Money's Pretty Awesome, But It Won't Make Your Life Great

[Louisefr]

So for anyone with the conundrum of: "Damn, I love this girl she makes me really happy, but I have this 200k a year job somewhere else?" Well I guess this is for you... Or I don't know really. I'm just someone who grew up in a wealthy household who didn't see money as an answer to sadness.

Now don't get me wrong... I love stuff, if you get me a gorgeous Dress from LV or Chanel I will be happy, and I'll feel confident wearing it and all that good stuff. So if any of you guys were thinking of buying your SO a gift and were dissuaded by this Take, don't be. The point is, a new dress or a material thing will make me happy, but it'll be fleeting. Much more so than the happiness I get from a friend or an SO.

So my very first serious relationship when I was in my teen years (so very stupid) ended in tears. Basically, my boyfriend, who lets call Hitler for the sake of story telling, spun this whole story about me being his soulmate and obviously I bought it. Only to later find out that Hitler had 2 other 'Soulmates' at the same time. So that ended with me all sad, so I looked for an answer in buying new shit, clothes, make-up, and other totally non stereotypical stuff girls buy. I tried to find an answer in my new clothes, and for a while it made me happy. Until night after night of telling my friends "I'm fine, he sucked anyways." They stopped messaging me, I became lonelier and lonelier, so then I went to my best friends house unannounced looking like I had been crying in a cave for 3 weeks, and I found my happiness in her, and all of my other friends.

Now, you can say that the story of some spoilt white girl isn't the same as a guy who works his hardest, and that's 100% true. So here's the story of my dad, a guy who grew up in the lower middle class and made it, a classic rags to riches. I won't spoil you with the details. I remember though, he worked so hard, morning to evening, we barely even saw him on the weekends. He made sure he had the best house, car, his wife had the biggest tits, his daughter went to the most expensive school. He worked hard all week and his relaxation time was just spending his hard earned cash.

It led to a divorce, my mother left him, took little money, and I was split custody. My mom remarried to a childhood friend of hers. But my dad, well he went into depression, and never looked to anyone for help. His friends tried to help him, I tried, heck even my mother tried, but he just alienated more and more people. It was a year into the depression that he ended his own life. When it came time for his funeral, I didn't have any anecdotes, any stories of us together. He was this mystery man who gave me the best education, food, shelter and the best material life a daughter could ask for and I barely knew a damn thing about him. Very few people showed up to the funeral, most of his friends didn't feel any connection to him anymore.

So sorry for that extremely sad story, but ever since that happened I've prioritized my important relationships over some extra cash. I have an extremely close group of friends whom I adore, and who bring me the most joy in the world.

[rjroy3]

Money is like air. It makes you happy to the point, where you have enough of to not worry about it. After that it doesn't bring you much more happiness. It improves your quality of life and removes certain kinds of stress, which improves your mood and overall happiness. So while it doesn't bring you happiness necessarily. It is easier to be happy when you have enough of it.

Can guarantee any family who is struggling financially will have immediate improvement in overall happiness, just by improving their financial situation. It's like saying a Helicopter won't make you happy. Which is true, but not having to deal with traffic ever will definitely improve your overall happiness lol. I've tested. Live 45 minutes from work and make that commute, then live 5 minutes from work and make that commute. Then get back to me and talk about your quality of life. Traffic stress is real, just like stressing over bills or any number of life stress.

[Edanurus]

"Im just someone that grew up in a wealth family" Obviously, only those that are wealthy enough can say 'Money doesn't make you happy'. The statement itself is true but its not the whole story.

I can't remember what the study was but it basically said that its true if you make over £70k (or was it $70k, either way). No money doesn't make you happy if your someone who's never had to worry about it. I'm sure I would be much happier if i didn't have to worry about my bills, I could afford an holiday now and then and don't have to say 'sorry I can't afford to socialise until next month'. Money makes you happy (or at least less sad/stressed), excessive amounts of money doesn't.

[Edanurus]

Sorry that first sentence sounded more condescending than I meant it.

[Louisefr]

I've seen that study, I think 90k in the US was the ideal.

[Edanurus]

Ah that's about £70k then, the average wage in the UK is £27k so for most people they are far below that point so telling most people more money won't make you happy isn't true for most people. One of the biggest causes of stress is money problems so more would alleviate that stress. After while you're just trying to get a high score on your bank account though.

[Comawhite666]

I'm sorry to read what you went through :/

I grew up in not a super wealthy family but my parents could afford more for me and we went on holidays abroad and I got quite a lot bought for me (maybe also because I'm an only child) and now I'm living away from home and am earning, I have what I need~ a decent wage, a relationship and can afford rent and bills with money to save and spend, but If I won the lottery or gained money then I could afford more oppertunities like travelling, buying my own property, setting up an animal sanctuary which I couldn't do without money in the first place.

Money can't buy love, but it can buy expierence, oppertunities and some fun!

[bethshepherd]

When I was young I earnt a lot in the legal field, it entailed three hours of travel a day and getting home in the evening five days a week. The work was interesting, the people were nice, but it was not me. I gave up that fantastic salary, guaranteed pay, holiday and sick pay to set up on my own self employed doing something totally different and for years I earnt barely enough to pay for food. But I never regretted it. Because I was my own person and no longer spending three hours a day travelling.

[stevemeh]

Money can buy happiness for us men who have had never had any considerable ammount of wealth in all our lives and have had our hearts broken repeatedly and/or never had a relationship. ( story of my life)

Right now I know that wealth would make me exponentionally happy cause I would be beating back the same gold diggers that never wanted me to begin with and have a good laugh which would make me happy.

Finally get a car and maybe lose my virginity which would make me happy.
( age 26 here and lost all hope of losing virginity. No im not hiring a hooker so dont ask )

Start a business to make ever more money to keep myself busy and happy with a bit of labor.

Have a luxury home or mansion to call my own and care for it however I want which would make me happy.

The list goes on. Your father lost his family and he just couldnt handle it. As for me, I can't miss what I never had and I can't spend money on someone who I never knew so im not spending it so much of it.

Im poor and I feel hella suicidal for not being able to have as much money as adults my age usually do.

Sorry about your father but I would rather have money than no money. Privelege delusion starts at wealth not race.

[elizamichale2]

oh honey i am so sorry you had to go through that which no one should ever and i adore you for the courage to share it on here
and yes sometimes we are so stuck in making money and looking for things that we loose our relations by keeping them unattended and that hurts one day or another
so i think we should keep a balanced life, yes we should work hard for money too coz there is no living and no extra fun days without it but also we should keep our relations intact with the ones who care and we do for them

[JudgmentDay]

You just proved that money doesn't equal "happiness". No matter how much money we have or whatever it is that we ever had or had gained we're still gonna lose all of that we have once we die, and all of us are going to inevitably die some day, it's been guaranteed since the moment we had been born. It's only as important to have enough money so one don't end up broke and homeless the way I see it. Maybe have a good amount reserved for retirement years but either way there's much miseries, pain and suffering in this kind of a world we'll all have to face and deal since we are part of it until our time is up.

[MScifiwriter]

First money is the means to an end and can definitely help with many things such as being destitute and broke. For everyone who has ever been completely broke, having more money does definitely help. Though for some people, when they suddenly have a lot of money or are making a lot of money and don't know what to do with it. They sometimes splurge, a person simply needs to be watchful of how they use their money.

When used properly money can be a huge resource.

As for relationships, basically don't rely on a relationship to make you happy. A person needs other projects to make them happy.

[OatsnWhey]

I came from broke and I’m considerably wealthy today. My life is much better today so I disagee.

[Louisefr]

Is money what makes you happiest?

[OatsnWhey]

The lifestyle change that money gave me... yes, it did.

[airylnovatech]

I disagree entirely. As someone who's been facing money issues all my life, I can tell you that having a ton of money would make my life significantly greater. It's the main reason I work so hard. In fact, I think it's pretty much impossible for you to convince me otherwise.

[Lance1965]

No it doesn't. I have times when I have a lot of money and been miserable and then there have been times when I have been poor but very happy. Money is not the answer to happiness but I think you have more options in life when you do have money and that can lead to a happier life.

[BarfVader]

Wow... Some story. Condolences. From personal experience, yeah, it's more important for parents to give you their time, attention, understanding, and to teach you stuff, pass on their skills, etc. And friends are genuinely what will make you happiest in the long run. Money is important, especially if you don't have it, but it isn't everything.

[Jack_G92]

Woah, this was some heavy stuff. This really is amazing, it's true that we sometimes get so caught up in paying bills or getting a raise that we often forget the important parts of life. I'm really sad to hear that story, and no teen girl should have to lose her dad in such a sad way.
You did an awesome job writing this, as a high school teacher I find my own joy in educating, talking about what I am passionate about and sharing my knowledge to the future generations. I've had the same friends since 8-9 years, and they do make me laugh and enjoy myself. To be honest, I've come to expect it so I take it for granted. But I think you're take kind of pushed me to realise where I would be without them

[NatashaJ]

Lol I think money will make my life great I need to pay for my student loans, I want a car, I want a condo and I have to work for this shit sooo and save up for my retirement.

[Anonymous]

I started having no money and with problems to get food. A BIG problem.

Then I met her. She wasn't rich either but with our joint incomes we could save. 2 years of hardship.
Of course we wouldn't spend foolishly.
Finally we saved quite a lot and invested wisely.
Now we're financially at ease.

I can only advise: by the age of 35 you should have a financial buffer amounting to two years of income.

[Anonymous]

It's almost funny how usually the people who say that money can't buy happiness are the ones who never had to stress about making ends meet. Money buys you safety and without safety you can't be truly happy.

[WalterRadio]

"usually the people who say that money can't buy happiness are the ones who never had to stress about making ends meet"
It is also said by those who do struggle and have accepted that they will never have enough money to be happy.

[WalterRadio]

It sounds like (A) you personally have never been poor or struggling and (B) you don't make enough of your own money to be rich yourself.

Happiness doesn't kick in until one is making about US$300,000/yr.

[NerdInDenial]

Money buys you free time; some people just don’t appreciate the greatness of their work. They rely on external validation like love to justify their existence.

[nightdrot]

Money cannot buy you happiness, but it can help you choose the kind of misery you want to live in.

[Loser94]

Try growing up where money help child touchers roam the streets, oit here there is a guy who was a cop for 20 years and guess what the guy did he was molesting little girls and got out of jail after 2 days beacus of money so it seems that money can only help tge pedos and nasty fucks

[Anonymous]

Wow--that was a really sad story. Sorry to hear your dad took his own life! That's awful. On the plus side it sounds like for awhile he must've been pretty happy if he was able to provide for his daughter and if he had the best house, car and a wife with the biggest tits!

[Dchrls78104]

If money made your life awesome, then the following would still be alive:
1. Tim Bergling.
2. Chester Bennington.
3. Alexander McQueen.
4. Simone Battle.
5. Robin Williams.

[stevemeh]

Illuminati induced assasinations dont count

[Anon-ymous1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QphglQu3oL0

[RalphMcDonald]

Money is not useful every time. We can not buy relations with money.