Does Money Bring Happiness?
This often quoted phrase is so overused and jaded that even though we know that it is true, we tend to ignore it. We want to believe that there is an easy way out of being unhappy and believe me overcoming your emotions and teaching yourself to be happy can be more difficult that earning some bucks!
All of us have at some point in time or another seen extremely rich, wealthy and famous people unhappier than what we would expect them to be, given the amount of material benefits that they have. It is surprising that a large number of wealthy people do not seem to experience the happiness that one would expect goes with so much money and riches. A study conducted by University of Illinois indicated that more than 30 percent of the richest people in America were not as happy as the person who earned a modest income.
Have you ever noticed that most of the sulking, miserable people that you meet in everyday life are rich people? The misery that these people go through is not because they don’t have enough money to by two square meals. It occurs due to the fact that everyone seems to have more expectations from money. Money cannot buy you everything but in the minds of people who give up everything for money, it is difficult to accept that they strove so hard to achieve partial success.
So if you are unhappy and think that money is the answer to your problems – think again! Even if you were to win a lottery tomorrow, the pleasure that accompanies it wont last long. Pretty soon, you’ll be back to your original self. There is a saying that ‘if you are not happy here and now, you never will be’. There is a lot of depth behind this statement. A penniless child drenched in the rain can be happy at the prospect of a real shower after days of scorching heat while a rich man may view the same rain from his window reminiscing why he had lost his lady love. The idea is to understand that happiness cannot be achieved by anything external irrespective of whether it is money or any other material things. Happiness is something that is inside of you and not outside, and accessing it just requires a little bit of training.
Of course money IS important to help us live our life to the fullest. But at the same time, an increase in its inflow does not bring proportional happiness with it. You need to be aware of this.
Supporting Links
- Money Won’t Buy You Happiness
- Can money buy happiness? UC Berkeley researchers find surprising answers
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Comments
duh — January 4, 2008 @ 8:43 am
Sore but money brings freedom and as a result happiness.
Emma — February 18, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
Emotions have moments. They can’t always be positive.
but it is good to have money Always it is part of life which we need for food, and for HEALTH problems. It is better to have money than not to have. Less stress
Dmitriy (Russian Federation) — March 30, 2008 @ 1:23 am
Money brings positive emotions and consequently happiness.
Jenny — March 31, 2008 @ 8:24 pm
money brings happiness, just in different ways.
Lawl — January 17, 2009 @ 1:52 pm
Money doesnt bring happiness. Money does not bring freedom. What prevents you from doing the things you want to do right now? Nothing, only yourself. And these “positive emotions” are only because society trained you like a dog that money brings happiness.
Me, myself, and I — February 10, 2009 @ 11:48 pm
Money brings happiness depending on how you use it. I myself like to help others, in result I feel really happy about seeing others happy as well so I feel great about being able to make others happy and to see them smile. So with money, you can make other happy making yourself happy if you enjoy it.
angle x — September 11, 2009 @ 4:30 pm
money is a gift and if we dont spend it on things we need not want there wont be any left and we werent made to die out we were made to make humans the longest lasting creacher on earth and if we dont spend money on the right things we will have no money die out over just one selfish thing and thats just wrong x angle x
sir dembele — November 15, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
money can be your friend and your enemy as well:it can help but often destroys
hassan nayebie — December 14, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
sorry,but we are always unhappy because we couldnot reach our dreame like make friend , make good job,find good place for live and probleme for all of them is money ,be sure I am from iran but not like other pepole I am diffrent
kkaasser — January 16, 2010 @ 12:55 am
i think thats money not brings for happiness for many reasons
kkaasser — January 16, 2010 @ 12:59 am
-Having little money deprives us of a decent life thats why some people resort to violence in order to take revenge over rich people
-With money you can buy everything except the dignity of people.
Lara N ( Lebanese ) — January 17, 2010 @ 11:51 pm
I think that money is needed and will in some way bring happiness, because if you have the sufficient amount of money, you will be able to raise a family and grant your children’s education and do things for them in order to give them a good balanced life.
Thanks:)
Lara N ( Lebanese ) — January 18, 2010 @ 12:02 am
and by the way… for all the people who don’t know where Lebanon is located, get yourself a nice globe.
Thanks again;)
fati — January 19, 2010 @ 4:17 am
in thes days money is important in the life.you need mony to get a good education to have a comfortable and helpe to ather ……………..
L.houmam — January 20, 2010 @ 10:13 pm
I think that money so important to our life but there many ways we can deserve a happy without money cause money does not bought happy health and life but buy some things Materiels
Robert — February 12, 2010 @ 1:27 am
Money does not make you happy! We as humans are suffer from what psychologists refer to as the “hedonistic effect”. Meaning the more money we have the more we “think” we would be happier if we just had a little more. A never ending cycle! Having surfed all
of my life I can assure you that catching a wave on a decent day at the beach with the sun shining on your face is priceless! No amount of money can ever buy that feeling (for mr at least) and is free! Peace and love!
Vishal — February 12, 2010 @ 9:24 am
Cheers Robert!
Christopher Taylor — May 24, 2010 @ 7:30 pm
Happiness is a state of mind that really depends how we see the situations in our lives each day. you can have all the riches in the world but still see it as a lonely place.~.-
hasansardar — November 13, 2010 @ 8:06 am
yes money can brings happiness. money solves many our problems . money helps us in get education and other facilities.
alkanz zahra — November 24, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
i think money can never give happiness to anyone
Naresh — December 1, 2010 @ 11:04 pm
It is said that Man made money…People are earning lacks and crores in business are not always happy ..people getting hefty income from software and management are also not always seen happy…. we are engaged in a race which actually never ends….people in small towns, villages are much happier than people in cities… also our education is not giving any solution to life but helping us in increasing our desires…its a fact “Money never gives happiness”…. but still we earn and earn and earn….bcz we are in a race …
Randy — December 18, 2010 @ 8:17 am
::What prevents you from doing the things you want to do right now? Nothing, only yourself.
I don’t understand the above. In general, one works a job (or business if self-employed) to buy oneself a lifestyle. Thus, a lot of one’s time is garnished to earn enough, save enough for retirement, and have a bit of disposable income for pleasure. Thus, I’d guess that most people are not doing the things they like because in general, the typical hobbies like the arts, music, non-professional sports, writing non-selling novels, etc don’t support any type of lifestyle. Granted, a sliver of folks in the aforementioned activities do quite well for themselves but most don’t.
Kevin — January 5, 2011 @ 11:54 pm
“LAWL” You better believe money brings you freedom, actually it comes down to who you know and how much you got..!! I can name a few examples, O.J. Simpson, Bernie Madoff, and the king of all Laura Bush (aka First lady of George W. Bush) committed vehicular manslaughter served ZERO DAYS IN JAIL AND NO CHARGES FILED.
You have a lot to learn about the real world and how it works.
HAKIM NET — January 27, 2011 @ 2:17 am
money sure can bring happiness yes but the problem is that where i have got money . did i work har to get them or i just won them in lottery or something else so here to be happy differ from the amount of money you have and the way you do to get them ….lottrey money won t last long . but when you work all ur life to be rich then be sure that u lost ur childhood to get that money …..
Fred — February 5, 2011 @ 7:56 pm
The hell it dosn’t. Are you happy when your bills are paid? you can buy a good car?? you got food on your table cause money bought it?? It does buy happyness!!
john cirigliano — February 12, 2011 @ 10:05 am
the best things in life are free,and to maintain that which is your health you have it all-now to make a reasonable amount of money and to have the essentials is good enough for me,and don,t look at others and what they have or you will lose track of yourself,so in essence money is know good unless you have the other 4 ingredients—wisdom–intelligence–caring–confidence
Maha — February 27, 2011 @ 11:41 pm
I’m from Egypt of course you heard about our revolution it was a great example learned us that money doesn’t bring happiness the former president the richest man in Egypt his money couldn’t bring dignity to him and couldn’t help him
natia — March 4, 2011 @ 9:57 pm
I totally agree with ani..money never bring happiness …at first it can heip u but a few weeks later it makes many problems too…I live in USA but I’m Georgian..
amwwee — March 24, 2011 @ 9:05 pm
money is just a prob IF!!we cant handel it with care…so watch out with the money u had
Panoum Kor — April 11, 2011 @ 6:25 pm
Just want to add a bit on this opinion and views… Well the answer to myself before I read these views and opinion was simply money can not bring me happiness, I had said it number of times to myself… But after reading I realize we all can be right a d related somehow, for me I put it as money is the tool/material even thou it doesn’t match the name because really life is a never ending cycle, if no money involve we would never be able to go any further, such as managing our currupted nation that need to be cured and the only why to do it is except what you have and I learned that never ask society for more… As Diddy hip hop artist rapper said more money more problem it’s true… We just need to start excepting what is given to us and carefully manage it the way that will prosper and guarantee us a better happy result… Peace
ayesha — April 21, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
money wil always give us hapiness because it save our life we get food and everything in the world
vahid — May 1, 2011 @ 8:24 pm
from my point of view, money is good, but it’s not everything.in our daily life, we can see many reach people who are forced to with so many problms in their life. it’s absurd that we think money solves all kinds of problems.I know many reach people that like to have 1 minute happiness in their life. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH DMITIRY, money bring happiness, just in different ways.
ashu — June 3, 2011 @ 12:38 pm
Money can’t give happiness. It’s complete only nessecity.It’s depend us that how take this.
RandyO — June 10, 2011 @ 2:29 am
Ho hum … money brings happiness because one has financial freedom to do what he wants, w/o working for the man. If you cannot manage your own time then you have issues.
There’s no way that anyone can convince me that corporate America brings happiness.
shah fahad afridi — June 17, 2011 @ 8:14 pm
money is important in life but only for buys it,s not brings you true happiness. happiness will came by the religion. thats you all right in religion in ISLAM and thats all.
broncy -june 29,2011 9;43pm — June 29, 2011 @ 9:35 pm
money gives the people enjoyment and the people don’t know they are distroying there life…..
chris — July 1, 2011 @ 8:42 pm
sadly i think money does bring happiness…ive been in a poor family all my life…im 17 and i see my friends have money for a car, insurance, gas, etc…people say love brings happiness but how can you love if you have no money to take a girl out on a date? i stay cooped up in my house all summer because i dont have the money to spend time with friends…im sorry but when i was 15 i cried when i didnt have enough money from my job to pay bills with my parents…i want someone to walk in my shoes and tell me that money dosent bring happiness.
ALJASH AHMED.M.A — July 4, 2011 @ 11:07 pm
i know and i am sure you also know,many poor people who are happy and who can always smile.the rich people are always tens,but the poor people look more relaxed,more contented.
vishnu das — July 15, 2011 @ 6:19 pm
“money is a good servent but not a good master “
angel — July 24, 2011 @ 6:40 pm
Money is jus 4 materialistic gains and definetly nt happines. Its ridiculous news 2 knw dat othr ppl tht m0ney cn buy everythng
shivanshi — July 28, 2011 @ 8:31 pm
money cant buy happiness………….
Randy — August 21, 2011 @ 11:51 am
Money brings happiness. If you don’t believe that then you’ve fallen for some ‘wage slave’ theory than either work or the people around you bring happiness.
It’s all wrong. In today’s world, you make money so that you can later achieve, financial independence, and then do what you want with your time.
samantha — September 8, 2011 @ 9:41 am
ok well i totally agree money doesnt bring you happiness!!!! if u say it does, answer this:
you had a chance to have as much money as you want, but you would have to leave your family FOREVER!! would you pick the money or your family?
OBVIOUSLY FAMILY! if u pick money then u have probs!!
( unless u hav a rlly mean family, then i would c y u want the money. )
Bill — September 28, 2011 @ 8:54 am
“you had a chance to have as much money as you want, but you would have to leave your family FOREVER!! would you pick the money or your family?
OBVIOUSLY FAMILY! if u pick money then u have probs!!
( unless u hav a rlly mean family, then i would c y u want the money. )”
Is this a Dorian Gray type of question?
What you’ve created is a type of no-win scenario, kinda like being given a death sentence and then being asked if having money alleviates the pain (or finality) of the electric chair. How about directing the question to the living, not the living dead?
If one already has a fine family, then there’s no issue, you choose both the family and money because with the money, you can spend more time with the family. Thus, it’s a non-elusive principle.
Without a good family to start with, it’s a moot point. Who’d choose a dysfunctional arrangement over having financial independence?
Bill — September 28, 2011 @ 8:59 am
“sadly i think money does bring happiness…ive been in a poor family all my life”
Chris, don’t listen to these guilt ridden fools who deride money as a primary component of happiness.
It clearly offers happiness but like everything else in life, one needs some commonsense to make it work out.
Yes, affording food, shelter, a dependable vehicle, and health insurance are all worthwhile attributes of acquiring money. Then later, pursuing your areas of interests, etc, follow suit, once the basic needs are met.
esmat — October 9, 2011 @ 11:04 am
im sure money bring happiness ofcourse we should learm on how we can use it.
BISWAJIT — October 23, 2011 @ 9:54 pm
Now a days money is very important but it can not give happyness.
we can buy a costly bed by paying money but we can never buy sleep.
Bill — November 3, 2011 @ 10:03 am
“we can buy a costly bed by paying money but we can never buy sleep”
Actually, you can “buy” sleep. Start with supplements like Melatonin, Valerian, and Chamomile. Then, use Delta Brain wave CDs to rest your waking brain.
Kick out the people around you, who give you a tough time and keep you awake at night. Hire a lawyer to help you with this.
You see, all this talk against money has made you think of impractical ways of looking at life. All activities have some costs associated with them.
Realist — November 10, 2011 @ 12:52 pm
Who is happiest?
The millionaire whose main concern is where to dine that evening or the starving child who wonders where the next meal is coming from?
The rich man snuggled up in bed in a warm house or the poor man who has to get up at 5am in a cold house then travel 15 miles to work in the rain/snow and do a job he despises? (ie wage slave)
The only fools around here are the ones who either can’t see the bloody obvious or deride themselves in their woolly liberalism. Money doesn’t make you a better person but it can bring happiness. Money, however, cannot buy you LOVE. The Beatles were right on that. Be realistic, a costly bed WILL get you a better nights sleep than a winters night in a cardboard box!
Realist — November 10, 2011 @ 1:08 pm
PS.
To all those people out there who believe money can’t bring happiness – please let me know who you are so that I can arrange for you to send me a blank signed cheque made payable to CASH. I want to put my theory to the test that money can bring happiness and as you obviously don’t give a hoot about losing your dough everyone will be a winner! What – no takers?
Vishal — November 10, 2011 @ 4:05 pm
I bet a millionaire wouldn’t even get 1/100th of the happiness dining in a 5 star restaurant that a hungry poor would get from a loaf of bread.
To enjoy food, you need appetite, not a 5-star restaurant. To enjoy sleep, you don’t need costly bed, you need sleep. Both of which the poor have in plenty coz they get up at 5am, travel 15 miles to work and are fully present doing their work till the night. Not like a millionaire, who wakes up at 9 (coz he was tossing around whole night in the bed because of a dog barking 2 miles away or because of acidity due to eating in a 5-star restaurant) and then broods the whole day on how to evade taxes and safe guard his wealth, then sweats out in the gym in the evening. And at the end of his life, spends all that he has earned on medical bills!
Good luck Mr. Realist
Realist — November 12, 2011 @ 4:08 pm
Thanks for wishing me good luck – but where’s the cheque?
Vishal — November 12, 2011 @ 4:11 pm
It went to the starving child. That’s why I wished you good luck.
Realist — November 12, 2011 @ 4:51 pm
My point is, did you give your last penny to the child? If so then that’s very admirable, if not then money does mean something to you. ‘Charity is not a bone to the dog, it’s sharing the bone when you’re as hungry as the dog’ Jack London – On the road.
Vishal — November 12, 2011 @ 5:54 pm
I feel sorry for you. You simply represent majority of those who don’t have an idea of the difference between happiness and pleasure. Or simply put, you have not experienced real happiness in your life. Your 5-star dining, soft bed, etc. etc. are all sensual pleasures and does not define happiness by any means. Happiness is the inner joy you get when you meet someone you love after a long time; when you see the smile on your child’s face; when you feed someone who is very hungry; when you are of assistance to someone very needy; ….
I don’t know who this Jack London is, but I would rather give something to someone needy now than wait till I become as needy as the other person.
Yes, money does mean something to me. But the point is, it is not my means to happiness. It is to make my life comfortable. And comfortable is not equal to happiness. A person traveling by first class may be comfortable, but he may not be happy. Whereas a person traveling by second class may not be that comfortable as the person traveling first class, but he may be happy chatting around with people or watching the beautiful scenery.
Bill — November 20, 2011 @ 11:27 am
Vishal, I do not understand your argument against either money or the ‘Realist’.
Giving to others is fine, I do it all the time but guess what? … I don’t have to worry about a roof over my head or where my next meal will come from. Thus, I don’t see the connection?
You’re making a type of moral judgement, based upon someone traveling 1st class vs coach, due to some experiential difference of the latter. Personally, I’d rather fly 1st class from Asia to America because it’s more comfortable than being cramped for 15 hours and I can read, sleep, enjoy the scenery, eat a “real” meal, or get my work done so that the journey is a pleasant experience. Now, whether or not that detracts from the temporary bonding experiences of being around others, in cramped seating areas, is a value call, as to maximizing a less than optimal journey. Well, I’ve done both and personally, 1st class still comes out ahead.
Bill — November 20, 2011 @ 11:34 am
“You simply represent majority of those who don’t have an idea of the difference between happiness and pleasure. Or simply put, you have not experienced real happiness in your life. Your 5-star dining, soft bed, etc. etc. are all sensual pleasures and does not define happiness by any means.”
Here’s a monkey wrench on the above … would a Tibetan monk be better off to meditate in the Canadian Rockies w/ stable govt, no political oppression, etc, vs living in Tibet where the P.R.C. govt is actively suppressing all activities related to Tibetan Buddhism?
Well … guess what? Someone has to pay for that permanent visa to Canada and again, someone has to pay for that plot of land, building, and taxes in British Columbia or Alberta, for that retreat center. All and all, the argument comes full circle. Money is the primary proponent of happiness or let’s say… the pursuit of happiness, if happiness is a path then an end goal.
jaspreet — December 1, 2011 @ 9:43 pm
not only money brings happiness i think if our frnds n relatives r happy then we r also happpy
Asein ifijeh Godfrey — December 12, 2011 @ 7:23 pm
The only source of happiness and peace of mind is salvation (freedom from sin), not money. If you have Jesus in your life, and then have money there will be happiness in you. Matthew 6:33; proverb 16:7,8
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