Here’s what happened over the next month:
Maya invited three friends. Each brought a snack. She borrowed a portable projector from the library (free). They projected Clueless onto a white bedsheet hung on her apartment building’s shared rooftop. Cost: $0. Experience: Priceless. They stayed until 1 a.m., laughing under fairy lights she’d bought for $3 at a thrift store.
One Friday, after declining a $75 comedy show invite, Maya sat on her couch feeling left out. She scrolled past influencers sipping champagne in Bali and sighed. "Why does living well have to cost so much?"