Post YOUR Hack - things you made or created to make your life easier

[OneMadMan]

The scenario that prompted me to make this thread was the comments at the checkout I get when using this "Hack"
:
I don't have or want a Woollies Rewards card. Partner does have one.
I always forget to take it with when shopping.

So... My solution was to...




add a photo of the Woollies card to my phone's lock screen. Tap the phone to wake it up, and done. One Wollies card ready to scan.

Do you have a "Hack" not meaning tech related, just a hack in general that made your life easier?

For example, I was doing some painting the other day and found that if I put a rubber band around the tin of paint so that it was positioned half way across the top of the open can, it provided me with a way to wipe the excess paint off the brush without the usual paint build up on the rim... making resealing the can mess free, and as an added bonus, air tight.

Tell us (with pics would be neat) what ya done.

One Man..

You know.... The older I get... The faster I was.

[Franco Cozzo]

Green light - go
Yellow light - go faster
Red light - look, then go

[Citroënbender]

I have a photo of the Rewards barcode as well.

(Also, not so much a hack as a habit, I use the photo labelling option on my phone so things can be searched easily.)

Because I’m forgetful I often thread “memory triggers” through my ute key ring that relate to other items I’m supposed to pack or buy next journey.

[lra]

Avoid people who whinge, moan and complain about how **** is their personal life, or want to talk about USA politics, or the deep and meaningful aspects of how **** the world is currently.

Makes for a very small social circle, but I like it that way.

[arm79]

For me it's whenever someone posts a pic of a barcode or credit card numbers... I download the pic and next time I'm at a store I randomly choose one of the the pics and scan the barcode.

You wouldn't believe it... Not only did I randomly get 10% off my Woolies shop this morning, but I also got 4c a litre off when I filled up my tank.

The flip side is I always wondered what people think when they get additional points from a store thousands of km away.

[Metdevil]

Originally Posted by onemanempire

I don't have or want a Woollies Rewards card. Partner does have one.
I always forget to take it with when shopping.

So... My solution was to...
add a photo of the Woollies card to my phone's lock screen. Tap the phone to wake it up, and done. One Wollies card ready to scan.

Great idea, I did this with the Covid tracing stuff, but it never occurred to me to do it with loyalty cards. I'm going to have to take this idea, but I'll just save it as a picture I can bring up.
Also gonna do this with my paywave card
Yes, I know this won't work. That's the joke.

[PG2]

Originally Posted by Metdevil

Great idea, I did this with the Covid tracing stuff, but it never occurred to me to do it with loyalty cards. I'm going to have to take this idea, but I'll just save it as a picture I can bring up.
Also gonna do this with my paywave card
Yes, I know this won't work. That's the joke.

I would consider not doing this.

If you lose your phone the person who finds it (who is generally not a law abiding citizen) will be able to scan the details of your card without having to enter your password or PIN.

Yes, I know what you have typed in white.

[Dr Smith]

Originally Posted by onemanempire

The scenario that prompted me to make this thread was the comments at the checkout I get when using this "Hack"
:
I don't have or want a Woollies Rewards card. Partner does have one.
I always forget to take it with when shopping.

So... My solution was to...


image

add a photo of the Woollies card to my phone's lock screen. Tap the phone to wake it up, and done. One Wollies card ready to scan.

Do you have a "Hack" not meaning tech related, just a hack in general that made your life easier?

For example, I was doing some painting the other day and found that if I put a rubber band around the tin of paint so that it was positioned half way across the top of the open can, it provided me with a way to wipe the excess paint off the brush without the usual paint build up on the rim... making resealing the can mess free, and as an added bonus, air tight.

Tell us (with pics would be neat) what ya done.

One Man..

You know.... The older I get... The faster I was.

While it's one step more, to access it afterwards..you do know you can add the rewards card to your phone's wallet...as well as Dan Murphy, Nespresso, Accor, United Fuel, and a lot more....and they don't appear on the lock screen as mentioned above.

[Fatbob103]

You just use the stocard app and put all your cards there. Easy as.......

[frankie86]

No mess, no fuss

[mad2]

Originally Posted by Fatbob103

You just use the stocard app and put all your cards there. Easy as.......

and if it's your debit/mastercard/whatever card ........... get used to the extra you will pay .. everytime.

[Ford17]

What I've got here is a plastic tube (originally came from a baby bath kit IIRC) inserted into the thin end of the vacuum nozzle, which picked up a bolt I couldn't reach.

The bolt in this instance was a car door hinge bolt, and had dropped down into the bottom of the front panel, making it a pain to otherwise retrieve.

[.:4:.]

Well, as a 1st year apprentice, the only thing that was on toolbelts i had seen at the time for electrical tape retention was a strap and a clasp. Clumsy and dumb. So what i thought i had invented was a better solution. Got a short legnth of jack chain and cut a bit out of a wire guard for a light fitting. Bent that into a t shape and yeah, heaps better for 2 or 3 rolls of electrical tape. All the persons i worked with thought that was a heaps good thinking thing to make that. I somewhat think i didnt invent it though, these days all electricians toolbelts have something similar. I doubt they would have poached that idea from me and made it happen years later.

[Captain Stubing]

At work I need to fill in details on a barcoded label. Some situations made that difficult, trying to write on a cylindrical roll, so I did up a small clipboard design that holds the roll, with a slot to dispense the roll. Printed a few on my 3D printer, and a few colleagues use it now.

Barcodes blocked from Arm79’s exploitation attempts.

[.:4:.]

Well, the proper lazy thing i do. No food in the cupboard but cup noodles and cuppa soup. Combine the 2. Whilst alone both are less then average, but combined, they're still below average but closer then what they were induvidually.

[banarcus]

My hack back in the day was installing a 6cyl T5 into my ED V8 wagon. Everyone told me on this forum that it couldn't be done.

[uranium_death]

I always wipe properly, and my undies stay clean. Simples.

[OneMadMan]

Originally Posted by banarcus

My hack back in the day was installing a 6cyl T5 into my ED V8 wagon. Everyone told me on this forum that it couldn't be done.

Thanks banarcus and everyone else for the "hacks" posted.
Very interesting ideas. Can't wait to see more of them.

I only use my phone as a phone pretty much. Hate them. Don't have a single app. Don't need them or want them. That's why I figured it was / is a good idea.

I don't know about the 6 Cylinder T5 into a 302 / 351 conversion.. Meaning:

In my Tc Cortina pre crossflow 250 Toploader days, I always wanted to do what you did, but was advised against it, as everyone from quallies to back yard mechs said that the T5 was only strong enough to put up with the 200 cube 6 Cyl donk.

So obviously you did it, but MY question is: did it last? Did you cain it as per you would if it was a Borg Warner 4 speed designed to run behind 302 / 351 v8's??

Always wondered about that. I'm hoping you say that it was fine, then it went bang not long after.. making me feel better for not doing it.

On the other hand, I hope it DID workout in the long term for you.

Cheers,

One Man.

[hawke]

No mess way to remove water pump or cylinder head.

Use a long - 2m - length of clear 8mm hose from Bunnings. Slide it down the radiator tank as far as it will go. Siphon the coolant into your container of choice.

Mostly the coolant level will be below the block/pump level.

No need to find the hidden/seazed drain plug and spill half the coolant on you and floor.

[OneMadMan]

Originally Posted by hawke

No mess way to remove water pump or cylinder head. Use a long - 2m - length of clear 8mm hose from Bunnings. Slide it down the radiator tank as far as it will go. Siphon the coolant into your container of choice. Mostly the coolant level will be below the block/pump level. No need to find the hidden/seazed drain plug and spill half the coolant on you and floor.

Yep. I have done this to. And what I also did, was, to reverse the car up on ramps so the block is "pointing down hill" to make sure all the old coolant / water from the back of the block is removed... well, as much as possible anyways.
Yeah... nodding in agreement about the seized block drain plugs. I tried undoing them many times on many different engines back in the day and gave up after the umpt teenth failed attempt.

Easier to do what you said... still is.

I can't remember how many times as a young novice, being caught out by the 10 litres of water / coolant that magically appears all over the floor when removing the lump from the car... after having taken extra care to drain it... Yeah, right!!! DOH!!

Used to HATE THAT.

Cheers.

One Man.