I've myself experienced various levels of poverty, from dire to genteel, and respites of having more than enough money for my needs (which until recently were always quite modest - until vet bills got so high and home repair in the area became catastrophically high) - and poverty causes constant anxiety, shame, sometimes humiliation, can cause self-loathing, and actual suffering and fear. It causes psychological damage, a feeling of helplessness, and an actual inability to meet the demands that society places on everybody. I've experienced dire poverty even while working more than full time, multiple jobs. It's easy to do that in any area where housing consumes 70% of your take-home pay minimum.

When you have enough to pay your bills and save some too, you feel much better. You feel cleaner, that your efforts are rewarded, that your world makes sense, that you are at least somewhat competent. You can fulfill your responsibilities and deal with emergencies.

The absence of suffering for most people causes a feeling of some contentment or at least neutrality. For me, that's not happiness, but I'll take it any time over the feelings that come with poverty.

And I do have real anxiety about how I'm going to manage in the future and I wish I could see some way to retire then, but I don't.

But besides this, money in significant quantities has very significant benefits. It makes money. It has a life and presence of its own. It allows opportunities for interest and investments and returns not available to those with less. You get more things for free and at a discount, on all levels. People send their money and goods your way -- it doesn't flow the opposite. You have power, at least at the local government level . . . and you don't even have to spend your money to exercise it!!! Just having it is enough, for people to bend and scrape and give you exceptions to every rule. When you're rich enough, you don't pay retail -- if you pay at all.

I've known plenty of people over time with really significant family money, and observed also that they faced the world with much more confidence and were more willing to take risks of all kinds, and were involved in more things and successful in their enterprises too. A moody teenager with a trust fund is going to be almost as miserable as anybody else but down at the bottom, there's a safety net and they know it. And it's good. It makes you brave. Sure, some would deliberately cut a hole thru that safety net with drugs, etc. - but they didn't have to, that was voluntary.

I vote for money, definitely. Everyone should have more than enough. Not that I can even begin to plan a way to make that happen. But not being able to take care of your needs and the needs of your family ---- nothing fine or noble about that IMO. Or redemptive.