We live in a world of conspicuous consumption. People make money to buy the things to make us happy enough to make more money to buy more things. Even the penny has value, as much as we treat them as useless; in great quantity, they can buy happiness too! I am equally guilty of it conspicuously consuming, I make no bones about that. I work hard, as does my husband; it took a long time for us to get to a place of comfort—we are not rich, but with a little saving and careful money management we …