Money is only good for the happiness it brings you and others. I guess there is the utility of money ... meaning if I were rich and unhappy, at least my money could be making the people I care about happier or be used to aid the causes I believe in. But I only get to do this living thing once, so I would prefer to be happy during my time here.
So in this unrealistic either/or scenario this one is easy for me. Poor and happy.
I mean, most of us were poor when we were in college but those sure were some happy times.