Are the best things in life free?

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Many great things are free…. but are they really without a cost? This question is incredibly open as there are many ways to interpret it. At first I thought this question was only about money but after a while I understood that ”free” could also mean without a loss, technically that is not possible! While many things seem free they always has a catch. Here is an example:

  1. ”You meet up with your friends to calm yourself down before an important exam or meeting”- While this was ”free”(in a certain angle), one could argue that the time that you wasted meeting up with your friends could have been used in a more productive way like preparing for the thing you were nervous about.

This is a very depressing way to look at this, however you can also look at it as ”anything is worth it if you are happy” which can be equal or even displace a ”free” activity.

I believe that free things are extremely important and valuable, not only are they fun but they also relieve stress and help are personal well being. Many people have different things they like whether its: looking at gardens in the local park, going to famous sites or trying on every perfume at boots (which I have not done. 😉 wink! ). To me ”free” is equivalent to something worth your time (fun) not necessarily at no cost.

These are a few things that I like to do for ”free”:

  1. Go to the dog park and look at interesting people walking by
  2. scrapbook
  3. look at old photo albums
  4.  building a fort (yes you can do it at any age)
  5. volunteer ( I do it in the RSPCA)
  6. Meet up with friends
  7. explore Wikipedia
  8. Go to free events nearby where the center is the community

This is a quote that I am very fond of, even though it doesn’t apply to everybody!

”The best things in life are free. The second-best things are very, very expensive.” -COCO CHANEL

Please tell me in the comment section what free things you enjoy and what your opinion is about the initial question.

If you want me to answer any particular philosophy or debate related questions on this blog please email me or leave it in the comment section as I love getting new questions. THANK YOU!

35 thoughts on “Are the best things in life free?”

  1. ”The best things in life are free. The second-best things are very, very expensive.” -COCO CHANEL Have always loved this quote 🙂 Coco certainly knew how to say things with both style and eloquence.

    Sadly nothing in life is free to one degree, a bit like the ying and the yang, you cannot have one without the other. But that is ONLY one viewpoint, and of course as you write here, everything is about reflection and interpretation.

    How we reflect upon the interpretation itself as to what is free and what costs us that very freedom – which mostly is time. So then we must ask ourselves is it time well spent? In your example of the student who met with friends before an exam, this was time well spent, as it would both serve the worry and anxiety of the impending trial of knowledge that was coming up. Given the choice of even more study and taking time out with friends to ease my overworked studious mind, l would take the former. A laugh before the gruel would be well received, whereas the further study would make me feel even more anxious.

    Sam Cooke sums up the answers to your question for me – great post 🙂

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      1. Sam Cooke’s great, and now since posting my response to you and linking him, l am listening to free music on YouTube from Sam 🙂

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  2. Pingback: Are the best things in life free? – Philosophy journey – A Guy Called Bloke

  5. I agree that maybe we shouldn’t always associate “free” with monetary things. Time is definitely a commodity. With that said, the things I enjoy that don’t cost money are going to the beach, blogging, writing, in general, talking to my sister, husband, children, and good friends, and being by myself sometimes.

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  6. Going on a long, meandering walk. Especially on a cool, crisp day—which it absolutely is NOT here in Houston, TX. It’s doesn’t have to be a quiet walk in the woods, though, that’s nice, too. Actually, a walk in a crowded urban area is fun. Get lost in the masses. The urban setting is great for a photo walk.

    So, yeah. My “free” thing is taking a walk. As long as I’m not going to catch a heat stroke doing so, that is.

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  7. Absolutely they are free! My favorite things in life are long walks, especially in nature. Listening to music. Spending time with dear friends and loved ones. Writing and Reading. Yet, I think many of us writers are biased because most of us are quite introverted. That’s how I love it anyways 😀 Interesting post and I look forward to seeing more from you.

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  8. In the spirit of the original saying, that the best things in life are free, I think that replies to money, so I agree. But in a broader sense, to achieve the best things often takes a lot of work or time. Some of my favorite best things are long walks with the dog (paid for with time), a story well-written (paid for with a lot of brain work), and a lovely botanical garden (paid for with a lot of physical work). Good post!

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  9. Affirmative, all the things which are most precious are bestowed by Mother Nature free; air, water, sun; without which our survival and existence cannot be there. This are the bounties which are free. Your write-up is really impressive.

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  13. Hmm.. depends on what you value I guess. For me no.. not free. I work vary hard so I can enjoy things that are free but is the hard work that allows you to enjoy them not a cost? I love to feel a cool fall breeze apon my face.. that is free. But could I enjoy it if I was starving and didnt know where I would sleep that night? I don’t think I would. I think what is wonderful for me now would be a hated harbinger of shivering nights. So take a moment and think.. really think about the best things in your life.. are they really free? Or have you worked hard to get to the point where you can enjoy them.

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  14. My personal free thing is drawing and painting. Well, I need some supplies, frequently only pencil and paper, but it is the best relaxation ever.
    My second thing is garden which I always start from scratch and seeds. I move very often, so, I have large container garden. I take my plants with me. Sitting out there, in the middle of all blooming and growing is fantastic. The added bonus is chemical-free food, natural probiotics and natural vitamins. Nothing compares to taste of veggies which you have grown yourself. It is like day and night when compared to grocery store vegetables.
    The third thing is not completely free, but it is also one of the best: designing outfits and sewing them. I sometimes use second-hand materials and create something wonderful.
    I mean, my free thing is being creative and supporting myself a lot.
    Thank you for a great article! It provokes thought and action.

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  15. I don’t know if the best things in life are free, but certainly many good things are, as others have noted in earlier comments. Many of those good things require one’s time to recognize and appreciate. This reminds me of the saying “Good, fast, cheap — pick two!” I guess one could substitute “free” for “cheap.”

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  17. Thinking, snuggling, more than snuggling ;), writing poetry, checking in with my cancer tribe on line (there’s always support on the other side of the screen, raising funds for the Relay for the Cure, learning to draw (my most recent free time craft obsession), going into the small towns and following a historic walk, visiting cemeteries, petting and playing within my cat, and meditation. I think there’s so many magical things that cost nothing monetarily or next to nothing it makes me smile and feel gratitude for all those mind enriching and soul expanding exercises, not to mention yoga and qigong.

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      1. Hobbies when forced into early retirement by terminal illness are essential to sanity. My hobbies turned into ways to help get my medical bills paid in some cases, but not the snuggling, writing, or cat petting hobbies…yet anyway 😉

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