Heather Wagner - Happiness on $10 a Day: A Recession-Proof Guide

Happiness. Were all desperate to get there, but its not a journey with crisply illuminated road signs. As with Mapquest, the more closely you stick to the written directions, the farther you end up from where you want to go.

Expectations are the roadblocks to happiness, the orange construction barrels that hinder your journey. Think of the hotly anticipated vacation that falls apart: the bedbugs, the sunburn, the arguing over pay-per-view. You look back at those early, optimistic drinks at the airport and think, That was the best part of the trip! And you are right.

So consider this book a tour guide for the detours and often-overlooked backroads of lifes most desirable and yet most elusive destination. It doesnt have to be a costly journey; youll see that life can be fully explored and enjoyed without extravagance or, in some cases, without even leaving your bed. With just ten dollars a day (sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less), you can find happiness in places both surprising and obvious. Consider this your license to indulge, a commandment to stop and smell the ros, an instructional guide for seizing the momentsmajor and minorthat bring you an unambiguous rush of well-being, without breaking the bank.

And since very few people find happiness in an overlong introduction, with that said, lets get on with the book. Happy travels!

The Author

Everybody loves a shortcut, so here is a handy happiness icon system for quick happiness hunting:

A Time for Personal Reflection and Musing

Amass Secrets as Social Capital

Be a Role Model

Be Amish for a Day

Benching

Buy Local

Climb a Tree

Find Someone Elses Religion

Get Back to Nature, the Lazy Way

Give BloodGet Cookies

Look Mysterious at a Caf

Master the Cool Sports

Say Goodbye to Guilt

Serve Up a Bowl of Perspective

Standing Room Only

Turn Back TimeOn a Dime

Walk a Quarter Marathon

Artistic Expression May Occur

Adventures in Amateur Hacking

Be a Role Model

Be a Snack Sommelier

Be Amish for a Day

Bring Back Game Night

Channel Your Inner Webster

Freelance Babysitting

Give the Gift of Someone Elses Love

Give Your Electronics a New Look

Stalk Your Successful Friends Online Presence

Start Your Own Dating Service

Throw Yourself a Shower

Write a Love Letter

Boozy Fun

Amateur Mixology

Baby Animals and Bellinis

Barstool Cuisine

Be a Charming Houseguest

Be a Crappy Bar Bands Biggest Fan

Be a Snack Sommelier

Bring Back Game Night

Buy Local

Celebrate Obscure Holidays

Cheap Wine Tasting Party

Divorce Party!

Fake First Class

Four-Star Food, Two-Star Prices

The Green Faerie

Group Party Crashing

Helsinki? Hell, Yes!

Ingratiate Yourself with a Kick-Ass Host Gift

Its Special Occasion Wine Time!

Know Thy Local Strip Club

Look Mysterious at a Caf

Make Every Night Ladies Night

The Minibar

Mix 80s Sitcoms with Legal Opiates

Private Jet-iquette

Pub Crawl Pyramid Scheme

Rediscover College Bars

Sabotage-and-Soda Happy Hour

Seasonal Delights That You Should Never, Ever, Deny Yourself No Matter What

Sex Tape Screening

Spring for the Directors Cut

Start Something

Stretch the Dollar

Think Like a Parisian Socialite

Tip and Overtip

TV/Cult Classic Movie Club

Get Crafty!

Amateur Mixology

Be a Snack Sommelier

Bring Brownies to the Fire Station

Brown Bag It

Deconstructing Black Tie

The Devil Wears Mayo

Fake First Class

Give the Gift of Someone Elses Love

Give Your Electronics a New Look

Go to Starbucks Rehab

Home-Cure Your Hangover

Make Ice Matter

Opulent Office Snacks

Puppy and Kitty Luxury, Too

Seasonal Delights That You Should Never, Ever, Deny Yourself No Matter What

Throw Yourself a Shower

Turn Back TimeOn a Dime

Underground Hair Party

You Just Might Get Lucky

Adventures in Wigs, Facial Hair, and Other Disguises

Bring Brownies to the Fire Station

Cheap Wine Tasting Party

Compassionate Commuting

Give a Stranger a Compliment

Give the Gift of Someone Elses Love

Give Yourself a Hand

Helsinki? Hell, Yes!

Hug It Out

Its Special Occasion Wine Time!

Just Do It: Sex!

Let There Be Chocolate

Look Hotter Than Your Ex

Look Mysterious at a Caf

Private Jet-iquette

Rediscover College Bars

Send Yourself Flowers

Start Something

Start Your Own Dating Service

Stretch the Dollar

Think Like a Parisian Socialite

Underwear, Outer Confidence

Write a Love Letter

Hilarity Is Assured

Adventures in Amateur Hacking

Amateur Mixology

Barstool Cuisine

Be a Charming Houseguest

Be a Happy Epicure

The Best Lemonade Recipe Ever

Bring Back Game Night

Cheap Wine Tasting Party

Compassionate Commuting

Deconstructing Black Tie

DIY Karaoke

Fake First Class

Focus on Imperfections (But Not Your Own)

Freelance Babysitting

Give the Gift of Someone Elses Love

The Green Faerie

Helsinki? Hell, Yes!

Host a Pot Luck

Hug It Out

Laughing Matters

Make Ice Matter

Opulent Office Snacks

Pigs in a Blanket

Pub Crawl Pyramid Scheme

Rediscover College Bars

Sabotage-and-Soda Happy Hour

Seasonal Delights That You Should Never, Ever, Deny Yourself No Matter What

Sex Tape Screening

Spying, Snooping, and Other Reality Shows

Stalk Your Successful Friends Online Presence

Steal That Joke

Stretch the Dollar

Swimmin Holes

Think Like a Parisian Socialite

Throw Yourself a Shower

TV/Cult Classic Movie Club

Urban Hiking

Watch Karma Happen

This Activity Rocks So Hard!

Be a Crappy Bar Bands Biggest Fan

Celebrate Obscure Holidays

DIY Karaoke

Helsinki? Hell, Yes!

Host a Pot Luck

Just Do It: Sex!

Master the Cool Sports

Pub Crawl Pyramid Scheme

Rediscover College Bars

Seasonal Delights That You Should Never, Ever, Deny Yourself No Matter What

Spring for the Directors Cut

Start Something

Steal That Joke

Test-Drive Your Dream Car

Watch Karma Happen

Acting Skills Necessary

Adventures in Wigs, Facial Hair, and Other Disguises