More Magazine's Editor-In-Chief Linda Lewis came on the show to prove to us why we don't need to be loaded to be happy!

While shrinking retirement funds, job losses, and a general sense of financial malaise may be setting in, remember that the good things in life are often free!

Watch this segment in Episode 121.

Cheap ways to brighten your day:

1. Restring your social web
As a 2006 Forbes article points out, social connections make people happier than money. Take the time you might have spent shopping and get back in touch with a long-lost friend.

2. Host a potluck
Rather than hosting an evening out at a restaurant or driving yourself crazy with all the details and expense of a formal dinner party, go retro and throw a potluck. Also, try to set a theme: sandwiches, brunch dishes, or "anything containing chocolate."

3. Take a hike
Exercise endorphins can come pretty cheaply if you go out for a walk or a jog. Plus, you can add to your happiness factor by selecting a new route. Just be sure that if your route takes you through the local fashion district that you restrict yourself to window-shopping.

4. Clear out a corner
Yes, our surroundings influence our mood. Renovations and redecorating may be one of the first things to come off your budget. But that doesn't mean you can't renew your space on a dime. Take a corner of your bedroom, home office, or sunroom, and clear it out. Then walk through your house and select a few favourite or inspirational items.

5. Just say no
Obligations can weigh heavily on our time and eat into our sense of well-being. Having control over one's time, even time to do nothing, can be a source of happiness. So practice the art of the gentle refusal. This means even at work.

Five more ways to be happy:

1. Remix your collection
Now's the time to truly appreciate what you already have. What better place to start than your music collection? If you haven't already used iTunes or similar software to build your digital collection, go for it. You're likely to rediscover some old favourites and even get up and dance.

2. Savour the stars
Happiness can come from savouring the moment. When's the last time you really enjoyed simply looking at the stars? Plan a night under the blankets out at a local park with a thermos of hot chocolate. Bring along your partner for an even cozier event.

3. You complete me
The satisfaction of a job well done is definitely one of nature's highs. So drag out that half done craft project, or if you're one of those people who doesn't have unfinished projects, ask around to help others.

4. Attitude shift
Create a gratitude book (a notebook or scrapbook) where you add thoughts, memories, clippings, photos, or anything else that relates to moments in your life where you experienced peace, love, joy, and or accomplishment. Putting some of those things together in one place can make you feel richer.

5. Be a borrower
Check out your local library and community centres for some of the best free entertainment around. It's not just books; you can rent new or classic DVDs, attend lectures, and browse the bulletin board for other local events. Check out the local Freecycle list to trade books, clothes, project supplies, DVDs, recipes, wine, or other things you might otherwise have purchased.