Money isn't everything, but we live in a society where you need it to get anything.

Money doesn't buy happiness, but good fucking luck being happy when people will merrily let you starve if you don't give them money.

Now, what does buy happiness and is basically everything? Other people, social interaction, having support networks.
Knowing everyone in your neighbourhood and supporting each other if you need help is an extremely cheap way to give each other a baseline of happiness and make life feel more whole.