Going green
Going green: There’s a new code word for smoking marijuana: “Gardening.” Teens use the term to get past content filters on TikTok and other sites. Now you know.
Tags: code, filters, gardening, green, Microsoft Word, teens, TikTok
Avoid this phone mistake
I will never forget the day my mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The doctors gave her just three months to live, so I made it my mission to be her fiercest advocate, fighting alongside her.
How to spot a fake retail website before you buy
I got a question this week from Janet in Idaho. She was scrolling Instagram, clicked an ad for a super-cute dress and bought it. Next thing you know, there are bogus charges on her debit card. “How the heck did that happen?” she asked me. “It was a website I’ve shopped on before.”
📺 Your remote is dirtier than your toilet: Remove the batteries and blast it with compressed air if you have it, then clean it with a disinfectant wipe. Cotton swabs and toothpicks are great for removing stubborn gunk. Remember: Don’t put the batteries back in until it’s fully dry.
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Gimme some space: Here’s an easy trick to hide all your applications so you can focus on one thing at a time. In Windows, right-click on the taskbar and select Show the desktop. (Click Show open windows to get everything back up.) On a Mac, hit Cmd + Option + H.
🚘 Wrap it up: You’ve seen them on the street — cars wrapped in giant advertisements. Believe it or not, doing this to your ride pays pretty well. You can make $100 to $450 per month! Want to try it out? Go with Carvertise if you also do a rideshare; otherwise, check out Wrapify.
A no-brainer if you have a dog: Fido Alert is like an Amber Alert for pets. Register your furry friend and you’ll get a free ID tag that includes a QR code. If your pet goes missing, alert the Fido network. Then, if someone scans the QR code, they’ll get your contact info and you’ll get a notification. I keep an AirTag on my golden, Abby, and she wears a smart collar.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Quiz me: You’re trying to memorize capitals, learn a new language, whatever. Ask your favorite AI chatbot to give you a quiz. For example, “I’m learning Spanish. Please give me a quick quiz appropriate for beginners.”
Cue the James Bond music: Secret shoppers help stores assess stocked shelves, correct markings and review the in-store customer service. It won’t make you a millionaire, but you can sign up through Field Agent. I did it once! Snapped a few pics and made $20.
🔋 Charges dropped: Your phone has built-in settings to keep the battery healthy over the long term. On Android, open Settings > Battery > Adaptive Charging. On an iPhone, head to Settings > Battery > Charging Optimization.
Synthetic identity fraud: That’s when scammers steal a kid’s Social Security number and add bogus names, birth dates and email addresses to create fake personas. They open credit cards, max them out and leave a trail of debt. Have a kid age 13 or younger? Fill out this form to see if they have a credit report. Freeze it if they do.