People Online Express If They Really Think Money Could Buy Happiness After Someone Points Out That It Would At Least Solve 99% Of Their Problems
People who don’t have a lot of money try to console themselves by saying the phrase that probably exists in most of the widely spoken languages in the world, “money can’t buy you happiness.”
Happiness is a feeling and you literally can’t buy it, but people are starting to realize that they were tricked into thinking that money is meaningless, because the thing that makes the world go round can help a lot with having a comfortable life and reducing your anxiety about utility and medical bills, rent or mortgage, and actually just survival.
More info: Reddit
A Reddit user expressed the thought that nearly all their problems could be solved by having more money and created a discussion on how money and happiness relate
Image source: David Baron (not the actual photo)
The proverb that you can find in the Dictionary of American Proverbs published by Oxford University Press in 1992 reads as follows: “Money won’t buy happiness, but it will go a long way in helping you.”
It seems that a lot of people share this sentiment more than just the first part of the saying, as is evident from a thread on Reddit started by WelcherWelcher72x when they stated that 99 percent of their problems would be solved by money.
Image source: WelcherWelcher72x
The majority of commenters were absolutely on the same page and believed money brings comfort and freedom, which in turn brings happiness
They believe that in most cases, money does buy happiness, and if they were filthy rich, the redditor wouldn’t need to worry about bills and would be able to occupy themselves with activities that they actually like.
In less than 24 hours, the rant on the antiwork subreddit was upvoted over 44k times and 3.5k people joined the conversation. While there were a couple of people who didn’t see a problem why the Original Poster couldn’t just work to earn, most commenters agreed that money would make them happier.
They admitted that the saying “money can’t buy happiness” had some truth to it, but when you don’t have any, it is always on your mind
Even if people didn’t become happy having all that money, they pointed out that they would rather be sad and rich instead of sad and poor as at least then they wouldn’t feel the anxiety of being in debt or worrying about whether they would be able to go to the doctor or have anything left to eat if their car broke down.
Money buys comfort and that makes people happy. Having no financial worries makes people happy. Being able to treat family and friends makes us happy. Traveling and having hobbies bring us a sense of fulfillment. To achieve those things, you need to have money.
Because you can’t escape the worries associated with the lack of it, like unpaid bills, rent, car payments and food as well
Not having comfort and freedom is what makes poor people unhappy and unsatisfied. It’s hard to be happy when you are constantly tired because you work two jobs that only allow your ends to meet, if that.
The people in the comments created a discussion that they actually don’t need to be crazy rich, but just have enough to have a stable life because they agreed that past a certain point, you don’t need more money and it won’t make you happier.
Once you have covered the necessary expenses and bought yourself some nice things, there is no point in keeping the number in your bank account growing. When you have money, more money won’t buy you happiness, but when you don’t have money, having it will open a new life for you.
Money is the tool to reach for happiness and spend it on good food, therapy, hobbies and traveling after you’ve already paid for necessities
Image source: rawpixel
Many redditors shared their own success stories of how they found a good job after finishing their studies or got a pay boost after working in the field for a while. They all agreed that they were a lot happier when they could afford things than when they were broke because they acquired peace of mind.
They also admitted that once they started living comfortably but still were earning good money, the extra savings didn’t make a difference in their lives. It didn’t make them happier than they already were, but it didn’t bring sadness either.
Many redditors didn’t think they need that much money and actually agreed that when you have enough, more of it doesn’t necessarily bring more joy
There have actually been studies conducted in the aim to find out what is the minimum amount of money that makes a person satisfied and not needing a lot more. The most influential study on the topic was published in 2010 by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton.
The scientists suggested that “high income buys life satisfaction but not happiness, and that low income is associated with low life evaluation and low emotional well-being” but the number they found to make an average American content with their lives was $75k. Having in mind inflation, this number in 2022 would be about $102k.
What the research also revealed was that if a person’s income surpassed this amount, their satisfaction wouldn’t grow proportionally and wouldn’t further affect their well-being. However, new studies are challenging this conclusion.
So when poor people complain about not being rich enough, they are actually talking about simply not being able to survive and live with dignity
Image source: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
Some people who succeeded in bringing themselves up shared that they just proved themselves right in thinking money would bring peace of mind
A 2020 research article by Matthew A. Killingsworth states, “For incomes up to $80,000/y, larger incomes were associated with significantly higher levels of four of the five positive feelings (confident, good, interested, and proud) and significantly lower levels of all negative feelings (afraid, angry, bad, bored, sad, stressed, and upset).”
But the data shows that people who earn more than $80k a year feel the same way and there wasn’t any “evidence for a plateau around $75,000, with experienced well-being instead continuing to climb across the income range” as the previous research showed.
These opinions are supported by research and having a stable high income is associated with positive emotions
Regardless of whether there’s a happiness or satisfaction plateau or there isn’t, one truth stays the same: when a person rises from poverty and earns enough money to pay for necessities and also have money for extra expenses, their emotional state will be in a better place in comparison to people who live in poverty or have to count every penny.
We would like to hear your personal takes. If you had more money, would it make your life easier? Have you already experienced this? Why do you think people like repeating that money can’t buy you non-materialistic things? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This is being touted as some shocking new philosophy, but the "money doesn't buy happiness once your basic needs are met and you have enough to spoil yourself" (aka the mindless accumulation of wealth doesn't make you happy) has been known for *decades*. Much like "The Customer Is Always Right" it has been warped and twisted to suit various people's agendas, but the core principle is not new. And yet it seems each new generation learns it and treats it like some ground shaking revelation.
Thank you Monica. I was trying to figure out how to phrase that exact thought. I have always worked for "rich" people. Doing their work. I have found that if you want to be rich, you can. Just step on any and everyone/thing that gets in your way. Work 24/7 at gaining money and give yourself to making money. I promised myself the first time someone stepped on me to get ahead that I would never ever do that to another person for personal gain. I never have, and I'm not rich, but, I am happy. However, many (not all) of the rich people I work for spend all their time obsessing and worrying about other people taking what they have. They avoid family and friends trying to escape someone asking them for money. They are presented with issues that might cost them money and make them look bad which in turn makes them miserable all the time. No they don't worry about healthcare or housing, but they needlessly worry about whether they are getting the "best" of everyt
Load More Replies...
Having sufficient money for living expenses plus savings plus some disposable income buys you a drastic reduction in stress...which allows you the opportunity to be happy.
Princeton did a study on the connection between money and emotional well-being twelve years ago. They concluded having an annual income of $75,000 a year ($102,000 in today's money) made people happier, but beyond that, money didn't have an effect. My husband and I were dirt poor in the 1980s, but we were young and healthy and in love, and that got us through. Our financial situation is much better now, but I have a bunch of autoimmune diseases. We'd both gladly trade the money for better health. We're still in love though, and that continues to carry us through.
Money buys time. Nothing is more precious than Time. Having small kids and being able to take 3 day weekends is more important to me than to become wealthy. Off course financial needs are important and I'm lucky to ba able to cover them but time is what makes me rich. "Lucky guy from Switzerland speaking"
I hate the "money can't buy you happiness" truism. It's so smug and patronising. If you have enough money to be comfortable then money won't necessarily make you happier. It won't fix certain health problems or dysfunctional relationships. But poverty or financial worries are a huge source of stress for many people and of course money would make a difference. There are the obvious factors such as food, warm and healthy housing, and not having to work multiple jobs. But financial security also helps people escape toxic relationships or situations, or access extra healthcare where required.
Thing is, money is good. To a degree. But to be realy rich? You come to a point where you become a possible target. A point when you need to hire security and when every single thing in your life become a potential headline.
That really does depend on your lifestyle though. If you're dressing in normal clothes and doing normal things, how will anyone even know that you're really rich?
Load More Replies... “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” True, but being broke af makes you sad.
Money doesn't buy happiness. Money buys the space and time to allow yourself to be happy, without always focusing on your next income, next meal, next sleeping place, etc. And usually, that comes pretty close.
I've often said money doesn't buy you happiness but I'd rather cry with a roof over my head. I don't need to be wealthy, but I'd love to be in a place where I can comfortably pay bills without being broke at the end, to be able to treat myself to something without guilt, to be able to know that if an emergency occurs it won't destroy me. Money doesn't buy happiness was a quote rich people came up with to convince the poor people that they didn't need money.
"Money will not buy happiness" has never been proven scientifically. I am hereby volunteering myself as a test subject.
As someone who has been on very different levels of the income and general safety spectrum, I can vouch that once you get past a certain point, money just becomes an amplifier. Unhappy before? Will make you even more unhappy. Happy before? Now even more happy. However, as many here are from the US, what you call ‘socialism’ is very useful because it enables people a lot of basic comforts (not necesserily private ones - for example high quality public spaces). As it turns out, in such a situation, very little people are interested in having more just for the sake of more, and there is less crime and less general ‘bad person walking over others to get to the top’ situations.
I just want a simple life of being able to pay the bills with ease, have some money left over to save and have a life. I don't need to be rich. I won't be happy in a massive house that needs 2 days worth of cleaning, nor would I want to hire a cleaning lady and worry about someone coming into my house and stealing things. I don't want to deal with stocks and bonds, and other risky investments and worry about how someone is handling my money. I've heard of too many horror stories of people getting scammed out of thousands, or even millions. I don't want to be harassed by relatives coming after my money, and schemes. I don't want to be worried about who to trust and live a paranoid life.
I've worked since I was 17, 2 jobs at a time, until my good health flatlined about 28-20 years ago. I'm almost 46 & have nothing. No savings account, not my own home, my car is paid off but it's 11 years old and a little worse for wear. If I didn't have to shift money around constantly in order to make rent, minimum bill payments, and just enough food to not starve, I'd be MUCH. happier! No more stress, be able to sleep well, and maybe see about getting my health fixed up. I haven't had a vacation in 14 years! I don't want to be rich, I just want to have a guaranteed enough, with some extra on the side.
The older I get the more I value time (to be with the kids, work out, go on trips together) over money to spend. That being said - if you don't have money you can't afford to work less. I'm lucky to live in Europe where we get 5 weeks off in a year, but I would love to be able to have more time than that. The dream would be to not have to work to live. Or in reality work less, maybe 75%, but then I get scared of how my older days would look like.
Sadly, the part with the cost of medication and taking care of health etc. is a USA and third world problem. Years ago, I was dirt poor in Europe and could go to see a doctor and get medication whenever necessary. About the rest, as the famous saying goes: I'm rather rich and cry in a luxury car than poor and crying on the bus.
My Dad always said..."I'd never want to be filthy rich... I just want ten cents more than I could spend.... I can spend a hell of a lot but I wouldn't want to be filthy rich!"
Well, if I could afford the medication I need for my rare disease that’s only available in America, maybe I would be able to work harder and return to the world of working!
Health. You can't buy health. Belive me, I'm fighting cancer right now. If you have healthy head & hands and air in your lungs and heartbeat take you a$$ out of your sofa and find a better job.
My favorite saying on this is "Money may not buy Happiness, but it makes Misery a lot more comfortable."
i don't struggle financially, but I have to rely on the job i have which i loathe, just to avoid falling into that problem.
It never says how much money is meant. I think most people look at the saying and think mega wealthy means happiness and anything else mean sadness
Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy “security” so you can then go on to feel happy!! Thd feeling of being on a thin line every single day is exhausting and scary. To have that security wound mean you could somewhat relax and ENJOY life as opposed to simply getting THROUGH life.😕
I think literally every issue I have in my life could be solved with just £10,000. Enough to pay off debts and some bills and leaving me enough from my monthly income to live without literally scraping by with every single penny. The are some people in the world who would spend £10,000 on something as trivial as a pair of shoes. Like many people in the world I doubt I will ever have any money to spare for anything which isn't absolutely essential and will never possess thousands of £ at any time in my life
This is being touted as some shocking new philosophy, but the "money doesn't buy happiness once your basic needs are met and you have enough to spoil yourself" (aka the mindless accumulation of wealth doesn't make you happy) has been known for *decades*. Much like "The Customer Is Always Right" it has been warped and twisted to suit various people's agendas, but the core principle is not new. And yet it seems each new generation learns it and treats it like some ground shaking revelation.
Thank you Monica. I was trying to figure out how to phrase that exact thought. I have always worked for "rich" people. Doing their work. I have found that if you want to be rich, you can. Just step on any and everyone/thing that gets in your way. Work 24/7 at gaining money and give yourself to making money. I promised myself the first time someone stepped on me to get ahead that I would never ever do that to another person for personal gain. I never have, and I'm not rich, but, I am happy. However, many (not all) of the rich people I work for spend all their time obsessing and worrying about other people taking what they have. They avoid family and friends trying to escape someone asking them for money. They are presented with issues that might cost them money and make them look bad which in turn makes them miserable all the time. No they don't worry about healthcare or housing, but they needlessly worry about whether they are getting the "best" of everyt
Load More Replies... Having sufficient money for living expenses plus savings plus some disposable income buys you a drastic reduction in stress...which allows you the opportunity to be happy.
Princeton did a study on the connection between money and emotional well-being twelve years ago. They concluded having an annual income of $75,000 a year ($102,000 in today's money) made people happier, but beyond that, money didn't have an effect. My husband and I were dirt poor in the 1980s, but we were young and healthy and in love, and that got us through. Our financial situation is much better now, but I have a bunch of autoimmune diseases. We'd both gladly trade the money for better health. We're still in love though, and that continues to carry us through.
Money buys time. Nothing is more precious than Time. Having small kids and being able to take 3 day weekends is more important to me than to become wealthy. Off course financial needs are important and I'm lucky to ba able to cover them but time is what makes me rich. "Lucky guy from Switzerland speaking"
I hate the "money can't buy you happiness" truism. It's so smug and patronising. If you have enough money to be comfortable then money won't necessarily make you happier. It won't fix certain health problems or dysfunctional relationships. But poverty or financial worries are a huge source of stress for many people and of course money would make a difference. There are the obvious factors such as food, warm and healthy housing, and not having to work multiple jobs. But financial security also helps people escape toxic relationships or situations, or access extra healthcare where required.
Thing is, money is good. To a degree. But to be realy rich? You come to a point where you become a possible target. A point when you need to hire security and when every single thing in your life become a potential headline.
That really does depend on your lifestyle though. If you're dressing in normal clothes and doing normal things, how will anyone even know that you're really rich?
Load More Replies... “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” True, but being broke af makes you sad.
Money doesn't buy happiness. Money buys the space and time to allow yourself to be happy, without always focusing on your next income, next meal, next sleeping place, etc. And usually, that comes pretty close.
I've often said money doesn't buy you happiness but I'd rather cry with a roof over my head. I don't need to be wealthy, but I'd love to be in a place where I can comfortably pay bills without being broke at the end, to be able to treat myself to something without guilt, to be able to know that if an emergency occurs it won't destroy me. Money doesn't buy happiness was a quote rich people came up with to convince the poor people that they didn't need money.
"Money will not buy happiness" has never been proven scientifically. I am hereby volunteering myself as a test subject.
As someone who has been on very different levels of the income and general safety spectrum, I can vouch that once you get past a certain point, money just becomes an amplifier. Unhappy before? Will make you even more unhappy. Happy before? Now even more happy. However, as many here are from the US, what you call ‘socialism’ is very useful because it enables people a lot of basic comforts (not necesserily private ones - for example high quality public spaces). As it turns out, in such a situation, very little people are interested in having more just for the sake of more, and there is less crime and less general ‘bad person walking over others to get to the top’ situations.
I just want a simple life of being able to pay the bills with ease, have some money left over to save and have a life. I don't need to be rich. I won't be happy in a massive house that needs 2 days worth of cleaning, nor would I want to hire a cleaning lady and worry about someone coming into my house and stealing things. I don't want to deal with stocks and bonds, and other risky investments and worry about how someone is handling my money. I've heard of too many horror stories of people getting scammed out of thousands, or even millions. I don't want to be harassed by relatives coming after my money, and schemes. I don't want to be worried about who to trust and live a paranoid life.
I've worked since I was 17, 2 jobs at a time, until my good health flatlined about 28-20 years ago. I'm almost 46 & have nothing. No savings account, not my own home, my car is paid off but it's 11 years old and a little worse for wear. If I didn't have to shift money around constantly in order to make rent, minimum bill payments, and just enough food to not starve, I'd be MUCH. happier! No more stress, be able to sleep well, and maybe see about getting my health fixed up. I haven't had a vacation in 14 years! I don't want to be rich, I just want to have a guaranteed enough, with some extra on the side.
The older I get the more I value time (to be with the kids, work out, go on trips together) over money to spend. That being said - if you don't have money you can't afford to work less. I'm lucky to live in Europe where we get 5 weeks off in a year, but I would love to be able to have more time than that. The dream would be to not have to work to live. Or in reality work less, maybe 75%, but then I get scared of how my older days would look like.
Sadly, the part with the cost of medication and taking care of health etc. is a USA and third world problem. Years ago, I was dirt poor in Europe and could go to see a doctor and get medication whenever necessary. About the rest, as the famous saying goes: I'm rather rich and cry in a luxury car than poor and crying on the bus.
My Dad always said..."I'd never want to be filthy rich... I just want ten cents more than I could spend.... I can spend a hell of a lot but I wouldn't want to be filthy rich!"
Well, if I could afford the medication I need for my rare disease that’s only available in America, maybe I would be able to work harder and return to the world of working!
Health. You can't buy health. Belive me, I'm fighting cancer right now. If you have healthy head & hands and air in your lungs and heartbeat take you a$$ out of your sofa and find a better job.
My favorite saying on this is "Money may not buy Happiness, but it makes Misery a lot more comfortable."
i don't struggle financially, but I have to rely on the job i have which i loathe, just to avoid falling into that problem.
It never says how much money is meant. I think most people look at the saying and think mega wealthy means happiness and anything else mean sadness
Money can’t buy happiness but it can buy “security” so you can then go on to feel happy!! Thd feeling of being on a thin line every single day is exhausting and scary. To have that security wound mean you could somewhat relax and ENJOY life as opposed to simply getting THROUGH life.😕
I think literally every issue I have in my life could be solved with just £10,000. Enough to pay off debts and some bills and leaving me enough from my monthly income to live without literally scraping by with every single penny. The are some people in the world who would spend £10,000 on something as trivial as a pair of shoes. Like many people in the world I doubt I will ever have any money to spare for anything which isn't absolutely essential and will never possess thousands of £ at any time in my life
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