Would Mega bucks make you happier

[Helgalush]

Mega bucks would mean I could do what I wanted to do, rather than going to my current job which I dont like. I could live mortgage-free and see more of the world. So in a way it could buy happiness by being less stressed and have more leisure time. But I think if you have lots of money you worry a lot about using it responsibly, not dwindling it away and at the end of the day its a finite resource (even if you had loads) so if I wanted to, say, donate it to lots of charities, soon it would be gone but the world's problems would still be there.

For me personally, money does not make me happy, it enables me to make certain lifestyle choices. I think quality of life is more about the person you are, the people and animals you spend your life with, enjoying life to the full and achieving what you want to achieve.

[Helgalush]

I agree that you can't buy happiness - I have a friend, who is now very well-off, due to great determination and lots of hard work. However, their personal life has suffered because of this, and they are now quite unhappy. But financially secure for the rest of their life.

Me, I'd love to be filthy stinkin' rich, ta! But there are things I wouldn't swap.

Yeah, wot you said ^

[its hilly]

It cant buy happiness if you are one of those people who are always 'half empty'
We have none, (partly due to insufficient work for two years running and my ill health stopping me working and no mortgage insurance) and are at risk of losing our home because of it. But we are moving in with family to cope with it, and are still happy in general and with each other.
But having said that, I'm pretty sure if we had some it would help, I'm just not sure that a lottery win would be any better than say £10,000

[greengas]

In a word YES!

To not have to worry how I am going to afford council tax and the like would make me happier.

[Two_Sheds]

The thing is, how much would be enough though? And after a few years would you not need another top up because you couldn't 'cut your cloth to suit your means'?

If you have lots of money, it makes money (if you're smart and invest well).
We know a millionaire who is living the glamorous ex-pat life abroad. He buys cars like we buy seeds, takes planes like we take buses, and the family have everything they could ever want.
It's not the life for me though: they seem to have no hobbies or interestes except shopping and they only mingle with equally wealthy (and imo shallow) people.

Me, I'm definitely happier now that I can afford to heat in my home

[JJSH]

Can money make you happy? Yes and No.

If, like me, being skint get you down, being fiancially secure would remove these worries allowing me to enjou my life. Also, I wouldn't need to work to live, allowing me to do what I've always wanted to do ~ live on a smallholding.

However, if there are more underlying things in your life that are making you unhappy, such as lonliness, etc, money won't solve those and may well make them worse.

[Brengirl]

Of course having money can help resolve financial problems but that's about all. I suppose just having enough would be good but when is enough enough. Over the years I have yearned for things I could not afford but surprisingly when I had a few bob and they became attainable they lost their appeal. Imagine life with no treats or goals. All said and done if you twist my arm I wouldn't mind a bit more

[HeyWayne]

If money allows you to buy/do more of the things that make you happy, then of course it would.

If it doesn't, then it won't.

I'd love to be able to pay off all my debts, do a job I enjoy because I want to do it, not because I have to.

Money would buy me time with Bean, and that would make me very happy indeed.

[northepaul]

If money equals happiness then why are there lots of rich people having to check themselves into rehab or whatever for depression / addiction etc?

No money doesn't buy happiness but it can take away worries which CAN make your life happier. No guarantees on this though and whilst I'd not to have less than I have I'm proud to be able to say I worked for what I have and didn't get it handed to me and the fact that I've been responsible for my possessions makes me smile. I have simple tastes, no interest in having the new anything and don't do gadgets. I like to revamp old possessions and love a charity shop bargain. Lots of things make happiness and money CAN be one of them but it's really not that simple. My mother is reasonably well off but would rather not be - may sound strange but the reason she has some money is due to insurance scheme taken out my dad. She'd rather not have the money and have him still alive and well to share her life - pretty simple really

I dont think its money that makes these people need to check into rehab, most of that is what is sensationalised by the press. I mean, how come its only the lotto winners, who do this, end up in the news?

More 'poor people' end up with drug/drink problems than the rich.

We too have worked for what we have, and nothing has been handed to us. Other than the money my OH dad left him when he died, which we used as a deposit on our house last year, after living in awful rented places previously. But that was the sad price we had to pay to escape the vicious circle we lived in. and take some comfort in the knowledge that his dad would have been really pleased about it.

I understand what is meant reading between the lines, but still feel money would make most people's life happier.

[OverWyreGrower]

I would like to have enough money so that we don't have to scrimp and save to just pay our bills.

I would like to have enough money so that if something unexpected happens (e.g. with the car or the house) we don't have to stop eating to sort it out/fix it/buy a new one.

I would like to have enough money so that I don't lie awake at night worrying about what we need to pay this week.

I would like to have enough money so that I could stop work to have a baby, without thinking about where the money would come from for childcare after the baby was born.

I wouldn't even want to win a million pounds! I don't want to be 'filthy-rich' - but if our debts (NOT including the mortgage) were paid off, I'd be very happy!

[weekendwellies]

Having enough money to deal with life's little problems ie fixing the leaky roof, getting someone in to decorate the stairs and landing instead of doing it yourself, being able to replace the broken fridge or washing machine without taking out a loan, being able to buy your loved ones something they really want instead of what you can afford for their birthdays, etc. would make a huge difference to a lot of people, in my opinion.
Being mega rich brings its own set of problems though.
I think most people would like to quit their jobs, and possibly do some other type of work that they really want to do, rather than have to do.

In this sense, money can buy happiness.

Loneliness cant be fixed with money though, and good family and true friends cannot be bought.

[chris]

fickle as it may sound - yes from me.

If we were millionaires - I'd still grow fruit/veg though, despite being able to afford (if millionaires) top notch stuff.

[Polly Fouracre]

Just having enough money to cover essential bills, no debts and a little bit to fall back on for emergencies will do me fine.

[Flummery]

If you are desperate for a tenner, such a nice person and seeing I know you I think I could......NO!!!!!!

I have a theory anyway............anyone who doesn't put money on the National Lottery is usually happy with there lot.

True Snadger. I've never bought a lottery ticket. I've never backed a horse. I've had a hand-to-mouth existence when we first got maried, and even then we didn't crave money. We now have enough, through not spending huge amounts, not through earning or winning huge amounts, that we can buy anything we want. We still don't manage to spend it all.

My Grandad used to say, "A man is rich according to the fewness of his wants" and the old chap was right!

[RoadCar]

The only good thing about having money is that you have no financial worrys, but I would not tell anyone other than my family if I have millions in the bank, if everyone knew you'd have everyone knocking at your door so that would be one down side of having money and there are plenty more reasons out there.

Daniel