“How much money do you need to be happy? Think about it? What’s your number?“
That was the question asked by The New York Times last week, and it’s taken me a while to come up with an answer.
They say that money doesn’t buy happiness, but it’s clear to see that people who earn more and have a higher standard of living, are much happier than those who are less financially endowed.
Researchers at Princeton University in America reckon that it takes around $75,000 (just over £48,000) to be truly happy. Anything more than that doesn’t really factor into it.
I started to think about what I could do with £48,000 that would make me happy…
Holidays, a new Car, a huge shopping spree – that would be anyone’s idea of happiness right? Admittedly it’s mine too, but the life I have means that I have to really rein in the fun and frivolity.
But then the Bayfords of Suffolk scooped £148, 656,000 in the Euro Millions draw.
I hold my hands up and quite happily concede that that’s way too much money for a family, let alone just me! After I’ve cleared my debts and made financial arrangements for a few choice individuals I’m done. Besides making a few investments and maybe buying a modest property or two, the £8,000 a day interest would be sufficient for me to live on for a month.
So in answer to my question, a substantial amount of money would be brilliant, bloody fantastic right about now, but once I’d set myself straight and done what I needed to do with it, I think I’d be quite content to carry on as if I hadn’t acquired it in the first place.
In putting it out there into the Universe, all I ask is enough to clear my Student Loan, keep the proverbial Wolves from my door and have one foreign holiday would be just enough thanks.
