Decorating on a budget

I've found that the ideal way to decorate a living space on a budget is to just not do so at all.

However, blank walls are sad and a pile of books does not a bookshelf make. So I've been looking around, trying to get creative. I invested in a $3 piece of gallery-worthy (or is that galley-worthy) artwork from Goodwill, and bought the finest particle-board covered in a wood-like sticker that you piece together to form a bookshelf that $15 could buy. I keep my eye on Craigslist for whatever jewels may come up, and have considered even getting crafty and trying to create something myself, but my lack of artistic ability always steers me clear. I put off decorating to make food. I make a lot of food. From the portions of food I make, you'd think I was cooking for 12 and not two.

I am open to suggestions on cheap (or FREE) decorating. As much as I enjoy beige walls, they're a little too reminiscent of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" with nothing to adorn them.