The following essay is an extension from the article in the telegram channel @IELTSIndia.

This post contains an article with many expressions and phrases. It is not indicative of how to write an IELTS response, it only to give the reader an idea of how these expressions and phrases  ought to be used. 

Can money bring happiness? What are the factors for happiness?

For many, life is all about money. They spend a lot of time either thinking about it or figuring out ways to earn it. In this essay, I aim to look at whether people can buy happiness. 

People want money for several things. The wants and needs range from buying the latest gadget to helping a loved get out of some difficulty. Money, for most people, has become the means for achieving happiness. But the question is whether it’s really essential to save $1 million for our retirement. 

There are a lot of people who have eschewed lucrative career paths to do what they really enjoy doing. And they live happy, fulfilling and contended lives. These people are living proof that chasing and spending money are not the keys to happiness. 

Sometimes, things that money cannot buy are the ones that bring happiness. Being able to spend time with family, walking alone on a beach or learning how to knit a sweater after several years or trying can all bring untold joy. For example, for someone who loves to learn, taking up a new field of study could be the path to happiness. 

Being rich can help you get things but might not let you be happy. There are millions of families that are not rich, but they are comfortable, and happy. These families often assert that money is not the reason behind their happiness or sadness.

Eventually, it is all about who you are. If one’s happiness rests in material things, money can make them happy. If not, then, no matter how much you spend, money cannot make you smile.