[user104658]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Money for sure. I just think how bloody easy life would be without having to worry about money tbh.

I'm a "money worrier" - I get very, very stressed if I'm having cashflow issues - but as I'm also someone who has had periods of very low income and periods of being pretty comfortable... I can say that this is sadly just not true. The worst and most stressful times in my life have had absolutely nothing to do with money. In fact the worst times I can think of are some of the "best off" times .

First was in my teens living in a very unhappy household, my parents barely spoke, it was just... cold. A really empty environment. But at that point their combined income was decent / high, money wasn't any issue at all, but it meant nothing.

Second was the (roughly) 18 months / 2 years following my mum's death, which for various reasons were some of the hardest years of my life thus far. Yet I inherited a decent amount when she died, so it was also the most financially comfortable I've been in my adult life. Being debt free / being able to buy a new car, go on holiday, etc. was great but the bare facts are I have absolutely no idea where I would be without my wife & the girls. Nowhere good, basically.


I do think having enough money to make ends meet + have a decent disposable income for recreation is important, I'm not saying it isn't, but it's definitely secondary to having meaningful connections in life. Human connection is vital for good mental health, money is not, and when it comes right down to it, mental health is ALL that actually matters for living a happy life.