Does money really buy happiness?
Discussion
Having enough to give you the lifestyle you wish and the security for the future is a contributor to happiness, and each of us defines that differently.
However there are other key items that money will not solve:
Health without which money is much less important.
Sustaining relationships which last -often spouse / partner/kids but might be good friends.
(In my case)- interesting work and the sense of being productive.
I have sufficient money to pursue my interests so I think of that as necessary but not sufficient.
However there are other key items that money will not solve:
Health without which money is much less important.
Sustaining relationships which last -often spouse / partner/kids but might be good friends.
(In my case)- interesting work and the sense of being productive.
I have sufficient money to pursue my interests so I think of that as necessary but not sufficient.
Derek Chevalier said:
Hang On said:
Yes it does. If you enjoy the freedom to do what you want where and whenever you wish. If you appreciate nice stuff and it makes you smile to surround yourself with it. If you appreciate fine food and fine wines. If your mind, freed up from the stress and clutter that worrying about money brings, can focus on creative and intellectual pursuits and enjoying friends and family. If you get happiness from helping people out and contributing to charity regularly. Yes, money is the driving force behind happiness.
You’d have to be a sad sort to have wealth and not find happiness. And for that sort, even if life is a s
t sandwich, the more bread you have the less st you have to taste.
But for me this can be achieved with a decent level of wealth (being "well off" in old terms). Potentially a couple of magnitudes different to genuine FU money which comes with very different challenges.You’d have to be a sad sort to have wealth and not find happiness. And for that sort, even if life is a s
t sandwich, the more bread you have the less st you have to taste.Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 14th May 09:32
I made a lot of money through 2 business sales then an inheritance.
I have to say on balance it’s made me more unhappy, though trending back to my long term happiness/grumpiness level.
A few reasons:
It’s cratered my motivation with my career / business interests as it doesn’t seem worth it when you don’t need the money.
All of the material goals such as houses, cars, pensions, setting up the kids have already been achieved then seem boring. To not have those goals leaves a gap.
Instead of worrying about not having enough money, you worry about losing it. Stock market swings, inflation, property market declines etc, you don’t know what to do for the best.
It does drive a wedge between you and other people. I am really careful with this, but people do treat you differently when they work out your lifestyle. Even good friends can get jealous when they see you dossing around “writing a book” then taking your fifth holiday that year.
Despite having the money, life isn’t that different when you have a family. I still do school runs, taking out the rubbish, shopping in Tescos. There’s a feeling that you should be doing more and real life is mundane.
The more stuff you buy, the more problems you have. I bought extra cars and a holiday home but it’s all more trouble than it’s worth. I prefer to live minimalist and simple now which I could have done from the start!
I’m glad I have the money and it does give you choices, but if you come into money, you need to be either motivated enough to go out and continue doing something with your life, or happy to relax and do fun things all day. Sitting in between those two is fatal.
It’s taken 4 or 5 years for me to get to a comfortable place with all of the above. It has been quite tough mentally (worlds smallest violin) but think I’m in a good place now with life setup in the right way.
I have to say on balance it’s made me more unhappy, though trending back to my long term happiness/grumpiness level.
A few reasons:
It’s cratered my motivation with my career / business interests as it doesn’t seem worth it when you don’t need the money.
All of the material goals such as houses, cars, pensions, setting up the kids have already been achieved then seem boring. To not have those goals leaves a gap.
Instead of worrying about not having enough money, you worry about losing it. Stock market swings, inflation, property market declines etc, you don’t know what to do for the best.
It does drive a wedge between you and other people. I am really careful with this, but people do treat you differently when they work out your lifestyle. Even good friends can get jealous when they see you dossing around “writing a book” then taking your fifth holiday that year.
Despite having the money, life isn’t that different when you have a family. I still do school runs, taking out the rubbish, shopping in Tescos. There’s a feeling that you should be doing more and real life is mundane.
The more stuff you buy, the more problems you have. I bought extra cars and a holiday home but it’s all more trouble than it’s worth. I prefer to live minimalist and simple now which I could have done from the start!
I’m glad I have the money and it does give you choices, but if you come into money, you need to be either motivated enough to go out and continue doing something with your life, or happy to relax and do fun things all day. Sitting in between those two is fatal.
It’s taken 4 or 5 years for me to get to a comfortable place with all of the above. It has been quite tough mentally (worlds smallest violin) but think I’m in a good place now with life setup in the right way.
Edited by dmahon on Saturday 14th May 11:57
Edited by dmahon on Saturday 14th May 11:58
Interesting one. I probably worry about money more than I should do, not in an aspirational sense, more that I’m not using mine wisely.
I have a friend who by every metric is very well off. He describes it as ‘light and dark’…you have to have some hard work in your life to appreciate the rest of it otherwise it blurs into one. He and his husband own a fabulous property outright, and could probably do nothing, but he works a few days a week to keep active.
I have a friend who by every metric is very well off. He describes it as ‘light and dark’…you have to have some hard work in your life to appreciate the rest of it otherwise it blurs into one. He and his husband own a fabulous property outright, and could probably do nothing, but he works a few days a week to keep active.
Not for me.
There've been periods where for many years I had less than £100 in the back. These days there's... a great deal of it.
My happiness didn't waver. There was always somewhere to sleep and something to eat.
It does not make you - healthier, cleverer, more attractive to anyone you'd want to be attracted to you.
And being skint for so long means my acquisitiveness dwindled to nil long before I had any money so wasn't yearning for what I couldn't have. I don't see the point in laying out for a new car when my 15 yr old poobox gets me around in the exact same manner.
My life is a bit different to many in that I have no obligations to anyone and never have.
If I had 19 kids and 4 ex wives to fund then an excess of money would lift a lot of problems, but those problems don't exist for me.
There've been periods where for many years I had less than £100 in the back. These days there's... a great deal of it.
My happiness didn't waver. There was always somewhere to sleep and something to eat.
It does not make you - healthier, cleverer, more attractive to anyone you'd want to be attracted to you.
And being skint for so long means my acquisitiveness dwindled to nil long before I had any money so wasn't yearning for what I couldn't have. I don't see the point in laying out for a new car when my 15 yr old poobox gets me around in the exact same manner.
My life is a bit different to many in that I have no obligations to anyone and never have.
If I had 19 kids and 4 ex wives to fund then an excess of money would lift a lot of problems, but those problems don't exist for me.
Lots of studies have found that after a relatively modest level more money doesn’t make you happier.
I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
With lottery winners, after the initial spike of exuberance, their happiness level reverts to what it was before the win.
Blowing money must get boring very fast, look how many have gone off the rails after a big win. The only exception I can think of is that Scottish couple who do spend their time giving their winnings to deserving causes.
I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
With lottery winners, after the initial spike of exuberance, their happiness level reverts to what it was before the win.
Blowing money must get boring very fast, look how many have gone off the rails after a big win. The only exception I can think of is that Scottish couple who do spend their time giving their winnings to deserving causes.
funinhounslow said:
Lots of studies have found that after a relatively modest level more money doesn’t make you happier.
I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
It's like many things in time you get used to them. Then it's not exciting or special, so the happiness that came from something being exciting or special is gone. when you first drive a car that does 0-60 in 8 seconds it feels fast, when you drive one that does it in 4 seconds it still feels fast but you get used to it & it no longer feels quick after a while.I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
Happiness ultimately comes from wanting what you have, not having what you want.
Same stuff, just more expensive versions of it.
More pontificating over what you spend money on, so no real saving in time.
One set of my grandparents had lots of money and seemed just as happy as the others with not much.
Happiness is ultimately a state of mind and any state of mind can be achieved by the proper thought processes and outlook on life generally.
So no it doesn’t buy happiness.
At best it can buy artificial sense of happiness, or buy time if you’re wise enough to trade money for time when time is valuable to you, and have happier times with stuff like kids etc when they’re younger, vs working for more money.
More pontificating over what you spend money on, so no real saving in time.
One set of my grandparents had lots of money and seemed just as happy as the others with not much.
Happiness is ultimately a state of mind and any state of mind can be achieved by the proper thought processes and outlook on life generally.
So no it doesn’t buy happiness.
At best it can buy artificial sense of happiness, or buy time if you’re wise enough to trade money for time when time is valuable to you, and have happier times with stuff like kids etc when they’re younger, vs working for more money.
funinhounslow said:
Lots of studies have found that after a relatively modest level more money doesn’t make you happier.
I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
With lottery winners, after the initial spike of exuberance, their happiness level reverts to what it was before the win.
Blowing money must get boring very fast, look how many have gone off the rails after a big win. The only exception I can think of is that Scottish couple who do spend their time giving their winnings to deserving causes.
They got divorced, then the husband died after spending 40 million of his share.I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
With lottery winners, after the initial spike of exuberance, their happiness level reverts to what it was before the win.
Blowing money must get boring very fast, look how many have gone off the rails after a big win. The only exception I can think of is that Scottish couple who do spend their time giving their winnings to deserving causes.
J6542 said:
funinhounslow said:
Lots of studies have found that after a relatively modest level more money doesn’t make you happier.
I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
With lottery winners, after the initial spike of exuberance, their happiness level reverts to what it was before the win.
Blowing money must get boring very fast, look how many have gone off the rails after a big win. The only exception I can think of is that Scottish couple who do spend their time giving their winnings to deserving causes.
They got divorced, then the husband died after spending 40 million of his share.I think it’s called “hedonistic adaptation” where you get used to to an increased standard of living very fast and view it as “normal”.
With lottery winners, after the initial spike of exuberance, their happiness level reverts to what it was before the win.
Blowing money must get boring very fast, look how many have gone off the rails after a big win. The only exception I can think of is that Scottish couple who do spend their time giving their winnings to deserving causes.
Gassing Station | Finance | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff