LPT: When hire a professional like a plumber, save them some trouble (and yourself some money) by cleaning up beforehand.
As someone who’s been on both sides of this equation, believe me, it’s a huge help. You know they are going to have to climb under your sink? Clear everything out of there before they arrive! The furnace room in the basement is filthy and full of junk? Give it a quick once over with the vacuum and move some stuff out of the way. Even when you’re taking your car to the mechanic, pop the hood and wipe down some of the dust first. It’s the worst part of any professionals job, cleaning up the guck and clearing crap out of the way before they can get to work, so if you can say “Here it is, I got it all tidied up and ready for you to look at.” when they arrive, you’ll be way ahead of the game and much more likely to get your moneys worth. Believe me, they will appreciate it, and it pays to be on the good side of these folks. And at who knows how many dollars per hour they are charging, you don’t want them to be spending their time housekeeping!
https://redd.it/1cdif1m
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: If you are traveling in Asia resist the urge to pat the cute cats and puppies. Rabies is real and something you don’t want.
I lived in the Philippines for a number of years and the number of tourists who got scratched or bitten was incredible. Sometimes finding the vaccine is hard and you really don’t want the stress.
https://redd.it/1cdg9s2
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Take pictures of your SO’s clothes/shoe sizes.
If you have an iphone, you can then sort it into an album. Then you’ll know their size for various brands while you’re out shopping (as long as their size stays consistent). Just do it all at once with the clothes that fit them particularly well. Very handy for thrifty shoppers!
I guess you could do the same thing for other people in your life, but that starts to get weird at a certain point.
https://redd.it/1cdahj6
@r_lifeprotips
LPT - Google Images is better for recipes than Google Search
Google Images will often just show you the recipe card straight-up
Google Search will send you to a cooking site filled with ads and SEO junk
https://redd.it/1cd4xua
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Start your day with a big gulp of water
I keep full, a big water bottle, with a wide fast-flowing straw so it’s a no-brainer for my pre-coffee brain to start the day with hydration. I find it amazing how a little bit of dehydration can sap my mood, my motivation, concentration. Have water alongside that diuretic coffee.
https://redd.it/1cd1dyc
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Sub Marmite for beer in recipes.
I don’t keep alcohol the house, but love to bake and cook. To avoid having to buy alcohol to make a favorite dinner or dessert, I use different ingredients to sub.
Common subs include using white/red vinegar for white/red wine, apple juice for brandy/whiskey, white grape juice for vodka.
A week ago, I tried to use marmite (yeast product) to sub for beer (yeast product) in chili. Specifically, one teaspoon of marmite for every cup of beer, and it turned out amazingly well.
I told a friend about this and she was dubious. She tried it, however, in a completely different recipe and reported it worked perfect. So, I figured I’d share. :)
https://redd.it/1cctcaa
@r_lifeprotips
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
@r_lifeprotips
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: Set up automatic transfers to your savings account right after payday to ensure you prioritize saving.
https://redd.it/1cdf22q
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Fool-proof way to stop hiccuping
Not too long ago I was watching a vlogger on YouTube (I can't remember who) who got the hiccups and shared his method of stopping simple, minor hiccups.
>If you have the hiccups:
>Take a medium-sized breath, hold it for a second, and take a second breath without exhaling the first breath. Hold for a couple seconds, then exhale.
This has worked for me without fail, and my friends I've shared this method with have all told me that it has never failed to stop the hiccups. It won't work for chronic hiccups- but for simple hiccups that you get once in a while, it will work without fail.
Try it and share your experiences ;)
edit
https://redd.it/1cddd4z
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: if you’re on a home or yard project and need to rent equipment, check with the neighbors to see if they need it too—split the bill (our block just aerated our lawns for about $20 each).
https://redd.it/1cd6f0g
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: Use a print preview to read an online article with lots of video ads or pop ups.
https://redd.it/1cd4ay7
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: If you need a shopping cart, parking in a spot further from the entrance but nearer to a cart return is just as efficient as parking closer to the store entrance
Unless you don’t return your carts then IATA
https://redd.it/1ccxwnl
@r_lifeprotips
LPT: If you make a mistake at your job, you should take responsibility upfront and proactively present a solution, rather than waiting for someone else to discover it.
https://redd.it/1ccsnov
@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
