Does money really buy happiness?
Discussion
Bacon Is Proof said:
Happiness is a state of mind, and is a choice.
Most people never bother to take a step back and work out what it is that would actually make them happy and end up chasing the ideals of others instead.
Money is of no relevance, beyond the basics.
^ This, the irony though is that it quite often takes having money to come to this conclusion. Catch 22.Most people never bother to take a step back and work out what it is that would actually make them happy and end up chasing the ideals of others instead.
Money is of no relevance, beyond the basics.
I take my hat off to those who truly manage this independently.
Derek Chevalier said:
Mr Spoon said:
Not having enough money will certainly make someone unhappy. When I refer to not enough, I mean not enough for a basic living standard, shelter, food etc.
What about being able to buy whatever you want, whenever you want?
What about financially secure or wealthy people? Those who can maintain a lifestyle for a significant period, years, not months, weeks or days without an income?
When does the average wealthy person stop living beyond their means?
No. I think it can lead to a certain restlessness, not contentment.What about being able to buy whatever you want, whenever you want?
What about financially secure or wealthy people? Those who can maintain a lifestyle for a significant period, years, not months, weeks or days without an income?
When does the average wealthy person stop living beyond their means?
If you win it, there’s no time to adjust and tour frame of reference can be massively skewed. Spend, spend, spend. It has fallen from the sky and is such an unimaginable sum that it can never run out. Until it does.
If you make it then you’ve probably been quite driven. What you do is a key part of your identity (if not to you, then certainly to others). When you stop, there’s a hole that you need to fill, but (as others have said) people can perceive you differently. Both of those can lead to some restlessness, as you need to carve a new niche whilst also dealing (if you want to) with the fact that some people have incorrect preconceived views. BUT you’ve probably mixed with people with a bit more cash and had time to think things through.
The trick is to keep going. Set goals and deliver against them. They don’t always need to be financial, but they often turn out to be. You sometimes can’t help making a bit more, but not always for yourself. For example, a very dear family friend decided to rethink the way a charity he was involved in raised money. He pretty quickly worked out that there were smarter ways to raise much more than would be possible by shaking a tin at the supermarket and made a huge difference locally.
The harder things are:
1) managing the multiple personas/preconceptions that you need to juggle if you want to avoid others feeling uncomfortable. You still need to be yourself but turn different elements up or down depending on the people and situation.
2) bringing up kids that have only known one lifestyle. Even if they know it’s not normal they can’t always relate to the real world.
3) as someone else has said, recognising that some people, even ones you’ve known for years, have a problem with other people’s wealth. Not all of them get over it.
As for “stuff”. You don’t have to spend. And if you want to spend, you don’t need to spend overtly on branded or expensive stuff. Most of the wealthy guys I know consider their purchase even if they’re at a level few can relate to. There’s stuff they value and will spend on, stuff they don’t and won’t, and stuff that most people never know they’ve spent on.
As for the “average wealthy person”, I don’t even know what that means. Everyone is different and almost without exception there’s always someone with a bigger boat.
Im far from on the breadline, but up until a few years ago net worth was a healthy 7 figure number.
I would say I’m the same. I want something so i save up and buy it. The trinkets might be lower value but the chase and feeling of achieving the goal is the same.
That said imho money doesn’t buy happiness but poverty sure can make you miserable.
I would say I’m the same. I want something so i save up and buy it. The trinkets might be lower value but the chase and feeling of achieving the goal is the same.
That said imho money doesn’t buy happiness but poverty sure can make you miserable.
I have clients with vastly different personal wealth, from negative to £100m+. It almost appears to be pot luck how happy they are. However if you dig a bit deeper, (as Simpo said first) contentment seems to be the key. Minimal living works for me despite having the funds for more 'things'.
NMNeil said:
AC43 said:
From the Rich b
ds Frenzy in Bike magazine in the 80's;
"Money can't buy you happiness but it can buy you a better class of misery".
Close to what my gran used to say.ds Frenzy in Bike magazine in the 80's; "Money can't buy you happiness but it can buy you a better class of misery".
"Money can't buy you happiness, but at least you can be f
king miserable in comfort" 
DanL said:
NMNeil said:
AC43 said:
From the Rich bds Frenzy in Bike magazine in the 80's;
"Money can't buy you happiness but it can buy you a better class of misery".
Close to what my gran used to say.ds Frenzy in Bike magazine in the 80's; "Money can't buy you happiness but it can buy you a better class of misery".
"Money can't buy you happiness, but at least you can be f
king miserable in comfort" LooneyTunes said:
There’s a big difference vs “made” money and those who simply win it.
If you win it, there’s no time to adjust and tour frame of reference can be massively skewed. Spend, spend, spend. It has fallen from the sky and is such an unimaginable sum that it can never run out. Until it does.
If you make it then you’ve probably been quite driven.
I agree differences in how quickly the money arrives can make the experience vastly different, but just to add there are many that suddenly "win" in their careers, working hard for many years and then in a very short space of time their fortunes change for the better - this can be equally challenging to acclimatise to as the lottery winner, IMO. If you win it, there’s no time to adjust and tour frame of reference can be massively skewed. Spend, spend, spend. It has fallen from the sky and is such an unimaginable sum that it can never run out. Until it does.
If you make it then you’ve probably been quite driven.
Derek Chevalier said:
LooneyTunes said:
There’s a big difference vs “made” money and those who simply win it.
If you win it, there’s no time to adjust and tour frame of reference can be massively skewed. Spend, spend, spend. It has fallen from the sky and is such an unimaginable sum that it can never run out. Until it does.
If you make it then you’ve probably been quite driven.
I agree differences in how quickly the money arrives can make the experience vastly different, but just to add there are many that suddenly "win" in their careers, working hard for many years and then in a very short space of time their fortunes change for the better - this can be equally challenging to acclimatise to as the lottery winner, IMO. If you win it, there’s no time to adjust and tour frame of reference can be massively skewed. Spend, spend, spend. It has fallen from the sky and is such an unimaginable sum that it can never run out. Until it does.
If you make it then you’ve probably been quite driven.
Personally I have several groups of friends, where there’s some crossover in terms of who hangs out with whom, but the topics of conversation are quite different. All wealthy guys have their weakness when it comes to spending, and the piss often gets taken accordingly, but you can have open conversations about expensive stuff or life/lifestyle matters that you can’t really have with other friends, often whilst just going for a walk.
Mr Whippy said:
I don’t get how some people justify all the stuff they buy.
In most cases you could spend half as much, get something almost as good, and over 10 years probably save enough to pay off your mortgage early.
Some people are just fully signed up materialism addicts.
In my midweek house, I have the cheapest washing machine there is possible to buy and a white knight tumble dryer that's probably 27 years old. Both just do the job. No fuss. In most cases you could spend half as much, get something almost as good, and over 10 years probably save enough to pay off your mortgage early.
Some people are just fully signed up materialism addicts.
In our family home, we have just had a new kitchen, after 32 years. with the latest WiFi controlled washer dryer. It's s
t. It doesn't have a short 30 minute cycle, it doesn't get the clothes dry enough. You know toasty warm. It vibrates so much at 1600 rpm that you think its going to take off. The manufacturer has replaced parts, and we just run it at 1200 rpm, where it's fine.
21ATS said:
LordHaveMurci said:
Mr Whippy said:
I don’t get how some people justify all the stuff they buy.
Not everybody buys brands to impress others, some people appreciate (or need) quality. That imitation of quality will detract from your life rather than adding to it, because whenever artificial hopes and expectations of quality are created you'll invariably never being able to satisfy them.
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