Article created by: Mindaugas Balčiauskas
When it comes to living a good and meaningful life, many of us have collected some nuggets of wisdom over the years. If you were to go up to a random stranger on the street, the odds are that they’d have at least a handful of advice they’d be happy to share with you. The sprawling r/LifeProTips community does the same thing, but more conveniently.
We’ve collected some of their members’ best tips from this month, from health and wealth to relationships, work, and DIY. Read on to check them out. Some of them are going to be completely new to you, so make sure you apply them instead of just taking notes. Meanwhile, others might sound familiar to you, so they serve as a reminder to keep doing what works!
We got in touch with Jodi Wellman, MAPP, to hear her thoughts on why some people don’t want to listen to well-intended advice and what someone should prioritize if they’re overwhelmed with everything they’re ‘supposed’ to do. You'll find Bored Panda's full interview with her below. Wellman is the author of 'You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets' and the founder of 'Four Thousand Mondays.'
#1 Be Open To Friendships With People Younger And Older Than You In Adulthood
Image credits: b1ackfyre
#2 If Someone Says They Don't Want To Do Anything For Their Birthday, It's Okay To Believe Them
Image credits: cpclemens
#3 Try Carwash Sponges Instead Of Waterballoons For Water Games
Image credits: Lucid4321
#4 Turn Shipping Bags Inside Out For Returns!
Image credits: atljar
#5 Enter The Recipient Of Your Emails Last So You Never Accidentally Press Send Early Again
Image credits: Y-Woo
#6 When Adopting A Pet, Ask The Volunteers For Their Recommendations
Image credits: ButterflyGrand1269
#7 If You're Leaving A Professional Voicemail, Say Your Name And Number Before Saying Anything Else
Image credits: marrymesheamus
#8 If You're Married And Have Children, Take Pto And Go On A Lunch Date
My wife and I have three young children. It's impossible to get away in the evening for a proper date without grandparent's texting saying my children are out of control, or the babysitter texting saying the kids want to talk to mom.
My wife's schedule and mine have aligned the last couple of weeks where we've gone out to lunch just the two of us. It's an amazing break in the workday, and my kids have no idea we're gone. 10/10 highly recommend.
Image credits: Strider985
#9 When Going On Vacation, Always Leave Your Dishwasher Door Open A Few Inches
Image credits: Bibblegead1412
#10 The Fastest Ways To Get Your Car Cooling Down This Summer
Image credits: TehFuriousOne
#11 If You Want A Fancy Cat Get A Ragdoll Not A Bengal
Image credits: Aspartame___
#12 When Running Into An Old Acquaintance, Introduce Yourself By Name To Help Prevent Awkward Moments
Image credits: Tour_de_Med
#13 “Siri Call Mom”
Image credits: PixiePower65
#14 Your Friend Didn’t “Forget” They Borrowed Money
Image credits: ftnsss
#15 Consciously Get A Job At A Place Which Offers A Useful Discount
Image credits: Appropriate_Ad2342
#16 Start Talking To Your Dogs Before An Important Phone Call
Image credits: yellowabcd
#17 When Buying One Greeting Card, Get A Second
Image credits: EmersonLucero
#18 You Can Become Reasonably Proficient In Just About Anything In Six Months
Image credits: seamustheseagull
#19 When Buying Bigger Ticket Items Online, It Often Pays To Abandon The Check Out Process Right Before Payment
Image credits: indorock
#20 At Some Point In Your Life, Try Living In A Place Where You Can Walk To Amenities (Entertainment, Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Bars, Etc.)
Image credits: b1ackfyre
#21 If You Only Do One Thing On Your Phone To Save Battery, Delete The Facebook App And Use The Browser For Facebook
Image credits: stephenzacko
#22 If You're Going To Quit A Full-Time Job In The USA, Quit At The Beginning Of The Month Not The End
Image credits: spottyrx
#23 When Buying A Car, Write Into Your Contract That You Want A Full Tank Of Fuel On Delivery
Image credits: anotherstraydingo
#24 Open Share Apps An Hour Before You Need Them
Rideshare, e-Scooters, food delivery… a lot of times of you open and close them without using they will send a discount notification for use that day.
Image credits: ML_Buckeye
I’m friends with someone 30 years older than me. He could be my dad. We have a genuine friendship though, it’s not a mentor/mentee type relationship. We just really get along and click.
I’ve learned a lot from him and he’s also learned a lot from me. We’re prisoners of time. It’s easy to get trapped in our generation’s thinking. A lot to be learned from people older and younger than you, and they have a lot to learn from you too. I like to think that this friendship has given me a greater sense of perspective about the world and I’m thankful for it.
When people ask me what I want to do and I say "nothing" they keep asking like I'm being coy or maybe I'll change my mind. Some people just aren't into celebrating and pressing them about it makes it worse.
With warmer months coming up soon, here's a tip for a fun way to stay cool. I've run games for many summer programs, including water games, and I've hated trying to use waterballoons. They take a ton of time to prep and clean up, and they run out very quickly. So I looked for another option and ended up trying carwash sponges from Walmart and they worked great. Cut the sponges in half and soak them in a bucket or tub of water. Each sponge half will be good for hundreds of throws, they don't hurt at all when you get hit with one, and they're easy to refill quickly. They work great for dodgeball games.
Returning something that was shipped in a plastic shipping bag? Tired of tearing the bag trying to remove all the old shipping labels or trying to fold the bag in a specific way to hide the old labels?
Turn the bag inside out. Old labels are all now hidden and you arent having to tape it up into a diaper shape for the return trip!
Credit: My most amazing girlfriend.
Pretty self explanatory really. It was difficult to switch at first and I've to catch myself and correct it but I've since built up the habit and do it on autopilot. It's saved my life so many times!
I have been a volunteer at a shelter working with dogs and cats, and now I foster cats for a rescue organization. Whenever people adopt a new pet, they often just meet the animals and hang out for 5-10 minutes before making this really big decision. But the volunteers and foster parents know these animals really well and they have opinions. You should ask them which animal they would adopt if they could and why. It’s heartbreaking to watch the sweetest dogs and cats get passed up because they don’t give the best first impressions.
Edit to clarify: I specifically recommend talking to volunteers. While there are a lot of great staff, they often have a lot of other work and don’t spend much time with the animals. The volunteers don’t have any reason to lie to you and they all have their favorites. They are there simply because they love animals, not for a pay check.
If you're leaving a message for someone to return your call, clearly state your name and telephone number at the beginning. That way the person doesn't have to listen to the whole message repeatedly just to get your information.
It will dry it out and help to prevent any mold from growing in a dark, damp place.
It's no surprise that it's getting hot hot hot out there, especially here in the sub-tropics. Here's a time-tested way to get your car cooling down ASAP on these brutal days. Inspired by my brother, bless his heart, who will do it literally any other way and spend the next 20 minutes cussing about how hot his car is.
Open the windows. As hot as it is, the air outside is cooler than the air in your car. We want to flush that 115ish degree air out of the car as quick as we can. If possible, drive a bit down the street with the windows open to force the super-heated air out.
Fresh Air A/C. At the same time, set your car A/C to pull in air from outside (i.e. not recycled). We want to bleed that super hot air out of the system as well. Keep your spare hand by the vent (while being safe, of course) until it starts blowing good and cold, hopefully only a minute to two.
Windows up. Let's keep that nice cool air inside the car.
Recycle A/C. Now we're going to switch the A/C to "recycle" which keeps cooling the air from the cabin, letting it blow colder faster than pulling in hot outside air.
Of course it may still take a while for it to get comfortable depending on how hot the car was but at least now you've got frosty cold air to make it at least bearable.
To provide a good home for a bengal you really have to be ready to put some effort in, they’re wildly smart and a tiny bit bloodthirsty given they are miniature panthers. If you’re looking for your first cat and are considering getting a fancy bread, consider himalayans or ragdolls. They look just as beautiful and are very chill.
In general it’s best practice to adopt cats from shelters since they’re so many strays out there, but if you are set on a purebred FYI.
Most of the times people really do remember you but not your name - by simply stating who you are it will allow them to engage in conversation more comfortably. It also allows them to ask for your number to reconnect easier too!
Life pro tip: “ Siri, Call Mom “
Got a call from my daughter which I answered with “ Hi luv! ”. Nope. It wasn’t “ luv” it was a very benevolent dude who had found my daughters phone at crowded event .
He was a genius and asked Siri to “ Call Mom”. I was able to reach out to her friends, share his number. Phone secured!
She owes him a drink.
( I’m waiting for the: “ and that’s how I met your mother “ comment :-)
So…. if you find a phone and want to reconnect it with the rightful owner. Engage Siri to do the sluthing for you!
This is a follow up to the age-old saying “Don't lend money to people. If you want to help out, give it as a gift instead. That way, you don't have to worry about getting paid back or what to do if they don't.”
As a past lender to friends and family, I’ve come across this problem many, many times. The borrower never (rarely) comes out to pay their loan on their own. You always have to bring it up, because they always seem to “forget”.
Let me tell you this, they DON’T forget! They’re just hoping you forget about it and they don’t have to pay you back. After reminding them over and over, you as a lender start feeling guilty for pestering them. Then you start to grow resentment, and they possibly are getting annoyed by you.
LPT - Don’t feel bad for asking for your money back, they did not forget and they’re playing you.
Just don’t lend money, just don’t do it. Unless you want to find out if your friend is a true friend…
My current job, at a local quality food market, offers a 30% discount on everything and we often have access to tons of free produce and other free items. That savings adds up quick. Especially during inflation, I think it's a good idea to get a job like this.
If you are at home and don't talk to your dogs all the time, there's no one else they are going to think you are talking to other than them. Give their excitement time to cool down before talking to someone they can't see.
When buying this weeks Mothers Day card, Birthday, Get Well, Sorry I *(#&(@*#$ Up, etc. get a spare. Over time you will have a folder full of various cards for those moment you forgot or last minute surprise. You will be amazed how handy a spare "Thinking of You, Love You" at random times can help a relationship in times of trial or strength.
The key is consistent practice. 10-20 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week. Following a structured routine or plan helps a lot too. Most skills are just stamina and muscle memory, with a little technique thrown in.
What does "reasonably proficient" mean? Better than average, basically.
With an instrument, it's enough to be able to have a small catalogue of songs you can play for people and they'll be glad you did.
With a sport, it means you'll be good enough to be a steady player on your local amateur team, or in competition to place in the top 50% of people your age.
With any skill, it'll be enough to impress others who don't have that skill.
Just six months. Start today and by Xmas you'll be a whole new person with a whole new skill that you'll never lose.
Maybe it's my age, but six months is no time at all.
This is likely something many already have experienced...but a lot of online shops selling items above say $100 have automated flows that target users which have aborted a purchase, and they will not only remind you about your abandoned checkout but many times will offer you an extra incentive to complete your purchase in the form of a discount, which can sometimes be upwards of 20%. It's the e-commerce version of playing hardball.
This is not a given, there are some industries where profit margins are already razor-thin and/or it's a seller's market, but it pays to wait and see what happens.
I've been living in apartments with my wife the last 7 years or so. We've chosen to live in a spot that's walkable, near a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, parks, music/film venues, bars, etc. Though we live in relatively cramped quarters compared to a house, we really enjoy our lifestyle. There's been some press about the lack of a "3rd space" in today's world. We have 3rd spaces all around us. Gets us out of the house more often, keeps us healthier walking everywhere, and spurs impromptu social encounters. I’m not the most social person, but I know that it’s good for me on occasion.
If possible, for a portion of your life, even if only a year or two, try living in a space that has walkable amenities around you. Though we've compromised on space, it's really nice not having to get into a car to access the world around us.
For context, we're at $1775 a month for a 2 bed 1 bath in CA.
I use an iPhone and my battery use showed a lot of background activity with the app and 0% with Safari, which is where I use Facebook now.
When you quit a job at many companies most benefits including health insurance continue until the end of the month in which you quit. If you have a gap between the end of your job and the start of the next you can maximize the time you are covered by quitting at the beginning of the month. This gives you time to take a break, relocate, etc.
My family picked up two cars recently (one new Hyundai and one used Mitsubishi) and neither came with a full tank of petrol. When I picked up my Mazda a few years ago, it came fully detailed and included a full tank of fuel. I learned from a friend who works in the industry that there's little margin in car sales for dealers so they're cost cutting by no longer including a full tank of fuel. This can be overcome by writing into the contract of sale that you want a full tank of fuel (or for EV's, a full charge) on delivery.
