Income threshold for happiness: $75,000 a Year

$75K is a nice baseline now for the average person without any inordinate expenses, debts or obligations. A happily single guy would need a lot less, an insecure guy or gal on the prowl a lot more. The challenge would be to try to surround yourself with friends who like you for you and only make $50K/year. I think however that we shall find out the answer in a few years when inflation pushes minimum wage to $75K/year :)

I'm not sure money has anything to do with happiness. It depends on how you define it. If happiness is the ability to be with close friends and family, well then money is really irrelevant. On the other hand if one derives satisfaction and joy from travelling and/or buying expensive clothes then having more than 75K would add to pleasure. Personally I inherited a large sum of money - well in excess of 1 million (this is not a joke!). I don't find it has changed me in the least. Perhaps I spend a bit more but not drastically. My lifestyle is still the same and I believe I'm still the "same ole" person - or so my friends tell me. The money (now invested wisely) does bring security which is important in the times we all now live. However it doesn't bring me a partner to share my life with, perhaps the most important thing of all.

I don't necessarily think money brings happiness directly, but it sure does help keep away some stresses. This all ties to overall happiness of course. Many people Diane fine the love of their lives only to have their marraige fall apart, and money is a top 2 reason for this. Someone gets sick, you have unexpected expenses, well having a cushion will really help you get through those times a lot easier. Being able to take a vacation every year can really help recharge your batteries and keep people from burning out. I take this article as such. At 75k, managing money responsibly should allow you to avoid those issues and focus on what really makes you happy in life. I've found even work gets more enjoyable when I'm not forced to worry about the money side of things. I'm a 100% commission person so I see these correlations a lot easier than some I suppose.

I agree with the general idea that's coming out of this discussion. If you live below poverty, the stress of living paycheck to paycheck and not having the essentials can probably hurt whatever happiness you may have. Of course, I'm sure there are families with 200K salary that can live paycheck to paycheck, but I'm pretending they don't exist.

Above a certain threshold, you can eat your daily meals, you have a place to stay, a means of transportation, a plan for retirement, etc. At that point, all the NECESSITIES are taken care of so you can focus on happiness and not get distracted.

And for 75K being the threshold, I'm thinking that it could be lower. I'm sure people with 60K (in my area) can be perfectly happy.

Having been on the "way higher" side of 75K, and now being a work-at-home mom making on the "way lower" side, I can tell you that having a good income is satisfying, with nice vacations, a nanny, etc., and few worries, but being home for the family, having supper together, and doing what I love doing as far as work goes, is much more important to my well-being than the money was.

If I could make enough in my business to just be comfortable, without sacrificing my family, I would be in heaven on earth!

These are 'dream incomes' personally I thought that 20k was plenty-now living on far less and it sure isn't enough

"Mo Money....Mo Problems"

I make a LOT of money....and trust me....it has no bearing on ones happiness.

Having debuted in an industry with unlimited income, I am WAY at the bottom of the food chain currently. AKA lower than poverty level. More money currently would resolve issues but i tihn stability is the most impotant thing towards happyness. heck, a WHOLE lot of people in quebec are plenty happy on welfare. thats about 15k a year... but hey!

The imnportant is to not get jaded... To anyone who enjoys video games... you understand that the game loses all importance once you use cheats... I think the ultra rich must have that same feeling... but for life in general.

I really think that I am a happy person in general but would sure have a lot less stress in my life if there was more money. I am a single mom and do not make that $75K threshold, but when I was married, was a little over that. From both perspectives, the knowledge that you have that cushion was nice but in day to day life, did not make me happier. I think working with people you enjoy, having good friends and enjoying your life in general is a much better happiness indicator.

I don't think money has anything to do with happiness. I live in Canada and make $32k a year and am plenty happy. Only thing more I need is someone to share my life with.

I think $75K is a nice threshold. Individuals that state that they have alot of money and it doesn't make them happier should try and live on very little to experience real stress. My kids are now grown and gone but when they were young we struggled finanacially. Real stress is not having enough money to feed your kids or pay your bills - that's true misery and I don't care how many friends you have! Once you reach a level when you can cover all your expenses and have a bit left over for enjoyment (dinners out, the odd weekend away, new shoes) then you finally realize what contentment is. Anything above that just provides you with better toys.

Money would make me happier easily. Now, it wouldn't DIRECTLY influence my emotional core and, if someone were to write me a 75, 000$ check I do not believe my depression would be lifted. However, anxiety I do believe would be alleviated. Life is a constant struggle for income. Yes, there are the great experiences of falling inlove, knowing that a friend you've had for years will always be there, and all the other little things inbetween that make life sweet and worth living. BUt at the end of the day, I can honestly say, money is on MY mind. Debts, school, a career... learning is not to learn anymore, it's to gain enough "knowledge" to achieve that MONEY MAKING job. Now of course I don't agree with this... I love learning, but that's the fact of REALITY. How many times have I denied myself the pleasures in life because I was too tired? Too tired from, say, I don't know...working a meaningless job hour after hour day after day.

If I had money, I would be granted the time to do things I really want to do. I would be granted the time to voulunteer more, visit friends who live farther away, and care for my elders. I wouldn't have to worry about things that have yet to occur, and I would simply be able to live in the NOW. To me, that really is what happiness is. But, since time does exist, it is merely impossible to escape the illusion of the future...however powerful it is.

It is a shame indeed that money is so meaningless...yet we humans have created this world in which is RUNS LIVES. Hell, paper is on its way out, it's all debit cards and credit cards...my income has turned into a number on a screen...it's completely psychological.

And yet, acknowledging this very depressing occurance, one must recognize it is reality...and so, money, yes, would make me happier!!!

hm.
I am almost 50, making about 8-10 times as much as the 75K threshold but my level of stress, anxiety and misery is much larger than when I was making 40K a year!
It is not anxiety how to pay my next bill, but deadlines, employees, overworking, but first and foremost LACK OF TIME and life passing by so quickly.
I have hardly any time to spend with my family, or to pursue some artisan projects I am passionate about.

I am extremely fortunate to have supportive family, great spouse and fantastic kids, but the job-related stress is so great that I am planning to "throw it all away", take a huge pay-cut and semi-retire to do what I really enjoy.

I am not whining - I just concluded that the other things are more enjoyable than having $$ and I am going to exchange higher income for higher freedom.

I believe it's alifestyle you want to live. In my opinion, more money means more expences. Contentment is very important. I agree that 75k is a good threshold. At times, more money means more stress. However, one should make enough to pay mortgage, bills etc..

I make minimum wage, I know for a fact that more money would make me happy, of course money buys happiness! it pays for things that make you happy! like tickets to a hockey game, that extra little thing you've always wanted like an HD tv or new shoes.

Money? What does it do? I don't believe in the 'buy happiness' theory... but as mention by many others, you can definitely live a stress free life. I have personally struggled with job my whole life, well below the poverty line. My wife and I are well educated, but I fee like my income for a family of 4 is failing us completely. I have sacrificed a lot in my life. Know that being in debt, and struggling trying to afford the smallest things in life, take a toll on me, and Im sure on others. Knowing that I cant do things with my kids and my wife hurts us emotionally (more me). My wife still believe in the whole women stays at home and man works tradition. I believe, a solid working couple income is the key to happiness. Equality, respect and responsibility all come together. So money doesnt buy happiness, but I assure you it can creat happiness in many ways, which I am sure many of us have and have not experienced.

All good thoughts on the topic. Sure money helps cover our basic needs in the society we live in. But once those basic needs are covered how do we access higher needs such as love, affection, belonging and self actualization. Does having more money means more happiness? I say it depends what you do with it. I'm sure Bill Gates pass his first 1 million stop counting and it didn't make much difference. But I'm sure his philanthropic projects bring him more joy and happiness as a human being. But if you don't have the billion that Gates has, ask your self what are the things that give you a good feeling. Watching a sun set, listen to kids laughter, smelling fresh bread in the morning, enjoy a nice massage, enjoy sex, having your HD TV and the list goes on. Now ask yourself how many of these have you done in the past week. Happiness is a daily habit of small choices. Having 7,8,10 digit in my bank account won't bring me happiness unless I decide what I want to do with it. Happiness comes when you do what you really want. If you don't like your job even if it pays lots, you're not going to be happy.

It depends on the person I think.
When I had lots of money I was free to do anything I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. I had no stress and felt good all the time. I would leap out of bed in the morning wanting to get on with the day. I could enjoy the beautiful land around me and had the time to enjoy other peoples company. Yep I was happy. In my case I worked hard for my money which added to my happyness.

Due to head injuries I have no money now and spend most of my time just making ends meet and they don't. I never feel great any more and have to drag my *ss out of bed every morning knowing full well if I don't I won't be eating in a few days. I feel like a slave now.

I don't care what they say but if I have no problems paying the bills I'm a lot happier. I'm sure as hell not happy now. Darn the rotten luck anyway.

The first thing that crossed my mind is that $75,000 in LA or NYC is a lot different than $75,000 in Wahoo, Nebraska, so that should be taken into consideration.

I think money affects happiness as far as being able to cover all your basic needs and a few wants; if you're wondering how to pay the heating bill or afford groceries, clearly you won't be happy. On the flip side if someone needs to work 80 hours a week to make that $75K, leading a lonely existence with no time to socialize, eat proper meals or take care of his or her body I can't imagine they would be happy either. Like most things, it's about balance.

75K. wow. man do I wish. it sure can buy me a great deal of happiness at this time in life. I am retired living only on my gov. pensions, so not only would 75K make me happy but I could make others happy also, and sharing is also another means to happiness........