Discussion: Job decisions: Happiness or Money?

[Agreeable Slick]

A discussion I had with a friend over lunch:
Which is more important to you

Using the below, form an answer. Do not consider things like restructuring bills or anything complicated, it is a simple case of money in - money out.

1) You are happy in your current job.
2) The cost of living is rising constantly but unfortunately your wage packet isn't.
3) There are options of other jobs of course, some in the local vicinity and some which would require (for arguements sake) a 1.5hour commute.

Which would be more important to you? The happiness you currently have in your job, or the draw of a bigger wage packet?

I couldn't come up with a convincing answer for either, but think happiness is more important for a job role, however money does play an enormous part of it and I think would begin to eat away at your job satisfaction.....

discuss....

[Rhyso]

To me its about finding a balance.  I currently commute approx 60 miles / 2 hours a day for a job that is earning me around 4K LESS than my previous job which included a 10 mile round trip. 

Its become even more important with the birth of my daughter to find a job closer to home with at least or better than my current wage packet.

I don't want to earn mega bucks but I want to earn enough to not have to think about buying something or taking my family on holiday or out for a meal etc etc.  In other words, my previous pay packet would be nice!

The fact I earn considerably less and travel over 5 times the distance is seriously grating on me at the moment hence the need for change

[Sam]

If your going to scrape a living make it a living worth scraping

[whileoceanasleeps]

surely happiness. if you're happy already then don't change anything, regardless of money. the only reason people strive for more money is because they think it is correlated with happiness. there was research recently into happiness and it studied a paraplegic and a lottery winner. it found that one year after each person's life change, the paraplegic was actually happier. so in my answer I'd say happiness. I would like some new car parts tho :p

[Egbutt Wash]

Spending more than you earn always brings unhappiness.

Wonga

[Gti_Jamo]

Happiness all the way in my opinion. Its good to have the choice as most people don't and will remain trapped in jobs that make them miserable and stressed and ultimately, unhealthy. I'm self employed the now and struggling a bit to be fair, but still smiling, and i'm looking for a proper job but one that I am happy with. In general money has never brought me happiness, its stresses me out even having it so I just spend it on stuff I know i could resell in the future for similar money. I also have no debt whatsoever, not a lick of it and will never have.

[snifferdog]

I earn about £4K less now but I finish at 3.30 every day and 12 on a Friday so I guess its happiness for me!!

[Agreeable Slick]

surely happiness. if you're happy already then don't change anything, regardless of money. the only reason people strive for more money is because they think it is correlated with happiness. there was research recently into happiness and it studied a paraplegic and a lottery winner. it found that one year after each person's life change, the paraplegic was actually happier. so in my answer I'd say happiness. I would like some new car parts tho :p

I think that is a pointless study though. You are taking two extremes and applying a single monitoring point.

I.E. someone has just happened to win the lottery - people will come begging, which will lead to resentment and unhappiness. Where as I think my question was more pertinent to the average person who has to work for their money.

[dom]

To me it's all about compromise, I've got mates who I graduated uni with that are in higher paid jobs than me, but they work 60 hour weeks and hate what they do.

On the other hand, I work a 40 hour week doing something that I enjoy and earn ~£10k a year less. I have more spare time than they do and still earn enough to enjoy that time. To me it's a no brainer, I work to live, not live to work.

[raferackstraw]

definitely happiness
i am lucky in that my job is home based so i just jump in the van and im at work 
the money to start with was only 14k but i knew that would rise with certification and overtime. i really enjoy the work and that makes for stress free working days. sometimes i am under pressure but its not often.
i used to commute as a contractor 2 hrs each way in previous work earning 900 a week take home, having that money was great but the travel really was stressful.
if possible go for a job as close to home as you can, there's little point in earning good money if you dont get quality time with your family
as dom says work to live