There are a lot of life hacks out there. A lot of "free advice" that is worth every penny paid for them. A lot of these so-called hacks are really either things everybody knows already or are really just the dumb musings of someone with too much time and imagination on their hands.

Conversely, there really are some 'pro tips' out there that actually are useful. Life hacks that can actually make a difference in your day-to-day life or prove invaluable in a time of need.

To that end, we scoured through r/LifeProTips and didn't just select randomly -- because there's plenty of bullsh*t on there that won't get you anywhere -- and handpicked the fifteen best posts from recent weeks that might actually help you out. Hopefully they do.

Finding a Public Restroom in a City

Have a hard time finding a restroom while in a city? Walk into a hotel lobby like you know where you’re going and go to the restroom.

If you can’t find it quickly, find an employee and say “ I need to use the restroom really quick, but don’t want to go all the way to my room. Can you point me to the lobby restroom?”

As long as they have one and you don’t look homeless, it will work nearly every time. I’ve used this all over the US and Canada in many, major large cities.

- u/jwc8985

Create a Small Garden at Home to Fight Inflation, War Rations

You should start a small garden. Even if you live in an apartment, a small garden can help lower your food bill, and relieve stress on the nations food transportation chain.

If you live in an apartment, you still can have an indoor garden. You place it in front of a sunny window.

This year could spell food prices, that some people will have to decide, to eat or to pay bills. This can help you do both, and food that grows in the garden nourishes you and is healthy. So grab a pot, plant a tomato vine, and watch it grow so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor :)

Edit: many people are missing the word "shortages". This LPT prevents shortages, as well as lowering costs. I highly doubt any redditors lived thru the last recession and war, but let me tell you, the government set rations. Rations do not apply to your homegrown garden (or apartment balcony). So if you had a garden, or have a garden, you allow yourself to eat as you wish. I hope none of us ever live thru that, but you should always be prepared.

- u/ChildlessTran2222

8 Hard Rules That I Wish I had Known Earlier

- Everyone you love is going to die.
- We give our lives meaning. If you feel like life is meaningless, it's your fault.
- The perfect partner doesn't exist. Concentrate on finding someone who has a lot of qualities you like and the same values and build a fantastic relationship.
- Life is a game. Find the games you want to play, learn the rules, and find a way to be successful at the games you selected.
- Everything ends. Youth, love, life... all end, and that's what makes them valuable.
- Be romantic about the little things.
- Be realistic about the big things. Life isn't a movie, you need to have a plan, have an artist's ambition but an engineer's mindset.
- Figure out a way or don't complain.

- u/PeatedPaladin

If you’re stuck on a call you don’t want to be on, hang up while YOU are talking. No one will ever think you hung up on yourself.

- u/ddeliverance

When Stockpiling Non-Perishable Goods for an Emergency, Remember You Actually Have to Survive on Them in an Emergency

Coming from a discussion with a coworker today. I live in Hurricane country and it continues to boggle my mind that people buy a few extra cans of creamed corn and call it their emergency rations. You may be without power for a while and it may be a while longer before you can get real food again. A can of creamed corn a day isn’t going to keep you full or satisfied.

My current stockpile as a single person (I rotate through and replace), which I hope to last at least a week if needed:

- At least 2 16 packs of toaster pastries. I eat these daily for breakfast anyway.
- Bread and peanut butter. I always have an unopened backup.
- Canned beans (and I’m not talking green beans but more like black/kidney/garbanzo and similar) are my main canned staple. They provide protein and slow digesting carbs and will keep you fuller longer. I keep about 10 cans on hand.
- Canned tomatoes pair well with the beans and often come seasoned. 10 cans.
- A couple cans of peas, green beans, mushrooms and pineapple for variety. Probably only 10 cans total.
- Canned meats (chicken and tuna, though salmon/sardines/spam would fall in this category). Again about 10 cans. Protein will keep you full.
- Single serving fruit cups. Remember you may not have anywhere to keep your opened cans from going bad. 2 4-packs.
- Granola bars, dry cereal, dried fruits and chips/pretzels/cookies. I don’t keep a set number but they are on hand.
- When the power comes on and you can cook again, you may very well be sick of canned food, but the grocery store hasn’t restocked and restaurants that are open may be crowded. So, some boxed pasta/rice/other pantry food that requires cooking but not refrigeration is nice to have on hand.
- Seasoning. Hot sauce. Packets of salad dressing that don’t need refrigeration. Salt and pepper. You don’t want to eat bland food. Prepare now so you won’t suffer then.

The longest my power has ever personally been out was 4 days for Hurricane Irma, but you never know. And don’t wait for a storm to approach either. Start buying a few cans now. Worst case scenario you donate them at Thanksgiving, or cycle through them like me.

- u/jayellkay84

Daily Walks Fights Seasonal Mood Changes

Staying inside all day and not leaving just compounds your mental struggles. If you are an introvert and think this doesn’t apply to you, just going for a walk with headphones in helps your headspace immensely. No socializing is required.

- u/deathsan1

If you’re traveling use the big chain truck stops like Loves, Pilot, Flying, etc.

I’m a trucker and I’ve come to know these spots really well. before I was a trucker I knew they existed BARELY. but I had no idea how great they are. These big truck stops are always well-lit at night. The restrooms are always very clean. they still have the normal snacks gas stations have and they even have some better choices like fruit cups and small salads. There are also different fast food places attached if you’re more into that. They even have clean hot showers if you’re in need of one for like 12$. Good luck out there and be safe!

- u/Archyyx

Always Take Pictures of Your Rental Vehicle During Pickup and Drop Off.

Take multiple pictures from all sides for proof that you returned it in exact condition you rented and keep them at least for a few weeks. Make sure the windshield is chipfree before renting it. Some unscrupulous companies tend to charge customers for preexisting scratches and dings.

Edit: As per a rental car tech who posted below, they go over 200 cars a day. So including human error on part of rental car agencies.

Edit2: tips from other posters. 1. Take pictures of the interior, roof, underside, odometer and gas (fuel) gauge of rental vehicles. 2. Take before and after pictures of apartments, hotel rooms, Airbnbs, etc. - u/rvtsazap

Always keep a small snack in your car (granola bar, meat stick, etc.) When your brain is telling you to get drive-thru, eat the snack instead. It will curb your appetite till you get home, and save you the $$ and calories of fast food.

- u/jordanscollected

When tired/sluggish, Glancing Directly Upwards For a Few Seconds Increases Wakefulness and Attention

This might sound silly but it has a neurological mechanism to support it.

When we are tired during the day time, after lunch, our eyelids tend to grow heavy and, as we start to nod off, we tend to move and awake.

When you look upward, it signals to your brain to stay active and stay awake.

I learned it from the highly reliable podcast of stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman.

Edit: The instructions I provided were not sufficient for many of us.

- Get into a seated position or any position except sleeping.
- Keeping your eyes wide open, look upward.
- You need to move your head and also your eyes and focus on the ceiling or whatever is above you.
This won't make up for a terrible sleep schedule, though.

- u/yuvrajkumar_1729

Life Hacks to Keep Your Kids Safe at Theme Parks & Make the Overall Experience Easier/Better When taking your child to Disney World or any other theme park, write your contact information on their wrist and cover it with liquid bandaid. If they are lost another person will have a way to contact you and the liquid bandaid will prevent it from rubbing off.

I've been going to theme for nearly every summer of my life and have been reading up on ways to improve the experience. Some other suggestions:

Save your favorite rides (or ones with the longest lines) for the fireworks. Chances are the line will be shorter then and you'll be able to watch the fireworks from the ride.

Eat local before or after you leave the park. Have a semi-filling breakfast, a snack for lunch, and gorge on some local food after the park closes. For Orlando in particular, get out there and try some alligator. Also this guide tells you where to find Dole Whip. Go find Dole Whip. Trust me.

Walk the park backwards if you're there when it opens. This works for most parks, but you'll be able to tell where the majority of the flow of visitors is heading. Go opposite of that and find shorter lines.

Physical Therapy Can Be Used to Improve Daily Life, Not Just Recuperation from Traumatic Injuries

Physical Therapy isn’t just for people who need to learn to walk again, it can help people with acute or chronic pain, balance, and vertigo, headaches, concussion, jaw pain, incontinence, pain with intimacy, neurological disorders, or any physical problems limiting you from doing what you want to do.

A lot of people don’t fully understand what physical therapy (and speech and occupational therapy) can do for them. Our goal is to get you out of our clinic as soon as possible so your condition has either resolved completely and/or you now have the tools to manage it well without us!

- u/mydogisthedawg

Just a Mega-List of Useful PC Keyboard Shortcuts to Help You Save Time

(For Mac users, control = command, alt = option, and backspace = delete)
[NOTE:Some of these most of us know, many of them many don't.]

- CTRL + BACKSPACE allows you to delete multiple letters at once
- CTRL + SHIFT + T opens the last tab you closed
- CTRL + W allows you to close the current tab you're on instead of having to click that tiny X
- CTRL + T allows you to open a new tab instead of having to click that tiny +
- CTRL + C copies the highlighted text
- CTRL + V pastes the copied text
- CTRL + X cuts the highlighted text (copies it, then deletes it)
- CTRL + A highlights all text
- CTRL + Z undo
- CTRL + Y redo
- CTRL + B toggles bold text
- CTRL + I toggles italic text
- CTRL + U toggles underline text
- CTRL + P prints the page
- CTRL + S saves the page
- CTRL + R reloads the page
- CTRL + HOME scrolls to the top of the page
- CTRL + END scrolls to the bottom of the page
- ALT + TAB allows you to switch windows
- CTRL + TAB allows you to switch tabs
- CTRL + NUMBER 1-9 takes you to the nth tab (ex: ctrl + 4 will take you to tab 4 in your window)
- CTRL + F lets you search for and find words on the page
- WINDOWS + D minimizes all of your windows
- WINDOWS + V lets you see your clipboard history (you have to have it turned on first)
- WINDOWS + D toggles hiding and showing your windows
- WINDOWS + L locks your computer
- WINDOWS + PERIOD (.) or SEMICOLON (;) opens the emoji panel
- SHIFT + WINDOWS + S lets you take a screenshot really easily
- CTRL + LEFT/RIGHT ARROW takes you to the next word instead of going over every individual letter
- CTRL + UP/DOWN ARROW takes you to the next line instead of going over every individual letter
- ALT + LEFT ARROW goes back
- ALT + RIGHT ARROW goes forward
- Holding down S while right clicking on an image automatically reverse image searches it

u/MaxCharacterLimi

If your morning routine doesn't give you at least 5 -10 minutes to sit back and relax before heading out the door then you need to be waking up earlier. An extra 5 minutes spent using the restroom or finding a sock shouldn't make the difference between being on time and late.

- u/UnRenardRouge

Trying to Form an Argument for a Viewpoint You Disagree With Improves Your Own Argument AND Saves You From Potential Embarassment

If you can't hold an argument for a viewpoint you disagree with, it's probably a sign you don't actually understand the both views.

It's really a great way to find holes in your own argument for the side you actually support, as well as realize where your own personal biases our influencing you beyond your consideration of the facts alone. It can sometimes be discouraging to see your original argument fall apart as you try and hold a stance opposing your own views, but you could also save yourself some really embarrassing moments.

- u/rano_kau1