Life Hacks for All!

[Greenie]

With life always trying to get the better of us, we could always use some hack to make things easier!

What are some of your favourite/useful life hacks?​

Yesterday I decided to use bobby hair pins to pull my curtain open to the side. It was rather simple and easy and took like... less that fifteen seconds? It didn't even slip open until I pulled the pins away at night.

 

[Vars]

wood clothespins instead of bag clips.

hook anything that doesn't have a physical power switch into a power strip that does. Then turn the power strip off. Almost everything doesn't have mechanical power switches anymore which means they never actually turn off, they just wait around in standby mode. Unless you really do use that thing all the time then you'll want to legitimately turn it off to save electricity because that crap adds up. (alternatively, instead of a power strip, actually unplug the thing)

walmart.com is cheaper than amazon.com for most things these days.

use cabbage instead of lettuce. I'm biased because I like cabbage, but, it's healthier, cheaper, lasts way longer, and in my opinion tastes better.

get the good rice or you will hate life (nishiki)

you only need a pea-sized bit of toothpaste to brush your teeth

they sell bidet toilet seats that are super simple to attach to your regular toilet and you should buy one

Everything that says "flushable" is not actually flushable. Stop flushing down tampons, baby wipes, etc. (this is only for the US). (x)

If you're in not-the-US and there's a trashcan next to the toilet, it's for you to throw your used toilet paper into. Many countries do not have good plumbing and flushing toilet paper can clog it up.

this is all I can think of for now.... It's mostly to save money lol.

edit:
- Don't ever be passive aggressive. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Especially at work. It is better to come off as blunt and rude than passive aggressive. The effects are not immediately recognizable. They will build up over time. Passive aggressive people (especially at work) are never respected, but people who mean what they say are. More opportunities will open up for you.

- "I'm just being honest." Blunt/brute honesty is often used to excuse you being an asshole. There is such a thing called tact. It's not sugar coating. It's wording things properly so people don't write you off immediately. Learn tact and stop using "honesty" as an excuse to be a shithead.

- It is okay to be wrong. Being wrong just means you learned something. Don't dig your heels into a faulty argument because you don't want to be wrong. Admit you're wrong, apologize, take it as a learning experience, and move on. People respect that, and being wrong in an argument doesn't make you less of a person.

- If you believe 100% in something, but want to learn more, look at the other argument. Ex. you're pro-choice. So go look at pro-life sites and arguments to learn more about your side. Statistics can be biased, looking at the other side of an argument can help reveal new things to you. It can also help you understand where other people are coming from. You might change your opinion, but you might not.

Similarly, and this goes especially for education, if you cannot argue for both sides of the debate (e.g. for pro-life AND for pro-choice), then you don't know your topic well enough, and you need to educate yourself more fully to understand it. A profound belief in one side is not an excuse for ignorance.

edit2:

- ACTUALLY. READ. THE. INSTRUCTIONS.
For everything. If it comes with instructions/directions, read them. BEFORE you use/build the thing.
And when you get to a problem: GO BACK TO THE INSTRUCTIONS. Your problem's probably covered there.
Computer programs: "HELP" is there for a reason. Now, admittedly, some programs have shit help files, but a lot of the more complicated programs (PHOTOSHOP) have really detailed help files, and you're only shooting yourself in the foot if you're not willing to read them.

Also: Google. "How do I X?" Instead of stopping and pouting about how you can't figure out the thing, consult the world (internet) that is probably in your pocket (via your smartphone). 99% of the time it's been asked and answered before.
I mean, seriously, it's all there.
I googled "How to make a baked potato" the other day.
"Can I use pickle juice for anything else"
"How to change tub spout"
"Why isn't my ps1 game playing on my ps2"

It's all there, guys.

The best skill you can have in life is knowing how to learn.

Similarly, "I don't know" is a perfectly acceptable answer to any question... as long as you follow it up with "But I can find out for you." And you can do that by finding the answer yourself (preferred) or by asking someone more knowledgeable than you.
This is especially good in work environments.

the last edit: I don't think this is what you were intending for this thread. Oops. :x

 

[Greenie]

the last edit: I don't think this is what you were intending for this thread. Oops. :x

It's all good XD Life has need for all sorts of hacks!

 

[Dipper]

Toothpaste can do anything.

 

[Shiri]

When attending a convention practice rule 2 -1- 6; eat at least two meals a day, take one shower every day, and get 6 hours of sleep. You will be fed, clean, and rested for better convention amusement.

Got a wasp hanging out in your window and you feel like you'd rather die than confront it with a flimsy fly swatter? Take a spray bottle mix some water and Dawn soap in it and you're got yourself a Waspkiller 3000 Death Gun. Spray that sucker until it falls to the ground and spray it some more. It will die within a few minutes and be too wet to fly at you. You will also have a cleaner window and floor. It is fast, easy, and asserts dominance over your household. Do not use on a wasp nest however. You will make them swarm. This is only for 1 on 1 combat scenarios.

I don't really know how cost efficient it is, but I started buying Scotch restickable dots for my posters and they work really well on my panel walls. I used to get the blue putty stuff, but it was so messy and a hassle to get off of surfaces. Restickable dots have made my print collecting life easier.

Is your bunny bored? Do you hate your archaic collection of paper known as a phone book? Give your bunny the phone book. Rip off the covers and let them go to town. Be warned, paper will be everywhere. Let's face it, if you decided to own a pet bunny you already agreed to messes.

 

[Dipper]

Got a wasp hanging out in your window and you feel like you'd rather die than confront it with a flimsy fly swatter? Take a spray bottle mix some water and Dawn soap in it and you're got yourself a Waspkiller 3000 Death Gun. Spray that sucker until it falls to the ground and spray it some more. It will die within a few minutes and be too wet to fly at you. You will also have a cleaner window and floor. It is fast, easy, and asserts dominance over your household. Do not use on a wasp nest however. You will make them swarm. This is only for 1 on 1 combat scenarios.

Excellent. I can now resume my anti-wasp campaign.

 

[PoetLore]

I have noted before that I have something of a huge fear of spiders. When I still had my children around the house all day with me, I would get them to kill spiders for me in exchange for dealing with everything else (Bees, wasps, mosquitoes, mice, snakes etc). When i was suddenly alone (Rotten children went and grew up and left me...ingrates..lol) I started to buy the cheap AquaNet hair spray in cans. Whenever I would see a spider I would shoot them with the hairspray which I can do from a safe distance, and which glues them into a mess and causes them to fall to the ground and die. A few hours (yeah I know I'm pitiful) later I am sure it's dead i will get a wad of paper towels and throw it away. It's crazy but hey...it works for me.

We always cut the clips off hangers that clothes come on. if there are clips for pants of a skirt, clip them off and use them for chip bag clips. Though as Vardoger noted, clothes pins work well too.

One of the better life hacks I've come across though, is to save the spring from your used ball point pens. Put that spring over the cord for your phone charger. it will hold the end straighter and keep it from breaking.

I'm sure there are more...

 

[Greenie]

When i was suddenly alone (Rotten children went and grew up and left me...ingrates..lol)

Sorry Mom!



:'D I was just reminded of my mom haha.

 

[PoetLore]

:'D I was just reminded of my mom haha.

My work here is done then...grins*

 

[Nemopedia]

I wash my watercooker and warm water bottles with vinegar instead of expensive cleaning products. Pour in the vinegar, cook it and then pour it over in the bottles that needs to be cleaned. You can put the (dirty) vinegar back in the bottle and reuse it for another time and rinse out the cooker and bottles with water.

I also make batches of lemon slices in honey. The honey will become syrupy and is great for tea. The lemon slices will become sweet (skin included). I use the syrup for teas, or lemonades (adding a little mint). The lemon slices I can use to decorate cakes, or just to munch on them as a snack. Super healthy and delicious, but also hydrating. The best thing is that you can keep it around for a while in the fridge, as long as you don't poke around in the bacth with your finger, or add in water, and always use a clean spoon/fork.

 

[Jess Incognito]

Those Yankee Candles with the sealing rubber gasket make really great kitchen jars if you bother to boil out the wax when you get to the end of the candle. You know the ones, they're nice and thick and they've got a big fat glass lid. I use mine for tea, but anything you want to keep sealed would be great. (I keep all the glass jars....applesauce, tomato sauce, but I'm one of those snob kitchen people who when they get home from the store, everything comes out of the cardboard box and goes into a jar/tin. They're just so pretty o.o )

Anytime you need fabric for something that doesn't have to be luxurious (depends on your standards, certainly), go to Walmart and buy a flat sheet. You can buy them individual for something like $5 for a twin. It's a good amount of fabric for less than the fabric store would give you. (Sometimes you can find really nice sheets at thrift stores). I've used those to back quilts and make bed skirts.

---Actually - as a tangent, just thrift stores for fabric in general. Even, find a good knit sweater and unravel it and you've got some hella good yarn for fractions of the cost of hella good yarn.

Vinegar is really good for your hair as a conditioner. Spray it on in the shower and leave it for a few minutes and rinse. It does sting if it goes into your eyes, but have no fear. Because of the low viscosity, it'll run right out much quicker than soap.
I use baking soda and vinegar exclusively, no 'shampoo' so to speak, but it's also just a good supplementary conditioner if you feel like your hair needs some love.

 

[Kagayours]

I use baking soda and vinegar exclusively, no 'shampoo' so to speak,

UHHHHH

Doesn't that, like... destroy your hair?? O_O"

 

[Jess Incognito]

@Kagayours
I don't know, I've been doing it this way for two years, going on three and I won't say I've been super experimental with hair care or am an expert, I'll just say it's better than it had been before. Maybe I just have no idea what 'good' is. I can't argue with science. Thanks for sharing the video - I'll look into it.

 

[Vars]

When you are comparing 2 brands, look at the amount in the ppackaging to make sure they are the same size. If not, recalculate the price.
Likewise, don't always buy the bigger package - always calculate the price, some retailers will upcharge bulk packaging.

Finally, all things the same bbetween 2 food items? Comparing nutrition labels? Make sure you read what the serving size is- they can be different and make the thing that seemed healthier not so.

 

[Persephone]

 

[Gwazi Magnum]

1. Adding cheese to food makes it better
2. Ketchup with Vanilla potato chips
3. Ice Cream Sandwiches, with waffle bread
4. Drinking Bleach is a miracle cure to the STD that is life.
5. Any mod someone made for a video game version of the board game Life.
6. Sushi, but bacon instead of seaweed.
7. Bring a water bottle to bed. No midnight water runs.
8. Rate this post have a cookie and I won't actually have a cookie to eat.

 

[Kitti]

When you are comparing 2 brands, look at the amount in the ppackaging to make sure they are the same size. If not, recalculate the price.
Likewise, don't always buy the bigger package - always calculate the price, some retailers will upcharge bulk packaging.

Finally, all things the same bbetween 2 food items? Comparing nutrition labels? Make sure you read what the serving size is- they can be different and make the thing that seemed healthier not so.

I like that many stores (grocery especially) here at least list the "per kilo" cost of an item in the bottom right hand corner of the price so I can see what the cost comparison really is between different brands, sizes, etc.

If you forget where you put something, when you finally do find it, try keeping it in the first place you looked for it.

Vinegar is great and has a buttload of applications.
Have scuffs in the finish of wood furniture/flooring? Try mixing a little vinegar and olive oil and rubbing it over the scuff with a cloth.
Have difficult skin? Try washing it with a 3:1 water apple cider vinegar solution a few times a week (but be sure to use moisturizer, it can be drying).
Want a clean, beautiful dishwasher? Put some white vinegar in instead of soap and run it on high heat, preferably empty (this can help prevent the dishwasher drain from clogging too).

 

[Kagayours]

TIP FOR REMEMBERING BIRTHDAYS IF YOU'RE TERRIBLE AT IT LIKE I AM:

Next time Facebook catches you off guard and notifies you of a birthday that you had no idea was even approaching (especially if it's for someone important, like... one of your parents, or a significant other), take a moment to do some google searches and find a celebrity, historical figure, or potentially even a fictional character who happens to share a birthday with that person. Odds are there's at least one easy-to-remember name for every date of the calendar. And that famous person's birthday can easily be googled at any time. :P

For example, my mom happens to share a birthday with Shakespeare. So any time I need to know when my mom's birthday is (or when I think it might be coming up and I want to make note of it for the potential near-future), I can just look up Shakespeare's birthday. :P