Lifehacker

We adults use money-sharing apps like Venmo all the time. Go out to dinner? Settle up with Venmo. Roommate pays the rent? Venmo over your half. Teens, on the other hand, aren’t allowed on Venmo, and while they mostly don’t deal with rent or complicated dinner bills, they spend money, too. Now, Venmo wants your teen to…Read more...

Nice weather means more time spent outside, whether in your yard, on your porch, or out on your apartment or condo balcony. But balconies don’t always offer a lot of privacy, and it can be awkward when your neighbors can easily see into your personal space. Thankfully, there are a handful of ways to easily block…Read more...

If you hate using cords or clunky portable chargers, wireless and magnetic charging may be the way to go. The Speedy Mag Wireless Charger is on sale right now in blue, white, or black for $39.99 (reg. $119.95), and is great for commuters, travelers, or anyone not sitting next to a wall. The charger attaches directly…Read more...

Sometimes, the best way to use your Mac is to not use it at all. Your Mac is capable of powerful automations that can run mundane or repetitive tasks for you, and these nine apps can help free you of that micromanaging so you can get back to whatever you really want to do.

I’m always trying to get people to listen to more podcasts. If you listen to five, I want you listening to eight. If you listen eight, I want that number to be 13. This is my literal job, people.

Standing water that remains on your lawn well after a rainstorm not only limits how you use your yard; it also creates a breeding ground for insects, mold, and algae, attracts rodents, and may kill your grass.

If you have lots of space to cover, weeding can be tedious, time-consuming work, not to mention how hard it can be on your back and knees. There’s a fun tool you can try to banish weeds, though, and it’s actually fun and fast to use: a weed burner.Read more...

Anxiety is hard enough to cope with when you have the life experience to distinguish real threats from imaginary ones. We adults may know that the odds of an alien invasion are super slim, but in your child’s mind, it may feel perfectly plausible.Read more...

It’s 7 a.m., and you’re feeling smug about waking up in time to make breakfast. Your dish of choice? Avocado toast. But then, disaster. You slice into an alligator pear, only to find that it is decidedly unripe and rubbery. What to do? What to do? Besides reaching for another avocado, you have to figure out what to do…Read more...

When we think of fences, materials like lumber, chain-link, stone, brick, and chickenwire tend to come to mind. But what about shrubs and small trees? They can be used to create what’s known as a “living fence,” which is exactly what it sounds like.Read more...

Walk into any hardware, big-box, or craft store, and you’ll find an aisle (or at least part of an aisle) full of different types of adhesives. Having so many options can be overwhelming, and it may be tempting to use super glue for everything, and hope it works. And maybe, so far, it has. But there’s no reason to…Read more...

Not only is Monday, May 29 Memorial Day—widely considered the unofficial start of summer—but Sunday, May 28 is National Hamburger Day. And whether you’re traveling over the long weekend or staying local, you’re going to have to eat at some point. Fortunately, there are plenty of food deals and freebies to choose from…Read more...

A dripping shower head isn’t just annoying: It’s also a waste of water with environmental and financial consequences. There are a number of different issues that could result in a leaking shower head, including some best left to plumbing professionals.Read more...

Inflation be damned: Americans are serious about their summer travel this year, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). In fact, in a recent news release, the organization estimates that 42.3 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this Memorial Day weekend (Thursday, May 25 through…Read more...

It’s never great finding an insect or some other type of pest hanging out in your home, but discovering one residing in your food is especially disgusting. Coming across some ants marching in a line across your kitchen floor is one thing; opening up a container of flour and finding moths, tiny caterpillars, and a…Read more...

For anyone who wants to learn a new language or practice a new skill, Rosetta Stone’s “Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle” may have you covered. Right now you can get permanent access to Rosetta Stone and StackSkills for $170.90 (discounted from $749) with code ROSETTA10.

When you can’t sleep, the clock taunts you. “At least I’m getting seven hours,” you might think as you lie down, but if you’re still awake an hour later, then you’re only getting six hours, and six isn’t a lot. And if you’re still not tired, then it’s going to be less than six, and eventually you’re just lying in bed…Read more...

Homeowner’s insurance is a recommended (and if you have a mortgage, required) investment in the security of your home. While these policies help mitigate significant financial loss in the event of damage or destruction, they don’t cover every single issue in need of replacement or repair. There are situations when it…Read more...

The pressure to get into a good college is strong, but the process doesn’t have to be more expensive than it already it is. You’re already paying application fees, fees to request old transcripts, fees for a standardized test tutor, or fees for who-knows-what else. Before you shell out for a college counselor or…Read more...

If AI is coming for your job, you might as well get something out of the bargain—perhaps musical skills that will aid you in your new life as a subway busker? If you’ve always wanted to learn to play piano but don’t have room in your budget or schedule for a dedicated tutor, you can put one on your screen instead. …Read more...

I’m not a big fan of The Rich, but I have a soft spot for Martha Stewart. Maybe it’s the prison time, her terrible food pics, or her refusal to portray herself as anything other than insanely wealthy (it’s just more honest), but this is one rich lady I will always be charmed by. (That’s mother, as they say.) In…Read more...

Summer break is a glorious, three-month respite, no matter what year of school you’re in or how old you are. However, there’s still work to be done for the upcoming fall semester, and some of it is pretty key to doing well next school year. And they’re timely, too, which means you have to start acting right away if…Read more...

There is something you can do right now that will better your workplace. It takes very little effort, costs nothing, and will not only improve the work of your colleagues but also make them feel good. It will likely make you feel good too. All you have to do is genuinely thank, appreciate, recognize, or acknowledge…Read more...

This week’s 40,000-foot-view of youth features some new slang (which is probably already outdated because I know about it), bad behavior in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and a pop icon coming to the defense of a fan.

From time to time, cannabis enthusiasts may need to travel with their stash for one reason or another, but doing so discreetly and safely can be a challenge.

The next time you find yourself stressed out, whether from work, parenting, or the stresses of everyday life, one technique to try is the butterfly hug. The butterfly hug works by tapping both sides of your chest in an alternating rhythm, which is thought to help your nervous system during moments of stress or…Read more...

Whether you think it’s great for young people who want a bit more independence, or you think this is a terrible idea that will expose them to danger, it’s happening: Teenagers will soon be able to take Uber rides without their parents. Uber unveiled the new policy this week during their annual product showcase, Go-Get…Read more...

People who hate American cheese either do not understand it, or have allowed classism to ruin it for them. I would not serve it on an assiette de fromage, but it is my go-to for burgers, bologna sandwiches, and simple grilled cheeses (especially when paired with tomato soup). It is designed by food scientists to melt…Read more...

Is it worth paying to get a discount? In 2023, it seems just about every retail or grocery store chain has some sort of a rewards-slash-loyalty program that offers you perks in exchange for regularly shopping there. Some of these programs are “free” in the sense that you don’t pay for them (though you might be…Read more...

As a teen and young adult, I drank a lot of full-sugar sodas—Mountain Dew, mostly. One day I decided that I would swap them all out for their diet equivalents, and the resulting loss of calories would mean I’d drop an easy five, maybe ten pounds by the end of the year. I stuck to my promise, and you know how many…Read more...

“Plan ahead” is typically your best piece of advice for ensuring a successful trip to Walt Disney World, but sometimes waiting until the last minute pays off. To the tune of $150 per person, to be exact. If you’re dreaming of a Disney World trip this summer but can’t make the budget work, maybe this will help (a…Read more...

We used to say the internet was written in ink: Anything you did online would stay online forever. These days, however, it’s obvious how wrong that is. Links all over the web no longer go anywhere, YouTube videos disappear for good, and now, Google is ready to keep killing the past, as it plans to delete any Google…Read more...

Pickle fans love taking what is supposed to be an accent—a sour and pungent adornment—and forcing it into a main role. We’ll try any pickled-flavored snack that comes to market, be it a simple potato chip or something more elaborate like these pickle pups (which, full disclosure, weren’t very good). So when I pitched…Read more...

This weekend is Festival Weekend at Live Nation: Tickets to 13 music festivals happening this spring and summer around the U.S. will cost a flat fee of $99 for a one-day pass (not including tax or shipping, but including all fees). The promotion will go from May 19-22, but you should expect some tickets to sell out…Read more...

Even given the ubiquity of legacy sequels in recent years, I didn’t see this one coming: FX on Hulu will soon debut The Full Monty, a series-length revival of the 1997 British comedy about a group of grizzled unemployed steelworkers who turn to stripping to make some extra cash. The film was an unexpected…Read more...

Apple is likely to announce iOS 17 next month, including previously-announced accessibility upgrades like the ability to add your own voice to your iPhone. It’s only May though, so we need to wait a bit longer for Apple’s next big update. Until then, we can dive into the smaller iOS 16.5, which Apple just released to…Read more...

When she decided to show her students Disney’s 2022 movie Strange World, Florida teacher Jenna Barbee says she was unaware the “Parental Rights in Education” bill (derisively dubbed “Don’t Say Gay”), which bars all references to “sexual orientation or gender identity” in classrooms, had been expanded from elementary…Read more...

While you might have done everything right when you put your grill away for winter, there still might be some maintenance to take care of when you pull it back out to cook this summer—much of which you can do yourself. Here are some simple troubleshooting tips to address an igniter that’s not working, work out blower…Read more...

If your co-parenting partner is rigid, can’t stick to an agreement, is manipulative or, worse, puts your child in the middle of a disagreement between the two of you, these are signs they could be a narcissist. Their lack of empathy, constant patronizing, and rigid thoughts and conduct can be nearly impossible to deal…Read more...

Nintendo might have the gaming world’s attention at the moment with Tears of the Kingdom, but there are plenty of other games to be played, guys—and there’s soon to be a whole lot more of them from Sony. We’ll learn about them during next week’s big PlayStation Showcase, and you can watch it too.Read more...

Hype is one thing; bad buzz is another. The word on HBO’s new series The Idol, premiering on HBO and the streaming service formerly known as HBO Max on June 4, has definitely been trending toward the latter. Co-created by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, the fictional music industry exposé stars Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and…Read more...

We all know that food and drinks can go bad. Your refrigerator likely has items right now that were once wholesome food and is now...not wholesome, and no longer food. But one basic component of our lives that might seem immune to that spoilage is water. It’s a pretty fundamental compound, after all, and doesn’t…Read more...

Upgrading your windows for privacy or to reflect light to keep your home cool can get expensive. Changing the shape of windows or the glass type can run into the hundreds per window and window treatments can cost almost as much. In addition to tinting your windows yourself, which you can do to improve energy…Read more...

The sun is out in full force, which means we’re about to see an uptick in spritzes—mostly of the Aperol variety. And while I don’t mind an Aperol spritz, I’ve reached something of a saturation point. Luckily, it’s easy to make a spritz with different a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. I’m not talking about…Read more...

Fns of down-home cooking can relax: Celebrity chef and television personality Ree Drummond is not leaving The Food Network to endorse a brand of keto gummies, despite a convincing looking facsimile of a People Magazine article making the rounds on Facebook and Instagram this week.

The United States can be a cruel place for people with bad or no health insurance: One medical crisis could result in thousands of dollars of debt. But the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the federal government want to help some people avoid having their credit destroyed by medical debt by making sure…Read more...

It’s been a rough 2023 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania disappointing financially, critically, and in pretty much every other way, and even the long-delayed Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 opening to lower box office than its predecessor. But the franchise machine can hardly…Read more...

When you look up how to clean them something, you inevitably find that you’re instructed to use cold or hot water. But really, what’s the difference?

If you cook with charcoal, you need a charcoal chimney. It’s not that you can’t get your coals hot without one, but using one really speeds up the process, and ensures your coals are consistently scorching every time. Even with a chimney, it takes about half an hour to get them white hot and ready to grill. Instead of…Read more...

Google Bard might not have the catchiest name, but it is powered by one of the biggest names in tech. That makes Bard a major player in the AI space, alongside other giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Bing Chat. Now, Google is rolling out new features to Bard, including updates it announced last week at its…Read more...