People Share 10+ Effective Life Hacks That Are Cheap and Simple

year ago

As Shakespeare put it, all the world’s a stage, and we bet it’s easier to play on it if we have little cheat codes. We might do perfectly without them, yet those little things provide such a great relief that we don’t want to get back to the old way of doing things. These 14 people cracked life’s codes and kindly shared their excellent and practical tips.

1. Turn your single Gmail address into infinite addresses.

Sometimes we need to register on a website more than once or simply don’t want to fill our mail with junk and create multiple accounts. Although signing up over and over again works, it’s still inconvenient. You can avoid this if you use the tactic, “plus addressing.” Just type a plus (+) before the @. For example, joe+brightside@gmail.com. No matter how many variations you can come up with, they will all end up in your single account.

2. Every Samsung phone has a hidden chihuahua.

If you have a Samsung phone, we bet you have this pup too. You can find it in the diagnostic mode. Open the Phone app, dial *#0*#, and a menu will automatically appear. Tap “sensor,” then “image test,” and voilà — it should be there. The purpose is probably to test the image, but Samsung could have used an image of better quality, so it remains a mystery.

3. Freeze bread to make it last longer.

You prolong your bread’s shelf life by putting it in the freezer. You can also slice it beforehand to make thawing easier for later.

Bread with dairy ingredients can last for 2-3 months, while non-dairy bread can be stored for up to 6 months! Let it thaw in the oven or at room temperature. Your guests won’t even guess they’re eating 3-month-old bread.

4. Reuse pickle juice.

It’s safe to reuse pickle juice, and you can make “refrigerator pickles” with it. Here’s a faster way to make pickled vegetables — heat the juice, throw in some veggies, screw on the jar lid, and let the mixture sit for at least 5 hours. You can also make a marinade and use the leftover juice to enhance the flavor of your gravy.

5. Make a small cave for your cat.

Most cat owners want to make the lives of their cats as comfortable as possible. We buy beautiful beds and toys for them, but later they end up sleeping in a shoebox and playing with a scrap of paper. Your cat will love this small fort made from a binder and a blanket. Cheap and cozy!

6. Use duct tape to get rid of insects.

Now you don’t have to catch insects — just let duct tape do it for you. It’s cheap and sticky, and you can also wrap it around a stick if you want to stay as far away as possible from bugs or spiders. Plus, you can make a cockroach trap by placing duct tape and bait in the places where cockroaches hang out.

7. Get free trials using a fake credit card.

Most companies allow you to try out a product for free only after you enter your card details. You can get a free trial without using your card by generating a fake credit card. Alternatively, you can use virtual credit cards if you don’t feel like using your primary one.

8. Prevent glasses from fogging up.

All people who wear glasses know the constant struggle of fogged-up lenses, especially in winter. Finally, there’s a great solution — use a bit of shaving cream. Rub it on both sides of the lenses with your finger, then wipe it off, and you’re all set.

9. Use door locks in bathroom stalls as hooks.

Most bathroom stalls have hooks to hang your bag or clothes on. If you find the unlucky ones without such things, simply use the door locks. Now you can free your hands and avoid putting your bags on the floor.

10. Use a fork while grating food.

Prevent possible injuries by grating small bits of food with a fork. This way, you can do it quickly without worrying about scraping your fingers. Just make sure the food is firmly stuck to the fork.