Can Money Make a Man Happy?

“Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it,” is a quote that inventor and statesmen Benjamin Franklin said. Like many quotes and opinions there is always two sides to it. Some believe money can never buy happiness but others believe that money is a key necessity in life to be happy. I personally believe that money can buy happiness depending on how you use it for reasons like generally making life easier, having a peace of mind, and being able to live a stress free life. Although money cannot buy things like family nor true friends the concept of “having money” has a tendency to make people feel better about life. No matter what people say about money I believe everyone can agree on the fact it simply makes life easier. In my personal life I grew up being in a middle class family. My parents always did as best they could but we still never had the amount of money that we had hoped for as a family of four. At the age of ten my mom taught me how to do discounts in my head so I knew how to bargain shop. She also had me help her cut out coupons once a week so we could get groceries and every day necessities at a cheaper cost. I got a job at the age of fourteen and have been working ever since.

I have learned an impeccable work ethic but also could have gone without a few of those years working. I was never bothered by being independent or being careful with money because I knew how blessed I was to have such an incredible family. When I got older and it came time to consider colleges is when it really took a toll on my life. At the time when I was looking into college I had an older brother who was already attending college and my parents had a lot of bills to pay. Since we were tight on money I was forced to live at home and commute to Kennesaw State University. At the time I did not have any other options. I never once was not grateful for what my parents did for me but I was depressed and angry I did not get to have a normal freshman college experience. This all ties back to the matter that money may not have bought me direct happiness but it sure would have made growing up easier.

I would have had more opportunities to do things and would have been able to pick a college I was in love with which until this day am bothered by. Although some of the stuff I had to do growing up was a pain I will always be grateful I learned the value of money and will never take anything for granted. Money not only can make life easier but it can give a person a peace of mind. Simply having peace of mind is something that money can also bring people. Not in the sense of “Oh I am rich I don’t have to worry about anything,” but in a sense for example that people can be comfortable with their living situations. I have met countless people that either cannot afford to go to college, or cannot afford to have car or life insurance, or cannot afford to even have a car to get places. These people have no peace of mind what so ever. If one cannot afford to attend college they will end up spending their days working. Day after day endless hours they will be slaving just to get by. In my opinion that is not happiness in any form. It is also not fair that they are put into that situation.

If they had a family that was blessed with money they would be able to get a good education and not spend hours working away their life. Also, families that are not as well off as others have to give up certain amenities that everyone desires. Some families live in areas that are not as safe as others because the rent is cheaper. With that being said the schools their kids go to will not provide the best education their child can get so that will affect the child as they grow up. Families that live in the “ghetto” per say do not feel safe. They have no peace of mind and parents are constantly worried about their children and themselves because they never know what will and can happen to them. Having peace of mind makes one a generally happier person. It can make one feel more comfortable and know that they are not forced to abide by certain conditions and can also cause a tremendous less amount of stress on someone’s life.

Studies show that 8 out of 10 people in America stress over money/ the economy. Something as small as a dollar bill causes a remarkable amount of stress on someone’s shoulder. Always wondering if your credit card will get declined when you swipe it, or wondering if you will make enough money on your check this month so cover rent causes stress for people on a daily basis. Also, I personally believe that stressing over money can cause issues between your loved ones. A high percentage of married couples get divorced over money which in my opinion should not be what a relationship is about. A marriage ending because of stress levels over something as simple as money is heartbreaking but also occurs on a daily basis. Money is the number one issue couples fight about and in today’s society can make or break a relationship. My parents have been happily married for almost twenty-five years.

They come together as one to overcome any issues that pops up in their life and money has always been a key factor. Whether people want to admit it or not everyone wants to have the best and be the best and sometimes money is the answer. A soon to be wife wants her dream wedding, her dream house, and her dream wardrobe and what do you need to have those things? Money. If the husband can provide that for her that will make her happier and cause less stress in throughout their marriage. Money is not the answer for everything and is not the solution for happiness but can cause people’s stress levels to go down and live a happier life in that sense. In today’s society money can be more important to people than life.

People will do anything to have it because of how our society portrays it. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it.” That may have been true during his lifetime but things change as the years go on. We live in a society where money is a direct correlation to success. Whether or not that is true it is voiced everywhere and people are reminded through the media and the people around them. I do not believe that money equals direct happiness but I do believe that it can make life easier, it can give a person peace of mind, and it causes less stress in people’s life.