Who doesn’t love a good life hack? Life hacks
are simple tricks, skills or shortcuts that can increase productivity and efficiency in all
areas of your life. Life can be expensive, stressful, time consuming and
even dangerous, but we’ve got you covered with this ultimate collection of
50 insane life hacks that will save you time, save you money, save you frustration,
and maybe even save your life! 50. In the digital age, our technology is the
ultimate time suck. Rather than constantly monitoring your emails and phone for alerts,
which sucks up your time and attention, try batching your electronic communications instead.
Aim to check your email only 3 times per day. To accomplish this, use your email’s auto-filter
features to immediately move marketing emails to a separate folder and keep your main inbox
clean. Set auto-replies to let those contacting you know that you’ve received their message and
to set expectations for when they can expect you to reply. You can use the same strategy with your
phone - turn off notifications during set times, and reply to messages and calls in batches to
avoid the constant pull of the pings and dings. 49. To keep yourself focused on important
tasks, remove the temptation of distractions. Try putting your phone in another
room or, if that doesn’t work, consider locking it away in a lock box with
a timer. Use blocking software to keep you off distracting websites while working,
and turn off notifications or use the Do Not Disturb mode on your phone to avoid
interruptions. Try the pomodoro technique to keep yourself focused for short periods
and reward yourself with regular breaks. 48. Our time may be limited, but there are
plenty of small bubbles of time throughout the day that often go to waste. Instead, try the
2 minute rule - if something will take you less than 2 minutes to do, do it right away. The time
and mental energy required to plan, schedule and remember to do the task later can add another
5 minutes to a simple task that could be done in 2 minutes right now, and it's also a great way
to make use of those small pockets of free time. 47. One of the best ways to save time and
get more done is to build on your momentum. Practicing the plus 1 rule will help you get more
done in less time. Every time you’re completing a task, tack on an extra one at the end that
will take only a few minutes to complete. You’ll get a few minutes of your time back,
and bask in a 2-for-1 sense of accomplishment. 46. Getting out the door on time in the morning
can be a big challenge. A fun way to start your day off on the right foot is the 4 song morning
routine. Cue up 4 of your favorite jams, and sync your morning routine to this pump-up playlist.
During the first song, start your shower and brush and floss your teeth while the water heats up.
Spend the second song in the shower - singalongs optional - and then get dressed during the
third song. The fourth song will give you time to accessorize, pack your things and be ready
to head out the door by the time the song ends. Voila! A fun and focused morning routine
to start your day in the right mood. 45. Did you know that your dishwasher
can do more than just wash dishes? Save time on frustrating cleaning tasks by using
your dishwasher to clean everything from rubber flip flops and canvas shoes, to plastic toys
and utensils, to fridge shelves and toaster oven racks. You can even wash your makeup brushes,
combs and showerheads in the dishwasher. Plus, you can spend the time that it takes for the cycle
to run on something much more fun than cleaning. 44. Eating well can be a huge timesuck. Between
making lists, shopping, prepping and cooking, it’s no wonder so many of us opt for take-out more
than we should. To streamline a healthy diet and save time on shopping and prepping, try setting up
regular auto-deliveries of staple items like rice, pasta and household items like toilet paper.
There are even countless companies that will deliver fully prepped meal kits right to your door
to take all of the planning out of healthy eating. 43. Another great way to save time on eating
well is to batch prep your meals for the weak. Spending an hour or 2 on Sundays making a
week’s worth of smoothies for breakfast, pre-making salads for lunch and cooking
a big pot of rice to add to your dinners will save you hours during the week,
eliminate food decision fatigue and help you avoid wasting time on
last-minute trips to the grocery store. 42. Your freezer can be your best friend when it
comes to saving time on cooking and eating well. Keep your freezer stocked with frozen produce,
or freeze your extra produce to avoid food waste and minimize trips to the store for fresh
foods every few days. By making extra large batches of your favorite meals, you’ll always
have extras to keep in the freezer for those inevitable days when even deciding what
to eat seems like an impossible task. 41. Ready for the ultimate time-saving hack? This
one will truly change your life and give you back hours of your precious time. The best
way to save time is to learn to say no. This simple and powerful word will drastically
reduce the amount of time you spend on things that aren’t really important to you, and help you
avoid getting burnt out by an overpacked schedule and a never-ending to-do list. Saying
no can be hard, especially if people have been used to you always saying yes to
everything, but it’s worth the discomfort to gain more energy and time for the things -
and the people - that really matter to you. 40. One way to reduce your
grocery bill is to eat less meat. Not only is it less expensive, but
it’s also better for the environment, and better for your health. You don’t have
to go full-out vegetarian to benefit - even adding one meatless meal each week can
save you hundreds of dollars a year. 39. Another great way to cut down your grocery
spending is to avoid buying things you don’t need. Making a list before you set out to do the
shopping can help you avoid impulse buying, and snapping a picture of the inside of
your fridge and cupboards before you head to the grocery store will ensure that you
never again forget an important ingredient, or buy something you already have at home. 38. If you want to avoid spending your
hard-earned cash, there is a simple solution - carry more of it. Credit and debit
cards make it easier to spend money mindlessly, but carrying cold hard cash on you -
especially larger bills - can make you think twice before parting with your money.
Who wants to break a 50 for a 2 dollar coffee? Using cash can help keep you on budget, since
you’ll know immediately when you’re running low. 37. We all have our favorite brands, but what
you might not know is that many, if not most, store brands are just as good as their name
brand counterparts, and they come at a huge cost savings to boot. Try out some store brands of your
favorite foods, personal items and even clothes, and see if any of them hold up to your brand
name favorites. If they do, keep buying the cheaper version; if not, no worries - enjoy
your brand-name favorites guilt-free where it counts with the savings you earn from
making a few swaps where it matters less. 36. If you’ve ever found yourself thirsty while
out and about, you know just how expensive drinks can be. Between 3 dollar sodas, 5 dollar
coffees, and 10-plus dollar alcoholic drinks, your beverage bill can quickly get out of
control. A simple way to avoid overpaying for hydration is to stick to water as your
primary - or even exclusive - drink. Carry a water bottle everywhere you go, invest in a
water filter to encourage you to stick to water, make coffee to-go at home, and sit back
and sip as you watch the savings pile up. 35. One way to save on groceries is to skip the
store altogether! Growing your own herbs and produce at home can be less expensive, and more
fun, than buying them from the grocery store. Don’t worry if you don’t have a huge yard or even
a green thumb. Just start with 1 or 2 of your favorite herbs or veggies - basil and tomatoes are
great ones to start with - and you’ll never need to buy them from the store again. Plus, they’ll
be fresher and tastier than store-bought produce, and you’ll experience the pride that comes
from eating foods you’ve grown yourself. 34. Nothing hurts more than having your hard
earned cash go missing. Prevent this disaster from happening to you by finding unique ways
to keep your cash and other valuables secure and hidden when you’re out and about. An old
tube of chapstick is the perfect inconspicuous place to hide a roll of a few emergency
bills, and an old sunscreen bottle makes a great incognito case for your phone
and wallet while you’re at the beach! 33. Who wouldn’t love a lower electric bill?
But all those energy-sucking appliances, tools and gadgets that we can’t live
without come at a cost. Thankfully, there are ways to minimize your electricity
usage, which is not only good for the environment, but will save you money in the process! Try
lowering the brightness on your screens, switching to LED lightbulbs, and putting
your TVs, stereos and computers on power bars with on-off switches so that you can eliminate
power drain when you’re not using the devices. 32. Have you ever tried to take care
of a small project around the house, only to find out that you don’t have the tools to
do the job? Before you run to the hardware store, try getting creative. Instead of a pricey
stud finder, use a magnet to find the nails in your studs so you can hang that picture. No
corkscrew? No problem! Push a nail into the cork and use the back of a hammer to pry it out,
and you’ll be enjoying your vino in no time. 31. Many of us are guilty of having a closet
full of clothes but somehow still feel like we never have anything to wear, which
means we end up buying a whole new outfit for every event and occasion. Stop this cycle
in its tracks by building a capsule wardrobe. Fill your closet with neutral items so you
can easily mix and match, use accessories to add a personal touch, and stick to the “one
in, one out” rule when buying new things to make dressing a breeze and cut down on impulse
shopping. And, ironically, by spending more money on fewer high-quality items that will stand up to
frequent wear, you’ll save money in the long run. 30. Here’s another hack that will curb your
impulse buying, especially if online shopping is your downfall. Delete your saved payment
information from all online retailers and always use the guest option to check out. These extra
few steps to the buying process might be enough to give you second thoughts. Set up a separate
email address specifically for offers and coupons, and only check it occasionally. After a shopping
session, make sure to clear your browser history and cache - some websites will monitor your
search history and use that information to increase the price on items you’ve already looked
at. Better yet, disable cookies on your browser, or use a browser like Brave that already
does all of these things automatically. 29. Why limit yourself to money-saving hacks when
you could be using these money-making hacks, too! Clean out your closet, garage and junk drawers and
sell anything you no longer want or need online or in a good old-fashioned yard sale.
Harness the sharing economy to make money on the things you need to keep, too -
consider renting your spare room on AirBnB, loaning out your bike through Bike Share,
or even renting out your car with ZipCar. With the power of the internet, you can find a
buyer for almost anything you no longer want or need. You know the saying - one man’s trash is
another man’s treasure. Even if you have nothing to sell or rent, you can share your skills,
expertise or hobbies by selling your wares on Etsy or freelancing through sites like UpWork,
earning extra cash while learning new skills. 28. Did you know that shopping can actually
save you money? It pays to shop around to find the best deals on everything from
cell phone plans to car insurance, to home decor. Get creative - consider shopping
thrift stores and buying second hand. Also, never hesitate to ask about special offers when
dining out, flying or staying at hotels - many brands offer discounts on unused rooms or
seats, or extra perks, so it never hurts to ask! 27. This number 1 money-saving life hack has the
potential to radically change your finances and your life: the trick is to always pay yourself
first. Instead of waiting until the end of the month to see what - if anything - is left to
save, set up an automatic transfer. Every payday, money will automatically disappear into a separate
savings account so you won’t have a chance to spend it. If that’s not enough to stop you from
raiding your savings, consider setting up your savings account a completely separate bank - out
of sight, out of mind. And while you’re at it, set up all your bills on auto-pay, too.
You’ll never pay another late fee again, you’ll save time on money management, and you
can just sit back and watch the savings roll in. Saving time and money is all well and good,
but wouldn’t it be nice to save yourself from the frustrations of daily life, too?
With these ingenious life hacks, you can! 26. Tired of losing your remote controls? Use
a small piece of velcro to attach them to the side of your coffee table - they’ll be out of
sight, and you’ll never lose them again! This hack works for more than just remotes, too - use
it on makeup brushes, cleaning products, tools, craft supplies and more, and never
you’ll lose track of an item again! 25. There’s nothing worse than trying to enjoy an
episode of the Infographics Show on your phone, only to have to keep adjusting your phone
to keep it from slipping and falling. Instead of propping your phone
haphazardly against anything in sight, use this everyday item as a smart and
portable phone holder - your sunglasses. Place your sunglasses upside down with
the arms slightly crossed, and rest your phone against the inside of the lens. Voila!
Instant phone holder that you can wear away. 24. Sick of getting soaked feet
in your cute shoes? Make almost any pair of canvas shoes waterproof by
rubbing them with a coating of beeswax! Let it dry, and enjoy puddle hopping, soak-free. 23. Avoid a leaky, messy garbage with this trick:
line the bottom of each new bag with a layer of old newspaper. The newspaper will soak up any
liquids and prevent leakage. While you’re at it, drill a hole or 2 in the bottom of your garbage
can to make it easier to remove full bags. 22. Want an easy way to find out if those
batteries you found in the back of the drawer have any life left in them? Give them
a bounce! Drop the batteries from a few inches high onto a flat surface - if they give a
small bounce and fall over, they are good to go. If they bounce all over the place, toss
them - they are either dead or on their way out. 21. Have you ever tried to fill up a
bucket that’s too large to fit in the sink? What a mess! Next time, use a dustpan to
create a DIY spout extender. Place the mouth of the dustpan under the facet and
let the handle reach out over the edge. Place your bucket under the handle, turn
on the water and fill! No cleanup required. 20. Instead of using tape to repair a broken
phone charger, avoid breaking it in the first place with this hack. Wrap the spring from
inside of an old pen around the charging cable at the base of the connector to keep
your cables from cracking and splitting. 19. After a long day, nothing could be better than
an ice cold beverage. But what if you forgot to put them in the fridge!? No worries - wrap a wet
paper towel around the warm bottle and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes, and the whole
drink will be ice cold. Or, use frozen grapes as ice cubes - they won’t water down your drink as
they melt, plus you get a tasty snack at the end! 18. If you’re guilty of frequently sleeping
through your alarm, try this hack. Before you go to sleep, place your phone speaker-side
down inside of a glass by your bedside. The glass will amplify the volume of your
alarm and ensure that you wake up on time. 17. Next time you’re about to
lend something to a friend, try this hack to make sure your item finds its
way back to you. When you hand over that book, movie or favorite shirt to your friend, snap a
picture of them holding the item with your phone. When they return it, delete the picture.
You’ll never forget who has your stuff, now! 16. Don’t you hate it when you buy something new,
but it comes in one of those insane, impossible to open plastic blister packs? Before you almost
cut yourself trying to pry your new item loose, try running your can opener along the
side of the package to open it easily. Much less frustrating, and much, much safer! 15. Cut down on extra trips to the store
and save your poor fingers from going numb by using this hack. Get yourself two extra large
carabiners, large enough that you can comfortably fit your fingers through them. Next time you
have to make a major trip to the grocery store, clip the handles of each grocery bag to one
of the carabiners, and then carry your haul by the carabiners - you can carry many more
bags this way, and it will be much easier to walk or ride the bus home and carry your bags
up stairs. Plus, your fingers will thank you. Life hacks don’t just make your life less
expensive, less time consuming and less stressful. These survival life hacks might
actually save your life one day! 14. Keep a credit-card sized note in your
wallet with all of your important information in case of an emergency. Things like your
emergency contact information, your blood type, and any medical conditions or medications would
be important for first responders to know, and if you can’t speak for yourself,
this card will speak for you. 13. If you ever find yourself in desperate need
of drinking water, but with no way to sterilize or boil the water to make it safe to drink,
try this survival hack. Mix 1 to 2 drops of unscented bleach in a bottle of water and let it
sit for at least half an hour before drinking.. 12. Speaking of survival hacks, being able
to start a fire in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. You
can make homemade fire starters by soaking cotton pads in paraffin wax. If all else
fails, Dorito chips make great kindling. 11. Kindling is an important part of any fire, but you’ll still need something
to get the fire started with. You can make your own waterproof matches by
dipping the heads of each match in nail polish. 10. If you’re truly lost in the
wilderness, this hack will help you find your way home. You can make a compass
using nothing but a needle, a leaf and some water. Place the needle on the leaf, and set
the leaf in a small puddle or a cup of water. The earth’s magnetic fields will orient the needle
to face north-south, pointing you towards safety. 9. If you’re lost in the foods, after fire and
water the next thing you’ll need is food. You can make a simple fishing rod out of
an empty soda can by removing the tab and fashioning it into a hook. Use some
string or floss to attach the hook to the can, and wind the string around the outside
of the can. Block the can’s opening to keep it from sinking, then sit back
and wait for dinner to be served. 8. If you find yourself a long way
from safety with a flat bike tire, this hack can get you back on the road. You
can pack the bike’s tire evenly all the way around with leaves and grass to give yourself
enough lift to slowly ride to a better location. 7. To build an emergency heater that you can use
even indoors, light 2 candles and place them on a plate. Place 3 bricks around the sides of the
plate in a “U” shape, and then rest a terra cotta pot upside down on top of the bricks, covering the
candles. This simple set up can heat a whole room. 6. You can make a long-lasting DIY emergency
candle with this simple hack. All you need to do is place a wick into a jar of
vegetable shortening and light it, and you’ll have a simple candle
that will burn for hours. 5. To brighten your life in the outdoors, use this
hack to build a simple camping lantern on the fly. Strap a headlamp to a clear jug full of water,
with the light facing into the jug. When you turn on the headlamp, the entire jug will
cast a pleasant glow over your campsite. 4. If you’re ever faced with a
frozen lock on your car or door, here’s a hack that will help. Place a
straw over the lock, and blow into it. After a few moments, your warm breath
should unthaw the lock and let you get in. 3. You already know to stop, drop and roll when
faced with a fire, but did you know that you can make a homemade mask out of an everyday item
of clothing? The cups of bra work perfectly as debris masks that can help you stay calm and
keep breathing until you can get to safety. 2. How many times have you gotten a small
cut, only to realize that you don’t have any bandaids handy? No worries - you can use
Chapstick on small cuts to stop the bleeding. It can also help to soothe bug bites and rashes. 1. Anyone who lives somewhere with extreme
winter weather knows how hard it can be to keep your cheeks warm when walking through
biting winter winds. Next time you’re headed into the great white outdoors, slather some baby
oil on your face to protect against frostbite. If you thought this video was great, be sure and
check out our other videos, like this one called “10 Incredible DIY Zombie Survival Hacks”,
or you might like this other video, too.
