Is the happiness based on materials?

I disagree: you're saying happiness is based on material possessions but your unhappiness has been caused by overspending on your credit card... to buy those very material possessions. Of course, living without the essentials in life - a roof over your head, food to eat, clothes to wear (not new ones, necessarily) - is extremely hard and depressing but those are very different from material possessions like a car. A car's a luxury. I haven't had one for years. To me, a television's a luxury - I haven't watched TV for over ten years. Get your priorities right and you'll be a lot happier. Modern society's obsession with gadgets and material goods isn't the route to happiness. Sure, they're nice to have if you can afford them (and they're fun and bring extra happiness) but they're not worth ruining yourself over. As for your current situation, there's a lot you can do: Pay for necessities first: rent and food. Use whatever extra cash you have to pay off the credit card. Cut back on anything you can - especially luxuries you don't need. Sell some stuff you don't need or use any more: use the proceeds to repay some credit debt to get it back under control. Contact your credit card company and see if they'll let you arrange some kind of payment schedule to reduce the short-term cost so you can cover your essentials. Contact the bank and see if they'll either reduce their charges (if you're borrowing) or lend you a little bit to pay off the credit card and convert to a lower-interest loan. There's a few ideas. You can find a lot more online if you hunt around. Never give up, never surrender!

No! You can be happy no matter the situation! Happiness does not depend on what you have or don't have. Happiness has to do with the spirit and not with materials or possessions or anything physical. Happiness comes from taking care of the spiritual dimension. A good translation of what Jesus stated in Matthew 5:3 in my own words would be: 'You will be happy if you feed your spirit (the spirit being what you are inside, your inner person) what it needs, which would be spiritual food, which can only come from God who is a spirit. Then the material things would take care of themselves.' You really don't need much in a material way to be happy, as long as you feel good inside. All the material things you need to be happy are really free. You just have to know how to ask. This make take a while to understand and master. Always live in hope. Don't let negative thinking and negative people bring you down. Don't look at life and the world through a loser attitude. Don't let losers give you advice. Soar with eagle-like people that are truly happy in life! All the best!

Most certainly I agree. We all or most anyway have been in this position often. It's a fact of life and why I try hard to save money to fall back on for emergencies and times such as this. I don't use credit cards either as they cost way more than anyone can pay back. Many people were not aware if they just paid the amount due leaves them with the whole amount owed. The amount due is just the interest. So always try to pay way more than the amount due and try to pay the card off each month. I hope you get things sorted out.

No I don't agree. You are in charge of your own happiness, it's your mind that decides. If things are going not well and life is hard, set aside a time to notice really small things and be happy about them. First thing each morning when you wake up let your very first thought be, I will be happy today, then look for just small things to turn your attention on. As humans there is really very little we can do to control anything outside our mind, so if you know you do your best then you may just have to accept that it's happening. But you can be happy, you had a place to sleep, something to eat, that you can smile, try that it makes everyone a little happier. Blessings

Aw.. I am so sorry to hear this. The truth is materialism can make you happy for a while but then, a feeling of emptiness would still be there.

Many people facing the same problem as you do at the moment. I got some financial problems as well. My partner's ex boss did not pay him for his work for some time and we got in trouble. We did and still do everything in our power to pull up our self and get back to normal life. I claim this money in court. I hope this ex boss will be sentence by court for heavy financial punishment. Don't give up. Just think straight and you will find solution. I wish you all the best.

I do not fully maintain myself because I still go to school (college) but I know where this is going. I do agree. I can feel from others feelings. I don't know if this is somewhat similar, but it might be close to it. It was when my brothers and I wanted to go to a trip with their friends for their birthday so we started saving up a year early for the trip. When their friend's birthday came (the day of the trip), my brothers and I had everything set to go. The economy going bad started the same year which left my dad business going down and having to waste his savings money for things and plus my brothers and I knew we couldn't go to a vacation in this rate so we had to cancel our booking to help my dad out.

Happiness has absolutely nothing to do with things or about money.

of course you'll be unhappy as hell for such situation..no one could laugh without money in their pockets and bills are piling up with no assurance to get them paid.. were experiencing the same things sometimes..but that situation will not be abated if we just stay doing nothing. i mean to every problem there is a solution and in need of money and materials working and earning remains the best solution, otherwise if you have anyway solving it will do best, but dont try illegal dude! just do what is right man!

You better control your spending. Better maintain only one credit card, live by your means, and budget what is necessary so that you won't be over spending. It is true also that happiness can also be felt when you have the things you want. I will be hypocrite if I say that happiness can also be defined by having material things, but for sure is not all the main reason to be happy. Happiness can also be found when you are at peace of mind, simple wants and life and being content. In this life that we live in, it is really hard, but we must face what is reality and accept the challenges that we have to be happy also.

It seems that at some point of your life you thought that happiness was based on materials and you started to live beyond your means. Credit cards are to be paid and the Banks are vultures that sing mermaid songs about how happy you will be with more riches. I have a friend in India, a retired university professor and a wonderful man who does not have a car but a scooter. Housing is something the depends on the budget, as well as other things. When I became a widow I had to live with one tenth of what I was accostumed to live as my husband was the main provider. I learned how to live on a budget and, believe me, I´m living very well. Face reality, check out where you are spending too much, change habits and start saving to pay every month a little more than the interest of the card. There will come a point where you will sleep in peace.

I think material is the base of happiness. But you can't be surely happy when you only have material.Real life is not like a fairy tale.We have to spend a lot of money to support our life. So be diligent ,work hard to get more salary,maybe you'll be happy for what you get.

items we buy surely makes us happier. material belongings are a way to come back from misery and despair but they are not everything. people make us happier most of the times with their actions and what they say to us.

Well I have to say money makes life easier and a little bit more enjoyable. I don't have much money either I have cents in my checking account and no cash on me but you can be happy surround yourself with good people or place you can enjoy without spending a cent. You can be happy but it really doesn't have to be tied to money or by money.

I can definitely understand the feeling of frustration and being overwhelmed by debt, especially when expenses crop up that are unexpected and unavoidable but you do not have the money to pay for them. However, I do not believe that material things are the basis for happiness. It does not cost a penny to share a beautiful day with my little one, and that makes me immensely happy ... happier than any material possession ever could.

I believe that happiness is a choice. You don't need material possessions to be happy. Material possessions can be taken away from us, for example, because of flood, etc. So, your happiness shld not be dependent on these things. True happiness comes from within and that's the kind of happiness that can never be taken from you.