Money can't buy happiness, or so they say. It seems that having more money does make people happier, but only up to a certain point. Once people reach a certain income level, their happiness might not increase any further.
So what is the magic number? How much money is needed to be happy? Well, I think there is no amount we can be certain about. You can have tons of money and still be greedy about more. You can have just enough and be content. It varies with each person.
What seems to matter more than the absolute amount of money is how it's used. People who use their money to buy experiences or things that bring them happiness are generally happier than those who focus on material possessions. So maybe money can't buy happiness, but it can certainly help you get there!
And remember, happiness is relative. What might make one person happy might not make another person happy at all. So don't feel bad if you're not swimming in cash and you're still happy – you're doing something right!
So, can money buy happiness? The answer is a definitive yes – but only up to a point! I again stated this to clarify that happiness is relative. I for myself become happy when I can put a smile on others' faces.
Think this way, you have a family, and your family sometimes becomes happy with material possessions. A kid might be happy if he has certain electronic accessories, like iPhone or an Xbox. Parents can become happy with a new car, house, or a trip. The bottom line is that some people do find happiness in material possessions.
Now you might be asking yourself how much money is needed for happiness to kick in? This answer also differs from person to person. Let's think that money can make people happy up to a certain income level after that, overall happiness doesn't increase with more money. Some people might need between $75,000 and $100,000 per year to be happy while others may not need nearly as much. But generally speaking, more money equals more happiness – up to a point!
So, why I am repetitively saying that money can make people happy up to a certain point? At one time, when you have a huge amount of money, which fulfills your basic needs and luxury, there are some desires you will face which you can't buy or avail with money. For an instance, let's think you love a certain person. Whom you want to have in your life no matter what. But money isn't helping you to have her by your side. Or your beloved one is severely ill and you can't find a cure. At these certain issues, money may not help you to perceive happiness.
The main reason that makes me think in this way is money can buy the things that either make us happy or our life easier. Like if you are sick then you want to go for treatment. Money can take care of it too. It may not cure your illness completely but certainly, it can increase your life expectancy and make sure you are getting the help you are required.
This is a very debatable topic. Many people have different opinions in this regard. I respect people's opinions. But at this point in my life, I think money certainly can buy happiness sometimes, if not all the time.