The best things in life are free (2026)

If things life are free is on your radar, this short guide cuts through the noise. Here is what is worth knowing, and how to put it to work today.

Key Takeaways

• Advertisement Here at Team Clark headquarters, we have so much to be thankful for.
• We want to pause for a moment in the midst of writing up holiday shopping deals and protecting you from the latest scams to share a round-up...
• Team Clark Howard’s gratitude list Family time Having some down time with family is all some of us want this holiday season.

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Here at Team Clark headquarters, we have so much to be thankful for. We want to pause for a moment in the midst of writing up holiday shopping deals and protecting you from the latest scams to share a round-up of our favorite things in life that are free.

Team Clark Howard’s gratitude list

Family time Having some down time with family is all some of us want this holiday season. Precious moments with those we love are enough to fill our hearts with joy. Christa from our crew loves to take time to just hang out with her kids, cook, and watch football. Hopefully you don’t have to spend big bucks traveling this week to see your family!

Friendsgiving For some of us, spending time with friends is even more fun and less stressful than going to our aunt’s house. For whatever reason we can’t or aren’t spending time with family over the holidays, excellent friends can fill the hole and make our spirits bright. One person on our team gets to have one Thanksgiving meal with family and one with friends, and he or she may (cough cough) enjoy the friends event more.

Potluck meals Sharing the load make things simple, inexpensive and interesting! Whether you are eating with friends or family, if everyone pitches in and brings something, you will have a excellent variety of foods and each person has a chance to shine. An added bonus? Your gluten-free vegan relative can bring her roasted garlic mashed cauliflower faux potato dish and you can skip it try it with an open mind.

Game nights Holiday traditions can be wonderful, and playing games as a family or group is one way numerous of us choose to spend our time together. One of our team members recalls, “I would always go over to my friend’s house on Thanksgiving after my family was done eating. This wonderful family had some of the liveliest games of Charades I have ever played! We had a blast and it cost us nothing.”  Check out this list of free party games you can play.

Basic necessities Sometimes we forget how lucky we are. We have clean water, working toilets, health care, a roof over our heads, and much more. If we are having a rough day, we can always remember that we are so much better off than much of the world. Even if we don’t have a lot of money, hopefully we find our treasure in other things.

Giving back One of the best ways to feel excellent is to give to others. One of our team members has no family nearby, so she volunteers with her church to cook holiday meals for people in need. She says it has made her happier than she could have imagined. 

Clark Howard When people find out that we work with Clark, they typically ask us two questions: “Is he really that affordable?” and “Is he really that nice?” The answer to both questions is yes! However, we always follow up by saying that he is truly the most generous person any of us has ever known. From his work with Habitat for Humanity, to all of his numerous other charitable endeavors, Clark never stops giving his time and opening his wallet for others. He is incredibly generous with his staff, and we consider ourselves truly fortunate to work with such a wonderful person. He is the real deal!

You We have a true community at Clark.com and on social media that has embraced the concept of empowerment and helping others. From our message board moderators to our frequent posters on our Facebook Page, we see how numerous of you are taking time to help others learn how to “save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off.” Thank you for reading the content on the website, listening to the radio show and podcast, watching our videos, and coming back time and time again to learn more. We’ve dedicated our lives and careers to empowering and teaching others, and as our loyal audience, you are helping us achieve those goals , and we are very grateful!

Please take a moment to comment below with your own gratitude list. We promise that Clark and the team will read every single one. Happy Thanksgiving to YOU and your family from each of us and our entire Team Clark Howard family!

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Christa, Kim, Joel, Alex, Theo, Clara, Charis, Deb, Lori, Sarah, Sue, Grace and Leah.

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Final Thoughts

The bottom line: a little research on things life are free goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.

Originally published at clark.com.