The internet is full of information and advice. You can find tips on anything from how to reduce cholesterol to how to more effectively battle Pokemon. The problem is that a lot of the so-called 'Life Hacks' you can find on the internet, Tips And Tricks that are meant to make your life easier or better, are just exercises in over-complicating something that wasn't actually a problem in the first place. We've all seen the kind of thing I'm talking about, tips to better eat fruit and bizarre time-consuming tips to get slightly more out of your ketchup holder or make pancakes in a sillier fashion.
Basically, there is a lot of nonsense out there that isn't helping anyone. Here are some tips, 'life hacks' if you will, that actually make your life better or easier.
1. Take off your shoes at the movies
First, I should caution you that this is only a good idea if you're wearing clean socks and you're feet aren't particularly sweaty. If you have stinky feet, then this is just a tip to annoy everyone around you and you will get a lot of dirty looks. However, assuming that you're feet aren't smelly, then this tip will revolutionize (slight exaggeration) how you watch movies. Shoes are definitely a lot less comfortable than no shoes. That's why bed-socks are a thing but bed-shoes aren't. So, whip those shoes off and every movie watching experience is suddenly 86 percent more comfortable (not a real statistic).
2. Keep duct tape in your car
There are a few things that it is a good idea to keep in your car: a first-aid kit, something to break a window if you get stuck inside in a car crash, and duct tape. Even the safest drivers will occasionally have something go wrong with their car, and several of those things can be patched up with duct tape while you get your car to a mechanic for some proper repairs.
You can tape up tears in the metal near lights and other electronics to keep the rain out. If the air valve on your tire cracks, you can tape it up after refilling the tire and drive to your mechanic and/or tire-store without it going immediately flat again. You can also use it to stick mirrors back in place so you can still see while you get your car to the mechanic.
Basically, it isn't a replacement for actually getting your car fixed, but for a quick patch job while you get it somewhere it can be fixed, it can be really useful. This is especially the case if you're out in the country and the nearest mechanic is a quite some distance away. So, pop some duct tape in your car for your next road trip, just in case!
3. Check out restaurants near you that give you free food for your birthday
Everything tastes better when it's free, and some restaurants, cafes and fast-food joints will give you free food on your birthday if you sign up to their loyalty program. They will probably send you emails you don't care about as well, but sign up with a rarely used email address or one with a good filter for that sort of thing and this won't be any cost at all.
Then, come your birthday, you can have your pick of free food. Some places even offer free food for the week or, in the case of at least one place near me, the month of your birthday. These are even better as you can enjoy your free food without trying to cram it all into one day. This tip is even more useful for those readers outside America, as food tends to be cheaper there than in a lot of other Western countries. Either way, you can look up what restaurants near you offer deals like this relatively easily. Free food could be just a Google search away!
4. Buy brand name medicine rather than the generic version for a stronger effect
Okay, disclaimer time. This tip is only for those who have enough disposable income to be picky about what kind of pills they get for their headache or whatever.
If you're living paycheck to paycheck and you don't have extra money to be splashing out on brand name aspirin, don't worry about it, the generic versions will do the job fine. That being said, brand name pills work better than the generic equivalent. Some of you will think I've gone totally mad here, and point out that the active ingredient is exactly the same in both. Those people are right (about the active ingredient thing, not the going mad thing) but nevertheless, brand name pills work better. The placebo effect is a real and powerful thing. Heck, the entire homeopathy industry is built on it. And it means that medicines with a recognized brand name work better than the generic version simply because we expect them to.
Cost also plays into the placebo effect so the fact that brand name drugs are more expensive also makes them work better. The craziest thing about the placebo effect is that it works even if you know all of this. So, if you want a better kick out of your aspirin or your hay fever pills, and you can afford it, go for the brand name version rather than the generic version.
5. Use the first toilet stall in public bathrooms
Contrary to what you might expect, the first toilet stall in a public bathroom is usually the cleanest. This could be because it's often avoided because people think it's going to be dirtier, which leads to it actually being cleaner than the other stalls. Obviously, this won't always be the case, but no advice I give you should be treated as a replacement for using your own common sense and judgment.
But as a rule of thumb: if you want a clean stall when you go to a public bathroom (and who doesn't), the first stall is going to be your best bet.
6. Swearing helps with pain
Okay, so this tip is a bit context-sensitive. It will probably work, but it might have some social costs if you use it at the wrong time. With that disclaimer out of the way, if you're in pain, then swearing can help reduce that pain. It's not magical, it won't suddenly make it feel like you haven't smacked your thumb with a hammer if you have, but it does reduce your pain a bit, and if you're really hurting, every little bit helps. The research on this is relatively slim, so your results may vary. Also, this trick may work better if you don't swear often otherwise, so if you're swearing a blue streak daily, don't expect too much.
So, that's all the helpful tips and 'life hacks' I have for you today. Do you have a trick you use to make your life easier? Share it in a comment below and help us make our lives easier too!
