion of the year.

I’m so sorry for your loss but glad his employers treated him properly

I grew up very poor but I also have a very nice level of comfort now.

Loved ones mean more, my child died almost 12 years ago and no amount of money will ever compensate for that. We retired early, I gave up work at 55 because I thought fuck it, we pay tax on our workplace pensions. I paid for some private therapy when she died as didn’t want to wait so again that did help more than someone who couldn’t afford to having to wait for the NHS. But while it helped and can help solve almost anything it can do nothing about death.