can anyone spend a happy life while working as a freelancer

First of all and with no offense meant to you or others "HAPPY" is relative and subjective. If the writing alone isn't a passion for you; if IT alone doesn't create some "happiness" then perhaps you should explore other avenues of income creation. That said I'll address INCOME briefly. How you define HAPPY as it relates to INCOME is something we can't determine here. Certainly we all define "success" differently and individually. I've been at "IT" for 57 years, and it's because it's a passion; an addiction, not WORK, though I have "worked" AT writing. I also enjoy the basic NEEDS, and very often WRITING doesn't do much more than supplement a lifestyle, already established. One of my earliest books was about this subject very specifically, and directed at writers, especially "wanna be's"..."101 ways to prepare and enjoy PeaNut Butter." Think about it. I have found, through exploring other talents, skills, neccesary involvements, that I do other things for income, as well as Write. You might explore your various other skills as well, and apply them to how you can create HAPPY for yourself. Once more, and with no offense, WHAT we WANT I can analogize in an old Rolling Stones song. "You can't always get what you WANT... But if you try sometimes... You just might find... You get what you NEED." Steven Wolf Still exploring and experiencing the passion