How many times have you heard someone say money can’t buy happiness? Plenty, and every time I disagree. Money can buy my happiness and now I have some research to back me up thanks to psychologist Daniel Kahneman.
It turns out money can buy happiness and now Economist Angus Deaton and Noble prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman have determined that the exact amount needed for ultimate happiness is just $75,000 per year.
The pair of researchers examined data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index and their findings shown that people become increasingly happy as their household income increases until it reaches $75,000 annually.
The study says that once the $75,000 level has been reached people tend to flat-line emotionally from their high. Deaton explains in the Gallup’s Management Journal:
“Your emotional well-being is as good as it’s going to get at $75,000.” Deaton goes on to add “It’s like you hit some sort of ceiling.”
Perhaps the most interesting part of the study is that it holds up even in big expensive cities like New York and Los Angeles.
Now before you go and find a $75,000 job the research also shows that happiness has to be measured in two axes, the first being the day-to-day emotional well-being of the person being evaluated (of which having friends is the most important) and second is the long-term “life evaluation” which requires setting realistic goals.
When all is said and done the study found that:
“The very best thing that can happen to people is to spend time with other people they like.”
It should also be noted that “life evaluation” continued to rise as a persons income passed $75,000 annually.
Do you think money can buy happiness on some artificial level based on how a person spends plans for later in life and who they hang out with?
I don’t know about everyone else, but making $75,000 a year is good money. Makes me happy. How about you? The thing is the more money you have the more time you have free to do things that actually make you happy. Like spend time with people you actually like. And as far as a man, you would have a lot more access to women you may actually like as a man with money than you would as a man without money.
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Do people seriously really believe that money can’t buy them happiness??
yea coz money can do anything but not everything…
75K is good money but if you don’t spend it wisely you can still be broke and frustrated and still unhappy
Ms Kissy, $75k, will by off my house and will make me happy but HAPPINESS…… ain’t no amount of money could give me TRUE HAPPINESS. Happy and HAPPINESS are two different things.
If you don’t believe money buys happiness donate the lil money you have to charity and see how happy you are after that.
money buys options. People are often unhappy because they do not have the financial ability to choose the options that makes them happy. Its the ability to choose what you want to do/love to do over what you “have to do”. Thats what money can buy.
AMEN UNIQUE!!!
Money can’t buy you happiness. Only God can do that.
money solves alls problems
can make you happier. But if your an unpleasant person, it’s only gonna buy you fake friends and shit
I agree with Unique. Money does gibe you options but happiness one of them. Like I said it can make you happy but cannot gives you happiness. Just look at the ppl who have it,plenty of it and still ain’t ‘happy’
sorry meant give
I can agree with the concept that money gives you more time to do positive things for you mind and spirit. It still all depends on your spiritual condition and your perspective on life in general. Our world has become so artificial and unnatural especially in the big cities that you can’t do anything without money. It’s a trap. Being independent of the Government dole system and modern convenience is very fulfilling. Relying on the MACHINE drains us of the positive energy and bond we recieve from nature. Strive to get back to nature and self reliance away from the system. If you don’t money will simply become a way to buy comfort and not true happiness. Also when shit hits the fan you can’t eat money as it will be worth nothing of value. CoOP’s and bartering systems will return as they should.
But for how long??? That is the question!
@andrew carl i agree but what if ur happy and grounded with ur life already – the system is the system, u dont have to like all of it but the system has let you have a voice and an opinion to this topic right here… all i know is im happy in my life, the government or the powers that be dont completly pull the wool over my eyes. i am a ”concious consumer” if there is such a thing and 75k would go a long way towards giving my kids chances in life to be all they can be – ie good schools, take them to different countries around the world to expeience life in different coultures. its sucks that it is what it is but money does open doors – not for everything but for some. i dont think it would change me as a person but it would make being a single mummy a lot easier… a bit of security for the future. and if the world does go apocolypto – my survival skills are pretty good. i can get back to nature and live off the land – i would have no problem having to hunt animals for food, building fires, finding safe water/shelter ect ect and if it was all zomies or something id be the first chick to pick up a shot gun and pasting marrow on da road!!! lol
*zombies!!! {and im sure there’s loads more errs in there but heyy}
NO 75K Is Not Enough For Me After Paying Taxes To Uncle Sam…
Money can buy things that may enhance your happiness, but never ever buy complete happiness.
@ Lolo I understand your love affair with the city. I’m a city slicker who realized the unsustainability of the city. It isn’t a matter of “if” the world goes “apocalypto” but “when”. If you really take a closer look the design is flawed and totally unsustainable. Ever notice that people went from being title Citizens to being titled Consumers? Hmmmm? I owned a Painting and Drywall business and was bringing in an average of 8 to 10 grand a month after taxes. It makes things comfortable but if you don’t have your head on straight it can ruin you. That’s all I was saying. Also our schools are bad news in the U.S. The only good school is homeschool. I wish I had that type of opportunity. A strong piece of advice. If you are still in the city when shit goes down and the executive orders are implemented for a national emergency you won’t be leaving the city. Cities are designed to house people like cattle by very powerful men who run global finance through the IMF and Central Bank. If you can make sure that you already have a place far away from the city to go to and have a route planned off the roadways. Otherwise I’d settle well outside the city limits ahead of time if I were you. Remember this is someone who has grown up in and been seduced by the good life and modern convenience. History repeats itself and our infrastructure has been designed to collapse so bankers and war profiteers will benefit.
I do NOT need a study NOR a research team to tell me – incoming $$$ of seventy-five thousand or more needs to be evaluated..11-20-11
Then I am doing something wrong. Money has not made me happy. A good husband and family would make me happy.