Will Money Make you Happy?

A lot of people suggest money will make you happy, while others believe money is evil and will make you a bad person. There have even been studies done on whether money makes you happy, and how much money you need to be happy. I am all about goals, making money, and trying to be as happy as I can be. I have been in positions where I was not making much money at all, and I am in a position now where I make quite a bit of money.

I think that money can make people happier, but it is not the money itself, but what money can buy you. It can buy you time, freedom, enjoyable moments, vacations, and comfort. Money can also buy you stress, worry, debt, and many things that will not make you happy. No, money itself will not make you happy, but if used correctly it can be a wonderful tool to create happiness with the right attitude.

How will money make you happy?

Working non stop to make a ton of money is not going to make you happy. Making money, which you can then use to create free time for yourself can make you happy. I think there is a misconception that making a lot of money means you work all the time. To make a lot of money you may have to work really hard for a while, but if you invest wisely and build a business that money will work for you, freeing up your time.

Some of the things that make me happier thanks to having money:

I have been able to buy some of my dream cars
I am able to go on vacations multiple times a year with my family
I am able to have free time to golf or pursue other hobbies
I can give more money to charity
My wife does not have to work and can stay home with the kids
We can afford to pay for many activities for the kids
We can help friends or family when they are in trouble
We can afford insurance and health care
I have my own business and can make my own hours for when I work
I can employ many other people, which helps the local economy and those people

I wrote an article that goes into more details on money and happiness here: https://investfourmore.com/2017/12/26/will-money-make-happy/. I even list a few studies that back up my conclusion.

How can money make you unhappy?

I think money has to be used int he right ways. There are many people who make a lot of money, but are stressed beyond belief. They may spend everything they earn, are loaded with debt, and have to make tons of money just to keep their heads above water. I think these are the people that make others think having money is not all it is cracked up to be.

Here are some things I have done to make sure I am not stressing myself out with money;

I invest most of my money, I do not spend all of it.
I have created passive income that comes in whether I work or not. This allows me to take more risks, because I know I have a safety net.
I hire people to help me with many things. I make sure I have plenty of free time to enjoy life.
I focus on spending money on things that make me happy, not what society tells me I should want.

https://investfourmore.com/2016/04/04/is-the-pursuit-of-money-making-you-happy-or-is-ruining-your-life/

We all have different things we like to do. I love cars, and I have a blast with my cars. They are expensive and when I was young I told myself I did not like cars, because I did not believe I would ever have the cars I wanted. When I stopped limiting my beliefs, my career and life took off.

https://investfourmore.com/2014/07/01/able-buy-lamborghini-diablo-real-estate-business/

I think if you use money the right way it can bring a lot of happiness. What do you think?