Money: we only need enough to get by. It does'nt have a bearing on happiness. Anyone agree?

Question

I am not impressed by wealth, I have experienced having money and having nothing and all I get by on now is minimal yet I have never been more happy in my life. My hapiness comes from my child, my family and my friends. I think people are more important and the things that make us feel good and fill our world with love and colour matter far more than cash. Would like to know what YOU think..

Answer 1

well i suppose it comes down to if u r money obsessed or driven. i am not particularly obsessed but at the moment I'm living on minimum money and its killin me, i don't particularly want allot but the odd night out and being able to buy a bit of clothing/CD etc once a month is good
that doesn't stop me enjoying my friends etc tho, they are the backbone of my life and i Would fall apart without there constant unwavering support
in that respect I'm the wealthiest man alive

Answer 2

Studies have shown that, above a certain annual income, no matter how much more money you get your hapiness does not increase. Before that income, however, more money does equal more happiness. I'm not quite sure what that income level is but I imagine that is what the people who did the study would count as "getting by". I suppose it would depend on your view of what is essential. Is internet essential? New shoes? Private school for your children? Everyone would have a different answer to those three examples, depending on their situation.

I agree with you in principle but have to point out that "getting by" is different for an African orphan and a middle class English teenager. Also, although almost all of my happiest memories do not involve money, I cannot deny the happy feeling I get when I find the perfect pair of trousers, for example.

Answer 3

Money is relative. What is a lot to some is very little to others. So how can you define what is a lot? People who have a lot still need a large income to sustane the life they are acustomed to. I agree that as long as you are happy in life then money doesn't matter. BUT, you are probably happy as a result of having "enough" money to live the life you want to live. As well as having good friends & family etc........Its a balancing act. Nobody can say that they would never like more money than they have.......even if it was to give that money to charity.

Answer 4

I dont completely agree with you..... Money does not bring you happiness, that is true but it can give you opportunities or experiences that you would never have without it so with those things you could be a bit more happy.

Some people are never happy even if they are poor or rich and some people can be very happy by just getting by in life as thats just people being different... thats called life.

I agree in life that love, family and friends etc are more important but i dont think you can compare to money as its a different thing altogether......and if you cant go on holiday, go out to the pub or just treat yourself because you just want to get by is total rubbish if you ask me.

Ops, no ten points for me!

Answer 5

I like this question. I know some people who have similar thoughts as yours. I'm the opposite. I think money is important for practical reasons. I don't entertain philosophical reasons. I'll give a few examples: Some people would say they would rather simple gifts like flowers and home cooked meals for special occasions like Mother's Day or Valentine's Day but in reality, majority would really honestly prefer being pampered and being surprised with gifts like jewelry and being dined in a fancy restuarant.
Ask a kid if he would rather spend quality with his family playing, skating etc in the park or going to Disneyland for a few days.
Don't get me wrong, i understand what love and quality time means, but sometimes, the good ol' philosophical reasons are not enough, most of the time you need money to enjoy other better things. Maybe if the world weren't so focused on money, we could get away with simple inexpensive happiness, but in this day and age, money makes the world go round.

Answer 6

Sometimes having money will bring me some happiness but I can't depend on it to bring happiness since money is transitory. Money is a great tool, but I am careful to not attach much significance to it beyond that it is a tool. Many people attach happiness to it as well as their self-worth and identity. The trick with money is to not worry about it. There are many different forms of wealth also, for some it is money and others wealth is family. Good topic!

Answer 7

i don't think of so.. maximum human beings with an excellent form of money think of low of others. i understand this wealthy boy and as quickly as I informed him I would desire to bathe dishes, he went like 'eww you're a maid lol'.. once you at the instant are not advantageous at heart anymore, you do not quite experience happiness appropriate with small issues.. basically a Lamborghini could make you happy, and then the choose for Ducati veron could make you unhappy the subsequent minute..

Answer 8

i went from having loads of money to having nothing not even knowing where my next meal was coming from it was horrible ,i had a place to live but it was minimal and i had to rely on other people but was afraid to put the heating on as i had no money at all but i suppose if i had enough to pay the bills and feed myself i would have been ok sometimes even simple things like a hot bath were a miss.

Answer 9

Money is very important to me, i love my family , my dogs but how can you look after them if you don't have money, so you see money has its place and we need it to live, to have holiday's to buy what we need and just generally take the stress of a person's shoulders. Wish i had more money, not for jewelry, clothes etc just to get around more and see the rest of UK.

Answer 10

Sure sometimes it makes life easier but I agree that money can't buy happiness, someone once said that you are never truly rich until you have something that money cant buy, and you obviously have that in your friends and family. Love makes us happy most of all and you cant buy true love :-)