Would you rather be rich or happy?

[Planogirl]

If that was just a general question, I'd say rich. I can make my own "happy".

However in your case, you probably should stay put if you don't need the extra money.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

If you couldn't be both? I need some advice. I am at a job now that pays very, very low. On top of that, it is only a few hours a day. But I LOVE the job. I honestly don't even feel that I go to work, I love it so much. I consider my coworkers my family, that's how much we all get along.

I have a chance to get a job that requires me leaving my workplace. It would pay very, very well, but I will probably be miserable there, and have to commute far away, and see my kids for maybe an hour in the evenings. The pay is awesome but I know I will never be as happy as I am now in my current job, but more money would really come in handy.

Are you 100% debt free? If you are not, go for the money. Sometimes you have to use logic over emotion. Your financial status, will determine the answer to whether you take the job or not.

If you consider the coworkers "family" maybe they will take you back if you are miserable at the other job.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

I would choose "happy" because what good is more money if you truly aren't enjoying your life? However, if you are struggling to make ends meet at your current job, you should definitely take the job with more money. Financial problems lead to unhappiness.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I recently gave up my career because I was miserably sad, lonely, and unhappy. I made LOTS of money, but gave it all up to be HAPPY.

I'll now have a job where I will make a quarter of what I was making, but I will be HAPPIER.

(I am lucky, however, in that my husband makes more than enough for our household, so if that isn't your situation, that is something to consider.)

 

[luvmy3]

I pick rich, then I could try like heck to buy happiness. If it didn't work at least I'd still have some really cool stuff

 

[palmtreegirl]

Happy, easy choice

 

[mtblujeans]

I vote RICH!

 

[JVelasquez]

I know money can't buy all kinds of happiness but it can buy some... For example... More money means less stress so your able to enjoy your time off and it can buy more trips with your loved ones to the happiest place on earth!

 

[AKL_Megs]

I know money can't buy all kinds of happiness but it can buy some... For example... More money means less stress so your able to enjoy your time off and it can buy more trips with your loved ones to the happiest place on earth!

The opposite was true for me. My high paying job caused me MORE stress. All I did was work, and come home and clean and do laundry, then go to work for another five days. There was no real happiness in my life.

 

[disneychrista]

In some cases money CAN buy happiness. Now of course you can be rockerfeller rich and be misserable but having enough money to pay the bills and still having money left for things for your wants...that can lead to happiness.

 

[JVelasquez]

In some cases money CAN buy happiness. Now of course you can be rockerfeller rich and be misserable but having enough money to pay the bills and still having money left for things for your wants...that can lead to happiness.

I agree 100%

 

[Art 1]

They both go hand in hand. If one rich and unhappy one would have mental problems I would think.

 

[DisneyScraps]

Don't do it.

You will have extra money which will allow you to buy a lot of stuff. Cool stuff probably.

At the end of your life....you are never going to say I wish I had driven better cars, had nicer clothes and every purse I wanted. You are going to think that you didnt have enough time with your kids, that they grew up too quickly.

I see people doing this all the time working and working, great houses nice cars, vacations. Where are their kids? Daycare? With someone else? Someone else is spending hours and hours with them while their parents work. They say they HAVE to work. I disagree. Most just like a lot of cool stuff.

That's just me and I know that puts me in the minority.

Lisa

 

[mhsjax]

The opposite was true for me. My high paying job caused me MORE stress. All I did was work, and come home and clean and do laundry, then go to work for another five days. There was no real happiness in my life.

Same for DH. High paying jobs usually come with lots of stress and lots of work, no 40 hour work weeks. Even on vacation DH was still always on call for problems with other employees.

 

[bballmom56]

They both go hand in hand. If one rich and unhappy one would have mental problems I would think.

Not necessarily. In my boss's case, she has severe relationship issues. She and her DH started with nothing. He is brilliant at what he does and has built quite an empire from the ground up. Along the way, he has become a creep of a human being. Maybe he was all along, but the success, wealth and power has exaggerated it and allowed it to flourish. These problems affect her children as well causing many issues. Not fun and she is pretty unhappy.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think that the issue is not as clear cut as the poll makes it seem. There's a pretty big gap between rich and poor, which complicates t hings.

If a person is poor but happy with enough money to get by. That is their basic needs are being met (Food, Shelter, Utilities, car, etc) then I feel that they should not necessarily leave their current job that they love for a job that they think they won't like. If they have no money for extras (vacation, occasional date night, etc), then maybe they should entertain the idea of looking at that other position. Weigh the time/benefits and see if they'll be better off moving on.

If a person is happy at their current job, but they can't feed their kids, their mortgage is behind, creditors are calling them looking for money, then I think they SHOULD forego their comfort zone and take a new position that pays more. I personally feel that poor like that is enough of a stressor to make a person unhappy with their lives. Being happy at work for 8 hours a day isn't worth the worry of how the bills are going to get paid. JMO of course.

If a person is solidly middle class, they go on vacation, can afford movies, occasional gifts/treats for the kids and they are wildly happy at their job, then I wouldn't even consider suggesting that they leave that position to be 'rich'.

As others have said, it's pretty hard to be happy when you are worried about where the money for your trip to the grocery store will be coming from and if the electric company is going to cut you off tonight.

 

[LisaR]

Not to be picky here but I highly doubt you are going from a low paying job to one which will make you rich. Therefore, the question of "would you rather be happy or rich" probably isn't an appropriate one in your case.

If you are in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or constantly worried about finances and this new job will alleviate those issues and concerns, I don't think you have a choice.

If your current job allows you to pay the bills without any problems and you do not have huge financial concerns, I would certainly keep the job that makes you happy and is convenient.

 

[Tricia1972]

Not to be picky here but I highly doubt you are going from a low paying job to one which will make you rich. Therefore, the question of "would you rather be happy or rich" probably isn't an appropriate one in your case.

If you are in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, or constantly worried about finances and this new job will alleviate those issues and concerns, I don't think you have a choice.

If your current job allows you to pay the bills without any problems and you do not have huge financial concerns, I would certainly keep the job that makes you happy and is convenient.

Thanks for saying it so much more succinctly than I did.

This is totally what I meant to advise to you OP in my rambling.

 

[GeorgeG]

Being happy doing what you do is far more important than most people realize. Of course, you need to survive. I've learned and observed that the more money you make, the more you spend and that doesn't always equate to being happy, just miserable with more stuff. You'd be surprized at how little you really need to be happy.

 

[design_mom]

I don't think any of us could make a real recommendation without a lot more information about your situation (not that I expect you to provide that level of detail to us.) So I will tell you about my situation and you can see if it is anywhere close to yours.

In my case, I have a job that I really like (I don't quite love it, but I definitely don't hate it). I feel stressed because I feel like I am running around a lot of the time, not enough time with the kids, etc. We are not "rich" but we are comfortable. We can pay our bills, we are saving for the future, we still have some discretionary spending money.

If I could work 50% of my current schedule for 50% of the pay, I would jump at the opportunity. It would make me happier and we could do without the extra money. (I have been able to work 3 days a week instead of full-time for a couple of summers -- and it was wonderful -- but it's not available to me on a long-term basis at this job.)

I could be a freelancer and would probably make more per hour, could sometimes adjust my schedule so I wouldn't be as harried, etc. However, the work load would be unpredictable and I would have to take on more job aspects that I don't like (like accounting, blech!). I have not chosen to freelance because I think the unpredictability would really mean that I wouldn't be "happier," I'd just be trading one set of stressors for another.

If I had the opportunity to work part-time for more money at a job that I *hated*, then I'm not sure it would be worth it to me either. Again, I'd get more time/money, but the other stressors would cancel that out.

There's got to be a "sweet spot" where you minimize the stressors. If you're just trading one set for another, then it doesn't seem like a move "up."

So I think you just need to weigh your situation. If I was living paycheck-to-paycheck, I would be too stressed to be "happy." I need stability, I think. However, if I've got those things taken care of, job satisfaction/time with family, etc would make me a lot "happier" than more money.