Lifehacker

We’ve all been there. It’s the big moment. The one we’ve been preparing for, visualizing, obsessing about for days, weeks, or longer. It’s that big interview, presentation, first date, or (in our younger days) state championship game where we needed to muster all of our skills, practice, knowledge, or charm to perform…Read more...

With COVID cases on the upswing again (we’re on, what, the fifth wave? The seventh?) it’s important to know that there’s a medication that can prevent severe disease in people who are at high risk of complications. It’s called Paxlovid. But not everyone is eligible to receive it. Here’s how to find out if you qualify.Read more...

You’ve probably experienced monthly or yearly fluctuations in your budgeting and spending (or a weekly one; hey, inflation). At times it may seem like you’re just hanging on for dear life. But if you think long term and big picture about your financial well-being, there exists a general structure to help you earn,…Read more...

I recently realized that I had been interpreting Elsa’s big “Let It Go” number from Frozen incorrectly these last several years when it comes to my kids and helping them manage (or not) their big emotions. It finally struck me that the song is not about how great it is to express your emotions—but that I could still…Read more...

Your app subscriptions on iPhone can now get more expensive without requiring you to opt in to the new pricing. Apple recently implemented a new rule that allows developers to quietly raise subscription prices, so long as they don’t exceed a certain amount. Since many app subscriptions aren’t that expensive, you might…Read more...

Raw garlic is a powerful, potent force that can be harnessed to create surprisingly subtle effects. One of the easiest ways to do this is to halve a raw, peeled clove, then rub that clove on a serving bowl, plate, or platter. Doing so imparts a hint of garlic flavor and aroma to the dish without overpowering other,…Read more...

If you’ve been looking forward to long-awaited summer travel, one aspect you might be dreading is getting hit with a last-minute baggage fee at the airport. You’re already made to pay extra for WiFi, seat selection, and sometimes even headphones—and when it comes to your baggage, it’s safe to assume that all airlines…Read more...

Even as headlines shout about the booming job market and the millions of open positions across the country, finding a job and advancing in your career in a competitive, capitalistic society remains a cutthroat game. You may spend years of your life—and a bunch of money—on an education that can give you an edge, but…Read more...

When a celebrity dies, it’s normal to grieve. Sure, it probably indicates you had something of a parasocial relationship with that person (as they likely did not know who you are), but they may have meant something to you—even if those around you don’t seem to get it. Generally, people want to be helpful and kind when…Read more...

There are times when you’ll need to type a character that isn’t displayed on your keyboard, be it a letter with an accent, the degree symbol, or a currency symbol. Special characters are common in many languages, but they are more rare in English. So much so that by default, there’s no obvious way of entering them on…Read more...

Android users take heed: there’s a new piece of malware cropping up on the Google Play Store, and it’s coming for your data.

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Many people shy away from having all-white walls in their home for fear the rooms will look too sterile and bleak. While a white room can look stark if not decorated, there are several design elements one can bring in to warm up the space—especially if you don’t want to bother painting or you’re renting a place where…Read more...

After tweeting out a joke and a screenshot of someone messaging me on Hinge, I read through a lot of complaints (mostly from men) about how it feels like there are only two options when you reach out to someone on dating apps: Get ignored or get mocked. And with the option record a voice message on your profile, the…Read more...

Canned milk is minefield. Even if you know the difference between sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk, it is startlingly easy to purchase the wrong one. Don’t get me wrong: I love them both. Sweetened condensed milk makes an excellent caramel sauce (in your slow cooker or Instant Pot), an easy batch of fudge,…Read more...

Half the fun of being a music fan is gathering facts about the songs you love, and even if you have super niche music tastes, several—if not many—of your favorite songs are everybody else’s favorite songs. With that in mind, we’re going to look at the 100 most streamed-songs on Spotify and share one interesting fact…Read more...

From age thirteen until I went off to college, I held a myriad of different jobs. I worked as a Little League umpire, a bus boy, a grocery store cashier, a summer camp counselor, a lawn mower, and a focus group participant. The pay for these jobs varied widely, as did the emotional and physical toll they took. While I…Read more...

I strongly believe console and PC gaming is for everyone, but let’s be honest: the jargony way people talk about video games can make it difficult to get into the hobby.

Counting your calories with a tracking app seems pretty simple—unless you decide to get serious about it and measure your portion sizes. Then you’ll realize that an orange weighs less without the peel, that taking the skin off your baked chicken is saving you some calories, and that there’s an entry for bone-in…Read more...

Fitness trackers like Apple Watches and Fitbits, generally aren’t as expensive as tech like smartphones and tablets, but they’re not exactly cheap. You certainly wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to snag one for free. And as it turns out, many insurance companies include fitness programs that either come with a…Read more...

I’m one of those sickos who will drink a tall, cold glass of whole milk just for the taste. It’s probably the most perverted aspect of my personality—and the competition is stiff!—and definitely the whitest thing about me. I come from one of those families that serves milk to the children with their dinner, and it…Read more...

If you were to ask any random person on the street how many hours of sleep a person is supposed to get each night, their answer will most likely be eight hours. But where did this gold standard come from? And is it even true? Is more or less than that bad for you? Here’s what we know.Read more...

First you could request four free rapid tests from the government. Then you could request four more. Now, there’s a third round of offerings, and this time you’ll get eight tests, for a grand total of 16 per household. Now we’re getting somewhere.Read more...

With baby formula continuing to be in short supply, parents of infants are looking for creative ways to get their hands on that precious Enfamil—but a simple, seemingly ingenious solution that’s going viral right now will not work as described. The suggestion that’s spreading on Facebook and Twitter advises parents to…Read more...

After rounding up the most overrated tourist destinations outside of the U.S., it’s time to go domestic. We all want to avoid tourist traps, and luckily, avoiding “touristy” experiences is as much a matter of planning as it is destination. Whether or not you’re the kind of traveler who plans every last detail, a…Read more...

Is it possible to get a child to actually do the thing you asked them to do the first time you asked them to do it? Some people (like myself) would respond Hahaha! Good one! As someone who battles the Congressional-level stall tactics of three children under age 10 on the daily, this notion seems preposterous. But,…Read more...

I’m sure you already know how to make a passable burger, but with summer just around the corner, what you should really be asking yourself is whether you can make a restaurant-quality burger. You’ve got months of grilling ahead of you to perfect it, and it’s actually easier than you think—as long as you follow these…Read more...

You don’t have to know what an “emotional vampire” is to know what it is, really. What do vampires do? They suck blood out of people. So, what can we reasonably assume emotional vampires do? That’s right: They suck energy out of people. Recognizing if you’re surrounded by these vibe-killing leeches—or are one…Read more...

There’s a long list of things that make browsing the internet feel like living in a dystopian hellscape, and annoying cookie banners and consent forms are right at the top of that list. Most websites are legally required to display these notices and take your consent for using cookies. However, it also blocks a big…Read more...

Publications as disparate as the Wall Street Journal, the Times of India, and the Financial Times are asking: “Will Ties Ever Be Relevant Again?,” “Are Neckties Going Extinct?” and “Is This the End of the Tie?” Allow me to answer: Neckties are irrelevant, going extinct, and ending.

Microsoft Edge is one of the rare browsers that offers both privacy and versatility. One such privacy feature automatically deletes any browsing data, including cookies and site data. That means you can leave a clean slate every time you quit and relaunch Edge, making it difficult for third-party cookies to track you…Read more...

Telegram is a popular alternative to messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. But while users might flock to Telegram to avoid Meta’s questionable privacy policies, the app has a lot of privacy-friendly options that aren’t actually enabled by default. Let’s run through the best ones, and why you should…Read more...

Don’t sing the song wrong, man. Karaoke is interminable enough. When KISS’s “Rock and Roll All Night” comes on, don’t be like my friend Mike and sing “I wanna rock and roll all night, and part of every day,” even if that is a more sensible lifestyle choice.

I was obsessed with Costco croissants as tween. My mom would buy huge plastic containers of them that my sisters and I would plow through in a few days. They were my favorite bread. Today, I am often tempted by similarly sized containers of all-butter croissants at the grocery store—the abundance is appealing—but, as…Read more...

In the immortal words of Mike Tyson after losing a fight, “I might just fade into Bolivian.” Tyson was answering a reporter’s question about where he would go next in his career—and he meant that state of being blissfully unconscious or unaware of what’s happening, or “oblivion.” Oops.

I remember the first time I heard about fitness trackers that could spit out metrics about my running. A friend lent me what was probably an early-generation Garmin, and I was gobsmacked to learn that it could tell me my exact pace at any given moment. Hey look, I’m running a 10 minute mile! Now look, I’ve sped up a…Read more...

Festivals are one of the best parts of summer, although sometimes they can be a bit of a money suck. When figuring out which, if any, you should travel to or buy tickets for, you’ll want to consider what kind of music you’re into, whether you care about extra stuff like food vendors or afterparties, and how much it’ll…Read more...

QR codes are used for everything from opening a restaurant menu to making payments: just point your camera at the QR code, and your phone will automatically open the relevant page. But what happens when you get a QR code in a message? Or what if it’s a screenshot instead?

When it’s time to buy a new iPhone, most of us don’t hold on to the old one. After all, iPhones are expensive, and trading in the old for the new reduces the sticker shock you have to deal with at the Apple Store. If you’re planning on buying a new iPhone through Apple anytime soon, and thought you might trade-in your…Read more...

There’s a lot in a name.We’ve previously discussed the smoothest way to handle forgetting someone’s name—but what if you don’t know how to pronounce their name in the first place?

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The posters on TikTok have a tendency to overstate their case. They make all sorts of promises to “blow your mind” and “change the way you do xyz,” and love to tell you that you’ve been “doing it wrong” this whole time. But strip away all the hyperbole and there is often a kernel of truth to their claims.Read more...

Superstitions can be silly at times, but there is something to be said for deeply-held beliefs. If you wake up believing you’ll have a bad day, there’s an element of self-fulfilling prophecy at play, increasing the chances that you will. Conversely, if you have a few supposedly lucky trinkets on your person, you…Read more...

For the first time in 46 days, Apple has released a new software update for both the iPhone and iPad. The new updates, iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5, should be available on all compatible devices right now. Whether you’ve already updated, or whether you’re just learning about the update for the first time, here’s what you…Read more...

When you’re getting married, you have quite a few decisions to make. You have to decide whether or not you want to get high at your own ceremony. You have to decide which groomsmen would be least likely to commit one of the 7 deadly sins of a best man’s speech. And you have to decide when you want to go on a honeymoon.

Every year around this time, as my house doors open, we begin to subsist on the fresh air of spring through our window screens, and the kids feast on watermelon and popsicles daily (attracting many a tiny six-legged invader), I wonder: Is it true that stepping on ants attracts more ants? Because, as the primary…Read more...

PlayStation today announced a hefty list of games that will be available to customers upon the launch of its new PlayStation Plus tiers. Sony claims this list in incomplete, so expect more titles as the plans’ launch nears, but make no mistake: It’s a giant list, and makes next month’s PlayStation Plus launch all the…Read more...

When you make food for yourself, there’s never much harm in experimenting. Even if you completely screw up the recipe, you can probably still eat it and not die. Now imagine that one homemade recipe were literally the only food you were allowed to eat for six months. The stakes are a bit higher now, aren’t they?Read more...

About a month after several varieties Skippy peanut butter was recalled over concerns that the “chunks” in some of the company’s products were actually metal fragments, Mars Wrigley is now in a similar situation.Read more...

Americans spend a lot of time in their cars, so it’s not surprising the police pull over a lot of us—about 50,000 a day, and 20 million every year. If you’ve ever been pulled over (and based on those numbers, you probably have) you know how nerve-wracking the experience can be. Put simply, police have all the power…Read more...