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Money can't buy happiness but it's really good at fixing problems. If your unhappiness is caused by your car being broken down, money can buy that. Not having

Money can't buy happiness but it's really good at fixing problems. If your unhappiness is caused by your car being broken down, money can buy that. Not having money to fix your basic life problems with is probably one of the biggest sources of unhappiness in the world.

weego 4y ago
Yeah I think the common trope needs an update. Money doesn't buy happiness, it removes a lot of unhappiness
- NKosmatos 4y ago
  I would further refine it with this, money buys you free/spare time. If you have enough money, you can stop ironing your shirts, cleaning the house, doing chores and all the other stuff that drain our “free” time. Generally speaking, a third of our time goes to work, another third to sleep and the remaining third is our life. We need to make the work part interesting, engaging, joyful and something we look forward to so that it doesn’t make us unhappy. We can try and reduce a little bit the sleep part to gain time, but for sure we need to handle more efficiently the last part and maximize it. This is where most of the happiness will come from.
- jschveibinz 4y ago
  I agree, and I think this is the basis for a nice essay. Having money provides a safety net: insurance against serious life disruption. For example: Car broke down? No problem, just drive the other car or take Uber for a week. Rent goes up? No problem, just buy less clothing each month. Very ill? No problem, just pay for immediate health care.
Cthulhu_ 4y ago
It's more comfortable to cry in a house you own. Always remember that the phrase "money doesn't buy you happiness" is a means to make the proletariat accept their lot.
dkersten 4y ago
It’s very good at fixing problems, but I think even beyond that, money can be used in ways that increase happiness. Some things off the top of my head that money could buy that would increase my happiness or decrease my unhappiness due to things like stress: Beyond simply fixing problems, it also allows you to just not have to think about them at all, which removes stress. Eg if you have enough money, then bills just aren’t things that ever need to take up time or space in your mind. Being able to choose where to live based solely on what would make me happy or being close to the people I care about, without having to make suboptimal decisions based on cost. Not having to work would free up a lot of time to spend with loved ones, on hobbies or activities that bring meaning and joy to my life, or on travelling and seeing wonderful things or places and meeting new people. Even if I want to work, I could at least choose what I want to work on based on what gives me joy and meaning rather than based on financial need. Money allows you to do these things for others: reduce their stresses and financial worries. Doing things for others is usually rewarding. So beyond removing unhappiness caused by basic life problems, I think that money really can meaningfully improve your level of happiness. Yes, you’d eventually hit a point where more money doesn’t improve things, but that number is far higher than the $75k figure usually quoted because $75k isn’t even close enough to quit my job, live closer to my friends, Tavel the world and work on my hobbies and personal projects.
- freetinker 4y ago
  Spot on. Thank you for this comment! I think the $75k number is thrown around because perhaps it means you just escaped abject poverty.

weego 4y ago

Yeah I think the common trope needs an update. Money doesn't buy happiness, it removes a lot of unhappiness

NKosmatos 4y ago
I would further refine it with this, money buys you free/spare time. If you have enough money, you can stop ironing your shirts, cleaning the house, doing chores and all the other stuff that drain our “free” time. Generally speaking, a third of our time goes to work, another third to sleep and the remaining third is our life. We need to make the work part interesting, engaging, joyful and something we look forward to so that it doesn’t make us unhappy. We can try and reduce a little bit the sleep part to gain time, but for sure we need to handle more efficiently the last part and maximize it. This is where most of the happiness will come from.
jschveibinz 4y ago
I agree, and I think this is the basis for a nice essay. Having money provides a safety net: insurance against serious life disruption. For example: Car broke down? No problem, just drive the other car or take Uber for a week. Rent goes up? No problem, just buy less clothing each month. Very ill? No problem, just pay for immediate health care.

Cthulhu_ 4y ago

It's more comfortable to cry in a house you own. Always remember that the phrase "money doesn't buy you happiness" is a means to make the proletariat accept their lot.

dkersten 4y ago

It’s very good at fixing problems, but I think even beyond that, money can be used in ways that increase happiness. Some things off the top of my head that money could buy that would increase my happiness or decrease my unhappiness due to things like stress: Beyond simply fixing problems, it also allows you to just not have to think about them at all, which removes stress. Eg if you have enough money, then bills just aren’t things that ever need to take up time or space in your mind. Being able to choose where to live based solely on what would make me happy or being close to the people I care about, without having to make suboptimal decisions based on cost. Not having to work would free up a lot of time to spend with loved ones, on hobbies or activities that bring meaning and joy to my life, or on travelling and seeing wonderful things or places and meeting new people. Even if I want to work, I could at least choose what I want to work on based on what gives me joy and meaning rather than based on financial need. Money allows you to do these things for others: reduce their stresses and financial worries. Doing things for others is usually rewarding. So beyond removing unhappiness caused by basic life problems, I think that money really can meaningfully improve your level of happiness. Yes, you’d eventually hit a point where more money doesn’t improve things, but that number is far higher than the $75k figure usually quoted because $75k isn’t even close enough to quit my job, live closer to my friends, Tavel the world and work on my hobbies and personal projects.

freetinker 4y ago
Spot on. Thank you for this comment! I think the $75k number is thrown around because perhaps it means you just escaped abject poverty.