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Diet or exercise may not be key to managing your weight because the effectiveness of both depends on something else you may be shirking. Not getting enough sleep makes you tire faster during exercise and boosts the hormone that makes you feel hungry. Less than six hours a night is considered to be chronic sleep deprivation. Source Link

A piece of colored tape might help you avoid wasting food that gets lost in the fridge. Use the tape to make a line down a refrigerator shelf and put your need-to-eat foods on one side. You can also put items that spoil faster in clear open-topped plastic trays so they’re more visible and easier to grab. Source Link

100 percent isn’t necessarily the best score when it comes to charging the battery on your Android phone. The sweet spot for efficient charging and less stress on the battery is 80 percent. Some Samsung and Pixel models have an Adaptive Charging feature in Settings that monitors this for you, but you can also find apps that will do the same thing. Source Link

When clutter is a constant problem, you can fight back by creating a refuge from all the refuse. Choose one spot like a kitchen counter, a dining room table, or a bathroom vanity to keep tidy and clear. Once this clutter-free zone takes hold, consider beautifying it with something like a small vase of flowers. Source Link 

Starting with a list can help you make the right choice about giving your child that new tech gadget. Write down the pros and cons – are they tech savvy and will make good use of features that can be educational, or will the device be little more than a digital pacifier? Then set up parental controls and draw up a contract with rules for use including time limits. Source Link

You can fight back against high food prices by watching, clicking and stocking. Watch the sales and aim to buy most of your groceries when they are on sale. Click on coupon apps to use while you shop and start stocking-up on foods you regularly use, beginning with one item at a time. Source Link

Making meals that are affordable and healthy requires some planning that includes checking the calendar. Incorporate fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables that often cost less. You can even stock-up on these and freeze them for use later. And always plan your meals using a shopping list to avoid impulse buying at the grocery store. Source Link

Staying on top of your credit is easier than ever with a permanent change to the rules about getting a free credit report. All three national credit reporting agencies are allowing you to receive a new report every week. The offer of free weekly reports began as an emergency measure during the pandemic. Source Link

You can build a home gym around the kinds of activities that you enjoy. If that’s walking or running, try a treadmill or elliptical trainer. A rowing machine is great if you like cross-country skiing. A thick, washable mat is a must for floor exercises and strength training can use a simple set of resistance bands, dumbbells and free weights or a multi-station home weight machine. Source Link

A good knife is an essential tool in the kitchen and you don’t need a drawer full of them. An eight to 10-inch chef’s knife and a serrated knife and a shorter paring knife can tackle almost any cutting task. Select a quality knife that feels comfortable in your hand and has a heavy, strong handle with a longer metal tang that goes through the end of the handle. Source Link

Walking the neighborhood can be good exercise but consider your route to get the most benefit from it. Sidewalks are mostly flat but when you walk in the street that is angled for drainage one foot will strike the ground lower than the other and that can cause problems. If you take this kind of route, walk halfway on one side of the street and finish the walk on the other side. Source Link 

A simple smartphone reminder could be at the root of problems that keep your tween from getting enough sleep. Researchers found that audible or vibrating notifications of a call, text or e-mail increased the risk of sleep disturbance, and once that happened the youngster was more likely to stay awake. The ultimate solution is to keep smartphones out of kid’s bedrooms. Source Link

If every meal seems like a race to clean your plate, try these tips to slow down. Eating with your non-dominant hand can help and set down your fork for 10 seconds between each bite. And use smaller plates and bowls that empty faster to make it look like you’re full even when you’ve eaten less. Source Link 

The answer to a better memorization could be in the palm of your hand – if it’s closed tight. Before you try to memorize something, make a fist with your dominant hand. When you need to remember it, clench your other hand and hold that fist because a study found that you need to squeeze for at least 45 seconds before letting go. Source Link

Be honest and don’t be too cheap when it comes to caring for your car. Avoid buying used tires or aftermarket auto parts that might fail sooner and don’t use leak-stop products that could wreck an engine, radiator or tire. And be up-front with a car mechanic about any maintenance you’ve neglected so they know the full extent of a problem. Source Link

Here are some tips for keeping your kid’s home-packed school lunch tasty until the Noon hour. Toasting bread in a sandwich can help prevent sogginess and stuffing the lunchbox with paper towels can absorb moisture from items like chicken nuggets. And you can wrap the top of a banana with tape and plastic wrap to stop it from ripening in a lunch box or bag. Source Link

Time and temperature are two factors that can help you save on energy costs on laundry day. Always choose a cold water setting for washing because today’s detergents are made to work best in cold water. And set your dryer temperature lower and run it longer to use less energy and still get your clothes dry. Source Link

Flying with babies is challenging enough but there are ways to make the flight easier when it comes to choosing seats. If you’re flying with an infant, look for a seat in the first row of the coach section. These bulkhead seats may accommodate a bassinet provided by the airline for free that attaches to the bulkhead wall. Source Link