Can Money Buy You Happiness? After Hours

[Gromit]

Does money buy happiness? The untimely death of Margaret Loughrey would suggest not.

A Co Tyrone woman who scooped £27m in the Euromillions draw has died suddenly.

Margaret Loughrey, from Strabane, was found dead on Thursday morning. Her death is not being treated as suspicious.

Her life was transformed by the 2013 lottery win - at the time it was the largest ever jackpot won in Northern Ireland.

Police confirmed officers attended the scene and said a post-mortem examination would take place.

"Margaret was well known and did a lot of good, charitable work around the town," he said.

A PSNI spokesman said: "Police received a report of the sudden death of a woman at the Ballycolman Lane area of Strabane on Thursday September 2.

"A post-mortem is due to take place but at this stage, the death is not being treated as suspicious."

Ms Loughrey, who was aged in her 50s, matched five numbers and two lucky stars in the draw in November 2013.

In total, she scooped £26,863,588.

In an interview at the time, she said that on the day she bought the ticket, she had been to the job market to get an application form for a job with a charity.

"Got up on Wednesday morning, checked the ticket, just had a notion, checked the ticket and that was it - five numbers, two stars, happy days," she told the BBC in 2013.

"I never panicked. I'm level-headed and I know I'll think it all through and do the right thing, see to the right people.

"It's in my name at the minute, it's £27m, it's not going to be mine, it's going to be spread around.

"No point having £27m and being lonely. That can't make me happy, that can only make me happy that everybody else's happy and so far everybody is absolutely delighted."

Despite her new-found wealth, becoming one of Ireland's richest people overnight, she continued to live in her home town – and was never far from the headlines.

Speaking to Sunday Life in 2019, Ms Loughrey said her lotto win had "sent her to hell and back", even though she was unemployed and living on benefits when it happened.

"Money has brought me nothing but grief. It has destroyed my life," she said.

"I have had six years of this. I don't believe in religion, but if there is a hell, I have been in it. It has been that bad. I went down to five-and-a-half stone."

So, can money buy you happiness?

 

[Bandit]

Sounds like she had a hard time of it.

"Money has brought me nothing but grief. It has destroyed my life," she said.

Happiness can not come from external sources only from within.

Money can buy pleasure and time but not happiness.

 

[Crabtree]

Money can buy financial relief. Never have to worry about food on the table, the best of Healthcare and lifestyle. It can most definitely make your life easier and more enjoyable. Do things you obviously could not normally do at a whim. I'd say it be a great de-stresser in some ways.

But as for happiness. It probably helps, but not the defining or end-all factor.

 

[Franco Pinion]

If a person is clinically depressed or has an anxiety disorder money isn't going to fix their issues. Could even make it worse.

 

[Spikey]

More money doesn't equal more happiness. Money is only a symbolic goal that represents happiness. However, money will give you more freedom to find purpose, meaning and satisfaction.

Where most people go wrong is that they will make money their god and will not find direct fulfilment in the pursuit of money. When they realise this, it leaves them miserable.

 

[Jess]

Money affords you choice. So while I don't think money itself can make you happy having it gives you the choice to live your life in a way that does make you happy.

 

[Shelby]

Rather be looking at it than looking for it. It might not give happiness but can make life more comfortable and pleasurable

 

[Jason]

Not happiness, but being financially comfortable does help your wellbeing. You are not penny pinching when it comes to food, you can enjoy eating out, going to the cinema with ease. You can plan for your future to a certain extent. You do not worry that you'll be a burden on others or seen to be taking advantage of others.

 

[hannah]

Money buys pleasure.

Pleasure and happiness are very different things.