Unhappy Money

You may have heard many people say, "Money does not make you happy," or you may have heard, "Money doesn't buy happiness, it buys you crazy a** happiness." So, what should you believe and follow here?

Neither of them! None of the above statements is entirely accurate.

I would say, and have heard many people say, "Having enough money is important for happiness."

If you do not have enough money, you might have thought, "If I had money, I could buy this, and it would make me happy." I have been there. I came from a middle-class family, and before I was working full-time, I was thinking the same thing. Money will help you live comfortably, but it does not make you happy. Money is a tool, and we should treat it as such.

Now, as I have worked full-time for a few years, I have saved some money, and I can live off of that money for 2-3 years easily, excluding pleasures and vacations. I can live without working, though. If you are coming from a middle-class family like me, you might have started imagining and said to yourself, "What a great life!" But let me tell you, IT IS NOT!

I have been earning and saving a lot from it. But am I happy? Do I enjoy how I have been living? Do I want to spend my entire life like this, saving everything possible after necessary expenses? You might have guessed again, but the answer is NO!

Saving money is important, and investing money is important. But what's the point if you can't enjoy it? What's the point if you can't use the money? I have been in a place where I had spent money on unnecessary things just for amusement, thinking it would make me a happy person. And it did, but only for a day, a week, or sometimes just for an hour.

You might say, "I don't know how to use money. Why don't I buy a fancy car or a house or go on a vacation?" And I would say, "After that, what?"

If I buy a car or a house, it will make me happy for a few months or let's say a year. Then it will start again. Let's be realistic, one can't buy a car or a house every now and then. You can use the money to lift yourself up or get over burnout. It will give you a push, but it cannot make you a happy person constantly.

So, use money as a tool, and don't be a tool yourself.

I have been trying to come up with reasons for my unhappiness. I have been thinking about why I am not feeling happy with this much savings and a full-time job. After spending so much time reading books, and articles, and listening to podcasts, I came to this realization.

Save money, invest some money, but also spend some money on yourself. Give yourself some treats.

I know I have mentioned why money is not a solution to happiness and have not given you any single solution. To be honest, even I don't know. I feel happy when I go out with friends, go for walks, or eat good meals. And there are so many other small things that make me happy. So find what you like and try to get to know yourself.

  Instead of the S&P 500, most should invest in the S&Me 500.
10x what you make rather than earning 10% on what you’ve made.
— Alex Hormozi (@AlexHormozi)