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New study: $50k/yr May Be the Happiness Tipping Point

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Too many variables but that may be a decent average they've hit on. You have to account for cost of living and debt though. Someone living in Nashville making $75k (single) with little to no debt is going to be doing very well for themselves. Married w/ no kids and little to no debt with two incomes (DINK)? No problem at all maxing out retirement, having an awesome house, nice cars, nice stuff, and going on nice vacations.

Basically the point of happiness to me is where you get to that point where you just don't worry about money anymore. And I'm talking within reason, paying your bills having some nice things, etc. without going into debt (other than the house).
 
spidey07 said:
50 tho a year will buy a lotta beer
things are looking great
and they're only getting better, yeah

future's so bright
I gotta wear shades
I gotta wear shades
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It'll buy a lot of minnows @ 8 a half pound... that's all I need.

I'll fish the banks if I have to.
 
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I think it matters less how much you make, than how you make it. If you are working a desk job tied down all but 2 weeks of the year and making $50k, that is different than if you are a hot commodity, and can get $50k working 6 months of the year and being empowered enough to call the shots when it comes to work.

I agree $50k is a good tipping point, my goal is to work as little as possible while ending up at about $50k.
 
That's a pile of crap. I'd be much happier at $500K/yr. And the guy making $500M/yr would say, "man, I couldn't even survive on $500K/yr."

And the guy that says "money doesn't buy happiness," just doesn't know how to spend it right. 😛
 
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JeffreyLebowski said:
That's what people say when they can't make more money.
Job satisfaction can suck it when the electric company comes by to turn off your electricity.
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Which happens at $30k? LOL! Have you lived off of your trust fund your whole life?

Assuming that you don't have unreasonable expenses, $30k is more than enough for a single person to live in an OK apartment, pay for food, clothes, cellphone etc, and have some hobbies.
 
SMOGZINN said:
Move away from such stupid markets. My 2600 sq. ft. single story house costs 100k.
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How are the neighbors?

white-trash-neighbors.jpg
 
jagec said:
Which happens at $30k? LOL! Have you lived off of your trust fund your whole life?

Assuming that you don't have unreasonable expenses, $30k is more than enough for a single person to live in an OK apartment, pay for food, clothes, cellphone etc, and have some hobbies.
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not where i live.

i calculated it out, the minimum to live here in san diego is around 35k a year.
 
Was this study commissioned by the Obama administration in he hopes of getting people to be happy with their miserable lives? If no one expects much he is definitely the man to deliver.
 
I've always thought of 50K as a sort of gold-standard for getting out of lower end of middle class, regardless of where you live. But again with COL, how far out of that lower end will depend. I make about that in Boston, and I'm still not completely comfortable.
 
SMOGZINN said:
Move away from such stupid markets. My 2600 sq. ft. single story house costs 100k.
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This. When my wife and I were looking to move to the Twin Cities we wanted to spend about $200k for a house.

That meant if we lived in the Twin Cities itself we'd be able to afford about a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom ~1700 sq foot house.

So we live 20 miles out of town and have a 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom 2,600 sq foot house we got for $185k instead. Sure, driving 40 extra miles each round trip sucks a little but I'd rather drive the extra and have a great house than drive less and live in a small house with a family of 4. Besides, most of a person's time is spent in their house so I'd rather have a nice one.
 
this is just propaganda for the president campaign.

I made $50k, I made $75k, I am way over that and still not fully happy.

Most that comment otherwise aren't making $50k to begin with and want to justify things like 420 day.
 
Fingolfin269 said:
Too many variables but that may be a decent average they've hit on. You have to account for cost of living and debt though. Someone living in Nashville making $75k (single) with little to no debt is going to be doing very well for themselves. Married w/ no kids and little to no debt with two incomes (DINK)? No problem at all maxing out retirement, having an awesome house, nice cars, nice stuff, and going on nice vacations.

Basically the point of happiness to me is where you get to that point where you just don't worry about money anymore. And I'm talking within reason, paying your bills having some nice things, etc. without going into debt (other than the house).
Click to expand...

Its posts like these that make me really question why people have so many kids. Kids are just another luxury but if you can't afford them without worrying or becoming unhappy wtf do people still have like 3-4 in many families
 
Fayd said:
not where i live.

i calculated it out, the minimum to live here in san diego is around 35k a year.
Click to expand...

I barely got by in la on 30k with a roommate when I just got out of school. That said I'd say at that point I was happy. Its doable if you aren't an idiot with money and I guess depending on where you are in life could be happy
 
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