Money Does Not Buy Happiness

Have you ever heard of or played that card game. The one where everyone goes around saying how many of a certain card the have and the others have to guess whether or not they are telling the truth? Well the name of the game is Bullshit. When your opponent thinks you are lying about your hand they yell “BULLSHIT”…

I mention that because the above statement reminds me of the game BULLSHIT!

The person who said this first and those who honestly believe it obviously have never been truly poor in their lives.

So to them, all I have to say BULLSHIT!

I have a wonderful family. I love them more than life itself. I have been blessed with a supportive, understanding, helpful, loving husband and together we made two healthy beautiful children. (That is after the first year of specialist, hospital stays, MRI’s, CAT scans, MRA’s, ultrasounds, x-rays and an EEG with Addison and then worrying for three months that Jackson may have a heart murmur.) I digress.

Yes, I am blessed and they do bring me most of the happiness in the word.

All the happiness would be having the above with money to go along.

I was laid off while seven months pregnant and around the same time my husband’s job cut his hours. Between the two we lost roughly $50,000 dollars a year- ouch! Not so great when you have two children and the bills to go along. Complete lifestyle change- to say the least…

I have gone from buying that cute little outfit or toy for the kids, to waiting until it goes on clearance and hoarding it for Christmas or birthdays. The dollar bin and clearance racks have become my “go to” places. I have given frugal living a whole new meaning. I can stretch any dollar and have become quite good at it.

I am sure you are thinking, well at least she and her family have a roof to live under. Yes, that is true but a house would be way nicer; for all of us, including the three dogs and three cats.

And on the days the hubby gets home from work at 11:30am (as he did today) or when I find out he is off the next day (as he is tomorrow) I would like to show excitement. Rather today I had to be secretly excited because I knew not working meant a rough following week. Having the money to be excited that he was unexpectedly off and maybe go somewhere (lunch, water park, zoo, etc.) would not be all that bad after all…

You see, the person who believes money does not buy happiness probably was never really happy to begin with.

So to that stupid women in Target, and her overflowing basket of cloths and toys, I over heard say “Just more things for the kids and they will still be brats- I guess all the money and toys can’t make them more appreciative” … BULLSHIT! You can’t blame the “money, toys and things” for making them unappreciative. No, it is your parenting that makes them not appreciate what you do for them.

All this while I am digging through the dollar bin for a dinosaur that I know my daughter will want to sleep with for the next week. Although, getting her that fabulous $45 pony, for no reason, she has been eyeing would be pretty spectacular also. But the dinosaur is a little smaller and easier to sleep with.

It would be nice to find out if money would buy more happiness than we already have… at least just a few things.