What can I do to improve my financial situation? What makes you happy?

Lately I&#39;ve been thinking about money...what I want to buy, what I want to save.&nbsp; I have elaborate plans to pay off my (itty bitty) credit card debt, (moderate) car loan and (intimidatingly massive) school loan.&nbsp;&nbsp;I have elaborate plans to build up a Suze Orman approved 8-month emergency fund (that one takes about 8 years!).&nbsp; I also have elaborate plans to take grand vacations and fill my new apartment with lovely, beautiful things.&nbsp; <br><br>So, over the weekend, I kept asking myself, &quot;what can I do to improve my financial situation?&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;I work two jobs.&nbsp; I share expenses with a roommate.&nbsp; I track what I spend and the simple act of writing it down keeps me accountable and makes me less likely to spend money on things I don&#39;t need or really want.&nbsp; I have investments.&nbsp; I contribute to&nbsp;my 401(k).<br><br>Yesterday I realized&nbsp; - yes, it took me a few days to realize this - that someone in my situation might consider finding a new job.&nbsp; Although I just got a decent raise, I don&#39;t make very much money, especially when compared to the salary I had last year.&nbsp; That&#39;s why I work 2 jobs and that&#39;s why I worry about money.&nbsp;&nbsp;I didn&#39;t think about it though, because I love my job.&nbsp;&nbsp;I love the people I work with.&nbsp; I love the location and environment.&nbsp; I even love my second job.&nbsp; <br><br>When I realized that, I realized the real question I should be asking myself is, &quot;what makes me happy?&quot;&nbsp; The happiness of loving my job and where I am in my life even&nbsp;is well worth the minimal stress I deal with every now and then when I start worrying about money.&nbsp; <br><br>Money doesn&#39;t make me happy.&nbsp;&nbsp;That high-paying job I had last year made me so miserable I left voluntarily and made do without any source of income for months.&nbsp; I&#39;m not so naive to think I don&#39;t need money.&nbsp; It&#39;s a necessary evil.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now when I think about money I think I&#39;m going to try to put it in that context.<br><br>What&nbsp;makes you happy?&nbsp; How do you balance your financial needs with your emotional needs?&nbsp; And, okay, I still want to know...what CAN I do to improve my financial situation, but still be happy and remain true to myself?