Perfect Income for Happiness?

**TK1** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 06:22 PM

I'm proud Germany is so low, shows how modest we are

One well-publicized study last year put the optimal income for happiness at around $75,000. Rising income, it turns out, produces greater happiness until you get to around $75,000. After that, there are diminishing returns, with more income leading to little or no gain in real happiness.

Source: The Perfect Income for Happiness? Try $161,000 - Yahoo! Finance

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**Mike39** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 06:31 PM

This was brought up before but here is my opinion on it: When you survey someone making 75k/year, of course they are going to think that if they made double then they would feel "wealthy", these results show that the average citizen believes that 161k will make them feel "wealthy". If you asked 10 multimillionaires (earning 2 million a year and up) how much income they needed before they felt truly "wealthy", I GUARANTEE you they wouldn't say anywhere near 161k/year.

I don't think you can accurately measure the perfect income for happiness, some people are happy with 60k/year and others are only happy with 12 million a year. I think you would see the most accurate results by asking self-made multi-millionaires when they first felt truly "wealthy".

**Kak** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by TK1

I'm proud Germany is so low, shows how modest we are

Drink much kool aid?

**Kak** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by Mike39

This was brought up before but here is my opinion on it: When you survey someone making 75k/year, of course they are going to think that if they made double then they would feel "wealthy", these results show that the average citizen believes that 161k will make them feel "wealthy". If you asked 10 multimillionaires (earning 2 million a year and up) how much income they needed before they felt truly "wealthy", I GUARANTEE you they wouldn't say anywhere near 161k/year.

I don't think you can accurately measure the perfect income for happiness, some people are happy with 60k/year and others are only happy with 12 million a year. I think you would see the most accurate results by asking self-made multi-millionaires when they first felt truly "wealthy".

I appreciate your use of the word multimillionaire. You really are not even close to "rich" if you have a million dollars. I couldn't even come close retiring on 1m.

**Vigilante** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 07:15 PM

Perfect income? More.

**TK1** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 07:34 PM

Yes, I love sizzurp

Originally Posted by Kak

Drink much kool aid?

**andyredsox** · Dec 2nd, 2012, 10:08 PM

I think there's no perfect income. Because we all have different needs and different happiness levels.

The only way to be happy for how much we're making is to ask yopurself: : Am I happy while earning every dime?