Comments on: The Correlation Between Money and Happiness? http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/ ... where my idea of splurging is feeding my cat Fancy Feast. As a full-time student with a limited income stream, follow my journey in obtaining financial awareness and prosperity Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:53:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Tyler Ingram http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1471 Tyler Ingram Wed, 11 Jul 2007 20:58:02 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1471 I think money can bring you temporary happiness. I mean when I have money I am more happier or content than when I am scratching at the bottom of the wallet or not eating for a few days trying to save a dime here and there. This past month has been a bit rough because I moved into a new place, and just before I moved I went for a weekend trip that cost me a bit more than I originally worked out. Though if I give it few more weeks I should be back to where I should be comfortable and my mood will definitely be better :) I think money can bring you temporary happiness. I mean when I have money I am more happier or content than when I am scratching at the bottom of the wallet or not eating for a few days trying to save a dime here and there.

This past month has been a bit rough because I moved into a new place, and just before I moved I went for a weekend trip that cost me a bit more than I originally worked out. Though if I give it few more weeks I should be back to where I should be comfortable and my mood will definitely be better :)

]]> By: Millionaire Mommy Next Door http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1473 Millionaire Mommy Next Door Wed, 11 Jul 2007 21:39:22 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1473 Excellent post, Jennifer! I couldn't agree with you more. One's financial journey should NOT be all about sacrificing today's happiness for tomorrow's potential. It's a balancing act. Personally, I've always chosen to spend my money, energy and time not on things ("stuff"), but rather on experiences, freedom, and spending time with those that I love most. Consuming "stuff" costs way more than just money-- think repairs; maintenance; storage; cleaning; our environment. My money spending choices contribute to my overall happiness because I'm conscious about my values. (I'm working on a post about this!) Thanks for your thoughtful response to my question. ~Millionaire Mommy Next Door Excellent post, Jennifer! I couldn’t agree with you more.

One’s financial journey should NOT be all about sacrificing today’s happiness for tomorrow’s potential. It’s a balancing act.

Personally, I’ve always chosen to spend my money, energy and time not on things (”stuff”), but rather on experiences, freedom, and spending time with those that I love most. Consuming “stuff” costs way more than just money– think repairs; maintenance; storage; cleaning; our environment.

My money spending choices contribute to my overall happiness because I’m conscious about my values. (I’m working on a post about this!)

Thanks for your thoughtful response to my question.
~Millionaire Mommy Next Door

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1474 Jennifer Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:13:39 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1474 I am walking proof that you can have happiness without tons of money. I mean, I am not completely bust. I don't have extra though. I am consistently happy. I am walking proof that you can have happiness without tons of money. I mean, I am not completely bust. I don’t have extra though. I am consistently happy.

]]> By: Jennifer http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1475 Jennifer Wed, 11 Jul 2007 23:13:58 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1475 Oh....I think smiles bring happiness. LOL.... Oh….I think smiles bring happiness. LOL….

]]> By: Jim Murphy http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1480 Jim Murphy Thu, 12 Jul 2007 01:39:41 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1480 As usual you've chosen to highlight a very important topic--obviously money can't "buy" happiness. If you're a miserable person when you're poor no amount of money can change that. Conversely, if you're an intrinsically happy person your financial situation can ebb and flow and you'll most likely still be a happy person. Beyond that simplistic concept, however, there's a few things to consider: money as a tangible measure of success: In many professions and for many people money at least to some extent can be seen as a measure of their satisfaction with and performance in their chosen profession. It's not the *only* measure but it can be an important metric. If I'm a hedge fund manager, for example, the bottom line of my job is making more money for my clients. I may enjoy the challenge of doing it and derive professional satisfaction in other ways but there's no escaping that in this profession money = success. A couple of other examples--say I own a retail store. I love cigars so, for the sake of this example, we'll say its a cigar store. Part of running a good cigar store is having a product mix that your customers like and creating an environment that people want to hang out and smoke cigars in. If I do a good job at my product mix and running my store, I'll make more money. There's plenty of other examples, but money in this context is simply a way of "keeping score". But it can still translate into a net gain or loss in happiness--if I own a cigar store I'll derive a lot of satisfaction from doing it well as opposed to doing it poorly. My sales volume is how I measure how well I'm serving my customers and if I do it well, I'll make more money and I'll experience more satisfaction from my job--ergo, a greater level of happiness. I've got some more thoughts to add later....but I'll leave you with a quote from former NBA hoop player Charles Barkley, who's a quote machine: "I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better" --Charles Barkley As usual you’ve chosen to highlight a very important topic–obviously money can’t “buy” happiness. If you’re a miserable person when you’re poor no amount of money can change that. Conversely, if you’re an intrinsically happy person your financial situation can ebb and flow and you’ll most likely still be a happy person. Beyond that simplistic concept, however, there’s a few things to consider:

money as a tangible measure of success: In many professions and for many people money at least to some extent can be seen as a measure of their satisfaction with and performance in their chosen profession. It’s not the *only* measure but it can be an important metric. If I’m a hedge fund manager, for example, the bottom line of my job is making more money for my clients. I may enjoy the challenge of doing it and derive professional satisfaction in other ways but there’s no escaping that in this profession money = success.

A couple of other examples–say I own a retail store. I love cigars so, for the sake of this example, we’ll say its a cigar store. Part of running a good cigar store is having a product mix that your customers like and creating an environment that people want to hang out and smoke cigars in. If I do a good job at my product mix and running my store, I’ll make more money.

There’s plenty of other examples, but money in this context is simply a way of “keeping score”. But it can still translate into a net gain or loss in happiness–if I own a cigar store I’ll derive a lot of satisfaction from doing it well as opposed to doing it poorly. My sales volume is how I measure how well I’m serving my customers and if I do it well, I’ll make more money and I’ll experience more satisfaction from my job–ergo, a greater level of happiness.

I’ve got some more thoughts to add later….but I’ll leave you with a quote from former NBA hoop player Charles Barkley, who’s a quote machine:

“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better”
–Charles Barkley

]]> By: Does money = happiness?Does money = happiness? their Prophet, Libertarian : Revelation: The Prophet Blog http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1481 Does money = happiness?Does money = happiness? their Prophet, Libertarian : Revelation: The Prophet Blog Thu, 12 Jul 2007 01:50:39 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1481 [...] The correlation between money and happiness @ Broke-Ass Student [...] […] The correlation between money and happiness @ Broke-Ass Student […]

]]> By: Matty http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1497 Matty Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:00:43 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1497 Interesting comment. Studies have shown that, as a socio-economic group, the Amish consistently rank high on surveys designed to measure "happiness". Conclusions can be drawn from other studies which would indicate that once certain basic needs are met, additional money does not correlate to greater contentment. So let me leave you with a quote from St. Francis of Assisi, "I've been rich and I've been poor. Poor is better." Interesting comment.
Studies have shown that, as a socio-economic group, the Amish consistently rank high on surveys designed to measure “happiness”. Conclusions can be drawn from other studies which would indicate that once certain basic needs are met, additional money does not correlate to greater contentment.
So let me leave you with a quote from St. Francis of Assisi, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Poor is better.”

]]> By: Millionaire Mommy Next Door http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1527 Millionaire Mommy Next Door Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:47:08 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1527 Hi Jennifer, I've tagged you on my personal finance web site for a blogger meme project that's weaving its way throughout the blogosphere. This project calls for sharing 8 personal facts about yourself, then tagging 8 other bloggers to do the same. Please look here for instructions: Fun & Frugal Friday http://millionairemommynextdoor.blogspot.com/2007/07/fun-frugal-friday.html Thanks, ~Millionaire Mommy Next Door Hi Jennifer,
I’ve tagged you on my personal finance web site for a blogger meme project that’s weaving its way throughout the blogosphere. This project calls for sharing 8 personal facts about yourself, then tagging 8 other bloggers to do the same. Please look here for instructions: Fun & Frugal Friday http://millionairemommynextdoor.blogspot.com/2007/07/fun-frugal-friday.html

Thanks,
~Millionaire Mommy Next Door

]]> By: SJ from RichGrad.com http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1627 SJ from RichGrad.com Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:15:25 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1627 Jennifer, as I was telling Millionaire Mommy, one of the <a href="http://richgrad.com/10-secrets-to-happiness-i-learnt-from-andrew-matthews/" rel="nofollow">secrets of Happiness I learnt from Andrew Matthews</a> is to be happy where we are now. Happiness should not be a goal, otherwise one is only setting him/herself up for misery. We should be happy first and by the law of attraction, we will attract more happiness into our lives =D P.S. Keep up the great work with your blog. I can most certainly relate to what you are going through now. Jennifer, as I was telling Millionaire Mommy, one of the secrets of Happiness I learnt from Andrew Matthews is to be happy where we are now.

Happiness should not be a goal, otherwise one is only setting him/herself up for misery. We should be happy first and by the law of attraction, we will attract more happiness into our lives =D

P.S. Keep up the great work with your blog. I can most certainly relate to what you are going through now.

]]> By: DormDelicious - College dorm decorating ideas, dorm life tips http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1630 DormDelicious - College dorm decorating ideas, dorm life tips Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:24:00 +0000 http://www.brokeass-student.com/the-correlation-between-money-and-happiness/#comment-1630 <strong>Summer College Life Link Party...</strong> College blogs are abuzz with helpful college info this summer. Here's a quick summary of our recent findings for your perusal.... Summer College Life Link Party…

College blogs are abuzz with helpful college info this summer. Here’s a quick summary of our recent findings for your perusal….

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