Teens are uniquely terrifying creatures. They are simultaneously confused and cool: Even as they struggle to figure out who they are as individuals, they have no problem identifying the finer points of popular culture. Simply put, they know what’s up, and we do not. If you have to shop for one this holiday season, here’s a guide for what is cool in their world, which takes place, at least partially, on TikTok. 

Gifts for a teenager’s bedroom

A teen’s room is a sanctuary. They don’t have their own home, but they do have their own space, and that space is very important to them. Here are the things they want for that sacred spot:

• Desk vacuums are very popular and teens spend a lot of time at them, studying, gaming, rolling a joint, whatever. This mini vacuum from Odistar ($9.98) will pick up whatever crumbs a teen is producing. 

• LED strip lights have been big for a while now, but they’re holding up in terms of trendiness even after a few years. If you get some for a teen, make sure to get ones that sync up to a smartphone for easy color-changing, like this 100-foot set from Ksipze ($12.99). 

• Unique lamps are also still a vibe. You can try this galaxy-effect projector ($39.99), the viral sunset lamp projector ($18.99), or this ball-shaped one that looks like the moon ($24.99).

• Search TikTok for “birthdate candle” and try to convince yourself teens don’t love these things. You can’t convince yourself of that, so it looks like you’re about to drop $50 on a candle with their birthday written on the side.

• Watching movies is a well-established teen pastime. Watching them blown up huge on the wall is a newer twist that is quite popular. This AuKing projector ($69.99) is going to be a hit.

Gifts for a teenager’s wellbeing

Everyone needs self-care, including teens who are just a few years into the lifelong compulsion to look presentable out in the world. Help them achieve that—or just some plain old relaxation—with these gifts. 

• Brazilian Bum Bum Cream has gotten more and more popular over the years and now dominates social media. It smells amazing, absorbs fast, is a celeb favorite, and claims to firm up the skin. On TikTok, influencers discuss the benefits of layering it under certain perfumes to achieve out-of-this-world scents. Get 2.5 ounces for $22.

• Any teen who is into makeup wants lip oil. Lip oil is having a major moment and one can simply never have enough of it. Not only is it glossy, it’s hydrating. Trust and believe this is a good gift, whether you go for the well-rated NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip ($9) or the ever-coveted Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil ($40). 

• It’s hard to explain, but Stanley cups—the kind of insulated, massive-capacity mug you associate with truckers—are very popular with teens. They come in all kinds of colors. Get a 40-ounce cup for $76.65.

• Shopping for a fashionable and/or athletic girl? Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag ($48). Done. 

Other random gifts for teens

Some gifts fall outside the parameters of home goods and self-care. These are still crucial for teens, who require many trinkets and knickknacks. 

• What is one of the most significant moments of a teen’s life? Getting their driver’s license. Teens simply love the freedom, and their cars are a mode of self-expression. Get your teen some viral cleaning gel for their car to banish crumbs and dirt from even the hardest-to-reach places. This one by Pulidiki ($8.48) is the $1 “automotive” product on Amazon and has over 78,000 ratings for a total of four stars out of five. 

• We’re getting a little meta here because while all these gifts are popular on social media, this one is for social media: The TikTok remote control ring ($19.99) offers the ability for hands-free scrolling as well as the ability to film from far away. It’s a cooler version of the old millennial favorite, the selfie stick. 

Prices are accurate as of publication, but are always subject to change.

Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Gifts for Teens, According to TikTok

Traditional eggnog is, essentially, a drinkable custard with raw eggs. It’s meant to be decadent, thick, spiced, and alcoholic (if you’re into that sort of thing). But making a big batch of eggnog isn’t a quick endeavor. Some recipes require a good deal of whipped eggs, and others involve tempering the custard with hot milk. If you’re interested in making eggnog but discouraged by the raw eggs, wish you had a vegan option, or are put off by the time it takes to make a batch, I’ve got the perfect hack for you.

Classic eggnog takes a while

I don’t know how many people learned about eggnog from watching Christmas Vacation, but you can add me to your ranks. After that inspiring reindeer cup scene, I tried making a classic eggnog from scratch—the kind with whipped yolks and whipped egg whites folded in at the end. While it tasted good, and was extremely alcoholic, I never made it again. Simply put, it was a pain in the ass. Unless you’re going full, raw-egg cocktail—which doesn’t batch very well—you have to do a lot of whipping. If you’re cooking the custard to achieve that stable, velvety texture, then you’re probably tempering eggs with hot milk. That leaves you with a pot of steaming hot custard to cool off before consuming, and that alone takes many Earth-hours to do.

Ice-cream eggnog is the answer (even for vegans)

That’s right: ice cream. Your mind will tell you, “no, we’ve spent our whole life preventing this,” but go ahead and melt a pint or two of vanilla ice cream. It’s the perfect base for a flavorful, thick, and creamy eggnog: It is, itself, a pre-made, pre-aerated, pre-chilled vanilla custard. You probably already have a brand you love. The hard work is done for you; all you have to do is personalize it.

I saw this hack on Sara Moulton’s Instagram. If you don’t know her, Sara’s an OG celebrity chef. Sara was searing steaks on the Food Network before Rachael Ray burnt her first piece of broiler toast on TV.

Moulton suggests letting your ice cream melt in the fridge overnight. Since I like this hack because of its potential to be fast, I melted mine in the microwave. 

Take the caps off your freezer-fresh pints of ice cream and remove the plastic seal, if any. I used Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream and put the whole pint in the microwave for 20 seconds to get the edges to loosen up. Then I scooped the ice cream out into a glass measuring cup. Microwave the ice cream in 20-second bursts, stirring in between, to melt the ice cream fully but without making it hot. (If you like warm eggnog then you can continue microwaving and stirring until you’re happy with the temperature.)

Add ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, cardamom, or allspice and stir them in. If any of the spices clump, use an immersion blender to give it a quick blend. Stir in your choice of brown liquor, like whiskey, rum, brandy, or bourbon. Sara’s recipe suggests two ounces of alcohol per pint of ice cream. This is perfect if you just like the barest reminder that you’re drinking alcohol. I tasted the eggnog after two, three, and four ounces of bourbon, and I found that three was perfect for me. 

This hack is also great if you can’t find a dairy-free or vegan eggnog in the store. Most frozen dessert “ice creams” have helpful thickeners and emulsifiers that prevent it from splitting or getting weird even after melting, but test the brand before making a big batch for a holiday party. Use the same microwaving method and proceed from there. This recipe makes four servings, and can be doubled or tripled for larger batches.

Quick Ice Cream Eggnog Recipe 

(adapted from Sara Moulton)

Ingredients:

• 1 pint vanilla ice cream (or vegan vanilla “ice cream”)

• 2-4 ounces whiskey, rum, brandy, or bourbon

• ½ teaspoon of any ground spices (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, or ginger)

1. Take the top of the carton off and remove any liner. Place the whole carton on the counter to soften for 20 minutes, or soften it in the microwave for 20 seconds. Scoop the ice cream out into a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. 

2. Microwave the ice cream in 20-second bursts, stirring and breaking up the ice cream in between. Continue doing this until you’re happy with the serving temperature.

3. Stir in the alcohol of choice. Add any combination of spices you like for a combined measurement of half a teaspoon. If needed, use an immersion blender to break up any spice clusters. Serve and be merry.

Source: LifeHacker – Make This Quick Eggnog With Ice Cream

Group chats can get chaotic, and that’s what makes group chats fun. But there are times when you wish you didn’t need to scroll up past 100 messages to find the important thing you’re looking for: the place and time you’re meeting for lunch, who’s bringing what for the potluck dinner, etc. That’s where the ability to pin a message to the top can be clutch. And if you’re a WhatsApp user, you can finally try it for yourself.

Thanks to the new feature, anyone in a group chat can pin a message so it sticks to the top of the chat. That means it’s up to anyone in the chat to decide which message warrants the honor. As it’s a slow rollout, it might take a couple of days for the feature to show up, so keep checking in if you don’t see it yet.  

How to pin a message in a group chat on WhatsApp

You can pin any message, even a poll, to the top of a chat.

How to pin a WhatApp message on Android

1. Tap and hold on the message you want to pin to select it.

2. Tap Menu on the top to see your options.

3. Choose Pin, then choose how long you want the message to stay pinned to the top. Currently, you can choose between 24 hours, 7 days (the default), or 30 days. When the time is up, the message will be unpinned. 

How to pin a WhatApp message on iPhone

1. Tap and hold on the message you want to pin to select it.

2. Tap More from the context menu.

3. Choose Pin, and decide how long you want it to stay at the top— 24 hours, 7 days (the default), or 30 days. When the time is up, the message will be unpinned. 

And, of course, you can tap on a pinned message to unpin it anytime. 

This feature is a part of a deluge of new WhatsApp features in recent months—all things that really should have been part of the app for years. Alongside pinning, you can now edit your messages, send disappearing voice messages, and can send photos in their original quality.

[The Verge]

Source: LifeHacker – You Can Now Pin Messages in WhatsApp Group Chats

So: Someone in your life is a dog lover. This is a perfect avenue for gift giving—if you’re thoughtful with your choices. It’s not always easy to find an item that your friend or family member doesn’t already have or isn’t weirdly picky about. With our help, however, you can nail the perfect present.

Toys for puppy parents

The one universal truth of puppydom is teeth: They clamp onto absolutely anything they can, including fingers. The Good Cuz/Bad Cuz line of rubber dog toys are perfect. Hold them between your fingers, making a fist, and your fingers are hidden, and your puppy has something to chew. A better puppy stocking stuffer there never was. They come in various sizes, so choose based on the size of the puppy. 

• Good Cuz: $7.99 and up

• Bad Cuz: $6.64

Gifts for parents of a newly rescued dog

Helping a newly adopted dog feel safe, secure and loved is one of the major challenges for people who take a rescue into their homes. One of the most endearing things I saw this year, just before I adopted, was a TikToker who gives their adopted pit bull spa days, literally showering their dog with attention and care. The time together has brought my rescue dog and myself closer, so a spa set with an explanation is a really thoughtful gift. Even if their dog doesn’t like showers, simply rubbing some coconut oil into their skin once in a while is soothing and beneficial. 

• Burt’s Bees Shampoo for Dogs: $7.48

• Coconut oil for fur and skin: $8.99

• Pet MD Dog Paw Balm – 3-in-1 Paw, Nose/Snout, & Elbow Moisturizer: $15.49

• Dog Bathrobe Towel: $35.99 and up

• Pet Grooming Gloves: $13.99

• Hypo-Allergenic Dog Eye Wipes: $9.89

Dog parents who lost their dog this past year

Instead of getting someone a new dog (which you should never do), give them a dog experience. For instance, you can have them visit Vermont’s Golden Dog Farm and loll around with “at least 10 Butternut Goldens.” Or consider a pilgrimage to Dog Mountain, also in Vermont, the retreat that wood carver and folk artist Stephen Huneck built as a tribute to canines. If a trip to Vermont isn’t in the offing, there’s this lovely custom pet memorial stone, which they can place in their garden.

• Golden retriever experience: $75

• Dog Mountain: free

• Custom pet memorial stone: from $25.42

Parents of an older dog

Some photographers specialize in sessions with older doggos. Gifting a photo session of your loved ones with their loved one is something they’ll likely treasure forever, but lets them set it up on their timetable and with their own parameters.  Google “senior dog photography” and your city to find the right service provider. Or have a custom portrait created based on your favorite photo. (This would also be a thoughtful gift to anyone who’s lost their beloved pet.)

• West & Willow pet portraits: from $68

Pet parents who’ve returned to the office

Dogs aren’t the only ones who struggle as their humans go back to the office; their humans are stressed about it, too. Pair some activity toys with a pet camera to keep everyone’s anxiety at bay. We recommended the Eufy N140 last month with its 360-degree swivel, great resolution and ability to pitch treats to your doggo. WickedBone is an interactive smart toy designed to keep your dog stimulated while you control the fun from an app on your phone. 

• Eufy n140 pet camera: $209.99

• WickedBone interactive toy: $43.99

Great gift ideas any dog parent would love

No dog ever has enough Kongs or Chuckits, so more are always welcome. Consider boxing up 20 or more tennis balls for a floofy friend. The look of unadulterated joy they’ll have when they unbox and are overwhelmed with balls is worth it. For the ultimate holiday gift, get your friend a pair of PJs with their dog’s face on them—and then get their dog matching PJs with your friend’s face on them. 

• Kongs: price varies

• Chuckits (pack of two): $5.30

• Pet mini tennis balls (50): $29.99

• Custom-printed PJs: $46.95

• Custom-printed dog PJs: $25.95

All listed prices are subject to change.

Source: LifeHacker – The Best Gifts Any Dog Owner Will Love

If you’re doing your own renovations or just working on some projects around the house, you’ll find that scrap materials can quickly build up. While it might seem like the simplest thing is to just throw your scraps away, some scraps can’t fit in the garbage, some shouldn’t go in the garbage for safety reasons, and some scraps can be reused for something else. Here are some ways you can recycle your scraps safely, depending on the type of material it is.

Metal

Metal scraps can sometimes go in your municipal recycling if you have one. Check your local rules for what types of material are accepted. For metal scraps that can’t go to your curbside service, you can start a scrap bucket. Drop stripped screws, unused parts, cuttings of steel, copper, and other bare metals into a bucket; when it’s full, drop it off at a local scrap yard. If your bucket is full enough, you might even get some money for it. If you have usable parts that someone else might want or need, you can sometimes donate these to a local reuse center that will sort and resell your nuts, bolts, and unused screws at a discount to other enterprising DIYers. When I was teaching shop, I often used castoff parts to teach students how to use screw guns and other tools because the size of the part doesn’t matter as much as the technique in that situation. If you have a large amount of metal from redoing HVAC or another big job, you can look into professional disposal services in your area.

Wood

Wood scraps can pile up in your home shop quickly, and if you don’t plan to reuse them for something else, they can take up a lot of space. To recycle them, you can start by offering larger and more valuable scraps on local reselling groups through social media. You might even make a little pocket change this way and you’ll know that you’re fueling your local DIY community. If you would rather have your scraps gone ASAP, you can donate usable scrap to reuse centers. For larger amounts of scrap, some of these facilities will even offer pickup so you don’t have to make a trip. For scraps that aren’t particularly useful, you can also recycle them as mulch. Some municipalities have community mulching facilities, but if not, you can likely find a private company happy to take your distressed wood scraps for a small fee. Smaller wood scraps that aren’t treated can be added to compost and will eventually break down just like any other organic material would.

Fabric

If you’re doing an upholstery project or working on some other home decor items, you might end up with extra fabric you don’t need. Recycling fabric scraps is as easy as donating old clothing in most cases. You can drop them off at most charities that take clothing donations and anything that isn’t sold will be passed on to a textile recycling plant. You can also offer fabric scraps on local free groups—some even have special pages just for crafting—and you’ll often get to meet a fellow crafter in the process.

Tile

Recycling tile can be tricky but there are a few retailers that run tile take-back programs where you can have your extra scrap tiles recycled. For other options, some reuse centers will take unused tiles to resell to other DIY home renovators, and you can always offer it on local reselling groups to see if you can find any takers. You can also reach out to local crafting and community programs to see if anyone would like extra material for their projects. Since tile often can’t be thrown away in the regular trash due to its weight, you might need to pay to have it taken away if you can’t find a way to recycle or reuse it.

Miscellaneous

You might have caught on by now that almost any extra material can be recycled or reused by someone, if given the chance. If you have leftover or scrap materials, you can often find a home for them outside of a landfill and at no cost to you. Finding the local materials groups near you, establishing a relationship with local community groups, and making a social media post to offer your scraps can help you recycle your scraps for free or cheap.

Source: LifeHacker – How to Recycle Every Type of Material Left Over From Your DIY Projects

Netflix is kicking off 2024 with plenty of original content to fill those dark and cold winter nights.

On the film front, start with the acclaimed Spanish-language thriller Society of the Snow (January 4), a dramatic retelling of the 1972 Andes flight disaster—a plane crash followed by a 72-day survival effort—based on Pablo Vierci’s book of the same name. Good Grief (January 5) is Schitt’s Creek actor Dan Levy’s feature directorial and writing debut. He also stars in the film as Marc, who is navigating grief following the loss of his husband. Another movie not to miss is Lift (January 12), a heist comedy starring Kevin Hart.

Apple is notoriously stingy with their discounts, the idea being that it will keep the perception of high value and exclusivity. It has clearly worked for them thus far. That’s why it’s surprising to see that their latest top-of-the-line smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, released fewer than three months ago, is already discounted $100 off its $799 price tag. To get it for $699 (the lowest price it has ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history), you will need to click the on-screen $50 coupon before adding the smartwatch to your Amazon cart.

Apple’s latest and highest-tier smartwatch

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was released in September of this year and is Apple’s flagship smartwatch. It is different than the previous first-generation Apple Watch Ultra, which you can find for $659 at Best Buy;but for $40 more, you might as well get the latest one. It’s also different from the Apple Watch Series 9, which you can get for $449 on Amazon right now. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly Apple watch, consider the second generation Apple Watch SE available for $199 (originally $249). Just keep in mind that this one will arrive after Christmas.

It’s the holiday season, so I thought I’d take a look at the state of the supposed “War on Christmas.” I was hoping to point to a bunch of outrageous beliefs religious people have about Christmas this year, but instead, it seems the furor over the holiday being under siege has died down.

This is not, however, a sign of progress.

The War on Christmas isn’t new

The phrase “War on Christmas” originated in 2000 on this blog post by Peter Brimelow, but it caught on shortly after a 2004 broadcast by Bill O’Reilly featuring a segment called “Christmas Under Siege.”

“All over the country, Christmas is taking flak,” Reilly intoned, before pointing out that cities were erecting “holiday trees” instead of “Christmas trees” and pointing out instances of public schools banning religious content. From there, books were written, tweets were tweeted, and outrage was stoked until the phrase “War on Christmas” was known by all.

But the sentiment behind the “War on Christmas” dates back way further than its heyday in the early 2000s, to at least 1921, when noted antisemite (and car manufacturer) Henry Ford wrote: “Last Christmas most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated Someone’s Birth.”

While O’Reilly and his ilk tend to not specifically name an enemy in the War on Christmas, Ford wasn’t shy. As you might suspect, according to Ford, the Jews were to blame:

Not only do the Jews disagree with Christian teaching — which is their perfect right, and no one dare question it — but they seek to interfere with it. It is not religious tolerance in the midst of religious difference, but religious attack that they preach and practice. The whole record of Jewish opposition to Christmas, Easter and certain patriotic songs shows that.

Post-war America’s religiosity eventually led to prayer and Christmas celebrations in public schools, and that led to a backlash where courts ruled much of it was unconstitutional, and that time of uncertainty led to the publication of ur-War on Christmas texts like the pamphlet “There Goes Christmas?!” by Hubert Kregeloh of the John Birch Society:

The UN fanatics launched their assault on Christmas in 1958, but too late to get very far before the holy day was at hand…They are already busy, however, at this very moment, on efforts to poison the 1959 Christmas season with their high-pressure propaganda. What they now want to put over on the American people is simply this: Department stores throughout the country are to utilize U.N. symbols and emblems as Christmas decorations.

Scary stuff. Still, the John Birch society were not a potent cultural force, and weird ideas about “U.N. fanatics” churned under the surface of the U.S.’s cultural consciousness—until Fox New’s early 2000s ascendency brought them to the surface.

The War on Christmas isn’t over

While the sentiment behind the War on Christmas—”evil globalists/democrats/Jews are oppressing Christians”—is alive and thriving, right now the religious right is quiet about the “War on Christmas” itself, so quiet it’s almost like they’re embarrassed.

The outrage from years past is just gone. Even Starbucks’ once-reliable choice in holiday cup design is failing to rile anyone up—the sources for this recent Sun article with the headline “Starbucks fans continue to boycott the popular chain and slam its ‘War on Christmas’ over controversial cup campaign” are:

• A tweet with 2 “likes” and 1 comment.

• A joke tweet asking about whether the “war” was back on.

• Three links to the Facebook search for the phrase “war on christmas starbucks cups”

Gone are the days when Conservatives could base an entire book on the War on Christmas premise, or political figures could score easy points by promising they’ll bring saying “Merry Christmas” back to the White House (even though it never left). Even the inclusion of a Satanic Christmas tree at a Wisconsin train museum this year didn’t move the outrage needle. The War on Christmas is over, right?

Not exactly. It would be nice to think the people behind popularizing the “War on Christmas” concept have shut up about it because it’s such a ridiculous idea, but really they’ve moved on because it’s not sexy anymore. Consistently generating cultural outrage requires novelty. The enemies—modernity, Jews, “U.N. fanatics,” liberalism, people of color, etc.— remain the same as they were when Henry Ford was around, but they have to be dressed in new costumes or people would stop paying attention. So Bud Light cans take the place of Starbucks cups. New scapegoats replace the old, and new, nonsensical, arguments are constructed. In the 1970s, opponents of the ERA helped shoot down the amendment by repeating the shibboleth that it would result in unisex bathrooms (like you have in your house.) In 2023, it’s “trans people might use a bathroom I don’t approve of!” It’s always bathrooms with these people.

If you miss making fun of people for taking the “War on Christmas” seriously, don’t despair. It will be back. The popularity of using Christmas as a flashpoint for our ongoing cultural conflicts ebbs and flows, but it’s as much of a holiday classic as Maria Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Once people have sufficiently forgotten, some future Henry Ford/Hubert Kregeloh/Bill O’Reilly will say, “Look! The bad people are attacking Christmas!” and the war will be back on. Because it’s not actually a war; it’s just one of a million battles in a war that will never end.

Source: LifeHacker – What People Are Getting Wrong This Week: The ‘War on Christmas’

One of the best parts of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is that you can play your favorite Xbox games on just about any device, including Androids, iOS devices, a browser on your laptop, and even directly on a Samsung Smart TV.

Starting today, you can the Meta Quest to that list. Now, you can play Xbox Game Pass games on Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest Pro headsets with the new Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app. That includes hundreds of games, such as Starfield, Halo Infinite, and Forza Motorsport, all streamable to your headset on a large virtual screen.

Requirements to use the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app

Before you start using the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app on your Meta Quest headset, there are a couple of requirements. First, you need to be an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber. If you’re not, you can join for $1 for your first month and then $16.99 per month after.

Next, you’ll need a supported controller, such as an Xbox controller, PlayStation 4 controller, or Nintendo Switch Pro controller. Meta says that support for the PS5’s DualSense controller is coming in the future. Finally, you’ll need an internet connection speed of 20Mbps or higher.

Recommended products

Pick up any of the three Meta Quest devices to play Xbox Game Pass games (as well as Steam games via Steam Link) in Meta’s VR headset:

• Meta Quest 2

• Meta Quest 3

• Meta Quest Pro

Getting started with the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app

After you’ve checked the requirements, getting started with the Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) app for Meta Quest is fairly easy. First, make sure your Quest headset is running the latest software update (it should be the v60 update).

2023 is winding down, the holidays are coming, and tons of people will head back to their hometowns for the celebration. Traveling home for the holidays is a funny experience. You’re headed somewhere you know intimately, but it’s different now that you’re not there. Are your old friends still the same? Did your favorite diner survive the pandemic and all the economic weirdness after? Are your old hook-ups in town? Are there new people you haven’t seen before?

First: Just use Tinder

If you’re looking for a hookup, Tinder is your best bet, full stop. It’s quick, it’s straightforward, most people have it, and there isn’t a lot you have to do to set up a profile. “It’s bound to be incredibly depressing, extremely funny, or a straight-up good time,” says Don G., a 32-year-old Brooklynite heading back to Pennsylvania for Christmas who plans on using Tinder once he is back in town. He anticipates scrolling across at least one “high school flame” and seeing what they’re doing. With any luck, it’ll be him. 

“Hinge and Bumble always felt a bit commitment-oriented,” he says. “If that’s your vibe, by all means, pop off, but I think Tinder is the standard for hometown swiping. It has the reputation for a reason and it brings the least amount of messy pretense into any hangout.” Hinge and Bumble do have a reputation as more commitment-oriented, though Carmela, a 20-something New Yorker who heads home to Michigan a lot, adds that you’re less likely to encounter someone who’s already married on Hinge than you are on the others, at least in her experience. If you’re not trying to cause any familial drama, you might want to keep that in mind. All the major apps offer the option to declare openly on your profile what you’re looking for, so just be sure to indicate that you’re looking for a quick hookup and nothing more. 

A good rule of thumb is to also stay away from specialty apps, as they’re not likely to yield many results. Some, such as Feeld, are really centered around urban hubs, so unless you’re returning to a larger city, you probably won’t have much luck. 

Second: Be strategic, but kind

As mentioned, it’s important to be upfront about what, exactly, you’re looking for. Don advises you should “be as transparent about your intentions as possible.” That’s a good guideline for dating app use in general, so as always, be clear and honest about your intentions. Communication is key to ensure both parties are on the same page and comfortable with the encounter.

Be mindful about how you set your preferences, too. As Don pointed out, you’re likely to run across people you used to know. Whether or not that—and the possibility of them gossiping around town about seeing you on there—bothers you depends on your own preferences, but you do have to accept it as a reality before you go in. Have a plan in place for if and when this happens. If you really don’t want to engage with anyone you know, no problem. Tinder now has an option for you to hide your profile from certain people in your phone contacts. If you don’t have their number, just commit to the old-fashioned way of swiping left on them. If you don’t mind possibly having a one-night stand with a former homecoming king or that shy girl that was somehow always your cashier at the grocery store, prepare what you’ll say when you meet up. Setting your preferences to avoid that altogether can work, but it brings a new set of problems. Carmela says she sets her age range to 34 and above when she visits home, but ends up seeing former professors and co-workers instead of old classmates. Something awkward may well happen no matter what you do. Just choose your awkward.

Still, don’t let this deter you. Even in the smallest towns, you may be able to find someone you don’t know and enjoy a holiday hookup. Be clear about your intentions and just have fun. As Don says, “Don’t take it too seriously… unless you want to. Even then, just remember you’re going back to your normal life three days later, and they will be, too.” 

Source: LifeHacker – The Right Way to Use Tinder for a Hometown Holiday Hookup

If you’re looking for the Wordle answer for December 14, 2023, read on. We’ll share some clues, tips, and strategies, and finally the solution. Today’s puzzle is a bit harder than average; I got it in four. Beware, there are spoilers below for December 14, Wordle #908! Keep scrolling if you want some hints (and then the answer) to today’s Wordle game.

How to play Wordle

Wordle lives here on the New York Times website. A new puzzle goes live every day at midnight, your local time.

Start by guessing a five-letter word. The letters of the word will turn green if they’re correct, yellow if you have the right letter in the wrong place, or gray if the letter isn’t in the day’s secret word at all. For more, check out our guide to playing Wordle here, and my strategy guide here for more advanced tips. (We also have more information at the bottom of this post, after the hints and answers.)

Ready for the hints? Let’s go!

Does today’s Wordle have any unusual letters?

We’ll define common letters as those that appear in the old typesetters’ phrase ETAOIN SHRDLU. (Memorize this! Pronounce it “Edwin Shirdloo,” like a name, and pretend he’s a friend of yours.)

Four of the letters in today’s word are common. One other letter appears toward the end of the alphabet. 

Can you give me a hint for today’s Wordle?

Today is another word that we use all the time but that is difficult to describe. Grammar teachers probably have a name for it. It’s something you might use to indicate what you wish you had done. 

Does today’s Wordle have any double or repeated letters?

No, there are five different letters today.

How many vowels are in today’s Wordle?

There are two vowels in today’s word.

What letter does today’s Wordle start with?

Today’s word starts with W.

What letter does today’s Wordle end with?

Today’s word ends with D.

What is the solution to today’s Wordle?

Ready? Today’s word is WOULD.

How I solved today’s Wordle

ARISE gave me bupkis; TOUCH gave me the O and U. For a minute here I thought we might be in another HOUND/BOUND/ROUND situation, so I guessed YOUNG to see if that N would be in the right spot (while also revealing whether it might be an -NG word). No hits. Huh. 

At this point I had used all of the common letters and a bunch of uncommon ones. What’s even left? Finally I realized that -LD could be an ending, and it would go nicely with the W that we hadn’t used yet.

Wordle 908 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

A primer on Wordle basics

The idea of Wordle is to guess the day’s secret word. When you first open the Wordle game, you’ll see an empty grid of letters. It’s up to you to make the first move: type in any five-letter word. 

Now, you can use the colors that are revealed to get clues about the word: 

• Green means you correctly guessed a letter, and it’s in the correct position. (For example, if you guess PARTY, and the word is actually PURSE, the P and R will be green.)

• Yellow means the letter is somewhere in the word, but not in the position you guessed it. (For example, if you guessed PARTY, but the word is actually ROAST, the R, A and T will all be yellow.)

• Gray means the letter is not in the solution word at all. (If you guessed PARTY and everything is gray, then the solution cannot be PURSE or ROAST.)

With all that in mind, guess another word, and then another, trying to land on the correct word before you run out of chances. You get six guesses, and then it’s game over.

The best starter words for Wordle

What should you play for that first guess? The best starters tend to contain common letters, to increase the chances of getting yellow and green squares to guide your guessing. (And if you get all grays when guessing common letters, that’s still excellent information to help you rule out possibilities.) There isn’t a single “best” starting word, but the New York Times’s Wordle analysis bot has suggested starting with one of these:

• CRANE

• TRACE

• SLANT

• CRATE

• CARTE

Meanwhile, an MIT analysis found that you’ll eliminate the most possibilities in the first round by starting with one of these:

• SALET

• REAST

• TRACE

• CRATE

• SLATE

Other good picks might be ARISE or ROUND. Words like ADIEU and AUDIO get more vowels in play, but you could argue that it’s better to start with an emphasis on consonants, using a starter like RENTS or CLAMP. Choose your strategy, and see how it plays out.

How to win at Wordle

We have a few guides to Wordle strategy, which you might like to read over if you’re a serious student of the game. This one covers how to use consonants to your advantage, while this one focuses on a strategy that uses the most common letters. In this advanced guide, we detail a three-pronged approach for fishing for hints while maximizing your chances of winning quickly.

The biggest thing that separates Wordle winners from Wordle losers is that winners use their guesses to gather information about what letters are in the word. If you know that the word must end in -OUND, don’t waste four guesses on MOUND, ROUND, SOUND, and HOUND; combine those consonants and guess MARSH. If the H lights up in yellow, you know the solution.

One more note on strategy: the original Wordle used a list of about 2,300 solution words, but after the game was bought by the NYT, the game now has an editor who hand-picks the solutions. Sometimes they are slightly tricky words that wouldn’t have made the original list, and sometimes they are topical. For example, FEAST was the solution one Thanksgiving. So keep in mind that there may be a theme.

Wordle alternatives

If you can’t get enough of five-letter guessing games and their kin, the best Wordle alternatives, ranked by difficulty, include:

• Wheeldle, which lets you play one puzzle after another

• Dordle and Quordle, which ask you to play two (Dordle) or four (Quordle) puzzles at the same time, with the same guesses. There is also Octordle, with eight puzzles, and Sedecordle, with 16.

• Waffle, which shows you several five-letter words, scrambled in a grid; you play by swapping the letters around until you solve.

• Absurdle, which changes the solution after each guess, but needs to stay consistent with its previous feedback. You have to strategically back it into a corner until there is only one possible word left; then you guess it, and win.

• Squabble, in which you play Wordle against other people with a timer running. You take damage if you spend too much time between guesses; winner is the last one standing.

• Antiwordle, in which you are trying not to guess the day’s solution. You’re required to reuse any letters that you (oops) guessed correctly, so the longer it takes you, the better you are at the game.

Source: LifeHacker – Today’s Wordle Hints (and Answer) for Thursday, December 14, 2023

Apple’s AirPods Pro recently received their most visible upgrade in years, as the company swapped out the Lighting-powered charging case for a USB-C model. And now, Apple has officially begun selling the MagSafe USB-C AirPods Pro 2 case (and only the case) as a standalone product. The Verge was the first to notice the new listing, which offers the USB-C AirPods Pro 2 charging case for $99.

If you bought a pair of AirPods Pro 2 before Apple updated them with USB-C, then you might find the option enticing, as it saves you having to spend the $249 Apple charges for the latest AirPods Pro 2 if all you want is the new case. But if your Lightning-based charging case isn’t having any issues, or if you haven’t upgraded to the iPhone 15 yet, then you’re honestly better off just waiting until you actually need new earbuds, as nearly $100 is a lot to ask for a minor upgrade—especially when you won’t get all the other features added to the new generation of AirPods Pro.

Apple only switched to USB-C charging to bring its top-of-the-line earbuds in line with the iPhone 15, the first iPhone to ship with USB-C. However, Apple also went out of its way to add a few new features to the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, which aren’t available if you have the first iteration of the AirPods Pro 2, even if you upgrade the case. This means you’d still be missing out on lossless audio with the Vision Pro, Apple’s upcoming VR/AR headset, as well as a few other upgrades—features all built into the earbuds themselves.

Sure, if you’ve upgraded to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (or any of the iPhone 15 lineup) and don’t want to have to worry about carrying around multiple charging cables, then purchasing the standalone case will solve that problem for you. But at 40% of the price of a whole new set of earbuds, that convenience will cost you.

Source: LifeHacker – Why You Shouldn’t Buy a USB-C Charging Case for Your AirPods Pro

First party Nintendo Switch games are the Apple products of the video game industry: They rarely go on sale. Nintendo’s flagship series—Zelda, Mario, and Pokémon, among others—tend to hold their value for years, so when you spot them on a decent sale, it’s worth paying attention, you should pay attention.

If you’re looking to pick up a Switch game at a good price for holiday gifting purposes, the following top-tier titles are currently at near their best prices of the year, and all will arrive by Christmas.

The best Christmas deals on Nintendo Switch games

Barring a few Black Friday deals, the first-party Nintendo titles below are currently at their best prices of the season (from reputable sellers, at least). As of this writing, all these games will also make it to your doorstep in time for Christmas—just make sure to double-check the arrival date if you’re shopping closer to the holiday. (For the most part, Amazon Prime members get two-day shipping, so as long as you order by Dec. 22, you should get receive your order in time.)

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is $45.25 (originally $59.99)

• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is $19.99 (originally $59.99)

• New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Nintendo Super Mario Maker 2 is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Super Mario Odyssey is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (digital version) is $13.99 (originally $39.99)

• Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Pokemon Brilliant Diamond is $29.99 (originally $59.99)

• Pokemon Brilliant Pearl is $29.99 (originally $59.99)

• Super Mario RPG is $47.99 (originally $59.99)

• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is $29.99 (originally $59.99)

• Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Yoshi’s Crafted World is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Kirby and the Forgotten Land is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Luigi’s Mansion 3 (digital version) is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• Splatoon 3 is $39.99 (originally $59.99)

• LEGO Harry Potter Collection (digital code) is $9.99 (originally $49.99)

• LEGO® Star Wars™: The Skywalker Saga (digital code) is $9.99 (originally $49.99)

• Bayonetta 3 is $41.99 (originally $59.99)

• Just Dance 2023 (digital code in box) is $14.99 (originally $59.99)

Source: LifeHacker – The Best Nintendo Switch Game Deals You Can Still Get in Time for Christmas

When you have a poor evaluation at work, it feels just terrible. It’s like getting in trouble at school—except everyone involved is an adult and the stakes are higher, since your job is tied to your financial security, health insurance, and sense of self. You might walk out of the meeting feeling totally disoriented, which is fine, but once you regain your footing, there are critical next steps you can and should take. 

First assess the performance review

Before you do anything, go over the review that just took place. Was it actually “bad” or are you just interpreting it as bad? During reviews, you should try to take notes or ask for a written summary afterward, so you have something objective to look back on. There’s a chance your evaluation wasn’t as dire as you think. 

Then again, there’s a chance it was bad and it was just poorly communicated. HR pro Tim Sackett told me that a bad review might not always be obvious “because most managers are terrible at giving direct feedback and making it clear. Most managers are conflict-avoidant and while they might want to deliver a very critical review of your performance, it often comes across like you’re not that bad.” 

So as much as it sucks, you really want your manager to be direct with you. Anne N., a university employee, recalls that during a bad performance review she wasn’t expecting at all, her supervisor started off by saying, “Don’t freak out,” which was her “first initial inkling that it was going to be bad.” It’s better to know, absolutely, that the review is bad, so if you have an “inkling,” ask directly. 

Reach back out in writing after the review

You’ll need to set up a plan to right the ship, but don’t reach out that same day, as your emotions are going to be high. That said, Sackett cautions, “There’s no crying at work”: Whether you’re angry or sad, don’t be visibly distressed. In the moments after the review, take a walk or a little break; “find a safe space where you can cry and scream and do whatever you need to do without anyone else seeing.” Try to see the positive, even if it’s hard. Sackett recommends thinking of bad feedback as “a gift,” since “someone cared enough about you to warn you before you get fired.” 

Sackett recommends waiting 24 to 48 hours for the “sting to wear off” before you reach back out to your manager, but when you do, you should ask for a specific plan to improve your performance. Getting your correspondence in writing is crucial: You need the plan outlined with as much detail as possible so you can point back to it in your next meeting. 

Anne’s supervisor gave her feedback during the meeting, advising her on how to make her classes more collaborative: “We agreed I would begin incorporating those ideas to my class and she’d come review one. After she came back to watch my class, she said it was much better.” 

Continue communicating throughout the process of fixing the shortcomings, too. It might feel awkward to send Slack updates announcing your various moves, but your manager needs to see that you’re committed to course correction and are, in fact, taking action. If you’re not comfortable sending updates on your progress, try asking questions like, “I’m sending the new report by EOD, but can you confirm if it should be sent to everyone on the team or just to you first?” That lets them know you’re doing the thing you’re supposed to be doing, but opens a more natural dialogue. If you use an office-wide calendar, add blocks to yours that show what you’re doing at a given time, to make your efficiency visible.

Prepare carefully for the next review

In addition to addressing the specific, detailed issues the manager puts in writing, you have to do a little more before your next review. First, put your pride aside. Sackett says that “what turns into a death sentence for most people is their unwillingness to internalize the review, take corrective action, and not be a victim.” He says most managers desperately want to help you be the best at your job that you can be, but that won’t be possible if you’re too embarrassed after the review and just shut down. It can be true that you weren’t doing a great job at something specific. It doesn’t mean anything about who you are as a person. You can fix the issues and move forward. 

Do some self reflection, too. First, listen to your gut. Did this review make you feel inadequate? Did it make you want to push harder for success? Did it make you want to quit the job altogether? It’s possible that this is a wake-up call about the trajectory of your career, but you’ll only know that if you really think hard about it. Ask friends and coworkers, too. Sackett says coworkers are particularly helpful here: “If they’re giving you advice about your own performance and not about how to deal with your manager, they’re telling you, ‘It’s you and your responsibility to correct it.’” They’re the people on the frontlines with you and they have pretty good insight into how you do your job and how it affects the team, so make sure you check in with them for feedback regularly. 

“At the time, it made me feel not great but I didn’t feel powerless,” says Anne. “I felt like I genuinely valued [my manager’s] feedback. It’s hard to really review your own teaching so I thought it was helpful.” 

You’re allowed to feel bad, says Sackett, and it’s normal to feel a little down about the whole thing. Going into the next one, though, try to prepare yourself and be more ready for critical feedback. Better yet, come up with things you can improve on and offer those up in the meeting before your supervisor has a chance. “Many times,” says Sackett, “they’ll say you’re being too hard on yourself and look at you in a much more positive light.” 

Source: LifeHacker – Take These Three Steps After a Bad Performance Review at Work

Privacy and security are a huge element of Apple’s business model. When you buy an iPhone, Apple wants you to know that your iMessages are encrypted, Face ID is secure, and you have features to block trackers while browsing the web.

While it’s true that Apple has plenty of excellent features to keep your data safe and secure, they’re far from perfect. Back in February, a Wall Street Journal investigation found that iPhone thieves were able to reset their victims’ iCloud passwords from the stolen device, which allows them both take over the iPhone they stole and the Apple ID attached to it. This is possible if the thief knows your iPhone passcode, something that might be easy to learn if they spy over your shoulder as you type it in. While there are many iCloud features that require your Apple ID password to gain access to, resetting your iCloud password only takes your iPhone’s passcode to get started. As long as the thief spies your digits before the theft, they can break into your phone and take over your digital life.

Back when this report broke, we recommended certain workarounds to protect yourself, such as using an alphanumeric password on your iPhone, not punching in your password when anyone was around, and avoiding keeping financial information available on your unlocked device. However, workarounds are imperfect. Luckily, the first step towards a solution just arrived in the iOS 17.3 developer beta.

Stolen Device Protection can prevent thieves from taking over your iPhone

In the new iOS 17.3 developer beta, aside from bringing back collaborative playlists in Apple Music (thank god), iOS 17.3 introduces a new “Stolen Device Protection” feature. When enabled, Face ID or Touch ID (if your iPhone has a Home button) will be required when accessing passwords and passkeys, making purchases with saved cards in Safari, applying for an Apple Card, viewing your digital Apple Card, erasing all content and settings, taking some Apple Cash and Savings actions in Wallet, disabling Lost Mode, and using your iPhone to set up a new device.

In addition, certain features will require Face ID or Touch ID and come with a one-hour delay when you try to enable them. That includes changing your Apple ID password, updating certain Apple ID account security settings, changing your iPhone passcode, adjusting Face ID or Touch ID settings, turning off Find My, and turning off Stolen Device Protection itself.

In all cases, you won’t have the option to punch in your passcode if Face ID or Touch ID fails. You will, presumably, have the option to try again if your scan doesn’t work (say you forgot to take off your sunglasses) but bad actors will find their efforts to be in vain.

How to enable Stolen Device Protection on iPhone

To get started, you’ll need to be running iOS 17.3 or newer. Once updated, open Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection. If you’re on the beta, you may see a pop-up inviting you to test the feature, but if you are running the public version of iOS 17.3 Apple will release in the future, you won’t see this.

If you don’t want the feature on going forward, you can return to this page to disable it. However, remember there’s a one-hour delay that kicks in when you try to turn the feature off.

Source: LifeHacker – You’re Going to Want to Use Apple’s New Stolen Device Protection Feature

Apple’s AirTags are a useful device if you have a tendency to misplace things; the tool lets you track important things, such as luggage, keys, backpack, or even pets. Of course, any tracker is only as good as its battery: Once it loses power, it’s useless.

Can you check an AirTag’s battery level?

While an AirTags’ battery life is pretty long, there’s no clear way to check on its battery; you can’t check an AirTags’ battery life in percentages the way you can with smartphone or tablet. An AirTag’s battery life is, instead, a bit of a mystery.

How long do AirTags last?

According to Apple, you won’t run out of charge on your AirTags for about a year. When the battery is running low, you’ll receive a notification from the Find My app on your iPhone. You can also view this information in the Find My app by tapping the AirTag from the Items tab. The message simply reads: “Low Battery”—it offers no additional information. If the AirTag doesn’t have low battery, you won’t see any battery information at all.

How to change an AirTag’s battery

Apple uses a standard 3V CR2032 lithium coin battery that’s available at hardware stores and plenty of online retailers, so you won’t have to spend much time or money to find a replacement. Once you have the battery in hand, push the stainless steel side of the AirTag and rotate it counter-clockwise. This will open the cover. You can remove it, take out the old battery and replace it with the new one. The AirTag will play a sound to indicate the new battery is connected. You can then replace the cover and rotate it clockwise to close it.

You can pick up AirTags and replacement batteries from Amazon:

• AirTag: $27, as of this article

• AirTags (4-pack): $79.98, down from $99

• Replacement batteries (10-pack): $5.99, as of this article

Source: LifeHacker – How Long an AirTag’s Battery Lasts (and How to Change It)

With all the eye drop recalls lately, it’s a good time to think about eye drop safety. The FDA recently issued some “consumer tips” that include never using certain types of eye drops–including anything labeled as homeopathic. We have a full breakdown of what not to use, and why, below. 

Why so many eye drops are problematic

Our immune system does a great job of protecting our bodies from infection–but it doesn’t always show up to fight infection in our eyes. In science terms, the eyes are “immune privileged.” Our immune system mostly trusts that our eyes will take care of themselves, so you rarely get much inflammation (part of the infection-fighting process) in the eyes. In addition to the eyes, other immune privileged body parts include the brain, testes, placenta, and fetus.

It’s thought that immune privilege is good for our eyes, because it reduces the chances of swelling. But the flip side is that if our eyes do get infected, that infection is harder to fight off. People have died or lost their vision from infections that resulted from contaminated eye drops. 

Since our eyes are so vulnerable to infection, it’s important not to squirt anything into them that we don’t truly need to. And that’s why the FDA is warning people away from eye drops that don’t have a known therapeutic benefit. All eye drops carry some risk, so you should make sure the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks. Here are the types of eye drops to avoid. 

Homeopathic eye drops

While you may think of “homeopathy” as a synonym for home remedies or natural medicine, it’s not. Homeopathy is a specific, long-debunked medical theory from the days before we knew that germs cause disease; it was seen as a gentler alternative to bloodletting and other harsh treatments of the time. 

FDA regulations were written with a carve-out that allowed homeopathic “drugs” to exist alongside real drugs, even though they are not FDA-approved and have never been proven to be safe or effective. The FDA and FTC have been delicately trying to crack down on products that they can argue are unsafe or misleadingly marketed. For now, homeopathic products are allowed to exist, but are supposed to be clearly labeled with language like: “Claims based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence.”

The FDA’s advice here is simple: “Do not use ophthalmic [eye] products that are labeled as homeopathic, as these products should not be marketed.” 

You can recognize homeopathic products by the word “homeopathic” (usually on the front of the package) and by the ingredients being listed as a dilution (a number followed by X, C, or CK) rather than in a measurable amount like milligrams. “Cineraria maritima HPUS 6X” would be an example of a homeopathic ingredient dilution. The FDA has more here on how to recognize and avoid homeopathic products. 

Eye drops that claim to treat serious conditions

If your doctor prescribes eye drops for a serious condition like cataracts or glaucoma, you can trust those. But if you’re attempting to treat or deal with something on your own, don’t trust over-the-counter eye drops that say they can treat these issues. 

The FDA, again, puts it simply: there are no approved over-the-counter eye drops for “serious eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, retinopathy or macular degeneration.” 

Eye drops with MSM (methylsulfonylmethane)

A chemical called methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, has been studied for its potential health benefits. It may be anti-inflammatory; it’s legal to use as an ingredient in food or supplements. 

But if you see it in eye drops, steer clear. The FDA says of MSM drops: “These products are unapproved drugs and illegally marketed in the U.S. There are no legally marketed ophthalmic drugs that contain MSM as an active ingredient.”

Eye drops containing silver

Silver sulfate and argentum are two names for medication ingredients that may contain silver (the metal). Over time, silver can cause the whites of your eyes to turn gray. 

Something similar happens in the skin in people who take large doses of silver (such as colloidal silver) for many years. In that case, there’s a name for the condition: argyria. 

Similar to the eye drops mentioned above, there is no known clinical benefit of silver-containing eye drops, and they pose the risk of dyeing your eyes gray as well as the risk of introducing contaminants if the eye drops are not properly manufactured and packaged.

The FDA suggests that everyone check their eye drops for the ingredients above–silver, MSM, or anything homeopathic–and also check whether the drops are on one of the recent recall or warning lists. You can read more from the FDA here.

Source: LifeHacker – Never Use Homeopathic Eye Drops, FDA Warns

Whether you’ve just made an offer on a home or you’re about to put yours on the market, a home inspection can provide you with invaluable information on the present condition of a home, as well as the potential problems that might arise in the future.

And while the resulting report will likely include most, if not all, of the home’s major issues and the repairs needed to fix them, reading through it on your own isn’t nearly as useful as attending the inspection in person—especially if you’re the buyer. But what, exactly, do you gain from taking time out of your busy schedule to be present at your home inspection? I spoke with Mike Powell, P.E., CPI, a home inspector at Red Flag Home Inspection in Tampa, Florida, to find out.

Why you should attend your home inspection

While some people view home inspections as a formality, a safeguard against unknowingly purchasing a home with serious and costly problems, or a way of obtaining written proof that an issue exists, they’re so much more than that. Think of home inspections as an investment, and skipping yours as not taking full advantage of the service, and essentially, leaving money on the table.

Still not convinced? Here are a few of the benefits of attending your home inspection, courtesy of Powell:

Real-time recommendations

You can learn a lot about a home by reading the inspection report, but you can learn even more if your inspector offers real-time advice on minor improvements or modifications that can make the home safer and more efficient—including those typically left out of the reports. When else will you receive this kind of personalized guidance?

Asking questions

Now’s your chance to have a professional answer the questions you have about your home. “I welcome questions from homebuyers during the inspection, as it’s a valuable opportunity for them to gain insights and clarity about the property,” says Powell. “However, to ensure the inspection process is smooth and nothing is overlooked, it’s recommended to save questions for breaks in the action or after the inspection.”

Learning how systems operate

When buyers attend their inspection, it gives them the opportunity to learn how to operate various systems and components in the home, like the HVAC system, thermostat, water heater, and security features. “Sprinkler systems tend to be particularly tough for most home buyers, while easy to navigate for most home inspectors,” Powell says. “This firsthand knowledge can contribute to smoother homeownership.”

Locate shut-off valves and breakers

Inspections are the perfect time for buyers to ask about and learn the locations of important shut-off valves, circuit breakers, and emergency controls. “Knowing these key points is crucial for quick responses in case of emergencies or needed repairs,” Powell explains.

Hands-on demonstrations

Being present at your home inspection is also a chance for some visual learning; for instance, instead of simply describing how your HVAC system works, your inspector can walk you through the processes involved with operating and maintaining it. Also, being there in person allows the inspector to show you exactly where any problems are located, and the extent of the damage, if any.

“Have you ever emailed someone with paragraphs of explanation, only to show them the same instruction in seconds?” Powell says. “This can be similar when applied to a building defect. Seeing it in person will always deliver more effectively than photographs.”

Prioritize repairs

Getting a long list of the repairs and improvements you home needs can be overwhelming, and can leave buyers unsure of where to start. “By witnessing the inspector’s assessment, buyers can better understand the severity of identified issues,” says Powell. “This understanding helps in prioritizing repairs based on urgency and budget constraints.”

Building a relationship with the inspector

Establishing a good rapport with your inspector will not only make it easier to ask questions and communicate more openly with them during the inspection, it might be useful in the future, as well. “This relationship may extend beyond the inspection, allowing buyers to seek advice or clarification post-purchase,” says Powell.

Clarify inspection terminology

Like other professions, home inspection has its own jargon, and the inspector may use it in the report. “Attending the inspection gives buyers the opportunity to ask for explanations, ensuring they fully comprehend the terminology used and the implications of various findings,” Powell explains.

Source: LifeHacker – Why You Should Always Attend Your Home Inspection