Lifehacker

I had Taco Bell for the first time in my life last week. I know, I know. It’s not that I didn’t want to try Taco Bell. In fact, I’d argue the hype had built up so high, I could no longer lose my Taco Bell virginity in a casual way. The timing was just never been right until now.

A “travel hack” is currently going viral on TikTok, promising to reliably get you to the front of the line when you’re boarding a flight and/or let you pass to the front of TSA security lines. I’m not going to share the videos, because they’re trash, but it works like this: You pretend you’re injured, even going as…Read more...

With more than 8,000 locations nationwide, Family Dollar has stores in every state Wilbur Alaska and Hawaii. In some rural areas, it’s the only game in town—meaning that if you run out of toilet paper, coffee, or toothpaste, your options are either Family Dollar, or a mini road road trip.Read more...

From picking between two restaurants to picking between two job offers, there’s no one foolproof approach to making decisions. We’ve covered our fair share of decision-making hacks in the past: There’s the 37% rule to simplify your gut instincts, or creating a decision matrix in order to prioritize what you need to…Read more...

Whether they’re birthday cards, jewelry, or photos on your phone, a lot of people keep mementos of past relationships—but when is it OK to keep hanging onto these things, and when is it time to let go? Here’s what you should consider about holding onto keepsakes from past relationships—especially when you have a new…Read more...

Caesar dressing is an incredible condiment, packed full of all sorts of flavors: richness from the egg yolk, umami (and salt) from the anchovies and parm, acid from the lemon, and pungency from the garlic and fresh pepper. Why, then, do we think of it as a mere lettuce topping, when it could be used to make any…Read more...

There are a lot of reasons you might want a tattoo removed. Maybe it was done poorly, maybe you no longer care for whatever it was commemorating, or maybe you just want to clear some space to add fresh ink. Whatever your reason, the desire to get rid of a tat can come on just as strongly as the original desire to go…Read more...

Take a peek at Apple’s website or walk into an Apple Store and you’ll be inundated with MacBook options: MacBooks Air and Pro, of all different shapes, sizes, and specs, all vying for your attention and a significant chunk of your money. It’s not easy to know which is the right fit for you, especially once you factor…Read more...

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If you’re like most people, you probably don’t enjoy flying on low-cost carriers (LCCs). The seats are cramped, there are a million fees, and it’s often just not a great experience. But there are steps you can take to make the experience less painful, because sometimes the cost is low enough that it doesn’t make sense…Read more...

Gaming is a well-established medium with a robust online community, but podcasts, which offer a powerful space to niche voices, have made engaging with games and other gamers easier than ever. While some people seek out places for the latest news and reviews, others want content that’s more thoughtful—discussions…Read more...

While there are some signs that inflation is going to start getting better in this country, things remain pretty grim. In some areas, the cost of a wide range of products and services has gone up nearly 10%, while income has stagnated or risen much more modestly. The grocery store is where inflation really hits hard…Read more...

As travel spending hits new pandemic highs, you’ve probably started day-dreaming about an international vacation yourself. But before you start booking away, you should make sure your passport didn’t expire over the course of the pandemic.

Around the time the pandemic hit, my husband and I were beginning to think about upgrading to a bigger home. We wanted a larger backyard with a deck to entertain, and a finished basement we could outfit with comfy couches, a TV, and maybe a Ping-Pong table. My vision was to have a home where we could gather our…Read more...

Ants in your home is always a cause for concern. Aside from the appearance of a long wriggling trail of ant soldiers just looking gross, ants can carry bacteria and mold spores into your food supplies (including pet food), so anything that ants come into contact with in your pantry needs to be thrown away. For…Read more...

I’m not usually the nostalgic type, but I miss landline phones. Cell phones may do eight billion things, but they are tiny and inconsequential—artificial, semi-disposable black rectangles—whereas old telephones have weight, substance, and style. They come in lots of colors. The receiver feels good in your hand. It…Read more...

Online food delivery service DoorDash just made it more difficult for underaged people to have alcohol delivered. The company announced a new two-step ID verification process for alcohol delivery they claim sets a “new industry standard for responsible alcohol delivery.” How does the rest of the food/drink delivery…Read more...

Change is scary, and we don’t like it. Everything should stay the way it is right now, so we know how it works and how to use it. When a company like Twitter goes so far as to change the sound that plays when you refresh your feed, all hell breaks loose. I’m not overreacting here. I know you feel the same. If you want…Read more...

Hollandaise sauce can be intimidating, especially if you’re new to making emulsions. Though we have several excellent methods for making a true hollandaise sauce (whether you want to do so on the stove, with an immersion circulator, or using an immersion blender), it’s nice to have a simple cheater option, especially…Read more...

According to a recent report from Northwestern Mutual, 53% of Gen Zers and 52% of Millennials surveyed felt that making small daily purchases like a daily cup of coffee will impact their long-term financial security. The idea that avocado toast is to blame for an entire generation’s financial woes has been laughable…Read more...

To the best of my recollection, the first R-rated film I saw in a theater was RoboCop 2, a movie in which a prepubescent crime lord is mercilessly gunned down by a drug-addicted killer whose brain has been removed and inserted into a robotic body with a terrifying human face animated via rudimentary computer graphics.…Read more...

From something as simple to adding a dollop to your tea, to glazing over potatoes to make honey tots in your air fryer, there is no shortage of dishes that can be spruced up with a dash of this natural nectar. But honey’s usefulness expands beyond the kitchen: A handful of studies have found honey as a useful tool in …Read more...

Have you ever been about to smash that “tweet” button, but the fear of being called to HR stayed your hand? It’s a reasonable fear: It may seem unfair that your bosses should be able to control how you present yourself and what you do when you’re engaging in non-work activities, but to a degree, they can. In fact, the…Read more...

We tend to think of hotels as fancy places to hang out in while on vacation, but historically, they haven’t always been only for short-term stays. As far back as the 1870s, residential hotels in New York City served as permanent addresses for families and single men who unable to afford their own servants; according…Read more...

In spite of what the word may suggest, cream is not the key to creating “creamy” pasta dishes. That distinction belongs to pasta water, the starchy elixir with the power to thicken sauces and help them cling to and coat noodles with tenacity. Reserving a cup before draining the pasta an important step, but accidents…Read more...

When we have been wronged by someone, common advice usually includes us forgiving the wrongdoer. As we know, that means we must seek to “cease feeling resentment against (an offender)” or “to give up resentment of or claim to requital.” Many times, our collective imagination about what forgiveness looks like includes…Read more...

Last week I shared my own experience learning how to benefit from meditation, even though I feel like I’m pretty bad at it. But what makes someone “bad” at meditation? Many people who try to meditate feel as if they failed. A lot of “failures” in meditation are in fact completely normal and a part of the process.…Read more...

The word “phobia” is often used frequently to describe a general fear, in the same way “bipolar” gets thrown around to describe someone’s mood swing or “OCD” is used to reference someone’s dedication to cleaning. Like bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorders, however, phobias are actually serious, diagnosable, and…Read more...

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The great “iPhone vs. Android” debate could very well rage on forever, with neither side claiming total victory. There are pros and cons to both platforms, as well as the companies that make the hardware and software. However, there is one feature Apple can claim exclusivity over, now that its only competitor has…Read more...

If you have a backyard and a desire to make passive income, there is an app for you: Sniffspot connects dog owners with people with fully-fenced yards who are willing to rent their land on an hourly basis. Described as “Airbnb for dog off-leash areas,” Sniffspot has about 7,000 hosts in more than 1,500 cities in the United States, and offers their services in Canada,…Read more...

Friendship is important, no matter what stage of life you are in. A good friendship can enrich your life in countless ways, creating a support system of people who will be there for you during good and bad times. And as important as friendship is, the relationships formed during the teenage years are especially…Read more...

Airline travel has been notoriously challenging this summer. If you find yourself among the many travelers who are dealing with delayed or canceled flights, the airline may offer you compensation in the form of either miles or cash back. But which one is the better option for you?Read more...

If you haven’t noticed, Instagram is pushing Reels—its in-app TikTok clone—very hard. Since Reels rolled out in 2020, the Meta-owned picture-sharing app has been all but begging people to use the feature (and not just repost their own TikToks there). Whether or not you’ve actually created any Reels, you soon won’t…Read more...

I recently wrote about the summer’s best Pop-Tart prep technique–freezing them–and it seems like that just wasn’t cold enough for Lifehacker readers. Frozen Pop-Tarts are deliciously cool, but never freeze to an icy state. This makes it tough to challenge ice cream for the top spot in the imaginary rankings of cold…Read more...

Popcorn is a lot like pasta: It’s a fairly neutral tasting carb that takes well to seasoning and salting, and most people have pretty strong opinions on the “right” way to make it. But cooking popcorn is a little more forgiving than pasta—which lets you focus in on toppings with gusto—and I have some tips and tricks…Read more...

The worst heat wave in human history is still frying the United Kingdom, and in all likelihood, it’s not an anomaly. Climate changes means this is almost definitely the new normal (until it gets worse), so let’s review how to keep cool—or at least not die—during a heat wave. There were over 1,500 heat-related deaths…Read more...

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I like my digital devices neat and organized. I keep a clean Mac desktop, and my iPad Home screen is immaculate. But iPhones are a bit different: We usually want your most-used apps to be front and center, but over time, the apps inevitably start to pile up, leaving our phones a cluttered mess. If you feel like you…Read more...

People buy land for a variety of reasons, including as an investment, or to (eventually) build a home. And like everything else right now, cost is a major factor for those determining where to purchase land, or whether they can afford to do so in the first place.Read more...

Thanks to regularly scheduled garbage pickup, we’ve gotten used to the idea that if we want to throw something out, we can just pop it in trash bag or can, put it out on the curb, and on a designated day of the week, sanitation workers or waste disposal companies whisk it away.Read more...

When you put a load of especially dirty, sweaty, or smelly laundry in your washing machine, you may be tempted to add a little (or a lot) more than the recommended amount of detergent. In theory, this makes sense: Filthier-than-usual laundry could probably use a boost with extra detergent, right?Read more...

Those who live in places with cold winters know that the weather can take a toll on your car. In fact, the temperature alone can impact everything from the tire pressure to how long the battery lasts—and yes, that includes hot weather. Here are a few ways to keep your car running in extreme heat from the experts at…Read more...

With multiple parts of the country (and the world) experiencing record-breaking heat, people are getting creative when it comes to getting and staying cool. And with scorching temperatures putting air conditioning units to the test, those who rely on them to keep their homes feeling bearable are finding ways to keep…Read more...

Hard water stains are a reality for people living in 85% of the United States, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, so chances are you’ve dealt with them yourself.Read more...

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot out there. It almost doesn’t matter where you live—even the goddamn arctic circle experienced temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit a couple of years ago, and heat waves have made life unbearable in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia this summer. And we know there are…Read more...

You move to a new city, in a new country. You’ve found an apartment that is just the right price, in just the right neighborhood, and after pulling out your bestest, most adultest, and politest set of manners, you endear yourself adequately to the building manager. The place is yours. Your first year there, you…Read more...

Polio has been nearly wiped out worldwide, but now there is a known case in the U.S. for the first time in nine years. The person is unvaccinated, but the strain they were infected with is a type of what’s called “vaccine-derived” polio. Let’s talk about what that means—because it does not mean you should avoid the…Read more...

When you “turn 0ff” wifi, Bluetooth, or cellular data on your iPhone via the Control Center, they’re not actually disabled—your iPhone simply disconnects itself from current networks until until you turn those options back on. This is a conscious design choice by Apple, as it wants to ensure you can still easily…Read more...

Social burnout is the term we use for when you have over-exerted yourself in social settings to the point that you feel like you just can’t do it anymore. It causes stress, exhaustion, and irritability. The COVID-19 pandemic, which led to “social distancing” and “quarantining” becoming common terms in our everyday…Read more...