Money can buy a lot of things: houses, clothes, cars – everything you’ve ever dreamed of owning. These 5 stars have it all and they say that pure ownership isn’t what leads to happiness – that’s something money can’t buy. Although some believe you need some money so you don’t have to worry about financial problems, they ultimately believe you don’t need lots of cash to live a content life and believe the world is tricked into buying things they don’t need all of the time. It may offer a brief moment of satisfaction to finally own a Chanel bag or whiff that new car smell, but these 5 celebrities think there is more to happiness than just owning it all.
Ben Affleck
Ben doesn’t think you can get happiness from objects you buy: “Money can buy you a full hand release at 80 bucks a pop. That makes me happy for a minute, but then I’m filled with shame and loathing. The big difference for me in terms of money is if you can pay your bills, and you don’t have to worry about your lights getting shut off, then you really don’t need to get all that stuff at Barney’s. It’s like Christmas, it’s all advertising, and the first rule of selling somebody something is to make them seem inadequate. Make them feel they need it. That’s how Christmas has become, because 50 per cent of all retail sales happen in December. You are bombarded with this stuff – money will make you happy, and keeping up with the Joneses. Obviously that stuff doesn’t make you happy, otherwise there wouldn’t be all these unhappy rich people. They’d all be happy in their jacuzzis and OK, some of them are.”
Emma Stone
Emma doesn’t feel any happier with more money and believes her parents taught her well: ”It doesn’t buy you love or happiness – my parents taught me that. My father worked so hard for so long to get me where I am. My parents have never acted in their lives. They’re both afraid of public speaking but they’re amazing. They said, ‘We can’t imagine why you want to act but we understand you want to.”’
Hulk Hogan
Hulk blew his fortune and realized you don’t need all of the cash: “(I lost) hundreds of millions. There were houses being bought, cars being bought, vacations for family members… There were eight, nine, 10, 11 of them moving into our house. They (financial troubles) are getting better. I’m living in a rental house. I’m not living in abundance. But I’m happy now. (Money) helps get through the day, it helps make things easier, but it is nothing to do with being happy.”
Justin Timberlake
Although Justin believes money can help find happiness, it isn’t what will actually bring happiness: “I will say that I’m pretty frugal. I’ll probably shop for clothes for myself once a year, and that will last me for the rest of the year. What was it that Prince said, ‘Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can help pay for the pursuit. It’s nice to have places in Los Angeles and New York. I spend enough time in both that’s it’s nice to have a home. But I don’t need them.”
Kimberly Wyatt
After quitting ‘The Pussycat Dolls’, Kimberly says she couldn’t make the decision based on money: “Money and fame can’t buy happiness. Ultimately, once I started to get to know myself more and more I was like, ‘You know, I don’t think that my happiness is within this group right now.’ I wish that it was different because I love being a Doll, but as far as the variables off-stage are concerned – I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
