Can money buy happiness?

Hmmm....money would clear my debt, which would give me some relief, but I woudn't go so far as to say that is true happiness. I would go for money can calm your day to day frustrations, and perhaps distract you from your personal problems, but it cannot make you truly happy.

Please give me the money so that I can experiment

Well, money cannot literally buy happiness, but it may help to cope with troubles that prevent anyone from being happy.

I think that if a person is basically positive and optimistic, the money will only enhance that person's life. I do believe that money can bring relief (as Steissd has said) if the lack of it is causing stress. If a person is generally neurotic, unhappy and pessimistic, no amount of money will help.

A windfall can also bring problems to people who don't know how to deal with money. To those who have lived from hand to mouth all their lives, unless they are intelligent about it, there is a tendency to fritter a windfall away. One has to know how to use money wisely, in order to make it work for them.

On Dateline (TV show) they made reference to people being more happy about having the windfall vs. earning it. Nutty world we live in I say! :wink:

Money does not directly bring happiness.
Lack of money does bring stress and sadness.
So do money problems, even if you're actually not lacking.

A reasonable amount of money is often a precondition for happiness.
Being too interested about money often brings stress and sadness.


Winning a lottery can be heaven or hell.

Two acquaintances of mine won the lottery. Good prizes, but not millions of dollars.

One gave a party to all his friends, shrimp, lobster, champagne and bow-tied waiters.
The rest of the money he spent on a 6 month trip to India.
After, he went back to his teaching job and his normal life.

The other bought a house with a pool. His wife was suddenly seen with a fur coat. With his money, the man started "banging" interested women. He divorced, with hard bickering about the house. Shortly after his divorce, he went on a drunken spree with a buddy of his. They got in trouble with the cops. The trouble turned into a gunfight: the lottery winner's buddy and a cop were killed. The lottery winner was unjustly charged for murder (his buddy was the one who shot the policeman) and spent six months in prison -and all his remaining money in the lawyer who defended him.

quote:
Well, money cannot literally buy happiness, but it may help to cope with troubles that prevent anyone from being happy.


soooo true man sooo true

Money may not buy happiness, but poverty don buy nothin'.

Phoenix touched on it; not having money produces stress in married couples. It's one of the biggies of marriage problems. Couples talk about finances more often than not, and many retired folks are living on much less than is needed. If couples have young children, it becomes very difficult to save enough for their college education, because tuition seems to outpace the CPI. On top of all that, many have lost most of their retirement savings during the past three year stock market crash. Does it bring happiness? Probably not for most, but it can decrease the major area of stress for families. c.i.

Despite what some people suppose from my posts -- I am an especially easy-going, happy-go-lucky guy with a very optimistic outlook on life.

I've got no money to speak of -- and I don't buy lottery tickets.

But my brother buys a lot -- and if he ever hits, I am sure he will give me a bunch.

I suspect I will then be an easy-going, happy-go-lucky guy with some dough. (Luckily, my ever-lovin' Nancy feels the same way I do.)

I know several very sad, pessimistic, disgruntled people who also buy lots of lottery tickets. I suspect if they ever hit, they will be sad, pessimistic, disgruntled millionaires.

Money ain't gonna make the big difference in the happiness or contentment department. It may make a small difference, but there is no way it will make a large difference. Or at least that is my opinion.

Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with....

I have more thoughts on this, but will write when I am in the right frame of mind, right now I am feeling too frivolous...

Gee Gautam, I thought Frivolous was your middle name. c.i.

What IS happiness? Being in a good mood? Experiencing pleasure? Money can bring both of these about. But if 'being happy' is the GOAL state of life then it means more than this...

Belonging, feeling a sense of purpose, having a desirable identity - money cannot buy these things. And it is when these things are lacking that money really comes into its own - as a purchaser of fun, trips (of all kinds) etc.... Money can offer an escape from self. But only for so long...

I remember years ago, I had heard of a study made on lottery winners. They found that the majority of the winners squandered their money on luxuries, and were back to where they started from before they won. In fact, some of them had gotten so used to the more luxurious lifestyle, that they got into debt.

This study is rather interesting:
http://suddenmoney.com/news15.shtml

I love money and money makes me happy! What more can I say?

Who said money can't buy happiness? Try me, please! That would put a permanent smile on my face!

Many people with money aren't happy; maybe, they can give it to me to test if their money will make me happy. c.i.

I love to count money! Why? Who knows and who cares?