Liven up any occasion or take the boredom out of everyday life with easy pranks that will give new meaning to good-natured fun.

Everyone loves to laugh, and a good, well-planned, appropriately timed prank can bring a smile to the face of a friend, a chuckle from a co-worker, or a 'you got me' look of astonishment from an unsuspecting family member.

Pranks are a great way to break up workplace monotony or give some excitement to a long school day. They can spice up a bachelor party or add some silliness to a sleepover. Simple, easy pranks can help create a fun environment, start good-natured rivalries, and ease uncomfortable situations. And, some of the best practical jokes will build memories without costing you a cent.

Remember, though, that the key to a truly successful prank is to choose one that your victim will appreciate. Everyone has a different sense of humor, and you don't want to lose a friend or make someone angry. A joke is only funny if the person can receive it in the spirit it was intended. If you want to create a laugh at the expense of someone else, make sure that your victim doesn't mind paying the price, otherwise, you may do more harm than good.

So, if you are feeling a little mischievous, put on your creative prank cap and devise a fun plan that will add some hilarity to your day.

Hide several alarm clocks in your victim's bedroom, all set to go off at different times. In their sleep-depraved state, they will search for the annoying sound, disarm it, and stumble groggily back to bed just in time for the next alarm to ring.

Do you have someone in your life who takes pride in their tough guy image? You know the type ñ member of the wrestling team, weightlifting champion, someone who would never be caught dead wearing pink or holding his girlfriend's purse. Why not try attaching some girly stickers to their car? Or wait until they fall asleep, carefully apply some makeup, lay some girl's clothing across their body, and document the whole thing with some incriminating pictures. Hang the photos around the dorm, school, or workplace, or even post them on a social networking site.

Tie a sleeping person's legs to a stool and then mercilessly tickle their feet, or put dog food on their face and call your pet in to wake them from their slumber.

Put hot sauce in a tomato sauce bottle, fill a sugar bowl with salt, or add bubble bath to the cistern of a toilet and listen for the response when your friend is watching a mountain of suds erupt upon flushing.

Do you know someone who is always losing their keys, eyeglasses, or some other important item? Hide this item somewhere, and then send them on a wild goose chase, leaving cryptic notes or clues along the way. Replace someone's shoes with the same pair in a smaller size and watch while they try to put them on, puzzled over the fact that their feet have apparently grown (or the shoes have shrunk) overnight.

Place a fake rat on someone's pillow, change the clocks so they arrive at work two hours earlier than necessary, or glue their desk drawer shut.

Really, the ideas are limited only by your imagination and sense of humor. Pranks do not have to be elaborate or expensive, they just have to take into consideration the recipient and the situation. With some creativity, you can come up with funny ways to build memories and create a little laughter, which, after all, really is life's best