r/LifeProTips • • Feb 09 '26

Announcing r/AskLifeProTips

227 Upvotes

For many years, redditors have been allowed to request Life Pro Tips here on a limited basis.

Now, there is a place where you can request Life Pro Tips on an unlimited basis!

If you are seeking a Life Pro Tip, please ask in our new subreddit r/AskLifeProTips!


r/LifeProTips • • 19h ago

Electronics LPT: Delete mobile apps and use the website instead to save storage AND get your life back.

3.3k Upvotes

I saw a LPT a month ago about saving space on your phone by deleting mobile apps. I wanted to give two more reasons you should do this.

Reasons to delete app and use browser:

  1. Storage

  2. Privacy and Ads: When you download an app, you're handing a tech company a blank check to run whatever software they want on your device, be it tracking or ads. When you use the browser, YOU control what code runs on YOUR device, aka you can get browser extensions that block adds and tracking.

  3. Less screen time: For media apps like YT, TT and Insta, the browser UI is much less optimized for addictiveness. It will feel clunkier at first, but you will get used to it. And at least for me it's way less addicting.

Reason to keep app:

If you need the app to send you notifications or other service where it must live on device.


r/LifeProTips • • 58m ago

Home & Garden LPT-Buy Measuring cups with engraved information, not stickers or prints on each measuring tool.

• Upvotes

No matter how durable it looks, it will rub off!!! then you can’t tell your 1/3 from your 1/2 and your 3/4 from your cup in a dark cupboard!


r/LifeProTips • • 17h ago

Computers LPT: Stop giving every service your real phone number/email

1.2k Upvotes

I realized recently that half the emails filling up my inbox come from websites i used once and completely forgot about, ordered food, downloaded something, signed up for a free trial, and somehow i'm still hearing from these companies years later. started using separate cloaked email/phone number aliases for different websites. Wish I started doing this before my inbox became a graveyard of forgotten signups.


r/LifeProTips • • 21h ago

Electronics LPT: Set up a unique notification sound for messages from close family - it's very useful for distinguishing it from all other notifications

347 Upvotes

Assigning unique notification sounds to specific contacts is an effective way to prioritize alerts without visual confirmation. This feature allows you to instantly recognize messages from close family/ friends or other important contacts, distinguishing them from general app notifications or less critical communications.

To set this up, you can use either system-level settings or in-app configurations:

iOS: Open the Contacts app, select the person, tap Edit, scroll to Ringtone (or Text Tone), and select a distinct alert.

Android (Contact-Level): Open the Contacts app, select the family member, tap Edit, and choose Set ringtone or Message notification to assign a specific tone to their calls and texts.

Android (App-Level): In Google Messages, open the specific chat, tap the contact’s name, select Notifications, and choose a unique Sound for that conversation.

WhatsApp: Open the chat, tap the contact’s name, go to Notifications, and select a custom Alert Tone.

Using distinct, emotionally resonant tones for family ensures you can identify critical personal messages immediately, even in noisy environments or when the phone is face down. 


r/LifeProTips • • 2d ago

Home & Garden LPT Buy driveway/sidewalk Salt now while it's still a decent price.

996 Upvotes

Not only is finding salt when everybody else is looking for it a burden, but most of the time it's not in stock and you can't leave your home to pick it up.


r/LifeProTips • • 2d ago

Miscellaneous LPT Buy two!

1.2k Upvotes

LPT if your child or dog has a favorite toy, stuffed animal, whatever, buy at least one extra for when that item is broken, lost or worn out. Hide it in a safe place. Do not assume it will be for sale when/if you need it. Kids and dogs do not understand why their favorite thing went away and hearts get broken 💔


r/LifeProTips • • 2d ago

Home & Garden LPT - Keep your small plastic food trays for decorating

148 Upvotes

If you get food from the supermarket that comes in a flat-bottomed (hard) plastic tray, such as fruit, ready meals, meat etc, keep that tray for if you're decorating. They are usually the perfect size to fit a mini paint roller and then you have a ton of roller trays that you don't have to bother cleaning up when you're done!


r/LifeProTips • • 3d ago

Careers & Work LPT: Keep a note of things that seem weird at your new job before you get used to them

4.3k Upvotes

When you first start a new job you will notice all kinds of things that seem confusing or just plain unnecessary. Weird processes, pointless meetings, extra steps that don’t seem to do anything but after a few months you get used to it all and stop questioning it.

One thing that helped me is keeping a note on your phone of anything that seems odd or doesn’t make sense. You don’t have to bring it up straight away just write it down. Once you’ve settled in and know how things work look back at the list. You might find a few things worth asking about or suggesting a better way to do them.

Its easy to get used to how things are done and forget they could be done differently.


r/LifeProTips • • 14h ago

Miscellaneous LPT: Slice the license plate tag so it doesn't get stolen

0 Upvotes

Just put the tag on the license plate and slice it a little so the thieves won't / can't steal it.


r/LifeProTips • • 3d ago

Traveling LPT: If you're checking a suitcase on a flight, put your contact information inside the bag as well as on the luggage tag.

774 Upvotes

Luggage tags might be torn or damaged during handling. When this occurs, it is possible that your suitcase may not have a clear label or name to identify it.

Before you finish packing, place a card in your suitcase with your name, email, phone number (including country code), flight itinerary, or destination information.

This way, in the event that the outside tag is lost, the airline staff could locate you and connect you with the bag.

It's a small step, less than a minute but it offers a backup in case the first way of identifying your bag fails.


r/LifeProTips • • 3d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: The best way to clean the inside of your car’s front windshield/windscreen: face the car into the sun, use rubbing alcohol to clean gunk, clean towels to wipe clear, and then a foaming window cleaner to make it crystal clear.

2.2k Upvotes

You face the sun so that it highlights the remaining dirt or streaks left as you clean.

The rubbing alcohol breaks down all the oils, breath gunk and other things your body and HVAC system deposit on the window.

You wipe in the alcohol with a towel, and then use a separate clean towel to actually remove the gunk.

The foaming cleanser is what actually cleans the glass to a crystal clear finish and stays streak free. But again, the sun will show you where you’ve missed a spot.

Edit: for all the people responding. I’m sure you’ve had success. I’ve followed a lot of those recommendations over the years and across 6 cars with mixed results. The method I have has worked across all of them and in multiple climates.

If the sun is drying your solution, then you must be a slow cleaner. Start smaller and work your way up. Miyagi-style cleaning technique and don’t be afraid to stand up and reach into the car, watching your progress from the outside vs craning your body to clean everything from inside.


r/LifeProTips • • 1d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: If you’re stuck on hold with customer service, hang up and call back through the sales line then ask to be transferred

0 Upvotes

Support lines are almost always understaffed so you end up waiting 45 minutes while the same song plays on loop. Sales lines are the opposite cuz every missed call there is lost money so they actually pick up.

So next time, hang up, call again and press the sales or new customer option. When someone answers just say “sorry I picked the wrong option could you transfer me to support?” most of the time they will and you skip most of the wait.

Be nice about it though. The person on the line didn’t design the phone system and they can say no. Doesn’t work every time but it saved me a ton of waiting.


r/LifeProTips • • 3d ago

Electronics LPT: For years on android devices you can move the cursor through a body of text by moving your finger side to side on the space bar.

673 Upvotes

Seems this isnt that well known. Two coworkers had no idea this was a thing.


r/LifeProTips • • 4d ago

Social LPT: (Small but Mighty) Teach your young kids (3 years and up) to play UNO.

7.0k Upvotes

I'm a Special Education teacher and I use UNO a lot in my classroom for my students of all ages but I especially like it for young kids. My own 6 year old is actually asking to play Uno Attack versus asking me to have a turn on the Switch 2.

The game teaches:
Color Recognition
Number Recognition
Working Memory (remembering the rules of each card)
Impulse Control (waiting for his turn and not blurting out his "good cards")
Cognitive Flexibility (adjusting when some changes the color or direction)
Visual Discrimination (looking at all of his cards to see what he can play)
Speech/Communication (announcing "UNO!" and new colors)
Emotional Regulation (he's managing losing, having to draw cards or be skipped)
Problem Solving (Just deciding what card to play )
Social Skills (Taking turns, being kind while playing even if losing etc.)

Theres also a little bit of Occupational Therapy in there too by just trying to manage the cards in their hands and placing them down.

It fairly cheap considering the benefits and they have a lot of licensed character decks now. I like UNO attack for home after dinner and before homework (to get the brain going) but I have the hot wheels deck for on the go.

Bonus: They'll know at least one word in Spanish!


r/LifeProTips • • 3d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: if your shoulders get sore while driving, try moving your seat up

373 Upvotes

I got a different vehicle somewhat recently and noticed that my shoulders were getting really sore driving but I wasn’t sure why. Ended up searching online and what seemed to help was moving the seat closer to the wheel. internet said that being closer means your arms don’t have to reach as much for the wheel and that ended up helping the discomfort by maybe 70-80% or so?

I also drive Uber so I do a decent amount of driving haha, might not be as relevant for folks not in a driving job.

Edit: A commenter mentioned you don’t want to be too close either, leaving at least 10 inches of space between your chest and the front cover of the steering wheel in the event that the airbag deploys. That's the amount of space needed for it to properly deploy before you impact it. Any closer and you could have serious injuries as the airbag deploys at 160-320km/h (100-200mph). Thanks u/arm2gm for sharing this.


r/LifeProTips • • 1d ago

Arts & Culture LPT: Prueba los bolígrafos y rotuladores antes de guardarlos con los que ya funcionan

0 Upvotes

Antes de ordenar todos tus útiles de escritura en un cajón, comprueba cuáles todavía escriben correctamente. Haz una pequeña marca en una hoja con cada bolígrafo o rotulador y separa los que están secos, tienen fugas o funcionan de manera irregular.

Así evitas perder tiempo buscando un instrumento que funcione justo cuando necesitas tomar una nota, completar un formulario o escribir una etiqueta.

También puedes guardar juntos los que utilizas con mayor frecuencia y dejar los demás en un lugar secundario. Es una pequeña tarea de organización que evita interrupciones repetidas.


r/LifeProTips • • 4d ago

Home & Garden LPT: Clean your microwave by steaming a bowl of water and vinegar for 5 minutes

2.3k Upvotes

Stop scrubbing dried food off the microwave walls.

Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water and a splash of white vinegar. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Let it sit for another 2–3 minutes with the door closed.

The steam loosens everything. You wipe it down with a paper towel in about 30 seconds. No harsh chemicals, no elbow grease.


r/LifeProTips • • 4d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: If you always forget whether you locked the door, say ‘I’m locking the door’ out loud while you do it. You’ll actually remember it later

699 Upvotes

Locking the door is so automatic your brain doesn’t bother storing the memory. Saying it out loud forces you to pay attention for a second, so when the panic hits halfway down the street, you can actually recall doing it.


r/LifeProTips • • 4d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: Keep a hand-crank emergency radio in your home. When the power's out and your phone is dead, it still works.

1.1k Upvotes

When the power goes out for days after a grid failure, the first thing to go is information. Phones and internet are gone. That's when you most need to know what's happening: where shelters are, whether roads are open, how long repairs will take.

A hand-crank emergency radio solves that. A minute or two of cranking gives you power local news, and emergency broadcasts. No outlet and no batteries needed.


r/LifeProTips • • 5d ago

Finance LPT: If you’re planning to buy something on Black Friday, write down its price now. Some “deals” are just the regular price with a bigger number crossed out next to it.

6.0k Upvotes

Take a screenshot or jot down the current price of anything you’re eyeing. When the sales start, compare. For Amazon, price-history sites like camelcamelcamel show whether a “sale” price is actually low or the same price it’s been for months. You’ll also catch it if something quietly goes up in early November and then gets “discounted” back down to where it started.


r/LifeProTips • • 4d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: If you or a loved one have an extensive medical history and there’s a chance you might have to call an ambulance, have a medication and medical history list ready that you can just hand over to the ambulance crew

504 Upvotes

As a paramedic myself, it is extremely helpful when someone hands us a list with medications, medical history, and allergies. This can be especially important if the patient is incapacitated.


r/LifeProTips • • 2d ago

Miscellaneous LPT: Put big keychains on your keys so they can’t fall through narrow gaps

0 Upvotes

I have some little plushies on my keys which saved them falling down an elevator shaft when the doors opened, gave me a heart attack

Edit. No, they dont need to be 10 kilos or the size of a bowling ball. Literally something like a golf ball sized pompom will stop your keys falling through grates or between seats or something. Yes theyll still fit in your pocket unless youre wearing the skinniest skinny jeans. No they wont break your car’s ignition (???). Yes obviously the ideal is to just keep your keys in a safe spot til you need them but accidents happen, better safe than sorry like


r/LifeProTips • • 4d ago

Social LPT: Keep a note on your phone of things you want to talk to people about

480 Upvotes

​

Whenever you think of something you want to ask a friend, add it to the note. It could be a random question you'd like to ask them, a topic you think they'd enjoy, something they told you that you want to follow up on, or a reminder to check in on them after a breakup or other difficult life event.

It gives you conversation starters when you need them, helps you remember to follow up on things that matter to people, and can even remind you to reach out to someone you haven't spoken to in a while.

You don't have to rely on remembering everything in the moment. And you might find that keeping track of these little things helps you stay connected with people.


r/LifeProTips • • 5d ago

Miscellaneous LPT Have heavy duty work gloves in your emergency kit.

2.2k Upvotes

Recently spoke to a first responder on a team that flies around the world to major disasters in urban areas.

If you are uninjured you are most likely to be trying to help people in collapsed buildings and cars with broken glass, metal and wood. Without gloves you have maybe half an hour of helping (probably panicked) before your hands are a mess and you need medical attention yourself.