Five O'clock Tea Speaking Club
Can Money Buy Happiness?
start
AlexSpanglish
Name 3
Name 3 things you spent money on this month that made you happy.
Name 3 things that made you happy without spending money.
AlexSpanglish
Discuss
What’s the accepted wisdom (common belief) in your country about money and happiness? Is there a “happiness threshold” in your society – a point where more money doesn’t matter? Do you believe rich people hit a plateau in happiness - a point where no further progress is made? Why / why not? To be happy, it's enough to have enough money. How much money is "enough"? What does it depend on?
AlexSpanglish
Unpopular Opinions
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Saving too much money can make you less happy because...
Money can buy happiness — if...
Frugality is overrated because...
you spend it on the right things.
you miss out on experiences while “tightening your belt” forever
occasional splurges are better for your mental health.
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Not having material possessions doesn’t mean someone is poor because...
Being rich doesn’t guarantee...
Debt isn’t always bad because...
it can open doors to opportunities (education, business, travel).
freedom — sometimes it traps you in the rat race.
they might be investing in experiences, knowledge, or relationships, which can bring more long-term happiness than things.
Word Lottery
Do you feel more at peace when you have a financial cushion, or do you prefer to live more spontaneously?
Do you prefer to splurge on experiences or things? Why?
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
To splurge on
Financial cushion
Subtitle
Subtitle
Would you describe yourself as frugal, or do you enjoy spending freely when you can?
How does a person who struggles to make ends meet feel? What strategies might help?
Have you ever had to tighten your belt? How did it feel?
Title
Title
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Tighten your belt
Frugal
Make ends meet
Subtitle
Subtitle
Subtitle
What’s something you’ve spent money on that really moved the happiness needle for you?
When was the last time you went on a spending spree, and what did you buy?
Title
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Move the happiness needle
Go on a spending spree
Subtitle
Subtitle
AlexSpanglish
Can you relate?
- I try to be frugal when it comes to buying clothes, but I don’t mind spending on travel.
- Having a small financial cushion makes me feel safer when unexpected expenses come up.
- After finishing a big project, I go on a little spending spree and buy something as a treat.
- For me, buying the newest phone doesn’t really move the happiness needle, but a weekend trip with friends does.
- When I bought a flat, I had to tighten my belt to make ends meet.
- When I was a student, I had two part-time jobs just to make ends meet.
- The accepted wisdom is that money can’t buy happiness — maybe it's true, but I believe that without money there is no happiness.
Debate
Money can buy happiness
Money can't buy happiness
Vocabulary: accepted wisdom, move the needle, financial cushion, make ends meet, splurge on, tighten one’s belt, go on a spending spree, frugal
Glossary
Tighten one’s belt - to reduce spending because of limited money. Frugality - carefulness with money; avoiding unnecessary spending. Splurge - spending a lot of money on something you don’t really need, as a treat. Be trapped in the rat race - to be caught in a repetitive, unfulfilling, and exhausting cycle of work and competition for money and status
Can Money Buy Happiness?
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Transcript
Five O'clock Tea Speaking Club
Can Money Buy Happiness?
start
AlexSpanglish
Name 3
Name 3 things you spent money on this month that made you happy.
Name 3 things that made you happy without spending money.
AlexSpanglish
Discuss
What’s the accepted wisdom (common belief) in your country about money and happiness? Is there a “happiness threshold” in your society – a point where more money doesn’t matter? Do you believe rich people hit a plateau in happiness - a point where no further progress is made? Why / why not? To be happy, it's enough to have enough money. How much money is "enough"? What does it depend on?
AlexSpanglish
Unpopular Opinions
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Saving too much money can make you less happy because...
Money can buy happiness — if...
Frugality is overrated because...
you spend it on the right things.
you miss out on experiences while “tightening your belt” forever
occasional splurges are better for your mental health.
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly agree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Mostly disagree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally agree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Totally disagree
Not having material possessions doesn’t mean someone is poor because...
Being rich doesn’t guarantee...
Debt isn’t always bad because...
it can open doors to opportunities (education, business, travel).
freedom — sometimes it traps you in the rat race.
they might be investing in experiences, knowledge, or relationships, which can bring more long-term happiness than things.
Word Lottery
Do you feel more at peace when you have a financial cushion, or do you prefer to live more spontaneously?
Do you prefer to splurge on experiences or things? Why?
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
To splurge on
Financial cushion
Subtitle
Subtitle
Would you describe yourself as frugal, or do you enjoy spending freely when you can?
How does a person who struggles to make ends meet feel? What strategies might help?
Have you ever had to tighten your belt? How did it feel?
Title
Title
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Tighten your belt
Frugal
Make ends meet
Subtitle
Subtitle
Subtitle
What’s something you’ve spent money on that really moved the happiness needle for you?
When was the last time you went on a spending spree, and what did you buy?
Title
Title
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Use this side to give more information about a topic.
Move the happiness needle
Go on a spending spree
Subtitle
Subtitle
AlexSpanglish
Can you relate?
Debate
Money can buy happiness
Money can't buy happiness
Vocabulary: accepted wisdom, move the needle, financial cushion, make ends meet, splurge on, tighten one’s belt, go on a spending spree, frugal
Glossary
Tighten one’s belt - to reduce spending because of limited money. Frugality - carefulness with money; avoiding unnecessary spending. Splurge - spending a lot of money on something you don’t really need, as a treat. Be trapped in the rat race - to be caught in a repetitive, unfulfilling, and exhausting cycle of work and competition for money and status