Women of Different Salaries: Can Money Buy Happiness?

Can money buy happiness? This age-old question has a million different answers. We asked 12 women with different salaries what they thought about the correlation between financial security and a happy life. A 26-year-old medical student who does not yet make a salary is the first to weigh in. “Yes, it could put you at ease and allow you the time to pursue the things that truly make you happy,” she says. Being enrolled in school means being dependent on loans or family for basic essentials and tuition, and rarely leaves time for a part-time job.

A 22-year-old actor provides an insight into how her $20,000 annual salary affects her emotional state. When asked if money could buy happiness, the actor says, “Yes, because money is the root of all discord in my life. If I didn't have to worry about that aspect, I'd be much happier.” We asked a 26-year-old producer making double the yearly salary of the actor the same question and she provided a similar answer: “Yeah, I believe that it could give you comfort, which leads to less worrying.”

A 66-year-old woman making $56,000 a year as a radiologic technologist has a different theory. “No, I don't think so,” she says. “Plenty of people have money and still aren't happy.” While material items can’t buy you happiness, lack of financial stress can make for a less stressful lifestyle. A 55-year-old TV casting director making $93,000 per year values financial stability over simply having money, saying, “No, for me it's not about having a lot of money. It's about living happily, healthily, comfortably, and being debt-free.” A government relations officer making $125,000 per year agrees: “It can buy you comfort.” It seems the consensus throughout the 12 women who were asked about their finances is that money cannot buy happiness, but it can aid in a stress-free lifestyle.

Originally Appeared on Glamour