Are we happier as we make more?

[Steve]

Do you find you are happier when you make more money or does it bring more problems? This is an interesting question posed by the article below. If this country is so wealthy, why aren't we happier? Americans are better off than ever, but rising incomes often don't satisfy rising wants. - You hear the refrain all the time: the economy looks good statistically (4.7 percent unemployment), but it doesn't feel good. Although the United States is the wealthiest nation in history, our quarrels and quibbles with our prosperity are unending. Why doesn't ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness?

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[kc2006]

Lawn care business tips

Over worked and under paid I think. Look at our costs of living and how high they're getting, fuel has more then doubled in the past 2 years, which means food is pricier, all other items go up too due to delievery costs, not to mention inflation. Yet minimum wage is still where it's been for years and people just aren't getting raises to meet the costs of living. You almost HAVE to have 2 incomes to live anymore.

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\"Every strike brings me closer to the next home run\"

I agree to a point about the minimum wage. Yes, minimum wage does need to be raised, but what they are currently doing here in Michigan with the minimum wage will actually drive jobs out of the state and companies will work with less people.

Michigan is supposed to raise minimum wage over $2.00 more in the next 2 years. When you think about the costs that a company now must pay for a worker a minimum wage, companies are going to look at more effective ways to do business and let go of a lot of employees because they can not afford to pay them.

My personal opinion on the whole matter though is that yes the cost of living is increasing dramatically fast. If I remember correctly, just in the last quarter of last year alone it rasied almost 3%. But with service companies and the service industries, customers still only want to pay minimum amounts.

At this second right now I am currently going over my books for ways to cut costs. Once a month I go over my books looking for little things to cut costs. It has gotten very bad here in the last two months.

I have actually thought about forgetting the pesticide area and go strictly into just mowing. Just a mow only company. At least with that it is more consistant and it's something that people really need compared to just fertilizing.

This is a great topic.

Ever increasing wealth does not produce ever increasing happiness mostly because people are not happy to begin with. I recently read a good interview done with Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks (love him or hate him!) who stated very simply that he was an extremely happy and passionate person well before he was wealthy. He still wears faded jeans to work and seems to be having quite a bit of fun and happiness these days.

Wealth can never fix emotional issues, and people use material things just as they use drugs, food, and alcohol to change their emotional states. All are temporary, so they just crave more.

I also recently heard a great interview with Joe Rogan, the host of fear factor and stand up comedian. He stated that it's an incredible stress relief to know that because of fear factor he never has to worry about his bills again. Imagine being in that position! It's all about focus and going after what we truly want in life. The problem is, most people have no idea what they want.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]The problem is, most people have no idea what they want.

Very true.