In a recent column, "What Do You Need To Be Happy?" I reported that even though most people believe that greater wealth would make their lives happier, studies indicate that once our basic needs are met, more money will not make us any happier.

In that column, I asked you to weigh in on this subject: In your heart, do you believe that more money would make you happier? I promised to compile any responses I received in a future column.

I hoped for a handful of responses, at least enough to create a follow-up column. I got that in spades! At last count, 968 of you had responded. Your responses were all over the map! More than a few readers don't buy the research, believing that for them, more money would mean more happiness. Others confirmed it to be true, citing example after example of how more money requires greater responsibility and even more stress. Still others shared heartwarming accounts of how health crises and family tragedies became catalysts to teach true contentment in the presence of extreme challenges.

Space does not permit me to give you more than just a tiny peek into the mailbag. Here are a few of your responses, selected randomly:

If I were financially secure, could pay my monthly expenses comfortably, and had the money to do the things I enjoy in life, my life would be perfect. For me, money equals happiness. — Meryl G., e-mail

Happiness is a choice I make daily. I choose to be happy or sad. Things don't make me happy; relationships do. Having someone to love, someone to love me, something to look forward to, and something to do daily is helpful. Having faith that no matter what happens in life, either God will shield me from it or give me the strength to bear it; that keeps me happy. Life is good. — Phyllis H., Virginia

Yes, money can buy happiness if you know what you want and you save for it. I sacrificed and saved my entire working life to buy a house on the water. I get tremendous pleasure, comfort and satisfaction every day living in this beautiful place. — Brenda L., Maryland

When people say that they want greater wealth, they are saying that they want security. Greater wealth for those who cannot manage their assets only leads to greater obligations that cannot be satisfied. — John B., e-mail

My husband and I recently received more money than we ever have had. We were able to pay off all our debt, share with our four daughters, and have some left over to invest in our future. We received the money because our son Pfc. David Kirkpatrick was killed in Fallujah, Iraq. Money came with a whole new meaning for us. The most important things in life are God, family and friends. We would give everything we have to get our son back home with us. — Rhonda K., Indiana

Mary Hunt is the founder of DebtProofLiving.com and author of 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living." You can e-mail her at [email protected], or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.