Whoever it was that coined the phrase “money can’t buy happiness” either lived looking through rose-colored glasses or didn’t live his life to the fullest. The fact of the matter is, whatever has been presented to us, whether in the form of a happily ever after type of fairy tale or the harsh reality of today’s economy, having money is key.
Now here’s where the idea of happiness and money being related comes in. Sure, you may have a lot of money, but if you constantly spend it on mindless things, gamble it away or make investments that are on the risky side, happiness will be a short-term thing. You’ll only feel happy in that moment when you have your craving fulfilled or when you win at the tables. But what if you’re finally satiated or what if you’ve hit a losing streak?
I can tell you some of the things that make me happy – having my own car, being able to travel, and having a nice house, among other things. Do any of you honestly think that I could get all of these without having any money on me? Though I’m not saying that having these things automatically means happiness, I’m just saying that it helps.
Perhaps the idea of money not being able to buy happiness comes from having to work so hard only to get so much. Yeah, you’re earning a paycheck but are you happy? I can’t buy a car just yet, much less buy a nice house or travel the world. But I am starting to save up in hopes of one day being able to do all the things that I want that make me happy.
Let me put things in perspective. If I save enough money to buy a car, I can easily go where it is that I want to and take the people who I want to go with me on little road trips. There’s less of having to wait around for public transport or complain about seeing the world whiz by. I can take my time and enjoy the ride. If I save enough money to travel to more distant places, I can experience the beauty of nature and enjoy learning about other cultures.
If I save enough money to buy a house, I can come and go as I please with the knowledge and peace of mind that I have a place to return to where I can feel safe. And if I spend my money wisely and manage to save some of it up, I’ll have even more peace of mind that I something to fall back on in case of any accidents or when I finally decide to retire from work and just enjoy what the rest of my life has to offer.
“Money can’t buy happiness” – the statement is a lie, perhaps not completely, but a lie nonetheless. Money may not be able to buy that feeling but having it and knowing how to spend it definitely helps in getting you there.
