LPT: When apartment / house hunting, check your phone signal.
Living in the digital age, we often overlook the simplest things that can make or break our day-to-day lives. Recently, I stumbled upon a nugget of wisdom while apartment hunting that I wish someone had told me ages ago. Before signing the lease on that dream apartment or cozy house, don't forget to check your phone signal!
Sure, the place might have all the amenities you've ever dreamed of and the rent might be right on the money, but what good is it if you can't even make a decent phone call or browse the web without pulling your hair out in frustration? Trust me, I've been there, and it's not pretty.
https://redd.it/1c22ab6
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Spend a little extra money on a good umbrella.
It will save you money overall keep you and keep you dry.
https://redd.it/1c1vd8i
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LPT you can change your car key battery for a few dollars instead of paying a mechanic or dealership
Most car keys with the remote lock buttons use standard watch batteries. Taking it to a dealership may cost you hundreds of it is a high end car but the battery is likely a Panasonic made in Indonesia you can buy for 2 dollars in a pharmacy.
https://redd.it/1c1uzt5
@r_lifeprotips
LPT For free books and textbooks
I havn’t bought a textbook in 2 years lol. Search for whatever the name is into google and then ‘type:pdf’ . It should pull up a pdf of whatever you are searching for
https://redd.it/1c1s9md
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Make your inside voice default positive.
Because the most important(also longest) conversations you will ever have are the ones you'll have with yourself. Make sure those conversations are interesting, inspiring, and comes from the place of hope than the fear.
​
https://redd.it/1c1r0oq
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: pay attention to creators, not faces; find your favorite writers and directors.
A lot of fans lose their shit when Henry Cavill signs on to a project and act confused when the show or movie is trash.
When choosing your next movie or TV series to watch, pay attention to the directors and writers, not the actors. Checking IMDb to see if the writers or directors have anything in their recent history you've enjoyed is 100 times more effective at discerning flops than deciding by whether Kristen Schaal signed on.
Talented actors are often persuaded to join less-than-stellar projects for a bigger paycheck. A skilled director or writer often has the leverage and choice to pick their projects carefully, rarely attaching their name to something they don't believe in, and they are basically the ones who made the final casting decisions anyway.
https://redd.it/1c1ja2j
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Stop sitting with your legs crossed over one corner of your desk, leaning back, with your back, shoulders, and neck bent to face the monitor.
It absolutely destroys your posture. From you, ten years in the future, with a hunched neck, clicking jaw, and cooked shoulders.
https://redd.it/1c17kdv
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: before you throw away dryer sheets, use them as a "dust cloth" for a few seconds and tidy up neglected nooks and crannies
Especially if you have a dog that sheds. It only takes a few days for gnarly fur clusters to appear seemingly out of thin air.
Spent dryer sheets (I tend to use them twice or more) work decently as a quick dust cloth. You're going to throw it away anyway, might as well take 30 seconds and touch up a spot that needs a little dusting.
https://redd.it/1c0vus9
@r_lifeprotips
your house is going to fall down if you don't fix this issue today. Even if he winds up being correct, do not take him on his word. Always call another company for a second opinion. Estimates and quotes rarely cost anything, so you shouldn't be afraid to call someone else to diagnose a potential issue. And it could save you a small (or large) fortune.
https://redd.it/1c0u8se
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Protect your kid's precious plush animal (stuffie) by doing AirTag surgery on it
If you are a parent and you've had to hunt a very-important-wont-sleep-without-it special friend or, worse, have misplaced the very important friend: let's treat it the way we would your house pair of keys wearing an AirTag.
I say AirTag, but of course, this works with Tile and other similar technologies. That said, look at what your type of tag will handle if it gets in contact with water (either accidental, or if the stuffed animal needs to be washed). Suggest you use a tag that allows you to change the battery.
​
In more details: this will work well for the stuffed-animal kind of best friend, but not so much for the blanky-type of favorite toy.
The thing to do:
\- Register the AirTag to your account, make sure it has fresh batteries, before you get the tag into the stuffed animal
\- identify the part of the toy that will allow you to have the most padding around the air Tag (ie, the belly of the beast will be better than a leg). This is so your kid doesn't feel the airTag or feels tempted to pick at it.
\- Cut into the stuffie and slide the pre-registered airTag deeply into the stuffing material.
\- Stitch the precious stuffed animal back up. Yeah, the stuffed animal will have a scar but tell your kid it is very brave and is all fixed again.
​
Battery life
in 2 years-time, when the battery of the AirTag will need to be replaced, you ll have to cut off the stuffed animal's stitches to get the airTag out and replace the battery. To the plushie hospital!
Special consideration: Washing the stuffed animal
Technically, AirTags are water resistant but you'll be better off washing the stuffie by hand (quickly, dont let it soak) and then air-drying it. This is key: No dryer for the stuffie while it's carrying an airTag!
You could instead decide to do the stitching surgery every time you want to put the stuffie in the wash, but this seems annoying. It's best to just assume that the precious plush is now "handwash only, no dryer"
If you are using a different type of tag than AirTag, please check the requirements around water.
https://redd.it/1c0rn7z
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: if a caller won’t tell you who they are before you identify yourself they are a debt collector / law enforcement
Always ask who’s calling before identifying yourself; the caller’s response will tell you everything you need to know.
https://redd.it/1c0r0oq
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: If you were working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) but stopped, go back and check your eligible payments. There may be more than you expect.
I basically gave up on PSLF despite working at nonprofits for years because I didn't think all of my payments counted. I figured it was going to be at least another 5 years and I eventually decided it wasn't worth it and moved on to the private sector.
I recently checked my eligible payments again and had WAY more than I expected: payments during the COVID pause (which were $0) now qualify, and payments while my loans were deferred in grad school (which were also $0) qualified. I got my employers to sign off on my time, submitted my paperwork in late February, and just got $145k forgiven! I think the system is largely automated now so it was a relatively quick process.
I also wasn't working for a qualifying employer during the time of forgiveness, which used to be a rule but I don't think they're enforcing that currently. As long as you worked for a qualifying employer during 120 eligible payment periods, you should be eligible for forgiveness.
If you haven't checked in a while, it's worth checking again, especially before the November election.
Note: If Mohela is your loan servicer, forgiveness processing is paused until end of July -- they are transitioning PSLF back to the Dept of Ed during that time. So that may create some disorganization on the backend, but imo it's still worthwhile getting all of your documents together now so you can submit asap.
https://redd.it/1c0l19o
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Many popular books and audio books are free e.g. Orwell's 1984
Before you subscribe to expensive audio book services, many popular books are free and out of copyright.
e.g. Dickens, Jane Austen and Orwell
In written format here from this non commercial website :-
https://www.gutenberg.org/
and in audio format here this non commercial website:-
https://librivox.org/
George Orwell's 1984 is an essential read for everyone to understand disinformation and totalitarianism.
https://archive.org/details/1984_20220119
https://redd.it/1c0hhn6
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Leave passwords for your loved ones
This might be better for an r/AfterLifeProTips and it exists but doesn’t fit the bill. Please consider having a written log of passwords, usernames, logins etc. After having both of my parents and a close friend pass away within the last 5 years and being the executor of their estates I just want to say it would be very helpful to have this information to make the process smoother. My father passed away first and had done estate planning, had a will etc (plus I knew some of his login info for accounts) but it still would have made things much easier if had I had known all of them. From medical, mortgage, bank and insurance accounts to things as small as Netflix it all helps streamline the process. My dad was terminal and tried to plan and I knew after his passing the need for these things but the passing of my mom and friend came without notice. I am younger and in good health but since their deaths I keep a record on paper of my logins/passwords for every little thing that I update when necessary and made sure my wife knows about (even if she doesn’t like to think about needing it). I just encourage people to do something similar to save the people you love time and energy in a time that already drains their time, energy and emotions.
https://redd.it/1c0cv2u
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Floss at least few times a week!
Food that isn’t brushed away can easily sit between teeth and damage your teeth. I know flossing seems like a chore but try and floss 4-5 times a week (best if every night) to avoid cavities between your teeth.
https://redd.it/1c0ae5h
@r_lifeprotips
LPT Request: How do you train your ability to memorize?
Title's supposed to be self-explanatory. I'm planning to start studying a subject that has a lot of long ahh latin terms and whole share of processes. How do I get better at memozing?
https://redd.it/1c1tr81
@r_lifeprotips
LPT - You can use your phone’s image OCR capability to instantly find any book in your home
If, like me, you have a large collection of books stored on bookshelves throughout your home, you can quickly and easily index every book on every shelf in just a few minutes by taking a photo of each bookshelf or set of shelves.
After taking pics of all your bookshelves, just wait a few minutes for your phone to OCR and index all of the text from the spine on each book.
Then open your photos app and search for any partial book title you own. Your phone should give you the option to view “Text found in photos” and will highlight exactly where the book sits on your shelf.
(This all applies to iPhones, but I’m assuming that Android has the same functionality)
https://redd.it/1c1w4to
@r_lifeprotips
LPT, When dividing up food to freeze in ziploc bags, flatten it out. It'll thaw faster when you need it.
I just discovered this game-changing life pro tip and had to share it with you all! When you're divvying up food to chuck in the freezer using Ziploc bags, make sure to flatten it out as much as possible before sealing it up. Seriously, it's a total game-changer!
I used to just shove stuff in there all willy-nilly, but since I started flattening things out, thawing has been a breeze. Plus, it saves so much space in the freezer! No more bulky, awkwardly shaped bags taking up precious room.
Now, whenever I need some leftovers or prepped meals, I can just grab a flat bag from the freezer, and it thaws out super quick. It's seriously handy, especially on those busy days when I forget to take something out of the freezer ahead of time.
https://redd.it/1c1ug6n
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Avoid reaching a point of such comfort with someone that you find it acceptable to snap at them. Justifying it with "They know I had a bad day" or "They'll understand I'm feeling snappy" isn't fair. Instead, apologize sincerely, reassure them it's not about them, and acknowledge your r
https://redd.it/1c1r66r
@r_lifeprotips
LPT Next time you buy a new Laptop, keep your old, slow one, and put Linux on it.
Linux has come a long way. And this is a painless way to try it out and see what everyone is talking about. It's much more user friendly than it used to be, and Linux Mint especially is very user friendly for people familiar with Windows, but it is A LOT faster. Your old slow computer is probably going to start doing basic tasks like browsing the internet faster than the new one you upgraded to. So now you will have two laptops.
You may be surprised how handy it is to have an extra laptop hanging around. Sometimes your laptop is downloading something or playing a movie in the living room but you want to write something real quick in the bedroom and you would like a full keyboard. Plus there are games and stuff you have never tried before. It's good for kids, you can install a pi-hole on it, It's more secure, it's free, It's just something that is worth playing with for all sorts of reasons that might not matter to you now, but might be a lifesaver later on.
What else were you gonna do with that old laptop?
https://redd.it/1c1kchi
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: If you ever are attacked by a dog, climb on top of a car. They rarely follow.
https://redd.it/1c1fqs5
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: If you receive good customer support, thank your customer support on the phone and tell them you will complete the survey at the end of the call. Then actually fill it out immediately.
I've noticed the following benefits from doing the above:
* Added discounts and perks
* Getting to hear someone happy
* Feelings of happiness for making someone's day
Many customer supports pay/promotion are tied to customers leaving positive reviews. Unfortunately, people are more likely to use the survey to leave a negative review than they are a positive one.
So if you have a good experience with your customer support:
DO:
* Tell them at the END OF THE CALL what you liked specifically about their help.
* This helps them do more of that!
* Tell them you will fill out the survey immediately after the call.
* This gets them excited and happy!
* Actually fill out the survey
* The best way to make someone cynical is to not follow through on what you say you'll do
DON'T:
* Dangle the customer survey at the beginning of the call i.e I will fill out the survey if you do a good job.
* This adds stress and also comes across as leverage. No one likes leverage.
At the end of the day, this is about giving credit where credit is due. It costs nothing to be kind and it can make your life in numerous ways instantly.
Apologies if someone has made this post before.
https://redd.it/1c0q4i1
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: when you’re healthy, make a few portions of a nutritious, easy to heat up meal like soup and put it in the freezer. If you come down with a cold or the flu at some point in the future, you can reach into your freezer and microwave a portion
Or you could get a takeaway. But my idea is good if you want to think ahead and you need to save money. Btw I’ve got a cold at the moment
https://redd.it/1c0uu3d
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Homeowners, if a contractor tells you they found a major problem with your home that requires an expensive solution, ALWAYS get a second (or third!) opinion from another company before making any decisions.
This is advice that has paid off three times for me now, and saved me (literally) tens of thousands of dollars.
Story 1: We had our chimney cleaned when we first moved into our house a couple of years ago. After the cleaning, the chimney guy told me that he noticed some major damage from rainwater to the top of my chimney, which could potentially mean having my roof cave in. He told a story about a guy with the same issue who ignored it for a year and then wound up having his chimney condemned. Luckily, he could provide a repair to the tune of $5,000 that would fix the problem. Because we had just moved in, I called our home inspector who'd just looked at our chimney a couple of weeks prior. He said that he saw no issues with it and it looked perfectly fine to him. Since then, I haven't 'repaired' it, and I haven't had any issues with it.
Story 2: Last year, we had a backed up pipe in our basement. We had a company come out and snake the drain for us. Before the plumber left, he offered to stick a camera down the drain to see what might be causing the problem. I said sure, and let him do his thing. He called me back downstairs about 10 minutes later and had the most exaggerated, wide-eyed face on. He literally says to me, "Uh, you're gonna wanna see this," like he's about to show me that there's a nuclear bomb down there.
He showed me the camera footage and explained to me that the pipe is completely worn down and there's dirt in it, meaning that it was probably broken somewhere. He said that I'm going to start having more and more back-ups, making my basement practically unusable. He also told me that I should get real used to the sight of drain flies everywhere, because it won't be long until I get an infestation of them from this pipe problem. Luckily though, he explained that his company can bust up my concrete floor and lay down a new length of pipe to the tune of $20,000. Before I could even respond, he started walking me through how I can get in touch with my home insurance to cover a portion of the repair.
I was freaking out at that point, thinking about how my house was about to financially ruin me. My wife suggested that we get a second opinion. We had a guy from a different company come out, and he also stuck a camera down into the pipe. He saw no signs of wear whatsoever and told us that our pipe is perfectly fine. It's been about 14 months since then, and we haven't had a backup in our basement since. No 'repair' needed.
Story 3: We have an ash tree in our back yard, which needs to be treated every other year for emerald ash borers. A week ago, I contacted two companies for quotes. A guy from the first one came out, looked at the tree, and explained to us that it may not look like it, but it was actually entirely rotten on the inside. That it was at serious risk of falling over. "It could be a potential loss-of-life situation," he said. He could treat it for EAB, he explained, but he strongly recommended that we have him tear the tree down entirely for $3,000 (plus an extra $1,500 if we wanted him to cart away the wood).
A guy from the second company came 45 minutes after the first. Looked at the tree, and told us we had a very nice, healthy-looking ash. Suggested an injection-based EAB treatment, and left after providing a quote. It's only been a week since then, but something tells me that the tree isn't going to fall down any time soon.
The moral of these stories: As a home-owner, you will inevitably need to call a plumber or electrician or some other kind of contractor for some sort of work. And at some point, you will likely have one of those potential contractors show up to your house and start finding all kinds of things that are wrong--potentially even things that are totally unrelated to issue you called him there for. He will tell you a horror story about how
LPT if you don’t want to risk getting sick on vacation, wear a mask on the plane
First vacation since the pandemic; worked really hard to get here. This lady next to me on the plane had a virus and was coughing everywhere. I was so careful to wash my hands and sanitize but to no avail. I really wish I would not have risked it and just worn a mask. I should have known better to rely on people to be decent. Now I’m sick as a dog on vacation stuck in my hotel room.
Mrs. Park in seat 26D on WestJet flight 1862 from Vancouver to Honolulu, you are a POS. You coughed all over that plane and did not bother to cover your mouth. A decent human being would wear a mask. Oh and by the way, the only appropriate place for your feet on a plane is in your shoes. You suck.
https://redd.it/1c0sfk2
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: When renting or buying a new home, one of the first things you need to do is locate the main water shutoff valve and the circuit breaker box.
When you need one of these things you likely do not have the time to find them.
https://redd.it/1c0mwjg
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: The IRS will not ask you to pay your immediate delinquent tax bill, fine, with gift cards
https://redd.it/1c0jloa
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: if you want to change something about yourself (be more kind, more patient etc), seek out the “why” instead of “how”
https://redd.it/1c0fw0r
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Do not threaten customer service / guest relation operators that you're going to "cancel your membership" or "never do business with them again". There's a better way.
Just do it. Quietly.
Don't abuse the person on the phone with you.
These people on the other line have a rigid structure as far as what they can and cannot do. I guarantee you, if they could just resolve your problem, they would and they will, because that means the phone call ends. Yet, there are many, and I mean MANY people, that demand exceptions that they know they are clearly in the wrong for, and are otherwise asking for a "break" in the policy with someone who is just paid to pick up the phone.
While the world is progressively getting tougher and tougher, these people are getting eviscerated while they never made the policy in the first place. They're just being put in the place of the business that is currently signing their paychecks. That guy or gal on the other end of line doesn't deserve your vitriol.
The real LPT here is you get a lot farther with being understanding, admittance of fault, and a request for leniency. These people are not paid to get yelled at and verbally abused, yet they go through it everyday. If you go into the experience without expecting them to bail you out, but otherwise just seeing if you might be able to get a pass, it works. If it doesn't, cool your jets, eat your mistake, and thank them for the consideration.
You''ll live a much happier life.
https://redd.it/1c0bzl3
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Stop worrying about how changing the past could’ve affected the present, and start worrying about how the present could affect your future
https://redd.it/1c04n2h
@r_lifeprotips
