Lifehacker

For some reason, people of a certain age love to collect bottles of expired salad dressing. In fact, a recently expired bottle of Trader Joe’s Green Goddess dressing in my own fridge is just one more damning piece of evidence I am slowly morphing into my grandmother, one food item at a time (the package of cheap…Read more...

No matter how much advice you get before getting married, nothing can quite prepare you for what it’s really like. Over the years I’ve been married, I’ve learned a few things I didn’t expect about what life after the wedding would be like. Here are the things I think everyone should consider before they get married.

Hey.

It may feel as though we’ve finally said goodbye to winter, but alongside the warmer weather comes hurricane season. In anticipation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released their predictions for the 2021 hurricane season, which begins on June 1.Read more...

If you’ve ever wondered if you should invoke something or evoke it, you’re not alone. Not only do the words sound similar, but the difference in their meanings is subtle, and they’re also not likely to be words we use often. That’s when it’s time to invoke the knowledge of the grammar gods.Read more...

After being cooped up inside all winter (especially within the past two years) it can be easy to get carried away with your summer plans—including the ones involving plants. You may head to the garden center with the intentions of picking up a few seedlings and supplies, and somehow end up with more plants that you…Read more...

Updated 5/24: Samsung has extended the data transfer deadlines for Samsung Cloud users. We’ve updated the article below with the new cutoff dates and added extra information on syncing Samsung Cloud with OneDrive.

Citing labor shortages, 23 states have announced that they’re opting out of the federal government’s unemployment assistance program, which includes a top-up of $300 per week on state employment benefits. Here’s a look at which states are ending the payments, and when they’ll get cut off.Read more...

As we draw closer to August, you and I will be tempted and tried by False Tomato Season. Though I have never in my life had a truly fantastic tomato before the eighth month of the year, I refuse to learn, and always end up being betrayed by at least one good-looking but disappointing-tasting tomato.Read more...

Unless you’ve been avoiding the news completely in recent months, you’ve probably heard about the wild ride that is the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin and Ether are experiencing huge swings in value on a daily basis, while Dogecoin—created as a joke in 2013—has become a very real (if volatile) asset thanks in part to…Read more...

Imagine sitting on a barstool, with kids—kindergarten age and younger—darting across the floor, screaming for their parents, and generally posing a liability for any inebriated adult who might have the misfortune of colliding with one of these tiny people. Suffice it to say, I have an axe to grind against parents who…Read more...

Just as speed is not the only way to make progress in running, adding weight to the bar is not the only way to make progress in lifting. There are many ways to measure the process of getting stronger and fitter, so let’s discuss some ways you can set benchmarks for yourself along the way.Read more...

When summer heat and humidity hits for real, cold showers and box fans can only do so much. At some point you’ll need to actually cool the air in your house if you want to stay comfortable. Without central air conditioning, that can be a real struggle.Read more...

It’s a good time to get a retail job, as big chains are struggling to fill job vacancies, and are in some cases increasing hourly wages or offering hiring bonuses. If you’re shopping around for a gig, it’s also worth considering which chains offer the best employee discounts, as they can potentially add up to hundreds…Read more...

The word “crybaby” evokes a certain image: a child who seems to tear up over things of little consequence, multiple times a day, and for several minutes per cry session—and who seems too old to do so. There is a societal expectation that by a certain age, maybe around the time they start kindergarten or first grade,…Read more...

As humans, most of us are uncomfortable talking (or even thinking) about death, whether it’s our own, or the loss of loved ones—including pets. And while people never want to think about anything happening to their pets, that’s one of the inevitable aspects of having a furry companion. Even though you might think you…Read more...

The last movie I saw in theaters before the pandemic turned moviegoing into a hazy memory was Cats, the infamously wrong-headed adaptation of the inexplicably popular Broadway musical. That it was a late-night “rowdy” screening hosted by a popular bad movie podcast only made me feel a little less unclean.

Mushrooms and moisture have a tense relationship. Mushrooms seem to love moisture and grab onto it every chance they get, but the relationship is a toxic one, as moisture hastens the shrooms’ slimy demise. That makes it your job, as the mushroom storer, to keep them as dry as possible (until you’re ready to eat them).Read more...

Duct tape works miracles, but it often leaves behind a sticky reminder of its adhesive, regardless of where you’re using it. Most people try and fail to remove the remnants of duct tape, which can create an eyesore when its mostly removed—especially if you attempt to scrape a surface clean with some kind of tool.

Life is full of big decisions, and they tend to inspire a lot of thought around this time of year as graduates accept their diplomas and plan for the road ahead. With that in mind, here’s some advice to help you along the way, from deciding where to live to deciding where to work, and so on. Of course, none of these…Read more...

Few leftovers are as welcome as pizza—which is why it’s never a bad idea to practice smart pizza math and order a size up. And while I’d never fault you for eating a spare slice cold, straight from the fridge (possibly while standing in the dark in your underwear at 2:30 a.m.), I implore you to stop microwaving them…Read more...

Too often, runners try to improve by focusing exclusively on their running. They attempt faster workouts, higher mileage, speedier overall paces, or more frequent workouts. This approach may lead to injuries, as more training is inherently risky. (We don’t call them “overuse injuries” for nothing!) Instead, if runners…Read more...

When you’re looking for a new job there’s a lot that can go wrong, from formatting your resume improperly to being tripped up by questions during the job interview. Mistakes will happen—some bigger than others—and most of them are survivable...but there are certain pitfalls to avoid that can make your job search run a…Read more...

When you’re in elementary school, having friends from a different grade can be an indicator of your social status. Hanging around with kids in the grade below yours might be seen as a negative, but if you manage to get in with the older kids, you must be doing something right. Interesting, considering that either way,…Read more...

When I wrote last week about considering whether it’s time to change our parenting styles as we emerge from the pandemic, one reader reached out to ask me if I’d ever heard of gentle parenting. I did not think I had, but it sure sounded nice, so I decided to dive into the topic. I discovered that this is the type of…Read more...

With the boom of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) retail financing, the preference for no-interest installment plans has prompted popular payment apps like PayPal to launch their own versions. If you’re a regular user of PayPal who’s new to this form of payment, here’s a look at how it works and how to set it up.Read more...

Growing up, catfish was one of my favorite foods—one of the only fishes I enjoyed eating, in fact. As I got older, and lived and traveled outside of the South, I begin exploring (and appreciating) other types of finned food, but it took a while for me to appreciate salmon. It tasted so radically different from…Read more...

The first time (or maybe every time) you’ve purchased towels, perhaps you based your selection on 1) what’s cheapest and 2) is it a towel. But as it turns out, if you’re in a position where you have some flexibility in your towel budget (keeping in mind that they are an investment), you may be interested in learning…Read more...

Look: we know that we’ve heard a lot from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over the past year. What were they supposed to do? We’ve been living during a global pandemic caused by a virus never-before-seen in humans, and we all had/have a lot to learn.Read more...

Whether you’re addressing a group of people at work, or having a one-on-one conversation with a friend, you have the challenge of competing for their attention with their phone (and everything on it). And beyond that, there’s the question of whether they’ll actually retain anything you’ve told them.Read more...

As anyone who has led a team knows, being an effective manager involves more than making sure work gets done and goals are met. But for perfectionists, those aspects of the job can be especially challenging—because the only way to guarantee that everything is up to their standards is to do it (or at least carefully…Read more...

If, like so many others, you first got into gardening during the pandemic, you’ve probably already figured out that it involves more than planting a few seeds or baby plants and letting nature work its magic. Sure, you may be aware that using fertilizer can help your plants grow, for example, but you may not be…Read more...

Remember back in the day (i.e. 2019) when we took the simple act of leaving our home for non-essential purposes for granted? After more than a year of limiting our time in public to outings related to work, emergencies or getting basic supplies, going out to do something because you’d actually enjoy it sounds almost…Read more...

According to a report by Check Point Research, many popular Android apps put your personal data at risk due to poorly secured third-party services.

The majority prefer the familiarity and comfort of monogamy, but sexual adventurists of all stripes walk among us. Just think, while you’re haggling with your partner over the electric bill or Venmo’ing the same $30 back and forth to pay for weekly groceries, there are couples out there swinging from partner to…Read more...

For any high school or college student who is about to graduate, it’s safe to assume they had an interesting senior year. They spent so many of their classes, extra curricular activities, and traditional milestones either virtual or masked up and spread apart. This is not the year to gift them a coffee mug with…Read more...

If you’re fully vaccinated, you may be looking forward to using your masks less and less often now that the CDC has said fully vaccinated Americans can go without masks in many situations. But if you have allergies to dust or pollen, it might be worth keeping them around.Read more...

For whatever reason, the words “bartender’s handshake” make my skin crawl. I’m not against the concept—I actually love the idea of hospitality folks greeting each other with neat little shots and streamlined cocktails. I just hate the phrase.Read more...

Vaccination rates have stalled, and some states are doing whatever it takes to get more shots into arms, even if that means paying them off with freebies like free passes to parks, gift cards, or the tantalizing prospect of winning $1 million. And so far, the campaigns are having an effect. Here’s a look at what’s on…Read more...

Sunlight and summer rain can be great for outdoor plants, but it’s also a great time to give your indoor plants some fresh air. Unfortunately, though, some plants make it outside and then never make it back...because you killed them. The timing and positioning of your plants are important, along with some other…Read more...

You’d be forgiven if you’ve spent the last, oh, 15 months (or longer) in a constant state of anxiety. Certainly in 2021, it’s easy to forgot there is just as much to celebrate about life as to lament. Probably even more! Maybe. But remembering that—and striving to be a positive force in the world yourself—might…Read more...

You should never need an excuse to throw a party, but a graduation ceremony is certainly a perfect reason to festoon your home with decorations in honor of the big achievement. Graduation—from elementary school, middle school, high school, or college—is a rite of passage that deserves more than cake, finger foods and…Read more...

Hello everyone, and welcome to Prix Fixed, Lifehacker’s new menu-planning advice column. Whether you have a hot date, big anniversary, or are meeting the in-laws for the first time, we’ll help you plan an impressive menu suited to your dietary needs and culinary skillset. Will there be hacks? You bet your butt there…Read more...

Creaky joints may sound like a sign that you’re getting older and your body is falling apart, but in most cases your noisy knees are nothing to worry about. Let’s take a quick look at why joints make noise and how to know if there’s really a problem.Read more...

Taking fire nudes is exhilarating, right? Sending them is exciting and hot, as is receiving them. It’s all fun and games…until, sometimes, it’s not.Read more...

Google is testing an experimental RSS-based “Follow” feature in Chrome Canary on Android. Google says the feature is only an “experiment” for now and will decide whether to implement the feature publicly based on user and developer feedback, but this seems like good news for RSS lovers like me.Read more...

There are an infinite number of uses for duct tape. The super adhesive tape fixes ripped tents and makes durable wallets—kids have even gotten scholarships for designing duct tape dresses. You might forget some of the practical ways we can use duct tape to help us in a bind (or maybe you never even know them!), so…Read more...

Last week’s 0ut-of-touch guide touched on heavy internet darkness, so this week we’re keeping it light as a flyweight boxer trying to make his weight class. Nothing more serious than eating pasta, pestering squirrels, zombies taking over Las Vegas, and the oldest “teenager” since Dick Clark went to the bandstand in…Read more...

Remember HDTV? Full 1080p? Well those days are long gone, baby! Now 4k is the minimum acceptable definition you want to watch anything. Otherwise, what are you doing with your eyes?Read more...