When it comes to getting stuff done, we want to do things as quickly, cheaply, and easily as possible. Here are eight life hacks that will save you money and time.
1. Grate your butter
Do you keep your butter in the fridge and always find yourself ripping your toast apart when trying to butter it? Use a cheese grater and grate the butter onto your toast, you’ll get it spread out more evenly and it will melt faster.
2. Buy things that go together
When you go shopping don’t buy groceries based on a few different meals you want to make, because you’ll run out of meal options faster. Buying groceries that can all be used together means you’ll get a week with lots of different meal options.
Sample list: Buy eggs, red peppers, tomatoes, bread, cheese, and potatoes. You can make: an omelette, a breakfast sandwich, a grilled cheese, an egg sandwich, cheese fries, cheesy eggs, hash browns, a baked potato, etc. Once you start running out of ideas, get creative by adding staples like rice and pasta!
Tip: A rotisserie chicken can be used for everything and anything.
3. Find sources fast
One of the hardest parts of writing a paper is finding enough sources, but there’s a super easy hack: you only need to find one. If you find a good paper, they’ve already found other sources for you! Go to the reference section of that paper and pull all the sources that look helpful. Need more? Go to the references of those papers and find even more. Once you find one, let the domino effect begin!
4. Take a picture
When you read an article that you know you’re going to use, it’s best to write down the reference immediately so you don’t have to go searching again later. However, if you want to wait and look at a source guide, or just don’t want to do it now, take a photo of the first page (the one that lists the author, title, date, etc.) and add it to a new folder in your photos. When it’s time to write your references, you can go through your photos without having to find the article again.
5. Dryer sheets do everything
Dryer sheets are the real multi-tasking heroes. If you have a box of dryer sheets, there are so many things you can do:
- Put one in your luggage to keep it from getting stuffy between uses.
- Rub a dryer sheet on a shirt to get rid of deodorant marks.
- Rub inside your hats before wearing to prevent static
- Crusty pot or pan? Put a dryer sheet in, fill with warm water, and let soak. Washing will be easy!
6. Use clear shoe boxes
Shoe organizers are not just for shoes! Put one in a pantry closet or behind a kitchen door and fill with spice bottles, non-stick spray, spatulas, granola bars for easy grabbing, hot chocolate packets, whatever! Put them on closet or bathroom doors for socks, lotions, makeup, anything you want! It’ll add storage without taking up space and keep everything well organized.
7. Use Vaseline
I know I said dryer sheets were the multi-tasking heroes, but Vaseline is a strong sidekick. Vaseline is cheap and can be used in so many ways:
- Dab on your cheekbones for an amazing highlighter.
- Dab on top of lipstick or eyeshadow to get a glossy look.
- Use as a moisturizer for lips, elbows, or a dry nose during cold season.
- Put around your cuticles before painting your nails to make cleaning up mistakes way easier.
- Dab around the crown of your head before box dying hair to make clean up super easy.
- Rub on your finger if you have a ring that's stuck.
8. De-wrinkle without an iron
No more throwing on a wrinkled shirt because you don’t have an iron (or the time to iron it). Hang your shirt in the bathroom while you shower, and make sure the water is hot enough to create steam (but not burn you, of course). While you shower, the steam will de-wrinkle your shirt!
