Cruising on $5,000 / Month

[colemj]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

BTW - As a previous poster said. "Money doesn't buy happiness." But it will buy you a boat big enough to cruise up next to it...

David Lee Roth is on this forum?!!

Mark

[sailorboy1]

Money will buy happiness! If you can not find a way of spending money that makes happy; you have a personal problem.


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[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Money will buy happiness! If you can not find a way of spending money that makes happy; you have a personal problem.

You're probably speaking tongue-in-cheek, but you're factually wrong on this one. It's a well-studied topic, and the data is clear: money does not buy happiness. Unless you are truly impoverished (i.e. lacking food, shelter, water, etc.) getting more money, or less money, has almost no impact on overall personal happiness.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

You're probably speaking tongue-in-cheek, but you're factually wrong on this one. It's a well-studied topic, and the data is clear: money does not buy happiness. Unless you are truly impoverished (i.e. lacking food, shelter, water, etc.) getting more money, or less money, has almost no impact on overall personal happiness.

Yea, and I am still waiting for someone to give me a bunch of money and study just how happy it makes me.

[colemj]

Just speaking from personal experience, I spent a large portion of my life not truly impoverished, but needing to worry about money. When I reached that part of my life where those worries were greatly diminished, I was much happier. And more comfortable.

Mark

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

You're probably speaking tongue-in-cheek, but you're factually wrong on this one. It's a well-studied topic, and the data is clear: money does not buy happiness. Unless you are truly impoverished (i.e. lacking food, shelter, water, etc.) getting more money, or less money, has almost no impact on overall personal happiness.

I think you are misinterpreting those studies.

The ones I've seen suggest up to a near middle class level, money does buy happiness. After that, there is little increase in happiness.

Of course after that you can get into debates about is the extra money not making you happy or is the stress that comes with an important high paying job canceling out the additional happiness of the extra money. That's a much more complicated question than the studies can answer.

[SimonV]

I would rather be unhappy with money than unhappy without.

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[mausgras]

I may not be happier with more money but I would be more comfortable.

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[sailorchic34]

I've been debating going back to work for a year to save $10k ish. But after factoring cost of a car, car insurance, wear and tear on the car, and fuel, the costs involved just getting too and from work is double what I live on now a days.

So after some thought on the matter, I've decided to keep my care free $500/ month lifestyle, doing odd jobs here and there. Myself, spending money does not make me happy. Weird girl I know, Being in nature and, oddly, not working makes me very happy.

So for me I made a choice to be a low income cruiser, by typical US standards anyway and happy then working 9 to 5 and being unhappy. Yet all my needs are met living small too.

Ya'll can keep that being unhappy thingy with money to yourselves.

[Mycroft]

I agree sailorchic. It's shocking how little of our paycheck we actually get to keep. Between transportation, clothing, wasted time commuting, and all the various taxes, not a whole lot left. Often, I think, new parents can end up saving money when one of them sells the car and stays home to be a homemaker.

I think one way to add to the kitty might be to find work nearby or even some kind of personalized yacht tending/cleaning service.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I've been debating going back to work for a year to save $10k ish. But after factoring cost of a car, car insurance, wear and tear on the car, and fuel, the costs involved just getting too and from work is double what I live on now a days.

So after some thought on the matter, I've decided to keep my care free $500/ month lifestyle, doing odd jobs here and there. Myself, spending money does not make me happy. Weird girl I know, Being in nature and, oddly, not working makes me very happy.

So for me I made a choice to be a low income cruiser, by typical US standards anyway and happy then working 9 to 5 and being unhappy. Yet all my needs are met living small too.

Ya'll can keep that being unhappy thingy with money to yourselves.

I think it remains that there are happy people and unhappy people at all economic levels. What makes one happy or unhappy might not do the same for another. Therefore, it is wrong for any of us to make assumptions regarding others based on others' budgets or financial status. We shouldn't assume those living on $500 per month are happy or unhappy nor should we assume those living $1 million per month are happy or unhappy. We each search for our way in life and hopefully find what works best for us.

The reality is too that we don't even know how we'd feel living the life of others. We just imagine. We only know what has worked or not worked for ourselves to this point in our life.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by BandB

I think it remains that there are happy people and unhappy people at all economic levels. What makes one happy or unhappy might not do the same for another. Therefore, it is wrong for any of us to make assumptions regarding others based on others' budgets or financial status. We shouldn't assume those living on $500 per month are happy or unhappy nor should we assume those living $1 million per month are happy or unhappy. We each search for our way in life and hopefully find what works best for us.

The reality is too that we don't even know how we'd feel living the life of others. We just imagine. We only know what has worked or not worked for ourselves to this point in our life.

Oh Agree completely, It's never one size fits all and whatever makes one happy, is fine by me. Some here posted that they would rather be unhappy and have money. For Myself, I feel life is far too short to be unhappy with life, job, or whatever.

Pretty sure many here would be less then ecstatic at the $500 level of enjoyment. That's fine. Lord knows, I'm a bit strange. I think its important that folks be happy at what ever level on enjoyment/income they seek.

[mausgras]

I'm not fulltime liveaboard just yet....... more like periodic, 2-3 months at a time and it has been too hard with one off specials to track expenses properly.
I have done an annual projection however and surprised myself when it came out that I would need around $2.5K. a month to live the lifestyle I intend to become accustomed to.


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[CatInHand]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Oh Agree completely, It's never one size fits all and whatever makes one happy, is fine by me. Some here posted that they would rather be unhappy and have money. For Myself, I feel life is far too short to be unhappy with life, job, or whatever.

Pretty sure many here would be less then ecstatic at the $500 level of enjoyment. That's fine. Lord knows, I'm a bit strange. I think its important that folks be happy at what ever level on enjoyment/income they seek.

On facebook, a friend of a friend posted that he hated having to worry about whether or not his old car would start, how to buy clothes for the kids, etc. There just wasn't ever enough money and while he liked his job, the 2-3 hour commute was horrible. When he eventually posted that he made >$170,000 a year, I mentioned that his income was roughly 8x my own, yet I was completely happy staying home to work at my low-paying online job. Money doesn't make you happy, attitude makes you happy.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

I think you are misinterpreting those studies.

The ones I've seen suggest up to a near middle class level, money does buy happiness. After that, there is little increase in happiness.

Of course after that you can get into debates about is the extra money not making you happy or is the stress that comes with an important high paying job canceling out the additional happiness of the extra money. That's a much more complicated question than the studies can answer.

The studies generally show either a minimal impact of more money above poverty, while others indicate that relative placement (i.e. the income disparity) does have an impact. It depends on the question you ask...

Although not a research paper, here is a nice little summary of current "happiness" research: 5 Reliable Findings from Happiness Research | World of Psychology