From great deals on shopping to admission-free entertainment, there are more than a few reasons to rejoice about these recessionary times. Read on for our Top Ten list of why you should still cheer up in this down economy.

Feeling the financial strain on your wallet, but still need a few drinks to de-stress? Well, good news! Long gone are the days when you must rush out of the office to make it in time for dirt-cheap deals at Happy Hour and Open Bar Nights. Bar, restaurant, and club owners are starting to realize that loyal customers from the past are not as apt to come around and drop as much cash as they used to. Lucky you, Happy Hours have been extended as a result and Open Bar Nights more frequent.

We almost hasten to include this on the list because it’s so obvious. Yet, it seems that consumers are staying away from the malls with apparently no idea about these great deals.

Swing by your neighborhood mall and you’ll find promotions aplenty. Once long awaited-for markdowns on new releases are posted before the merchandise is even unpacked by the sales associates. Retail giants such as Victoria Secret and Barnes and Noble are exponentially expanding the frequency of their promotions while more unexpected big names such as Furla and Herve Leger are slashing down their prices.

GetWize: Visit these sites for a taste of these promotions:
Earn up to a $450 gift card from Saks.
“Summer of Savings” at Neiman’s.

With less cash than they’re used to, couples, friends, and family are all getting more creative about how they spend their time together. For most, long gone are the days of casual ski trips, spa getaways, and five-star dinners. Consumers have had to tighten down on their spending, and as a result, are employing more old-fashioned ways to bond.

GetWize: Here are a few examples you might think to use yourself:
- BYOB Game Night: Make it throwback with games like Twister and Clue. Tell people to bring their own booze so the night’s cheap for everyone.
-Home-Cooked Dinner and a Moonlight Walk: Put away the wallet, dust off the mixer, and focus on each other. The night may just end up better than it usually does.
-Treasure Hunt Hiking: Incorporate a few homemade gifts into a search for “treasure” on a day hike in the park. It’s practically free and very thoughtful. Best of all, this can work for family, friends, or couples.

Restaurateurs are feeling the pain in this economy and doing practically whatever it takes to bring in business. Look around and you’ll find that restaurants that you previously avoided (or saved for special occasions) because of their sky-high prices are offering specials to lure you in. On the other price-spectrum of places to grub, cheap eats are offering drink and meal specials as well as lunch promos to drum up some business.

GetWize: Take a look at the websites below for more info about dining out promotions in your hood:
New York: GrubStreet.com.
San Francisco: SF Examiner Recession Dining Guide.
Las Vegas: Chow.com Recession Deals.

For many, getting laid off from a stable job with a stable income has not been a walk in the park. For the pioneering few, being released from their 9-5 (let’s face it, 8-7) white-collar jobs has been a dream come true.

Forced out from traditionally coveted careers such as lawyers, accountants, and other assorted number crunching and reporting, a brave few have ventured out on their own and decided to start a business or enter a career of their dreams. As a result, people are finding that their creative juices are flowing at an awe-inspiring rate. And guess what? We all benefit from that. In the end, who doesn’t love trying out new and cool products and services?

GetWize: Read below for more on the subject:
-“Recession Entrepreneurship”
-“Creative Entrepreneurship in a Downturn”

Nightclub owners are realizing that celebrity-level pricing for bottle service is not exactly acceptable or smart in the current economy. Clubbers and wannabe VIPs rejoice! This means that you can finally afford bottle service for you and your peeps.

GetWize: Enjoy 50% bottle service, free cover charge, and other awesome savings by signing up to favorite clubs’ email lists. Yes, it’s that simple!

High-end designers are finding that $100,000 gowns and $400 pairs of jeans just aren’t selling like they used to. In an attempt to generate more revenues, these designers have decided to tap into the middle-class masses.

Stop by your local Kohl’s, Target, JCPenney’s or Payless Shoe Source for lines by highly-coveted designers you once only dreamed of wearing: Peter Som, Lela Rose, and Vera Wang. After all, you shouldn’t have to wear Depression-colors in this still hopeful economy.

GetWize: Check out these sites for low-cost labels:
-Target’s Designers
-Ralph Lauren’s Low-Priced Line of Everything…
-Pay Less and Wear Designer

As a result of this economy, growing numbers of people are pinching their pennies and helping to sustain the environment along the way. Something as simple as obtaining a water filter and reusable bottle saves you thousands of dollars a year on what you would have spent on bottled beverages. What’s not to celebrate about our newfound frugalities helping to save the earth?

GetWize: Check out Oprah's Guide to Going Green and Saving Money

Feel a smile spreading across that face and a spring in your stride? That’s because you are now an expert in not just surviving, but actually, thriving AND having fun in this down economy.

So get your MetroWize face on and enjoy! Things are starting to look good.