Lifehacker

For a variety of reasons-including the environmental impact-there has been more of an emphasis on growing native wildflowers, herbs, and other plants in mainstream gardening over the past several years.Read more...

Smoke and carbon dioxide detectors serve an important, potentially life-saving function, and should be located throughout every home. In addition to installing them in the right places, you should also take the time to check the instruction manual that came with yours to learn the meanings of the various types of...Read more...

Considering that the places we typically store our tools-like basements, garages, and sheds-are often a bit damp, it's not surprising when those made of metal start to rust. While there are ways to clean rusty tools, an even better (and more convenient) option is to prevent them from rusting in the first place. One...Read more...

Modern refrigerators do more than keep food chilled: They also come with ice makers, water dispensers and filters, and features that help you keep contents organized.Read more...

No one wants to get into their car on a really hot day and turn on their air conditioning for some relief, only to wait for a refreshing, cool breeze that never comes. Or, maybe some semi-cool air manages to get through the vents a few minutes into your drive, but is too warm and too weak to make much of a difference....Read more...

Over the past few weeks, gardeners on the east coast and other parts of the country have been experiencing their first wildfire season. This means that even people who have been gardening for years may not be familiar with how to help their outdoor plants recover from the exposure to the smoke, and possibly even ash,...Read more...

Even people who love going to the beach have to admit that dealing with the sand that inevitably ends up in your shoes, towels, bags, hair, and eventually, home, is a pain.Read more...

The Black Friday of the summer-aka Prime Day-is quickly approaching. This year it falls on Tuesday, July 11th and Wednesday, July 12th. If you plan to shop the two days of epic deals" (Amazon's words), you may want to take advantage of one or more of the following opportunities to get credit to spend during the...Read more...

Inflation continues to impact a range of everyday expenses, including the cost of sending mail. Beginning next week, the price of a Forever stamp, as well as other types of postage, is set to increase, according to the United States Postal Service (USPS). Fortunately, there's still time to stock up on stamps at their...Read more...

As we've learned over the last few weeks, wildfire smoke is no longer a problem primarily confined to the west coast, and is also likely to be a regular occurrence in the rest of the country moving forward.Read more...

Even though gas prices are down from last year, the cost of fuel is still high, and constitutes a major expense when driving long distances. So, with electric vehicles (EV) becoming increasingly available through several national car rental chains, you may be thinking about taking one on your next road trip.Read more...

Air travel may be a mess right now, but according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), people driving to their Fourth of July destination should be prepared for at least some traffic, during what the agency predicts will be a record-breaking long weekend.Read more...

The slow pace of summer is giving us all time to notice subtle differences in screenings of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse, plan a ridiculous double-feature of Barbie and Oppenheimer, and roll some bottles down the stairs. It would be idyllic...if Grimace wasn't still terrorizing everyone with his mysterious...Read more...

I've been writing about viral TikTok myths, but today we'll dig into something a little different: a viral meal. On the surface, it's a weird combination of flavors, but underneath is a reasonably healthy and possibly actually good-tasting meal. And then beyond that-well, that's where it gets really weird.Read more...

There is no wrong way to eat a watermelon, but the slicing and dicing can be tailored to suit your needs and desires. If you're enjoying the melon by yourself, go ahead and slice it in half to create a bowl," then scoop out the insides with a spoon. But if you're feeding a crowd-particularly a young crowd-consider...Read more...

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled against President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. This means student debt will still have a chokehold over millions of Americans who previously had a glimmer of hope of seeing up to $20,000 in relief. For anyone benefiting from a pause on their payments since March 2020,...Read more...

When white Americans refer to pickles," they are usually talking about vinegary, sour cucumbers, but that's a narrow, ahistorical understanding of fermented vegetables. Pickles originated in the East as a form of food preservation. One of the prime purveyors of pickles you may not be thinking about? Japan.

My relationship with s'mores is muddled. Setting them on fire tickles my pyro-bone, but I get frustrated with the cloying sweetness of the marshmallow and questionable Hershey's chocolate. One Friday evening I was pondering salted meats and it dawned on me: S'mores need bacon.

Whether or not you watched Succession (how could you not?), it's not hard to imagine how dealing with family money can be dysfunctional at best, and downright embittered at worst. Estate planning is a necessary process to help cope with loss-but even still, the decisions involved in estate planning are a recipe for...Read more...

It was January 2020, and Roe v. Wade was still the law. I lived in the most liberal city in the United States, and I was about to find out how hard it was for a white woman with no hesitation of what they wanted, disposable income, control of her schedule, reliable transportation and a working knowledge of her rights...Read more...

It's a good time to be Neil Gaiman. The Starz adaptation of his apocalyptic road-trip novel American Gods may have fizzled out, but he's since struck lightning twice, scoring second season pickups for both The Sandman (on Netflix), with new episodes expected next year; and Good Omens (on Prime Video), returning July 28Read more...

It's America's birthday. But if you've watched the news, there doesn't seem to be much to celebrate. That is unless you think inflation, greed, and prejudice are good things.Read more...

Tiny homes are a popular choice for scaled back living, an ADU, or a vacation property. They're cheaper to buy than traditional structures and because they're so small, they can also be more efficient than a larger building for utilities. However, while tiny homes are smaller than regular houses, there are still some...Read more...

Blowing things up for fun is encoded deeply in our nation's DNA, but it's generally not a safe activity for children. That doesn't mean you can't create an impressive spectacle this Independence Day though. I tried to capture some essence of the fireworks experience with each of these kid-safer suggestions. I also...Read more...

You can save up to $2,000 on flights with a lifetime subscription to Dollar Flight Club Premium Plus+, and the membership is currently on sale for just $59.97 until 11:59 PT on July 14, 2023. The deal is for new members only, though.Read more...

Raise a glass, America. It's the Fourth of July. Independence Day. Your special day. Why not celebrate with an over-the-top, ultra-violent action spectacular celebrating the can-explode spirit of the country that we all love?Read more...

I love a good air fried party snack, like these sweet and salty devils, but I mostly use my air fryer to turbo roast vegetables. The little tabletop convection oven gets incredible results in a short amount of time without heating up my kitchen; it's rare that I have to air fry carrots or broccoli for more than 15...Read more...

Want to learn something while you binge? If you're someone who likes to keep your brain busy even while relaxing, a lifetime subscription to a Curiosity Stream standard plan is a record-low$179.97 right now-over $200 off the usual price. The price runsthrough July 14.Read more...

Prime Day doesn't officially start until July 11, but there are few early deals you might want to check out, especially if you're in the market for an air fryer. There are deals for both basket and toaster oven models, so snag whichever strikes your air-frying fancy.Read more...

The US Consumer Products Safety Commission is bad at stealing people's stoves, but it's great at blowing up mannequins. In advance of the Fourth of July, the CPSC today demonstrated some of the ways you can be injured or killed by fireworks on DC's National Mall, using styrofoam dummies in place of humans. Carnage...Read more...

It seems like everyone is obsessed with Outshine Fruit Bars, the inexplicably smooth popsicles studded with bits of whole fruit. I am particularly smitten with the lemon and lime varieties, which taste like perfect frosty lemonade on a stick.

There's no substitute for immersing yourself in a new culture, but there are modern tools that can help you learn a new language. Through July 14, a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning is available at only $179.97 (reg. $399) with no coupon required. That's $200 savings on a plan that's helped more than...Read more...

I love coleslaw of all kinds. I love sweet slaw, tangy, vinegary slaw, and hot slaw that's been dressed with a little pepper jelly. What I don't love is watery slaw. If you've ever observed coleslaw that's been sitting out for a few hours, you know what I'm talking about. The mixture of cabbage and carrots starts out...Read more...

Some jobs suck because they're just not what you want to be doing; others suck because the workplace culture itself is a mess. It can be hard to tell if your workplace is toxic or if you just really hate it for your own reasons, but there are ways to parse it out.

Brick is a hardy, durable building material that conveys a sense of classic design and old-school charm. At the same time, it's super tough and requires relatively little maintenance. That makes brick desirable for folks who are house-hunting, and also makes exposing brick walls inside your house almost irresistible...Read more...

The Ultimate Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows, Windows 11 Pro and Degoo Premium: Lifetime 1TB Backup Plan offers a lifetime license to Microsoft Office staples, a license to Windows 11 Pro, and a 1TB lifetime backup plan to Degoo Premium. You can get this exclusive deal for just $79.97 (reg. $537) during Deal...Read more...

A negative professional review can come as a shock if your bosses aren't communicative on all the other days of the year-or it can be expected, depending on how things have been going for you at work. No matter how you feel about it, you should respond to it in writing, though, for a few different reasons.

There's nothing quite like air travel to showcase the best and the worst that humanity has to offer. On the one hand, some humans figured out how to fly a plane through the sky. One the other hand, more than one hundred years since we took to the skies, we still can't seem to figure out how basic human decency while...Read more...

Another season of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror is in the books, and given that it was four years between the fifth and sixth seasons, it's unclear when (or if) we'll see more. While Brooker's series is, by far, the buzziest sci-fi anthology of the modern era, it's certainly not alone. The format proved itself at...Read more...

Aspartame, a sweetener in Diet Coke and other low-calorie foods and drinks, is reportedly about to be named a possible carcinogen" by the World Health Organization. That sounds bad, right? But it doesn't mean that Diet Coke is likely to actually give you cancer. Let me explain.

In the age of digital nomads and remote work, you may be able to take longer trips than you used to. Maybe you've always wanted to spend the summer at the beach, but you're worried about the property you'd leave behind. The next time you plan to leave town for an extended period of time, here's what you can do to...Read more...

Have you noticed the world getting a little more obsessed with mushrooms lately? Maybe you steer clear of wild mushrooms entirely because you don't have a clue what's delectable, what's psychedelic, and what's deadly-but it's not a bad idea to start studying up on the mushrooms around you. The following resources can...Read more...

Everyone is into pickleball these days, and you've probably noticed. What started as a sport for your grandparents has quickly become one of the most popular ones across the country. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the number of people playing pickleball grew by 159% over three years to 8.9...Read more...

It's cool if you are unaware of the Biden administration's nefarious plot to steal your stove-it isn't a real thing that's happening on Earth. It's the kind of news" you're probably used to ignoring, but the idea of Joe Biden's consumer protection brownshirts confiscating cooktops is a big enough fear to a lot of the...Read more...

If hot summer days always have you running extra fans, you should try this EvaChill EV-500 personal air conditioner. During Deal Days"-our version of Prime Day-you can get one in white or gray for $69.97 (reg. $99) now through July 14.Read more...

Few things cause excitement the way a strawberry shortcake does. It's a damn good party pleaser. But if you're in a situation where you actually have to feed a party, individual shortcake assembly can be cumbersome. Instead, consider the self-serve strawberry shortcake casserole. It's significantly less work, but...Read more...

Summer is here, and once more, higher-than-average temperatures are expected pretty much everywhere, which is fun. That means a lot of people are dreaming of air conditioning in their homes-but there are some drawbacks, especially if you lack a central air conditioning system. Window units can often seem precarious,...Read more...

Five cases of locally-acquired malaria have been reported in the U.S., the CDC says-one in Texas and four in Florida. Malaria is a serious, mosquito-borne illness that was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1950s. It's concerning to see signs that it may be making a comeback.

One of my favorite niche insults is, He's the kind of guy who always orders his steak rare, no matter the cut." (This type of guy also considers vermouth a sign of weakness, but that's a different discussion.) There's nothing wrong with having a preference, and a rare steak can be a beautiful thing. But some pieces...Read more...

Hard-boiled eggs are a perfect food. They're great for bulk cooking and meal prepping. They keep for days in the fridge, they're satisfying, hand-held, filling, and you can adjust the cooking time for a yolk that's gelatinous and runny, firm and velvety, or somewhere in between. However, there is the small issue of...Read more...