Good point Girl!

Can a person be unsatisfied and still be happy though?
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Since starting this thread, I have talked to more people about it and still I find that most of them base their happiness on their professional status. Do they have the best job with the most amount of money? Is the house they live in their dream? Is their vehicle top of the line?


I still don't understand that mentality. Maybe because we didn't have a lot growing up, but I've never expected to be rich or have a McMansion or whatever. Just being able to afford necessities, help out in the community, and have some left over for fun trips (I love road trips) is good enough for me.

I mean, I've been looking at new cars, mainly because we're planning on having another kid eventually, but I'm not going to go out and invest in a Hummer or something just to hold another child. ::)

Good point Girl!

Can a person be unsatisfied and still be happy though?
--------------------------------------------------------

Since starting this thread, I have talked to more people about it and still I find that most of them base their happiness on their professional status. Do they have the best job with the most amount of money? Is the house they live in their dream? Is their vehicle top of the line?

I did however speak to one woman who said she wasn't happy because she was unable to help all of the needy children in her community. She has already adopted 4 children, but wanted to be able to adopt them all. Adopting them all would make her happy.

One extreme to the other and yet tons of people are still hunting for their happiness.... :-\\


I think you can be unsatisfied and happy depending on where you find happiness.  I am unsatisfied because I have failed to take the risk I need to do but I still experience happiness.  It just that those moments of happiness are fleeting.  I can spend a whole day happy because I am away from home but once I get home I am surrounded by all the things telling me I should be living differently and the happiness I had earlier is gone...

I still don't understand that mentality. Maybe because we didn't have a lot growing up, but I've never expected to be rich or have a McMansion or whatever. Just being able to afford necessities, help out in the community, and have some left over for fun trips (I love road trips) is good enough for me.

I mean, I've been looking at new cars, mainly because we're planning on having another kid eventually, but I'm not going to go out and invest in a Hummer or something just to hold another child. ::)


I agree. I've never valued my happiness by how much I have or the material things I've got. I've always found it superficiial (well, at least in the last 13 years I have). When my parents got divorced, I started to realise that material things weren't all that great. I would've much rather traded the big house we had to keep my parents together. Then that house was kinda like a prison becuase we couldn't afford to live there, yet it was hard to sell it because we didn't have a lot of equity in it, so we tried to make ends meet until we did have enough equity. It was like we were poor people living in a big house. A very strange situation. We lived extremeley modest. Ate at home all the time, never had a computer, didn't have a lot of cable channels, never bought anything new.

Anyway, those were not happy times, even though we did make the best of them.

I always find it funny because people seem to always buy more than they can really afford. Those people with Hummers, Mercedes, Jaguars, and their Big houses, expensive wardrobes - they actually probably as poor as someone living on the street - when you look at their debt. Now yesterday, my boyfriend and I were driving through some Moibile home parks, and some I were impressed were pretty nice. Some of them even had Mercedes (brand new!), but I bet you - they actually could afford that vehicle because they don't own a house that's worth $700,000. I was thinking, "So, they're living modestly and here they've got themselves a nice Mercedes and them rich folk in Danville and Walnut Creek think they're smart, heh" lol  ;D  I am sure the people in their mobile home with their brand new Mercedes are a lot happier than those people living in Blackhawk who have to figure out how to make payments for next months bills.

I agree. I've never valued my happiness by how much I have or the material things I've got. I've always found it superficiial (well, at least in the last 13 years I have). When my parents got divorced, I started to realise that material things weren't all that great. I would've much rather traded the big house we had to keep my parents together. Then that house was kinda like a prison becuase we couldn't afford to live there, yet it was hard to sell it because we didn't have a lot of equity in it, so we tried to make ends meet until we did have enough equity. It was like we were poor people living in a big house. A very strange situation. We lived extremeley modest. Ate at home all the time, never had a computer, didn't have a lot of cable channels, never bought anything new.

Anyway, those were not happy times, even though we did make the best of them.

I always find it funny because people seem to always buy more than they can really afford. Those people with Hummers, Mercedes, Jaguars, and their Big houses, expensive wardrobes - they actually probably as poor as someone living on the street - when you look at their debt. Now yesterday, my boyfriend and I were driving through some Moibile home parks, and some I were impressed were pretty nice. Some of them even had Mercedes (brand new!), but I bet you - they actually could afford that vehicle because they don't own a house that's worth $700,000. I was thinking, "So, they're living modestly and here they've got themselves a nice Mercedes and them rich folk in Danville and Walnut Creek think they're smart, heh" lol  ;D  I am sure the people in their mobile home with their brand new Mercedes are a lot happier than those people living in Blackhawk who have to figure out how to make payments for next months bills.


where was this mobile home park... a mobile home in Santa Barbara runs 190K to 500K (for the ones in the 400,000 to 500+ you actually own the land it sits on...but not the 190,000 - 390,000)

A condo costs 525,000 and up...

I agree. I've never valued my happiness by how much I have or the material things I've got. I've always found it superficiial (well, at least in the last 13 years I have). When my parents got divorced, I started to realise that material things weren't all that great. I would've much rather traded the big house we had to keep my parents together. Then that house was kinda like a prison becuase we couldn't afford to live there, yet it was hard to sell it because we didn't have a lot of equity in it, so we tried to make ends meet until we did have enough equity. It was like we were poor people living in a big house. A very strange situation. We lived extremeley modest. Ate at home all the time, never had a computer, didn't have a lot of cable channels, never bought anything new.

Anyway, those were not happy times, even though we did make the best of them.

I always find it funny because people seem to always buy more than they can really afford. Those people with Hummers, Mercedes, Jaguars, and their Big houses, expensive wardrobes - they actually probably as poor as someone living on the street - when you look at their debt. Now yesterday, my boyfriend and I were driving through some Moibile home parks, and some I were impressed were pretty nice. Some of them even had Mercedes (brand new!), but I bet you - they actually could afford that vehicle because they don't own a house that's worth $700,000. I was thinking, "So, they're living modestly and here they've got themselves a nice Mercedes and them rich folk in Danville and Walnut Creek think they're smart, heh" lol  ;D  I am sure the people in their mobile home with their brand new Mercedes are a lot happier than those people living in Blackhawk who have to figure out how to make payments for next months bills.


Man, that sounds like it was a really difficult time for your family. Karma to you for getting through it all. :)

My in-laws live in Danville and they have a HUGE house...except they can afford it. They are very frugal with their money, and are able to afford that, decent cars (nothing fancy, they have hybrids and stuff), and dinners out all the time.

Mobile homes are wonderful, and I would have no problem living in one. My mom's friend lived in one, and it was HUGE. I think she paid $120,000 for it, and then $500 on the space in the park each month.

where was this mobile home park... a mobile home in Santa Barbara runs 190K to 500K (for the ones in the 400,000 to 500+ you actually own the land it sits on...but not the 190,000 - 390,000)



Wow, huge difference in Utah and California.  My mobile home cost $36,000 and I pay $340 a month for the lot. 

where was this mobile home park... a mobile home in Santa Barbara runs 190K to 500K (for the ones in the 400,000 to 500+ you actually own the land it sits on...but not the 190,000 - 390,000)

A condo costs 525,000 and up...


Yes, ours are in Concord area. I'm not sure how familiar you are with NoCal, but Concord is like a middle-class city with over 100+ people in it. Santa Barbara is much different because of course you've got the ocean, which hikes up the cost. But, Mobile homes are still not a bad price to pay for some other properties in rich areas.

Ahhh, to be a child again.....if only for a day.....

-Ever notice on children's birthdays, happiness equates to friends, presents, cake & ice cream, presents and games?
And did I mention presents?!?

Man, that sounds like it was a really difficult time for your family. Karma to you for getting through it all. :)

My in-laws live in Danville and they have a HUGE house...except they can afford it. They are very frugal with their money, and are able to afford that, decent cars (nothing fancy, they have hybrids and stuff), and dinners out all the time.

Mobile homes are wonderful, and I would have no problem living in one. My mom's friend lived in one, and it was HUGE. I think she paid $120,000 for it, and then $500 on the space in the park each month.


Thanks, they were rough times, but also a good eye opener for me. They made me more humble.  :)

I hope I didn't sound too harsh about people in Danville and Walnut Creek. I guess I was making too broad a judgement there with my fast typing fingers -  ;D But, you're right there are many people who do live in nice houses and do live frugally. I am glad your in-laws (this must be Rice Cubes fam, as I remember him saying he hailed from Danville) live a good example of not trying to outdo everyone. I guess it does get frustrating living in these areas and seeing these people you know buy stuff you know they can't afford. It does seem that is the norm for most, while the rich frugal people are the exception.

Why spend money you don't have to try to buy happiness you're not even guaranteed to get?  :P

Yes, ours are in Concord area. I'm not sure how familiar you are with NoCal, but Concord is like a middle-class city with over 100+ people in it. Santa Barbara is much different because of course you've got the ocean, which hikes up the cost. But, Mobile homes are still not a bad price to pay for some other properties in rich areas.


I have a friend who lives in Concord and another who lives in Danville.... danville is like Santa Barbara in mentality and attitudes of some of the residents but you're right we have the ocean.  The problem is Goleta which neighbors Santa Barbara has outrageous housing costs...that's where you can get the mobile homes at the price I quoted but its not as prestigious as Santa Barbara

Thanks, they were rough times, but also a good eye opener for me. They made me more humble.  :)

I hope I didn't sound too harsh about people in Danville and Walnut Creek. I guess I was making too broad a judgement there with my fast typing fingers -  ;D But, you're right there are many people who do live in nice houses and do live frugally. I am glad your in-laws (this must be Rice Cubes fam, as I remember him saying he hailed from Danville) live a good example of not trying to outdo everyone. I guess it does get frustrating living in these areas and seeing these people you know buy stuff you know they can't afford. It does seem that is the norm for most, while the rich frugal people are the exception.


Oh, not at all. My inlaws are frugal anyways. They're Asian. :D

Okay, that was bad. Nah, they're just frugal because they grew up REALLY poor, then they came to this country and worked their asses off to get where they are today.

Why spend money you don't have to try to buy happiness you're not even guaranteed to get?  :P


Does that include a girl too? ;D

Does that include a girl too? ;D

Never pay for the girl....all the right parts are usually out-of-stock.

Happiness is a warm gun...

But seriously, if I feel I have an underidding purpose to whatever I'm doing - even if that's to gorge on my hedonistic tendancies - than happiness comes.

I made a lot of comments about being selfish....however:
I find that no matter what happens i love the world; it's crazy and unpredictable and nasty and smelly and fun.

I find happiness there.

Never pay for the girl....all the right parts are usually out-of-stock.


And all of the parts should be locked until you get a full time job. ::)