Life hacks

[moonshadow]

I thought I'd start a thread for useful life hacks, just for fun.

Feel free to contribute

The only rule is, let it be original, and something you actually do (no copy and pasting some goofy thing you saw on social media).

1) A solution for saving money on a prepared lunch.
It may sound crazy, but if there is one way the medial industry can save you a little money, if you're hungry and near a hospital, stop in for a bite to eat. They usually have a cafeteria and the food is usually pretty good (often better than at popular restaurant chains). The only disadvantage is they typically run very limited hours (such as only a couple of hours for the three meals), but if you time it right, you can eat pretty cheap. Many of these hospitals employ professional Chefs, and trust me when I say, the food is good and well prepared, it's not "cafeteria food". I've worked in hospital kitchens for 20 years, and I can vouch that it's some of the best food you can find.

Last Saturday Liz and I had two cheeseburgers, two large servings of seasoned fries, I had a fountain soda and she had a cup of water from the dispenser... the cost... $14 TOGETHER! ($7 per lunch, you can't beat that with a stick) And it was a GOOD cheeseburger, fresh vegetables, condiments, the bun was good, meat was juicy and made to order.

2) A quick trick for removing tiny splinters
I've had a 100% success rate with this, and I've probably removed around 50 splinters this way over the years, works best on the tiny little splinters that you can barely see, the type you get from a screw thread or a slight burr on sheet metal.
After you've done the dishes, or taken a shower, or any activity where you hand is submerged in warm water for a while (to get the skin softened up), take a pumice stone, wet it under warm water, allow the warm water to flow over the splinter, and with a good amount of force, scrub the pumice against the grain of the splinter a couple times. It flicks it right out of there...

More to come as I think of them...

[denimini]

Yes I agree about the Hospital cafeteria. In Broken Hill it is staffed by volunteers, elderly ladies doing good old home style cooking and cheap too.

In a country renowned for it's prickly plants and burrs; some are so fine that I can not see them so the application and removal of sticky tape does the trick.

[crfriend]

In general, I've found that:

1) Don't let others' opinions offend or upset you -- you can't change them,
2) Strive to learn why things work -- once the "why" is understood, "how" becomes trivial,
3) Know how to fix things -- especially if it means trying something new,
4) As much as possible, live life without fear,
5) Love -- when you can; cry when you can't.

[Spirou003]

I used to be weak against heat. But it has passed, since the autumn 2021 when I decided to increase my D vitamins by the most natural way: sun exposure. I started to practise my workouts under the sun so long that it was bearable, essentially in the early morning or in the evening, or when winter came at any time of the day. Ideally behind a window so that you don't feel the eventual outside coldness, especially in winter. Since my workouts are fitness/musculation, they're compatible with staying behind a window. And suddenly the next summer, I realized that it was not so warm outside... by 30°C, where I used to consider 25°C to be the very highest limit. I even managed to do a (light) workout session by 34°C under the sun I was looking for D vitamins (I've got them, not enough yet but I wasn't in severe deficiency anymore), and I got the nice surprise of better heat resilience.
Caution note: don't forget to carefully listen to your body, sunburn come very fast with that method.

[denimini]

To get to sleep in hot weather. I have at times seen 40C at midnight and I have laid on the bed in a soaking wet night shirt with the ceiling fan over me. Usually I fall asleep in the half hour it takes to dry out.

[moonshadow]

Here's one of mine...

Unless you're trying to freeze $50 steaks, then there is absolutely no logical reason to throw your money away on those vacuum packaging machines for freezing food. The vacuum seal bags are expensive, and when you factor in the cost of the vacuum seal bags, you almost eat up all your savings of buying in bulk to begin with.

For the most basic needs (freezing ground meat for tacos, hamburger helper, chicken, cooked ham, etc). Just wrap it in plain old plastic wrap. As long as it's used within a few months, it won't freezer burn, at least not to any extent that will be noticeable. I've been doing it this way for years and my meals always come out good. I've even cooked meat that was in the freezer for over a year with no issues to speak of...

20250119_203453.jpg

[FranTastic444]

As a precursor to retirement, I purchased a 3/4 ton truck. It *just* fits into the garage and I have been petrified of dinging the paint or a panel every time I park the hulking chunk of metal. I tried the ball and string trick, but it didn't give me the confidence I needed. The truck comes with a parking camera, but it doesn't work that great when it comes to precision parking. Adding this tape to the garage floor has solved my woes - the green line gives me a reference point to line up with.

[crfriend]

I wound up doing something substantially similar to what Fran did in his garage, but because I have too much stuff still in boxes from moving in the garage with my car. I wound up painting small targets on the walls and in the primary forward target -- and then small thin crosshairs on the windows to line up with them when I'm in the proper spot. I've been told that watching me park my car resembles somebody trying to dock a spaceship.

Other than that, I have mirrors and know how to use them.

[denimini]

Other than that, I have mirrors and know how to use them.

A valuable ability when wearing skirts.