Police in California nabbed a burglar near the Santa Monica Pier with a drone. The little guy spotted a car thief using a screwdriver to punch open locks in a parking lot. It called in officers and directed them to the exact location. Amazing, right?
Get paid to stand in line for someone else
ChatGPT
When I saw this, my first thought was, “That’s strange.” But I hate standing in lines. And what if you physically can’t do it but need to?
Then yesterday, I read a story in the WSJ (paywalled) about what a nightmare DMVs are right now with everyone scrambling to get a new ID. Starting May 7, you need a REAL ID to travel. The lines are wrapped around the buildings by people who need it. (I’m one of them!)
Roughly 70% of people won’t wait more than 15 minutes in line. And if you thought, “I don’t mind waiting,” keep reading. You can make money doing it.
⏰ Toe the line
Just like you can hire someone to put together a desk or walk your dog, you pay someone to stand in line. Simply open the app or website (like TaskRabbit or Spotblaze), and choose the “Line Sitter” or “Wait in Line” task.
Enter the time, place and any instructions. Browse workers, review their hourly rates, book and pay securely through the app (no awkward cash exchange, woo!).
It’s a great option if you have mobility issues. People also use line sitters for:
- Broadway rush tickets
- Product launches, sneaker drops and limited-edition merch
- Bin store restock days
- College admissions and registration
- Passport and DMV appointments
- Meet-and-greets, festivals and chances to meet a celeb
💵 OK, how much does it cost?
Pricing depends on your location, how long the line is and how popular the time slot is.
On TaskRabbit, most line sitters charge $25 to $35 an hour. Spotblaze has similar pricing, averaging around $30/hour.
Big cities (think NYC, LA, San Francisco) have higher rates, sometimes beyond $40/hour during peak events.
Tech tip: Share your ETA on the go
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I hate being late. No one wants to leave friends hangry at a restaurant. Here’s a trick I use: Share your ETA right from your map app. It keeps everyone in the loop.
It’s way better than sharing your location 24/7. Imagine if we’d had this tech back in our 20s. Total concert and party game‑changer!
Fake your location to get the lowest prices: A friend of mine in Phoenix booked a rental car in the U.K. It was $955. I told her to try this trick. She used her VPN to change her location to the U.K. and the same car for the same dates was $322. Just another reason why you need ExpressVPN on all your devices. Use this link to get three months free.
How a VPN saved my friend $600 on a rental car
Retailers change prices based on location, but a simple trick can unlock hidden discounts. Use a VPN, clear your cookies, and try these other hacks to save big.
🌳 No green thumb required: Why wait years for your yard to bloom? Fast Growing Trees makes it simple to plant like a pro. They’ll recommend the best trees and shrubs for your exact location and ship them straight to your door. No hauling, no guesswork. Use promo code KIM to save an extra 15%. I got an avocado tree, and it’s thriving!
Haven't logged into LinkedIn lately? 5 reasons you really should be using it
© Arne9001 | Dreamstime.com
How much do you know about LinkedIn? Sure, you probably understand it’s a social network for professionals, but it’s so much more.
Unlike most social networks that are used to share the latest vacation pictures, LinkedIn was designed for more important reasons. It can help you make connections, share work experience and find or post jobs.
3 places you should never put a security camera
Location is everything when it comes to your home security setup. You could spend thousands on a top-of-the-line system, but setting up your cameras near the ground does nothing. You always want your security cams high on walls and near room corners.
🌳 Want beautiful trees without the wait? At Fast Growing Trees , use promo code KIM to save an extra 15% on fast, easy and expert-approved planting. They have the perfect trees and plants for your location, shipped right to your door. No messy trips to the garden center. I love my avocado tree!
💻 Such a turnoff: Try Windows’ “shade” shortcut to shut down your PC. Right-click on your desktop and go to New > Shortcut. In the location field, type: %windir%System32SlideToShutDown.exe. Click Next, name the shortcut and hit Finish. Double-click this shortcut to open a pull-down shade at the top of your screen. Drag it to the bottom to power off.
✈️ Tag, you’re it! I always toss an AirTag in my luggage, just in case. Now American Airlines supports Apple’s Share Item Location. If your bag goes missing, you can share the last known location to help them track it down. United, Delta, Air Canada and Virgin use it, too.
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😏 Didn’t take long: TikTok is back in the iPhone and Android app stores. The hiatus didn’t stop folks who used “sideloading” to install it from third-party sites (so dangerous!) or VPNs to fake their location. President Trump is set to make a decision about TT’s buyer before April 5.
AI stalking: GeoSpy is an AI tool trained on millions of images, and it uses details like architecture style to pinpoint a photo’s location in seconds. It’s been publicly available for months, and creeps are using it for stalking. Now, the service is locked to permission-only and marketed to the government … because that’s so much better.
Check your LexisNexis report for mistakes
LexisNexis collects data on your finances, jobs, and location — all in a report you probably have, even if you’ve never heard of it.
3 ways grocery stores track you
You’re not just buying dinner — retailers are watching your every move, from your purchases to your location.
Clues your spouse is spying on your phone
More than half of Americans confess they’ve snooped on their partner’s phone, checking texts and location history. Is your significant other one of them?
Stop phone snoops
What percentage of Americans routinely spies on their partners’ phones, checks their texts, and looks at their location history? You’ll be surprised at the answer. Plus, I’ll show you how to tell if you’re being spied on.
The iPhone Journal app isn't spying on you
Rumors on social media say that it can let people track your name and location. Here’s the real story.
Fake your location for low prices
Are you getting the lowest price online? That depends on where you live. Here’s the lowdown.