Can Money Buy Happiness?
Yes and No.
The easy answer and the politically correct one that people want to hear is No, it can not buy happiness. That being said, there are a lot of people with meaningful lives that would be a lot happier if they also had more money. On the flip side, there are many people who could be called rich who live miserable lives that you would never want.
The best way to describe money might be as an enhancer. It may not make your life happy, but it can make a happy life even happier. Like the MSG or salt in our food, it makes life taste better and like those two things, it is addictive.
The Benefits Of Money
Obviously, money can not always buy happiness, but it is certainly part of a happy life. Here are a few things that money can do to make your life better.
Provides You With Security
Without money, you do not have security, it is as simple as that. It is necessary to have a stockpile of money these days to pay for the goods and/or services that you need to survive on a daily basis. Without it, you never know where your next meal is coming from or how long you will have a roof over your head.
Since money is synonymous with security, the lack of money obviously provides you with a lack of security which can cause stress. So, in easing stress, money makes you happy.
Gives You Options
Having money in your bank account gives you a lot of options in life. If you want to travel, it can make it possible. Get tired of your job, you can quit it and go another direction. Without money to fall back on, you are in many was stuck. It is hard to move or make any real changes in life without the benefit of cash. Quit or lose a job without sufficient cash on hand and you will be in big trouble and not very happy.
Makes You Healthier
There is a reason that so many diseases and health problems affect the poor. Like it or not, it is because they lack money. Money opens the door to the upper levels of healthcare. Sure, healthcare is available to those who can not afford it through public hospitals, but the care will be very basic. Patch you up and send you out the door. Not so with the rich who can afford to pay.
Rich people who choose to take care of themselves will have the means to live healthier lives. Like it or not, that is just the way it is in this country.
The Negatives Of Money
With all of the benefits that you get from having money, surely there are some problems that can arise with money, right?
Becoming Money Obsessed
Once you see just what money can do for you, it can be easy to get obsessed with needing more money and that can cause some problems. One has to realize that money, while important is not everything. Without that understanding, it can be all too easy to devote too much of your time and attention to earning more of it. This can lead to an unbalanced life that is devoid of time with friends and family.
Some of the people that you see who are rich in money are poor in life. Working 80 to 100 hours a week to make money leaves little time or energy to do anything else and that is no way to go through life.
Fights Over Money
One of the leading causes of fights among couples and people in general is money. When money becomes the most important thing in your life, it is all too easy to put it above others. Unfortunately, because of the struggle that it often takes to get money, people hold it in higher regard than it often deserves, which can cause problems.
Is Money Evil?
Absolutely not, but it can cause just as many problems as it cures.
The trick is to value money in moderation. Realize that you need it to live a life with security and less stress. You should also realize that people and most relationships should be held in higher regard than money.
Nobody wants to be poor, but if you have the choice between being rich and lonely or stable and happy, choose happiness. Luckily, most people do not have to choose. Make smart choices and you really can have both.
