Lifehacker

Seeing your favorite store close is always a blow, and the current economic uncertainty we are facing is seeing many of our favorite companies close some locations, tighten their belts, and brace for what’s to come. Many have already filed for bankruptcy; the silver-lining for us, though, are the liquidation sales…Read more...

The allure of grain bowls, Buddha bowls, and protein bowls is that, if they’re made right, the quantity and diversity of ingredients keep your palate interested until the very last bite. That “if” is important. You’d think combining a load of fun ingredients would lead to effortless satisfaction, but I’ve gone to…Read more...

While texting often is looked down upon when it comes to developing a new relationship with someone, it can be a useful tool when first getting to know someone. It’s a great way to flirt and helps to foster connection and intimacy. Plus, it’s an easy way to show someone you’re thinking of them. That is, when it’s used…Read more...

Food waste is a serious issue. According to Feeding America, around 119 billion pounds of food is wasted in the US every year, worth more than $408 billion. Here are some of the most commonly wasted foods, and what changes you can make to save food and money.

When my wife and I bought our first house, the feature we were most excited about was the laundry. The machines in the house were ancient, but after years of schlepping to the laundromat every week, the most luxurious thing we could think of was the prospect of at-home, on-demand laundry.

Americans love stuff, but most of us have too much of it. That’s why American houses keep getting larger, and it’s also why about 10% of us also spend money on a self-storage unit. Considering that the average storage unit costs close to $1,000 a year, it’s no surprise that some of us also get creative about finding…Read more...

Every once in a while, Apple really surprises me. Today is one of those times: The company just announced is finally bringing Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to the iPad, and with it, the tools to produce professional videos and music using a touch-screen device. These are built-for-iPad apps, rather than direct ports of…Read more...

We all love showing off pictures of our pets to anyone polite enough to ask—but if you’ve ever wished for an opportunity to take your obnoxious adoration of your pet to the next level, the time has come. This month, you can put a picture of your beloved pet on a billboard for free for you (and many strangers) to see.

Budgeting is a hassle. Even when you know all the best spreadsheet hacks, going it alone can be confusing and time-consuming. But I have good news for you: Right now, you’ve got a smartphone in your hand, which means you never have to do anything on your own ever again!Read more...

Digital passwords have existed since the 1960s, and we haven’t come up with a better option...until now. An tech industry-wide group called the FIDO Alliance aims to get rid of them, and for good reason: Passwords are easy to hack, and difficult to remember. The smarter method, they argue, is to scrap troublesome…Read more...

Dorm move-out season is tough because it coincides with finals and the melancholy that comes with leaving your friends and newfound freedom behind. Plus, you probably weren’t the picture of cleanliness all year, so you’ve got plenty of junk to dig through, sort, toss, and pack. Here are a few tips to make it all go a…Read more...

Flavorful dips and spreads are some of the greatest gifts I give to myself. Baba ganoush, onion dip, and straight cream cheese all have the ability to elevate anything from a lobster omelette to a pretzel stick. For sweet applications, there’s kaya jam. This queen of coconut condiments pairs well slathered on toast or…Read more...

ChatGPT is not unlike a smart child—intelligent, yes, but also easily manipulated. A kid might understand the difference between “good” and “bad,” but an ill-intended adult can often convince a child to do something “bad” if they choose the right words and use the right approach. And this was the case with ChatGPT…Read more...

Caramelizing onions always takes longer than you think it is going to. This is partially the fault of recipe writers who tell you it’s something you can do in half an hour, which is just not true. Sure, you can brown onions in half an hour, but caramelization—the process of breaking down long chains of sugar molecules…Read more...

If it seems like your carpets and rugs aren’t actually clean—or don’t stay clean for very long—after you vacuum, it’s probably because you’re doing it wrong. Short back-and-forth strokes in random directions may be easy, but they won’t pick up all of the dirt, dust bunnies, pet hair, crumbs, and other debris stuck…Read more...

Sour Patch Kids have always been my favorite movie candy (sorry to those who prefer Raisinets or whatever the kids are eating these days). But they can do more than just taste good while your friends are munching popcorn. Here are three surprising reasons to keep a stash handy.Read more...

In the world of cultured dairy products, labneh straddles the line between cheese and yogurt, which is why you’ll sometimes find it referred to as “yogurt cheese.” You can buy it by the tub or strain your own, but either way, you’ll be rewarded with a tangy, intensely creamy spread that never met a carb it didn’t…Read more...

Toast makes a surprisingly chic sweet snack, especially if you’re smearing it with frangipane (aka bostock), or brownie batter. I’m always looking for my next toast to dazzle and delight, but I fear I may have discovered the peak of it all. Today, I bring you lazy dulce de leche toast, and it’s the best toast I’ve…Read more...

In 2022, I spent 97 days and 20 hours listening to podcasts on Pocket Casts alone. (Add in time I listened on Spotify and other platforms and the total grows more shocking.) I’m not sure how this is possible, or what it says about my social life, but here we are.

The last thing you’d expect when testing for a virus is to catch a bacterial infection in the process. But that could be the the case with some at-home COVID-19 tests distributed in the United States, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration recall. More than 500,000 of the tests were distributed to CVS…Read more...

Unless you’re remarkably lucky, if you live long enough in the U.S., you’re eventually going to be hit with a medical bill so large it will make your jaw drop. Even if you’ve been lucky enough to avoid this nightmare yourself so far, you certainly know someone a medical bill horror story. Through all the shock and…Read more...

If you learn anything after buying a house, it’s this: Water is your enemy. Every day, in a surprisingly wide variety of ways, water is infiltrating your house and trying to erode, rust, and wash away everything inside it, including you. That’s why the folks who built your house have taken steps to anticipate and deal…Read more...

The digital revolution should have made preserving the past easier, but instead, it feels to me like we’ve only lost access. The games and programs we grew up with didn’t grow up with our computers, and now most live only in our memories. Well, unless you know where to find them.

Like the rest of the world, colleges have gone digital, though the change is a fairly recent one. When I was an undergrad in 2013, almost all of my assignments were handed in on paper, but in grad school in 2023, everything is submitted online. In just a decade, much of my coursework has gone digital—but not all of…Read more...

We live in a world that’s full of wheat-free and alternative flours, and you don’t need gluten to have fun. You can have your cake and get a dose of beans in too. But sorting out the difference between spelt, buckwheat, and oat flours can be confusing, and some wheat flour replacements can still contain gluten.…Read more...

Babies don’t just explore the world with their hands and eyes. These curious creatures also learn about it with their mouth and will put anything in it to learn more about everything around them. Dirty old pennies? Yep. A television remote? Sure! Old food from under the couch? Of course. The items toddlers will put in…Read more...

Sometimes, when someone says, “That professor was so unfair. I should have had a better grade,” what they really mean is, “I didn’t do the work and I got what I deserved, but I’m blaming someone else.” Other times, though, it’s true: You can read a professor’s reviews before signing up for their class, go over the…Read more...

With plant swaps and compost exchanges in full swing, it’s important to keep an eye out for invasive jumping worms. These critters will leach nutrients out of the soil so quickly they can kill local plants, unlike regular earthworms that are considered beneficial for the soil. Luckily, there’s a simple trick to help…Read more...

PlayStation 5 owners, listen up: You’re about to lose your chance to play a collection of classic PS4 games on the cheap. Sony is pulling the plug on its PlayStation Plus Collection, a group of games released between 2014 and 2019. If you want to play 2018's God of War or Bloodborne for “free,” or for at least as…Read more...

Bundt cake pans have many uses beyond baking cakes, from using it as a roasting pan to serving as a vessel for baked bread or lasagna. But even after a Bundt pan has outworn these traditional and semi-traditional uses, an old one can still be repurposed—say, as the Byrd Nest Studio blog suggests, as a flower pot that…Read more...

If you’re tired of watering your lawn to keep it alive, or if you live somewhere with water use restrictions, you may have given up on having a garden. In places where it’s hard to keep traditional landscaping plants alive, or for people who want a low-maintenance, cost-effective alternative to a lawn, a gravel garden…Read more...

Have you ever suffered creative mortification? Coined by educator Ronald Beghetto, the term describes losing your willingness to pursue a creative avenue following a negative outcome. Maybe you gave up on stand-up comedy forever after your set at the open mic night was met with murmurs instead of laughs, or you burned…Read more...

Eating chips and dip is a streamlined activity. There’s no need for utensils or plates, as the delivery system for your dip is, itself, entirely edible, and the dip comes in its own bowl. With the exception of a napkin with which to wipe your greasy hands, all you need is a bag of chips and tub of dip—until you get to…Read more...

It always seems to happen at the worst time: Our kids get into some mischief just as things get stressful or busy. And because we’re so occupied with our careers, making dinner, or simply trying to relax or unwind after a tough day, we overlook the reason behind this misbehavior: Their need for our full attention.

Live Nation’s “Concert Week” is a music-lover-on-a-budget’s dream: over 3,800 concerts all over the country for $25 a pop. From May 10 to May 16, you can catch many artists like Beck & Phoenix, Fall Out Boy, and Snoop Dog in your local venue (if you’re lucky enough to have them be performing there) for less than the…Read more...

It’s happened to the best of us: We fall in love with an item of clothing, buy it, and don’t bother to read the label with care instructions until it comes time to wash it. Although it’s not as bad as the dreaded “dry clean only” warning, finding out the garment is “hang dry only” can also be a bummer.Read more...

Vehicles are among the biggest purchases many people make, and it’s worth putting time and effort into getting the best possible deal. If a brand new car isn’t a financially feasible option, but the uncertainty of buying a used car makes you anxious, you’ve probably considered buying a certified pre-owned (CPO)…Read more...

Gardening may be a relaxing hobby for you, but horticulture is also a science—complete with its own set of terminology. This is hardly surprising, given how much precision is required to create the conditions necessary for some plants to survive.Read more...

Rose bushes have long been a popular foundation plant, often positioned in front of windows so that people inside can enjoy the blooms—which often appear in the spring and stick around until early fall. While the hardy plants do require care and attention, taking the time to remove dead or dying flower blossoms—a…Read more...

When it comes to your ability to save money, where you live may have more of an impact than you think. So which states make it easier to stash more cash? That’s exactly what a new report from Forbes Advisor aimed to find out.Read more...

Whether you spend the day celebrating, grieving, or acting like it’s any other Sunday, you can take advantage of this year’s Mother’s Day food deals and freebies, like the ones below. As always, this isn’t an exhaustive list of every restaurant offer available for Mother’s Day—just a few of many.

We become desensitized to the common sounds around us—car alarms, chattering squirrels, the mechanical functions of modern living kicking on and off throughout the day. If you had asked me a week ago what kind of birds live in my neighborhood, I could have confidently said “cardinals” (because they are pretty easy to…Read more...

You’re reminded of it every time you move: You have too much crap. It piles up in closets, under beds, in storage units, and inside garages. And dealing with all that clutter is bad for your mental health. The psychological weight of hoarder-level clutter and mess is easy to understand, but it can affect you even if…Read more...

Family Dollar is voluntarily recalling multiple Advil products from an undisclosed number of their stores across the country. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement, the recall is due to the drugs being improperly stored outside of the recommended room temperature by Family Dollar.

If you saw “lemon curdled cream” listed on a dessert menu, you’d probably pass over it in favor of lava cake. Understandably: “Curdled” is an inherently unsexy word. But while not all curdling is desirable, there are many instances in which curdled dairy is a good thing. Cheese is a big one. This sweet, creamy, four…Read more...

The Inflation Reduction Act has more than just tax breaks in it. For big home upgrades that use less power, it has some hefty rebates you should take advantage of. From cooktops to HVAC, the two rebate programs that most homeowners can qualify for are called HOMES and HEEHRA. These two federal programs can save you…Read more...

We love an update—new features, new stability, a fresh look at the apps we use each and every day. Now, it’s WhatsApp turn once again to add new changes to the messaging app virtually everyone with a smartphone uses. This time around, we see updates to two major tentpoles in the app: polls and captions.Read more...

Recently, on a question-and-answer thread on Reddit, somebody asked about the exact heel height of a discontinued weightlifting shoe. “I’ve looked everywhere, but not even ChatGPT knows,” I remember them saying. It was true that the information was hard to find, but that’s all the more reason to not use ChatGPT. If…Read more...

There’s a bit of everything going on this week on the young people’s Internet, from popular YouTubers vying to date a robot, to the surprisingly profitable enterprise of smuggling Fruit Roll-Ups across international borders, to stanning for a free streaming service you’re probably overlooking. There’s also a cat in a…Read more...

Depending on where you live, knowing what the most cost-effective mode of transportation is for you could save you hundreds of dollars a month. But is that public transit, using a ridesharing app like Uber or Lyft, or actually buying a car? It depends—and there are tools to help you figure it out.