Joy is Cheap

I'm not sure how our society — my improvident self included — came to associate cash so inextricably with peace and pleasure, with fun and freedom. But since I can no longer afford it, I asked my friends to help make a list of other things that bring us joy for next to nothin':

• Use what you've already paid for. Got a museum membership? Go there! Inventory your gift cards and have a ball spending those balances down to zero.

• Sex is free, and few other pastimes offer as much (sorry) bang for the buck. When logistics make it impractical, kissing is a great on-the-go substitute.

• Dance in your living room. Or make your own music. "We all grab an instrument," says a mom I know, "and put on a rock show for the dog."

• Try clearing out a jam-packed closet, or the trunk of your car. You get the satisfaction of making order from chaos, plus sifting through junk reminds you that consumption creates clutter, not happiness.

• Play basketball. Play a board game. Toss a Frisbee. Have a water-gun fight. Revel in your remote. "We love to rent our favorite shows and watch them a season at a time," says my sister-in-law. "It's like a really long movie and keeps us entertained for days."

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