This Wednesday: Eight tips for how money CAN buy you happiness.
http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/images/2007/07/25/dollarbill.jpgEvery Wednesday is Tip Day.
This Wednesday: Eight tips for how money CAN buy you happiness.
I think that the relationship between money and happiness is one of the most interesting, most complicated, and most sensitive questions in the study of happiness.
Studies show, unsurprisingly, that money’s impact on happiness is greatest when you have the least amount of money.
But if you’re one of the lucky people who has enough money to cover the basics – food, shelter, even a car – does that mean that money can’t make a difference to your happiness?
Some happiness experts argue yes, but I think that’s…ridiculous.
The secret to using money to buy happiness is to spend money in ways that support your happiness goals.
Imagine that you have a certain amount of extra cash. How should you spend it?
One option: a fancy new TV set. Enticing. The fact is, however, that the new TV won’t give you much happiness bang for your buck. The “hedonic treadmill” describes our tendency to adapt quickly to changed circumstances – which means you’ll get a big kick out of the TV for a short while, but you’ll soon take it for granted.
The hedonic treadmill means that buying STUFF isn’t very satisfying, but there are ways to spend money that are likely to help give you enduring happiness. Spend money to…
Strengthen bonds with family and friends. Studies show that having close relationships is one of the most important elements of a happy life. Pay for a plane ticket to visit your brother’s new baby, go to your college reunion, throw a Superbowl party.
End marital conflict. If you’re constantly arguing about the unkempt lawn, or the moldering laundry, see if you can throw some money at the problem. Can you hire the teenager down the street to clean out the garage?
Upgrade your exercise. Studies show that one of the quickest and surest ways to boost your mood is to exercise. If spending money on a new iPod, a more convenient gym, or a new pair of yoga pants will make it easier to get yourself off the couch, that’s a good happiness investment.
Think about fun. Ask yourself – and be honest – what’s fun for you? Fishing, bird-watching, travel, hunting through flea markets, experimenting in the kitchen, skiing, scrapbooking? Make sure that your calendar reflects some activities that you are doing just for FUN. For happiness, you’re better off using your money to have a great experience than to gain a possession.
Serenity and security. Peace of mind is critical to happiness, so use the money to pay down your debts or to add to your savings.
Pay more for healthy food. It’s a sad fact that fruits, vegetables, and healthy food are more expensive than fast food, but eating healthfully will pay off in the long run, in terms of your good health and energy.
Spend the money on someone else. One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make someone else happy. Think about ways you could spend the money that would make a big difference to someone else – whether someone you know, or a cause you support. How many new books could the library’s children’s room add to the shelves?
Think about YOUR priorities. Two years ago, some friends decided to skip an anniversary trip so they could use the money to buy a super-expensive Dux bed. I thought this was a bad idea, because the “hedonic treadmill” would mean that they’d quickly get used to the new bed. Oh, no. They still rave about their Dux bed. So maybe that fancy new TV set would mean a lot to you, although I, for one, would hardly notice the difference. As always, the key to any happiness question is to know yourself, and what makes YOU happy.
Money may not buy “total fulfillment” <-----bullshit Tony Robbins terminology], but it’s VERY helpful in staving off certain strains of stress, worry, and misery.
So, if you have money then the free health care works better?
>confused<
Some people with money fly to Rochester MN to the Mayo Clinic, or to some other place…in the States
I’ve been a recipient of military medicine- which is as close as I care to get to socialized medicine.
Right now, we are completely uncovered, and I can-and may- deciding on the exact plan as we speak- pay up to $400 a month out of ***my ***wages to cover my family.
Often that 's why people pick a particular job: it has benefits you are willing to work- and pay- for.
AS for rights- everyone has a right to seek employment to procure money and medical benefits. The industry is in flux, admittedly-costs have been rising, along with fraud and lawsuits, and corporate bennies are shrinking, and even evaporating, creating a market demand for affordable self insurance programs- so things are sort of fluid right now and haven’t really fully developed, and horror stories abound.
I have a few of my own re: standardized health care via Uncle Sam that I’d rather not air on this forum, thanks
my experience of healthcare in denmark is that the quality is pretty good (atleast whit my own doctor and with his substitute (i think thats what its called atleast, the doc thats there when he isnt ^^ ) )
also, my dad lives in england, and after his doc had discovered that he had cancer he recieved imidiat treatment, and was actually cured this month =D
my girlfriend is from continental europe. a friend of hers was in a bike accident and had an open break in his leg. they wanted to amputate, but luckily his girlfriend had her own doctor - private, and from her country - see him, and the leg was saved. anecdote doesn’t prove anything, but it can be used to illustrate.
generally things that are free at the point of use need to be rationed by means other than price - so we have waiting lists, restricted availability of more expensive tests, drugs and procedures etc. so whilst the government system is okay when things go very wrong, there can be a great deal of misery when one is sick, but not critically so.
there is an argument that until we have robots, health care costs are destined to increase over time since growth in productivity in such a labour-intensive area will fall behind productivity growth in manufacturing. of course, the quality of the product should increase…
Things are generally nice in Canada because we get “free” medical care, but if the lines are too big we can go to the U.S.( if you have the money). Best of both worlds.
I live in Spain where the Health Service is free too. I am quite happy with my GP and the hospital I have to use, (the allocation of your GP or consultant is pot luck so you could get a GP who is totally incompetent!), however, as in England, with the expansion of the European Union, a lot of immigrants are abusing the system whereby they come into the country go straight on to the dole and get benefits which a lot of them send to their families back home, and get free treatment without having worked a single day in their lives!!!
I have also read and heard that people from Africa and the USA come to England just to get treatment because it doesn´t cost them anything, whereas in Africa the treatment isn´t available, or in the USA the treatment would cost you an arm and a leg and would probably bankrupt you!!!
It still amazes me that in the USA there is no free Health Service, I thought that Bill Clinton was trying to set up some kind of system when he was the President?
I have been going to the USA quite often in recent years and to tell you the truth, its not a place I would like to live. EVERYTHING is money orientated, its all people think about, people are all trying to screw each other out of a buck, I got the impression that family values and morals are way back down the line, people have forgotten what its like to live and enjoy life! I mean, nobody seems to want to help each other out unless they get something in return!
Can you really imagine USA having a free health system if all people think about is making money? Just let the person die because he doesn´t have the money? What happened to the Hippocratic Oath? If you tried to help anyone injured, say, in an accident, and things didn´t work out well, being the USA, they would probably sue the pants off of you!!!
Hope I haven´t offended anyone with what I have written, just my opinion!
- or even less 
