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how-to
how-to
Make Your Own Soy Milk At Home
By Ben Popken on November 7, 2011 5:00 PM
77 Comments
Habitual drinkers of soy milk can save money and have fun getting to know what they're ingesting on a more granular level by learning to make their soy milk themselves. It's pretty easy, and besides soaking the beans, only takes a few minutes. More »
5 Bad Deals In Extended Warranties For Holiday Shoppers
By Ben Popken on November 1, 2011 12:00 PM
69 Comments
Extended warranty plans are generally known as being bad deals for consumers. But how specifically are they bad? An insider who works, begrudgingly, for an extended service plan company lays out some of the worst extended warranty deals to watch out for when shopping this holiday season. More »
Make A Fog Machine For $5
By Ben Popken on October 28, 2011 4:00 PM
30 Comments
Forget tossing down the sawbucks at Guitar Center, you can make your own fog machine at home for just $5 with stuff you get from the store. Nope, there's no dry ice, smarty pants. This video shows you how to do it. More »
How I Got Hertz To Give Me A Free Double-Tow, 1 Day Off My Rental, And A $25 Voucher
By Ben Popken on October 28, 2011 2:00 PM
50 Comments
I was cruising down I-95 to Maryland to see my uncle's bluegrass band with my step-father in the passenger seat and my wife in the back, when I noticed my Hertz rental wasn't steering as responsively as before. The tire pressure indicator light went on, then the passenger-side airbag light was on steady, and so was the car temperature gauge. More »
How To Beat HDTV "Customer Service"
By Ben Popken on October 27, 2011 12:00 PM
36 Comments
If your HDTV set is malfunctioning you follow the advice most HDTV manufacturers put on their website, you can actually end up screwing yourself. Surprise, surprise. Here's what you should do instead. More »
(Marvel)
Make Your Own Captain America Shield At Home
By Ben Popken on October 19, 2011 4:00 PM
47 Comments
Who needs to plunk down hard-earned cash for a cheap plastic Captain America shield for a Halloween costume? It's probably going to break before the end of the night anyway. Instead, make your own at home! More »
3 Tips For Fighting Bullies
By Ben Popken on October 19, 2011 1:00 PM
143 Comments
People are talking more about bullying these days. It can happen at school, in the workplace, or online. How do you combat it? Educator and author Natasha Deen offers these three tips. More »
(bark)
A Cheaper Starbucks Latte: Order 2 Espresso Shots, Pour Own Milk
By Ben Popken on October 11, 2011 1:00 PM
170 Comments
If you order lattes at Starbucks, here's a way to get them to for less while still getting the same drink. More »
Negotiate Before You Sign To Get A Better Deal On Your Credit Card
By Ben Popken on October 11, 2011 11:00 AM
17 Comments
Just like some people don't kiss on the first date, it can be wise to hold out on a potential credit card company. Don't give it all up, by which I mean your signature, without playing a little hard to get. Instead of replying to the credit card offer immediately or sending in that online application, call them up and negotiate and get a better deal before you hop into bed with them. More »
The Right Way To Get A Bartender's Attention
By Ben Popken on October 11, 2011 10:00 AM
120 Comments
If you've ever felt like you need to send off flares and sparklers in order to get a drink from the bar, bartender and bar culture author Rosie Schaap has some advice on things that will work to get served faster. More »
Close Up Loved One's Accounts After They Pass Away
By Ben Popken on October 7, 2011 2:00 PM
69 Comments
If the responsibility has fallen on your shoulders to close up the accounts and cancel the contracts of a loved one who passed away, it can be a painful, slow, and confusing process. Here are 9 tips to make it go smoother. More »
Create An Array Of Sliding Storage Bins On Your Garage Ceiling
By Ben Popken on October 6, 2011 5:00 PM
57 Comments
They say that the key to organizing, especially in a small space, is to go vertical. Well you can't go much more vertical than on top of the ceiling! That's the idea for this DIY storage system that takes advantage of all that unused space above your head in the garage. More »
Freeze Your Credit Report
By Ben Popken on October 6, 2011 3:00 PM
52 Comments
One way to protect yourself from identity theft is to "freeze" your credit report. This means that no new lines of credit can be opened in your name because lenders are prevented from taking a look at your credit report. This stops identity thieves from opening credit cards under your name and going on spending sprees. It also means extra hassle for you when you want to legitimately open credit. There's always a tradeoff between security and convenience. Here's how to do it. More »
How To Lock A Bike Properly
By Ben Popken on October 6, 2011 10:00 AM
43 Comments
Bicycle mechanic for three decades Hal Ruzal shows you how to lock up your bike properly, so while the cops are using bait bikes to catch bike thieves, you can keep on riding high. More »
Write A Complaint Letter Like A Pro
By Ben Popken on October 5, 2011 12:30 PM
25 Comments
There's a difference between complaint letters that make you feel better and ones that get results. Here's how to write the latter. More »
Reader Saves $400 Using YouTube To Fix Her Washer
By Ben Popken on October 4, 2011 3:00 PM
75 Comments
The fable goes that the nice white-haired appliance guys are a dying breed and they're way better than their outsourced, van-driving, retail store counterparts. But sometimes the local guy is just as bad as the guy in the store wearing the official colored shirt. When her Kenmore model 417 front-loading washer went bust-o, Jane discovered she was able to save $400 in repair costs by learning how to fix it herself from Youtube videos. More »
A Workaround For DirecTV's 50 Show DVR Limit
By Ben Popken on October 3, 2011 5:00 PM
45 Comments
Reader Paul is pissed because he found out that DirecTV's DVR will only let you schedule 50 shows to record and watched. Having more than one person in his house, he hit this limit pretty fast. So how can you record more than 50 shows on the DirecTV in-house brand DVR? One thing you can do is use the enhanced search function with "boolean operations." More »
Bundle Together Several Small Scholarships
By Ben Popken on October 3, 2011 11:00 AM
12 Comments
Rather than banking on one big scholarship, students are finding success by stringing together several small scholarships. By filling out an online questionnaire, you can get matched up with organizations that focus on specific subjects, talents, interest groups, ethnicities, and industries. Here's your first step: More »
Peel A Head Of Garlic In 10 Seconds
By Ben Popken on September 30, 2011 3:00 PM
50 Comments
Peeling garlic can be a pain in the tuchus but here's a method for peeling a whole head of garlic in less than 10 seconds. Really! More »
To Keep A Sponge Clean, Snip A Hole In It, Hang It On The Faucet
By Ben Popken on September 30, 2011 11:00 AM
68 Comments
To keep germs and grime from building up on your sponges, you can just snip a little hole in them and slip them on the faucet. Handy dandy! More »
