At different times in our lives we may be lacking in friends, money, or both. While money is certainly important, you may often find that a friend is much more valuable.

Friends can provide lasting support and help us to endure periods with less money. They may allow us to find happiness in life even though money can rarely do the same. A life flush with money without a friend to enjoy it with doesn’t seem all that desirable. To be rich and lonely seems like a pathetic existence.

What is a friendship worth? Consider the support a friend provides during a tough time. In that sense, you can put a price on the value of a friendship. What amount of money would it take to help you endure a situation alone, without the benefit of a comforting friend? Even in a desperate financial situation, such as a recent layoff, you’ll probably find that the value of a friend remains high. A $10,000 windfall may help you to get by for a few more months, but a friend could provide value for an entire lifetime.

You might conclude that the best situation would be to have friends and money. That certainly seems rational. Then you’d have the resources to do the things you’d like to do and people with which to do them. Unfortunately, that situation can be difficult to achieve. Assuming the alternative is to have one or the other, would you rather have close friends or lots of money?