Money & happiness

Re: Money & happiness

• Sisugal member

  

  November 2014

  How you use your money is far more important that how much you make. (You can outspend any income)
  Knowing your priorities, not using credit (the save first principle) and giving of your time and money to help others bring great satisfaction and a sense of purpose .
  
  If you feel the need to spend to make yourself happy - look to see if you can identify what need you are trying to fill with that shopping - and then you will be able to fill that need in another way.
  
  
  

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• Xstatic3333 member

  

  November 2014

  I completely agree about spending on experiences and giving. We've prioritized giving more lately, and I've found that the money always seems to come back to me somehow, whether in savings elsewhere or good luck. Experience spending is what I'm all about as well, though I need to be careful because I racked up a lot of debt on fun experiences in my pre-MM days!

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• Wulfgar member

  

  November 2014

  That is one of the reasons that I am increasing my bought vacation days from 3 to 4.  I would rather have an extra mental health day versus spending more time at work.
  

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• formerlyGDaisy09 member

  

  November 2014

  So true! I actually just talked to my mom about Christmas this year, we all decided that we don't need stuff and we're going to plan a vacation next summer instead of exchanging a bunch of gifts. We're going to do stocking and a few little things, but not our usual Christmas craziness.
  H and I also just recently had the whole money versus happiness discussion with the loss of his second job, and for now basically traded about $10k a year for his and our happiness, its not essential to our functioning in our current situation, and it will save him an always frustrating search for a second job that works (or the always desirable full-time position) and then long hours and a tired and grumpy hubby.

  Me: 28 H: 30

  Married 07/14/2012

  TTC #1 January 2015

  BFP! 3/27/15 Baby Girl!! EDD:12/7/2015

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• jessica490 member

  

  November 2014

  I agree with this article and Sisugal 100%. It's all about how you use your money to give you wealth rather than buying tons of stuff to make you happy while keeping up with the Jones's. I'm glad that H and I are over just buying "stuff" in order to be happy and have shifted to having "experiences" such as vacations which will always be on the top of our lists. I'm constantly de-cluttering as well. I don't like having a house full of crap that I need to clean and dust around every week, it just irritates me. We have been cutting back on a bunch of bills because we realized it isn't about having the fancy cell phones, or going to a hairdresser when I can cut H's hair myself, because now that $$ will be staying with us!

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• strickland8052 member

  

  November 2014

  LOVED this article!  I love his explanation on why experiences bring more happiness than things.  Also, this reminds me of Suze Orman's saying "People first; then money; then things." 

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• hoffse member

  

  November 2014

  Yeah I thought the point about paying ahead and his example of pre-paid vacations was interesting.  I know that when I take a trip that's not entirely prepaid, I stash away way more than I need "just in case" so that I don't risk over-spending while on the trip.  Then I feel a bit nickle and dimed, especially if I don't feel like I can check bank accounts, credit cards, etc. as I go because I'm on a hotel's wifi or something.  All inclusive vacations feel "free" when you take them, even if it would actually cost less to pay out of pocket as you go.

  
  

  That's sort of how I view Roth accounts.  They sort of make retirement feel like an all-inclusive vacation because there is no need to worry about accounting for tax payments on that money once you retire.  If I know I can afford to pay those taxes now, I would rather do it and get it out of the way.

  

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