Ingenious Or Idiotic?: 40 Life Hackers That Think Outside The Box

How is it that in this modern day and age, we have only now managed to discover these life hacks? From acing our exams, to cooking without having to worry about grease splatter burns, there’s at least one solution here meant for every one of our problems. All we have got to do is scroll through.

We have got to give credit to these people. Had it not been for them, our lives would have gone on the same difficult way. It might have even stayed sane for the most part. We are sure that they have found newfound fame because of these ingenious hacks.

So if you manage to come up with your own solutions, be kind enough to post them online. You never know. Yours might just make this list!

Cheating 101

The educational system should know that every kid has their own innate strengths. Some are good at math, others excel in the languages, others do well in track and field, and there are a few misfits who do best in cheating. There’s a whole new course dedicated to it!

Instead of studying, why does this woman invest her time making cheat notes? Well, it’s the same for everyone. When given a problem, nerds feel the thrill of solving it, much like this woman! There’s a rush of not getting caught.

Half-Man, Half-Cyborg

There has been an increase in crime rates in the country, but the police are ill-equipped to handle the cases. How come? The criminals keep outrunning them. But thanks to this invention, that’s a thing of the past. Now half-cyborg, this policeman patrols the streets…

One main disadvantage of this cyborg is that he needs sleep. So the police still have to deal with shifting schedules. But thanks to this invention, the local police force has taken a huge leap in reducing the crime rate in the city.

Depends on His Interests

When we were kids, we had the energy to take up a lot of hobbies. Skateboarding, rollerskating, and even ice-skiing — oh, we had the talent and the interest to excel at everything. But as we grew up, we were forced to choose which hobbies to invest our time in.

“No,” said this boy. He tightened his rollerskate and then placed his other foot on the scooter. He tightens his helmet and then hurls himself forward. This Peter Pan refuses to have to choose between either two. He has to get the best of both worlds.

His Money’s Worth

Baseball tournaments are some of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year. Men place their bets. Kids choose their teams, and women pick seats in the stadium. And if you arrive late, you might not find seats to watch your favorite players.

But worry no more; this guy has come up with a plan to watch everything with a keen eye, no matter the distance. With binoculars and a phone with a reliable camera, he can see every hand signal, ball throw, and pitch out on the field.

Next-gen Smartwatch

It used to be laptops and phones that we were all the rage to buy. Now, it’s smartwatches. You can see important notifications, monitor the steps taken in the day, record your heart rate, check the calories burnt, and most importantly, tell the time.

Newer smartwatches can display any background that you like. Companies are racing to build a smartwatch that is transparent, so that it almost looks like you’re not wearing a smartwatch. But until then, users can opt to choose this customized background display.

Painless Frying

Cooking can be very painful. Dicing ingredients with a knife means you risk cutting yourself, and chopping onions are almost guaranteed to make you cry. And you have to grit through the pain of oil spatters landing on your skin.

This is one reason why we never learned how to cook. But thanks to this genius, you can prepare a burger without worrying about grease splatter burns on your skin! Just reuse the top half of a Coke bottle, insert the end of a fork and fry away.

Backbreaking Work

This man swears by the adage, “work smart, not harder.” When transferring water to jugs in a gas station, he carries a couple of watering cans to the nearby faucet. He arranges them neatly in a semi-circle and then turns on the faucet. Voilà!

You can get your fill of water without having to do backbreaking work. Of course, the only burden is that you will have to carry two watering cans at a time. But you can always load them onto a dolly and then ask the newbie to push them for you.

Most Important Meal of the Day

Students at his school wonder why he is always preppy. It doesn’t matter if he has got 2 hours of sleep or if he’s got a ton of assignments to finish. You can bet this guy will give you a high five at 7 in the morning. What’s his secret?

Breakfast! He takes a jug of milk from the fridge, takes a gulp from it, and puts it down on the counter while he carves a hole in the cereal box. He grabs the jug of milk and then pours it onto those Reese’s puffs. This is the stuff of legends!

Double the Trouble

Kids can be a handful. They bustle with energy while sapping you of it. Now, imagine having twins. Consider growing another pair of arms because it’s the only way you can look after both simultaneously. Or, you could do this…

You can use adjustable lamp mounts to hold milk bottles. Watch those two fall off to sleep while you clean the room, fold laundered clothes or take a couple of minutes of well-deserved rest by the foot of the bed. Who knows when your shift will end.

Charging Guaranteed!

You can tell that you’re in middle school if you find the hall littered with these. Cables are plugged into every socket hole, and phone screens display the remaining time until the battery is fully charged. And there is a queue for charging one’s phone.

Students have learned how to secure their cables to the socket holes. If the plug falls off, then someone else has the right to plug their charger in. To keep that from happening, this kid coiled his cable, making an improv cradle to put his phone in.

A Couple Minutes of Sleep

How many hours of sleep do you get in a busy workweek? We remember going to work with less than an hour of sleep and catching a couple of minutes to snooze on the subway. Needless to say, the people sitting beside us weren’t too happy about that.

This guy would wake up to people shrugging his head off their shoulders. To save face, he invented this device to secure his head from resting on anyone else’s shoulders. And it worked! Just make sure to use a clean plunger.

New on Netflix

Here’s another way you can spend the time in transit. You can watch a movie or a snippet of a film on your phone. It’s easier if you’re subscribed to Netflix. Just plug your jack in, and pick a movie that you like!

But if you want to enjoy hands-free viewing, we suggest you use a cap to mount your phone in. This way, you wouldn’t have to sit in an odd position to raise the screen at eye level. Lose yourself in the movie experience from the comforts of your bus seat.

Live From the Scene

Ever since she was little, she had always dreamed of appearing in front of everyone’s television. She would wear a coat, have her hair done professionally, and speak near-monotonously before the camera. She had dreamed about this very moment when she would be speaking live from the field.

There was a lot to report on. There was the robbery of a shop, the kidnapping of a dog, and the ceaseless yapping of a parrot. She’d adjust her mic and do as many retakes until she got everything right. This woman is on her way to becoming a newscaster.

Taking Out The Trash

Despite his busy schedule, this man hurries home to greet his wife. He hits the gas, steers like a madman, and then turns a sharp right into their driveway to park the car. If he so much as came a minute late, he would have to throw out the trash.

This chore beats washing the dishes. He runs a hand through his hair and lets out a sigh. He mutters under his breath and then tugs at the garbage bin. He gets into his car, but this time steps lightly on the gas to bring the bin by the curb.

Spending Time Outdoors

Ever since he was diagnosed by his doctor with diabetes, his wife had been nagging him to get a little exercise. If it weren’t for her yapping, he would have stayed at home. Instead, you will find him by the side of the coffee shop sipping his sugary drink.

“That’s 100 calories, alright! That was backbreaking labor, sliding out of the house and walking into the coffee shop 20 meters away from me.” The voice of denial comforted him. “I deserve this iced latte. It doesn’t even have whipped cream in it!“

Only Legends Know

Try as a good woman might, she can never tear a man away from his video games. Even as he bathes, she will find him, console in hand, body submerged in the water, yelling at his teammates to go into position and to take the shot.

In a frenzy, he presses a couple of buttons in what looks like a cheat. The reality is, the harder the press the more likely his character will kill the enemy. He and his team take down the other team. And this man decides that it is time for a rinse.

Can’t Do Anything About It

This dog has had a bad history with his groomer. His groomer once clipped his nails too closely, and now, he wouldn’t let anyone touch his fragile paws. His fur dad won’t have any of it. He’s careful not to hurt his furball when clipping his nails.

With a little teamwork, this fur dad manages to hoist his kid near eye level. His dog is fascinated by the swing. That’s enough to divert his attention from his fur dad clipping his nails. In 10 minutes tops, he is brought back down and taken out of the purse.

Love, Your Niece

Sarcasm runs in the family. This Twitter user ticked every name off his list. He had bought everyone gifts, and he was excited to tease them with the trinkets and games he had wrapped. But little did he know, that someone would out-compete him.

His niece had taken the time to think of a gift for him. She even asked her parents for $50 to buy him a gift. At the end of the day, she bought him a pair of batteries and bid that he uses them wisely. “Gift sold separately.”

Wiped Clean

If boys can’t be torn away from their consoles, this dad can’t stand being more than 10 meters radius of his TV. He has got to watch his primetime drama. He cooks himself dinner, wears the toilet seat over his head, then places the plate atop the lid.

He hears someone snort. “What?” He looks quizzically at them. “I’ve gotta have my beans.” He mouths the last of them from his plate and then looks back at the TV. Then he says, “don’t you worry kid; I wiped it clean!“

Everything All At Once

Most Redditors would agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You’re served with everything you want in just one sitting — oats, cornflakes, rice crispies, and rye! But the only trouble is that you have to choose what goes best with milk.

Thanks to this smart thinking, you won’t ever have to choose a day in your life again. Simply pour it out of the box and into this nifty container. Then watch it all slosh against the milk. That’s breakfast fit for the champ that you are.

Forget Public Transport

Don’t you hate having to take the train or ride on the bus? Well, worry no more. Here is another failsafe option to travel to the office. Simply wear on the costume and slide that visor down. But remember to check if your premiums are fully paid.

Choosing this transportation carries with it a higher degree of risk. There’s the chance that you’d be swatted like a bug, or plowed off to the side of the road. There’s also the chance of getting to work minutes ahead of time, in which case, whatever will you do?

Who’s the Lazy Boy?

Whoever raised this kid is doing a great job at it. When he and his parents went to Ikea, he didn’t throw a fit. Sure, he knew that they would spend hours searching the place for the perfect table. But he had other things to occupy his time.

He didn’t throw a fit, nor did his parents need to bribe him to keep quiet. Nope. All he needed was to prop his feet up, piece a couple of straws together and then slide them into the cup he would be drinking soda out of. This is the life, friends!

A Whopping Speed

We have got an engineer in our midst! This Redditor had been rudely awakened by a harsh sound outside his window. He shuffled to take a look and saw this kid cruising through the streets, leafblower in hand. Why hadn’t anyone thought of that?

After coming to a halt, she would face the opposite direction, prop her feet unto the board, and then yank the cord. Off she went, traveling at whopping speed and waking everyone in the neighborhood. Someone has got to teach this kid how to ride a scooter.

100% Hands-free

You can tell someone is a workaholic with just one look. They shower every other day. They wear the same shirts and suits to work. They rarely leave the office before 11, and they have got their phones strapped to the side of their head at all times.

“Put that at the top of my list, Linda.” He takes a sharp turn. “I said put that at. the. top. of. my. list!” He yells into the mouthpiece. His left hand almost releases the wheel to end the call. But he’s got another block to go before reaching home.

On For A Little Ride

Thanks to this kid, we know how to guarantee ourselves a seat on the train during rush hour. Remember to bring your foldable bikes or scooters. And take every opportunity to lift weights. You’ll be needing it when you hoist that thing up.

At this height, there’s plenty of breathing room. People are inclined to keep their distance from you, too. So you wouldn’t have to worry about making any small talk with any of them. Just make sure to alight a couple of minutes before your stop.

Uninterrupted Entertainment

This is a life hack for hairdressers. Not only do they have to cut your hair and style it to your preference, they also have to occupy you and keep you from falling asleep. Now, their phone does all the entertaining while they focus on making you look your best.

You needn’t poke your hand out the sides of those drapes to check messages and calls. You can scroll through your feed while your hand rests comfortably on your lap. Just remember to look up every now and then when your stylist layers your bangs.

Insert Two Coins

This guy has had it with his kid brother. The kid has been begging him to play the latest videogame on the PS4. He would let his kid brother play — if only the two-player display wasn’t so distracting. Fortunately, his kid brother came up with this idea.

Each of them can focus on their own characters while driving through the city. Looks like a win-win to us! Every now and then this guy yells to ask how his baby bro is doing. He says there isn’t any need to insert more coins. Just keep the cheats coming!

Out On the Lawn

Before the pandemic, we had wished to be given 4 days a week to work from home. Oh, how swell that seemed — with our partner cooking us breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and our feet barefoot on the grass like this. It was blue collar person’s dream.

But now, we can’t wait for the hour-long transportation to our office, where we are certain our boss will scream at us for being a minute late. We have stale coffee to pour into our mugs, and this lawn we can spread underneath our desk to lay our feet on.

Runs on AA Batteries

One look at this bowl and we can’t wait to cook ourselves a steaming bowl of ramen. Top it off with fish fillet, egg, and white pepper. Then put a little caramelized soy for that special kick. Would you please pass us the chopsticks?

You need not worry about blowing off steam from the bowl. Turn the fan on and adjust it to your preferred settings. Then lift those noodles off your bowl. Make sure to slurp loudly, otherwise the master chef won’t think his cooking is divine!

You Know He’s A Dad

Being a dad is tough. You have a partner to come home to, a made bed to sleep in and food served on the table. Plus, there are errands to do — you have to walk the dogs and take the children to the park!

Fortunately enough, this dad had an e-scooter at home. He wasn’t in the mood to bend his knees or stretch his feet. No. This guy just wanted to cruise around the park while taking the dogs on a “walk.” What a show-stopper!

What DIY Really Looks Like

This guy wanted to save a couple hundred bucks, so he chose to cut his own hair instead of going to the barber’s salon. He bought himself a camera, plugged it into the TV, and set everything up in front of a mirror. Then he got to shaving…

It takes real courage to cut your own hair like this. The slightest movement and you just might land yourself an uneven haircut. Worse, you might end up shaving your head bald — if you mess up badly enough. Is this really worth the money you would have spent for a professional job?

Bath Time

Living in a condo isn’t as glam as it seems. You have to share the use of the amenities with everyone in the building. Doesn’t sound too hygienic, doesn’t it? Well, this parent set up a mini-pool on his balcony for his kid to swim in.

We have to admit, we would want to take a dip in it. It’s the perfect way to cool ourselves down in this summer heat. We could do a couple of laps in the pool and get a tan while doing so. We would be the envy of the whole block!

Beats Panera

You don’t have to spend twenty bucks to buy lunch at Panera. You could buy yourself a loaf of bread, a pack of cheese, and a bit of mayo. Put those in a toaster and wait for the bell to ring.

And wait for the loaves to pop out. This only takes a couple of minutes to prepare and you could even bring the other half with you on the road. Just don’t skip out on the coffee. No french press can beat Starbucks’ cafe mocha.

Quick Bath Session

As fur parents, we know how difficult it is to put our babies into the tub and then scrub them clean. Dogs scramble out of the water and cats claw themselves out. But with a spoonful of peanut butter, you can bathe your pets without the hassle!

Just spread some peanut butter over the walls and then watch your furball lick it clean. Use the time to shampoo them, rinse them, and then untangle their fur. This works best for dogs, so you might need to be more creative with cats.

Fresh Lemonade

A lot of girls have gone to the streets to protest. Ever since this life hack was posted online, girl scouts are losing clients who buy fresh lemonade. After all, who would spare some change when you can get a refreshing drink by the fountain?

All you need is a slice of lemon and a cube of sugar in your mouth. Secure the slice of lemon by the fountain and then drink to your heart’s desire. Afterward, you can chew on some peppermint for some added flavor.

Going Full Moon

Pregnant women get to skip long lines and are treated as VIPs in various establishments. And rightfully so! Pregnancy isn’t easy and they deserve our respect. This jealous woman came up with an idea. It was also a foolproof way to get snacks into the theater.

She only wore this and waddled into the movie theater. You wouldn’t believe how kindly people treated her. Some offered her their arm. Most lent her a seat. And one was even kind enough to massage her feet. We have got to buy ourselves some styrofoam!

To Each Their Own

This family was going on a little trip. They packed their bags, slathered on some sunscreen, and then raced to the car. Everyone wanted to sit in the back seat where they could watch a movie. Well, this woman proved everyone made the wrong choice.

She mounted her iPad on the sun visor, picked her movie of choice, and then pressed play. She wore the earphones and then settled into the leather seat, knowing fully well, that she also had lots of legroom. Maybe sitting in the back wasn’t so clever.

Must Look Glam

Do you know how grueling it is to have eyelash extensions attached? You have to lay unmoving for 30 minutes, grit your teeth through the pain, and dab away excess glue with a tissue. And keep your eyelashes from getting wet for a full 24 hours…

Oh, the last part is the most difficult, especially because this woman loves taking baths. She wore goggles over her face, bathed as she normally would then toweled herself dry. Every eyelash was intact with this life hack. You can look glam, even at home!

Room Service

This man booked himself a staycation at a hotel. He turned the AC to full blast, chose from a list of movies, and even got himself a massage. Finally, he felt a pang of hunger. He didn’t want to have to go out of the room to reheat his pizza…

…so he did this. You may not need to do this at home, but should you try, put some parchment paper on top of the iron before placing a pizza on it. This way, oil won’t seep into the iron, and you would get an even toasted crust.

Play In The Rain

Don’t you hate having to go to school in the rain? Your shoes will get all muddy, your pants will be ridden with splashes, and worse, you might come to school drenched from the rain. Thanks to this nifty invention, you won’t have to worry about that happening again!

Whereas before, commuting in the rain would be a migraine, now it’s all fun and games. You could wear a backpack and not worry about your laptop getting wet. Plus, both hands are free to grasp doorknobs or hold subway cards. Is that neat or what?