Money and happiness a guide to living the good life

[...]... most important in their lives Managing their money makes them feel good, ” “smart,” and “empowered.” They consciously prioritize their money goals: They know what they want their money to do, and more importantly, understand how to manage it so it maximizes their happiness They have defined the good life in a way that’s authentic to them, and use money to realize a personal vision Back in the 1990s,... film as a researcher, at $10 an hour with no benefits.” While their incomes are miles apart, Marilyn N and Julie D have much in common They have discovered the secret to financial happiness: aligning their money and values What does this mean? They are clear on what is most meaningful to them, and focus their money around it The way they earn, save, and spend is in sync with what’s WEALTH AND VALUES... how you view and use money, you have the power to change them and better align your finances and values Later chapters tackle the nitty-gritty of getting out of debt, spending, saving, and investing, with a special look at money and relationships and what to do when you achieve certain financial milestones The goal is to connect these financial concepts to real life, so the book is built on the experiences... you, what ideas, activities, and relationships you value, and what you’re striving for personally—then use money to build that life Too often it works the other way around: Someone chooses a particular career to get money, and then lets money define what she does, what she values, who she is, and what her life looks like Or, like Mia, someone creates a life that’s unsustainable and results in massive... who’s excited to read the Financial Times,” she says with a laugh When she was 14, her parents started a restaurant, and she began waitressing at night Her father encouraged her to save up for substantial needs, like a car, rather than frittering money away on day -to- day distractions “That really hit home with me,” she says In 2000, fate demanded Jennifer act on her values She was four years out of college,... doing against your personal standards; to identify and visualize what wealth means to you, and then see if your life jibes with your definition So questions 33 through 43 are based on academic research into other essential “wealth factors” that bring lasting happiness: meaningful relationships, work that allows us to express our talents, community involvement, spirituality, and a sense of autonomy the. .. wealth with practical financial tools and positive strategies for creating the good life in a personally meaningful way It looks at how to identify our authentic values and overcome unconscious beliefs and personality traits that frustrate our efforts to manage money in a healthy manner It also explores decades of research into behavioral economics—uncovering how to be happy with whatever you have, while... little cash every month to splurge on travel Last year, she was laid off after the state cut funding for the pre-K program where she taught She took $2,000 out of her savings and went to the Caribbean for a month “My boyfriend had a friend who was house-sitting a gorgeous villa,” she says “We stayed for free, we went to the grocery store, I brought a yoga tape and did yoga, and there was a boat for us to. .. salary for 8 MONEY AND HAPPINESS 13 14 15 16 17 a high school graduate was $25,900, compared to $18,900 for nongraduates I have an associate degree People with an associate degree earned an average of $33,000 in 2000 I have a bachelor’s degree About one in four Americans ages 25 and older has attained a bachelor’s degree Average earnings were $45,400 Over an adult’s working life, people with bachelor’s... give advice to a reader of Self magazine who I will call Mia Mia is in her mid-20s, working for a social service agency in a major city, earning $42,000 a year Her ultimate financial goal is to be a millionaire “I want to live the way I want to live and never worry about making ends meet,” she says Mia isn’t thrilled with her job; she hopes to quit and start a public relations firm She has a busy social . money and values. What does this mean? They are clear on what is most meaningful to them, and focus their money around it. The way they earn, save, and spend. Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Rowley, Laura. Money and happiness : a guide to living the good life / Laura Rowley. p. cm. Includes bibliographical