Money and Happiness

[Predictor 11]

I thought I'd share the latest research on money and its relationship to happiness. I'm sorry but I don't have the references to these studies but I'm sure that anyone who cares deeply enough can find them...

 

The research says..

 

* There is some evidence that money does equate to happiness. Researchers found that up to about 75k/year money does raise the level of happiness but having more money isn't associated with greater levels of happiness.

 

* While having a ton of money doesn't always equate to greater happiness, there is stronger evidence that having a lack of money, that is being poor, does make one unhappy.

 

* There is some evidence that those with larger amounts of money are better able deal with hardship.

 

I say...

 

I think the research makes sense overall. I believe that having good relationships, play/fun, a sense of purpose, health, and a sense of belonging to a community probably have a greater effect on overall happiness.

 

My observation is that many people live in the "must get next paycheck" stage where a certain level of pain is the driving force -- avoiding hunger, avoiding losing shelter, etc. This enforces a certain reality on people. Most people aren't at least initially prepared to go from that state to having relatively plenty because most of these people haven't really thought about the purpose of life, meaning, etc because they haven't had the ability. Likewise, most people are conditioned, trained, and ingrained to work for others versus themselves.

 

Another question worth asking, is all happiness equal? Some people aren't as good looking as others and some may not be as socially skilled. Part of the reason that I love to predict the market and trade is because I'm great at it. For me, I can derive more happiness out of trading then maybe someone who isn't as skilled or doesn't have the same associations. A few months back, I went to an MMA gym to practice some jui-jitsu. I found that I couldn't even maintain awareness of where I was on the mat. It wasn't very enjoyable, and I soon left to try some other activities. The point is that we don't all have the capability for happiness in every aspect of our lives. Likewise, some of the trials we endure that we don't really enjoy give us the greatest long term happiness, such as caring for a sick relative, caring for a pet, or meeting an obligation.

 

A final thought I am left with is that most people aren't happy because they are healthy. Even though, we should be. We all know that being sick can lead to unhappiness but most of us don't appreciate the happiness of health. Being relatively healthy however does give us the capability to derive additional happiness when we embrace it by being active -- i.e by swimming, running, biking, strength training, sports. I think that having a lot of money could be analogous. Those with more money have a relatively greater potential to pursue their dreams but like anything, the effort is required.

 

--

 

http://themarketpredictor.com

Edited July 31, 2012 by Predictor

[henryduncan12 10]

Money and Happiness both are associated with each other but having money is not guarantee of happiness. Some points of research are good. There are number of sources of happiness beyond money.

[Mikhoul 10]

A Subject that I've studied a lot at University and in "real life".

 

 

Both are not related at all... but lot of peoples think they are or like think they are.

 

Real Happiness come from inside you and is inside you. Money is outside !

 

Even if my lovely daughter die, I will not lost my happiness, I will FEEL sad, miss her, but since happiness is inside me, hapiness will take over in short time.

 

It's not just theory, I've lost my Mother and Father, long and painful illness for both, and I've not lost my happiness in fact their funeral were a celebration of their life, full of joy

 

A lot of study ( I've studied in Psychology in University) have show that they are not related at all...

 

One of the most memorable study, was to follow winner of great amount of money over the year.... and those research show that after ~1 years Every peoples have come back to the same feeling that it have before it win the Big $$$$.

 

But that study was made also in both side: So they have study at the same time peoples that have big accidents and keep them for the rest of their life in a wheelchair.

 

They learn that after ~1 years those peoples have recovered the same state of mind that before the big accident, peoples that were happy before were happy again with their life, peoples that were sad, were sad again...

 

For many peoples it's more easy to believe the illusion that happiness come from the exterior (in opposition to inside yourself) cause you don't have to work on yourself and look at yourself.

 

This way you can just fool yourself thinking HAVING more will give you ""BEING" more happy."

 

Regards !

[rbt 10]

Money makes life smoother...it is a kind of lubricant.

 

Imagine how many times our day dreaming comes to screeching halt because of a lack of money:rofl:.(of course some of it may not require money outright but most of it probably needs it in some sort of a way).

[SunTrader 10]

Researchers are happy when they get money to study the obvious.

[djohnsonhot 10]

OK, everyone, I am older likely than the rest of you and I have to reply.

 

First, when I was in college in the last Century, driving a '62 Chevy with a bad starter, etc and paying my way thru College AND barely surviving, I was MISERABLE.

 

In the meantime, I worked in the Silicon Valley, and sold my home and moved to the Mountains. Ran a couple of businesses...had 4 motorcycles, a Tractor, acreage, mountain lakes, Whole house generator, luxury cars and SUV's....you name it.

 

My conclusion: once we woke up and SOLD THE STUFF STUFF STUFF, with now even more money in the bank, I cannot be happier.

 

I have a bond portfolio paying our bills, we live in an RV full time and travel continuously. I could not be happier to have a enough money, and way more than most (no brag, just fact) AND no debt!

 

So, the happier I am is directly connected to LOW or NO DEBT, NO EXTRA's (vehicles, bikes, snowmobiles, junk), and CASH. It cannot get better.

 

The ONLY thing in my way: HEALTH.

[tiger29 10]

OK, everyone, I am older likely than the rest of you and I have to reply.

 

First, when I was in college in the last Century, driving a '62 Chevy with a bad starter, etc and paying my way thru College AND barely surviving, I was MISERABLE.

 

In the meantime, I worked in the Silicon Valley, and sold my home and moved to the Mountains. Ran a couple of businesses...had 4 motorcycles, a Tractor, acreage, mountain lakes, Whole house generator, luxury cars and SUV's....you name it.

 

My conclusion: once we woke up and SOLD THE STUFF STUFF STUFF, with now even more money in the bank, I cannot be happier.

 

I have a bond portfolio paying our bills, we live in an RV full time and travel continuously. I could not be happier to have a enough money, and way more than most (no brag, just fact) AND no debt!

 

So, the happier I am is directly connected to LOW or NO DEBT, NO EXTRA's (vehicles, bikes, snowmobiles, junk), and CASH. It cannot get better.

 

The ONLY thing in my way: HEALTH.

 

So you are saying that, your happy now, but more so because you have security, meaning bills are all paid, no debt. And also happier because you got rid of all the vehicles, bikes all the other material things. Very interesting. I have always believed that material things like cars, etc.... only bring happiness at the beginning, but once you have driven it for a month or so, then that happiness goes away and then its just another thing. Now if you had fun with the cars, like lets say the reason you bought your bikes was to enjoy the ride, then i think you will be happier as oppose to you buying it for attention. I don't think that feeling will last.

[SunTrader 10]

......

In the meantime, I worked in the Silicon Valley, and sold my home and moved to the Mountains. Ran a couple of businesses...had 4 motorcycles, a Tractor, acreage, mountain lakes, Whole house generator, luxury cars and SUV's.. I could not be happier to have a enough money, and way more than most (no brag, just fact) ....

No of course not, nobody does that on the internet.

[koyasan 10]

Financial pressure just to pay the bills puts enormous stress on personal health and relationships. Around 50% of Australians don't have private health cover and even less have any access to regular dental treatment. I do believe that health is your wealth but it is a myth to claim that it comes free. Money buys me the option to choose and if I choose wisely then my life may be more fufilling, perhaps I might experience peace of mind and even moments of happiness.

 

Every year I visit my parents who live on the other side of the world....the last time I looked tickets cost money. A few years ago my wife was quite ill and even with private health cover there was a large financial gap. Nothing makes me happier than travelling and exploring the world.........cost money.

 

You certainly can't buy happiness but not having to count the pennies goes a long way.

[djohnsonhot 10]

Did not want to brag though, but that comment made me LOL! No one does that!

 

But, the other points were well taken.

 

I was trying to say that WITHOUT getting rid of the extra material things, the things that many Typical Americans (and Europeans, for that Matter, as we have lived there as well)....love, the Cool Cars, and Bikes - - in the end, once one wakes up - - - are just extra's.

 

I was lucky to have found a partner in life, My wife of over 30 years, that was also not materialistic much anyway, but has made the same discovery: the extra's were extra work and a money sink. Down the drain we were going keeping batteries alive in a Ducati, or KTM or other under-utilized item....much of the time, I was running the bikes to circulate oil, even though I absolutely loved the freedom, and air flow, the power, etc.

 

I have been bike-free since 2009. Wow.

 

And, the house, nice but modest and had good curb appeal, was just simply work work work. Painting, gutters, water pump failures, septic tank failures, driveway work, and the bills to cover it all: what a freaking waste. This section will cause some folks to wonder, how can we get along without the castle???

 

Well, we have no kids. We love to travel and we can stop for long periods and stay with others on their land. We have loads of friends who want us to house sit.

 

But, we love it doing this....we are in Cannon Beach, Or right now. I trade options in the mornings and we walk to town every single day and ride our bikes on other days. The freedoms from home ownership allow us to live very frugally...the Diesel Pusher is older and paid for...car is older and paid for.

 

It is such a release. You young guys and ladies here: the sooner you realize that debt and ownership are a TRAP, the better you will feel and the release from all that stuff is incredible. It sounds trite, I know, but it is real and I cannot express how much better we are doing being out of the house and walking and biking and enjoying the lack of pressure to get a newer house, or cooler Mercedes or Infinity or Lexus or Audi.....it is unreal, and I hope I can reach at least a couple of young minds to convince you that this American Dream thing became a nightmare.

 

We still have many folks ask, "how can you do it?!!!"

 

Easy as cake.

[Herminia82 10]

money won't buy you happiness, but with money you will have a lot of opportunities to find happiness.

you know the joke: i used to love summer, but then i realized that if you have money you can have summer whenever you want. Now i love money.