40+ Questionable Hacks The Internet Has To Offer
If it isn’t controversial or a little dumb, is it really the Internet? Twitter users have been known to produce some of the best and most hilarious viral memes known to the web. People really do share everything online, from the exciting and glamorous to the mundane and useless. Twitter and Reddit are by far the most used platforms where people post this kind of content for fun or even for work. While you would think that Instagram or TikTok are the places you would find useful life hacks, Twitter is where you find not only every hack you would ever want or need, but also the most questionable and controversial hacks. Some of these might not be useful to you, but they’re all guaranteed to give you a laugh. Read on for some of the Internet’s questionable and flat-out dumbest life hacks out there.
Wedding trick
The smaller the wedding, the shorter the registry list meaning you won’t receive many gifts. If you’re someone who wants a small wedding but still searching for more gifts, take a page out of @behindyourback’s book. This is what she suggests newlyweds do.
Not only does this trick help you get more presents than the number of people in your guest list, it also means that you could probably get really nice branded things. Not bad for wedding gifts, right? So, if you’re getting married sometime soon, try this out!
Watsky wisdom
Here’s a golden idea from one of the biggest names in the music industry. This is Watsky’s trick to being twice as productive while somehow still procrastinating. Doesn’t that sound nice? No wonder he’s managed to do so much with his music!
Does anyone else adhere to this rule as well? It’s a great way to still feel like you’re being productive and using your time wisely. But honestly, this “procrastination” really means that you’re working two projects at once. So this isn’t a questionable life hack, it’s a brilliant one.
The introvert way
Introverts and socially anxious people, raise a hand if you’re reading this. This one life hack may be classified as “dumb,” but it’s actually pure genius for those of you who would rather not pick up the phone. It only involves a tiny white lie.
How great is this hack? If you start every phone call saying your phone’s almost dead, it’ll make the other person consider keeping the conversation short. All you have to do on your end is remember to fake that your battery is close to dying!
Dodging a bullet
When somebody changes their hairstyle drastically out of nowhere, you know they’re going through some kind of existential crisis or stage in their lives. Cutting bangs is one of the most common indicators of this. Twitter user @momjeansplease dodged a bullet with this though.
What a clever thing to do. Testing out bangs on your daughter might work if you have a kid, but what about the rest of the population who doesn’t? Guess they’re just supposed to cut bangs and pray for the best. If it turns out bad, they just have to live with it. After all, hair grows.
Ingenious
Okay, we’re actually in awe of the practicality this hack has to offer in this Reddit post. The caption reads, “If it’s stupid and it works, it ain’t stupid,” and we couldn’t agree more. If anything, this is an ingenious hack that is truly helpful.
Some houses just don’t come with one single faucet in the sink. Unless you feel like splurging to redo the sink and the water heating system, you’re gonna have to live with this. Placing the bottle over both faucets allows you to have warm water, instead of either freezing or scathing.
Who are you trying to fool?
Maybe this Twitter user is trying to save face and make sure everyone knows that she only had one bag of chips for a snack. Or maybe she is only trying to convince herself and us that she isn’t really eating that much chips.
This may be one of the less useful hacks out there, however, it’s not exactly “questionable.” It is a good idea in general, depending on who you’re trying to fool. You can’t lie to yourself because you’re the one that has to live with the truth. And the truth is, you ate two bags of chips.
Bike modification
You experience the world differently walking through it barefoot. Don’t believe us? Give it a try for yourself. This reddit user’s son definitely agrees with the sentiment. Apparently, he prefers to ride his bike barefoot. He even modified his bike for this purpose.
Riding a bike with no shoes can be a little uncomfortable. But, if this kid doesn’t want to wear shoes to pedal, then he’s gotta think of something to make his biking experience less painful. His hack was to glue carpet pieces to the pedal. Pretty smart.
Lethal alarm
We all know that getting up in the morning can be one of the most difficult things. It doesn’t help that alarm clocks have a snooze button either. It only makes the possibility of waking up late even more likely. Well, this reddit user has a way to bypass that issue.
If you’re having trouble noticing what’s out of the ordinary in this picture, check out the thumb tacks taped pin-side up on the clock. This way, even if you hit the clock to snooze it thinking you can get a few more minutes’ sleep, you end up jolting out of bed because of the pain.
Fooling Mom
This is what you should do the next time your mom tells you to vacuum your room and you’re too lazy to do it. Twitter user @calltaflighter’s brother really knows how to fool his mom. Just find the sound of a vacuum cleaner on the internet, bump it on loud, and lie in bed for 5 minutes.
He can technically get away with it as long as she doesn’t walk in his room to check if he’s actually vacuumed. As long as he commits to the lie, meaning he takes the vacuum cleaner up to his room before playing the sound, he should be fine.
No dogs
Apartments with a “no pets” policy are, frankly, no fun. But if that’s where you end up, you have to respect the rules. Of course, sometimes, people are going to try to dance around the rules as much as they can. This guy is no exception.
No, this isn’t a dog. What are you getting at? It’s clearly a sheep with dark skin. Do you not notice the soft fleece? It’s so white and fuzzy. It’s so very clearly a sheep. Just ignore the bug eyes and the little barking noises.
Earthquake detection kit
Sometimes, earthquakes start so subtly that you don’t realize they’re even happening. Everyone’s trick is to watch a glass full of water to see if there’s actually a noticeable tremor. But, what if you don’t have access to a glass of water? Well, then googly eyes will do.
While this may make the building or workplace seem a tad bit unprofessional or childish, it seems like a pretty nifty way to see if the ground is moving. Sure, it looks dumb as heck. But, it does the job, you know? If it works, it works.
Zoom workout
Now that Zoom workout sessions are becoming a strong part of society, people are working out with professionals from the comfort of home. This means that the instructor can’t go around the room to check your form, which also means that you don’t need to give 100 percent.
Twitter user @morgan_murphy decided halfway through her Zoom workout that she had enough! If she would have taken the class in person, she would have had to leave the room with everyone watching. But now, she can just turn her computer off and no one would even notice or care!
Trickster wife
Sometimes, you’re just too lazy to get up from bed or the couch. You can’t help it, you feel exhausted, and we all get it. Well, when you live with other people, chances are you can get them to get up for you if you need something. You just have to know how to request.
This Twitter user’s wife is pretty clever. Instead of asking him kindly to get up and get the chips, she uses the tactic of messaging him while he is already up. That way, her husband can’t fight her on it; he’s already up and in the kitchen anyway, so why not!
Free coasters
Just moved in to a new place? Can’t afford new coasters? Pretty much broke from the move? Fret no more. This reddit user is coming in clutch with this economically foolproof life hack that anybody can do. It’s not a dumb hack if it allows you to save some cash and serve a purpose.
Apparently, flooring samples at Home Depot are free and work well enough as coasters. Even though they are flooring samples, they’re still pretty aesthetically pleasing. As long as you have something protecting your tabletop from drink condensation, you’re good, right?
Lighting fix
If you’ve ever tried to work outdoors with your laptop, you’ll understand the problem of glaring sunlight. It makes everything on your screen hard to see, especially if your laptop’s brightness doesn’t go that high. Well, here’s one person’s fix for this problem.
It’s amazing how much a simple cardboard box can do. Not only does it help with the backlight issue, it also helps protect your laptop from the sun’s heat and keep it cooler. Unfortunately, you can’t bring around a cardboard box every time you plan to work outdoors.
Adulting
Growing up entails handling growing pains, and it’s just not as fun as the movies make it seem. Sure, you have your own money. But, what the movies don’t tell you is that there are bills to pay, and you can’t just keep going out every day and having fun.
Twitter user @TechnicallyRon’s so-called “life hack” is really just kind of an anxiety avoidant detachment method. If you never check your bank balance, you don’t have a problem. Ignorance is bliss, you know? At least, until your rent check bounces.
Not stealing
In the UK, if you want to use the trolley at the supermarket, you have to make sure you’ve got a £1 coin in your pockets. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get your cart to unlock from the rest of the train of carts.
This Twitter user is really making his money’s worth. Instead of paying for plastic bags, which should be a thing of a past because it’s bad for the environment, he just brings home the entire trolley. The price difference isn’t all that dramatic, so might as well spend the money on the trolley.
Popcorn fire alarm
What do you do when your smoke detector is completely broken? Well, you can either pay to get a new one installed, or you can buy a cheap bag of microwave popcorn. The latter is clearly a stronger economic option.
But of course, we would not recommend this to anyone. Everyone should invest a good amount of money in safety measures because it’s not to be taken lightly. By the time that bag of popcorn starts popping, chances are the fire is already too big to handle.
Tear-proof protection
Have you ever tried to wear goggles to protect yourself from tearing up when cutting onions? Did he help at all? Here’s a photo of someone who takes protection a lot more seriously than just goggles. She’s wearing an industrial helmet to cut onions!
If it works, it works, right? She may look foolish doing it, but it is definitely not a dumb hack. Although, after digging around online, we’ve found out that if you leave the roots in the onion while cutting it, there’s less of a chance that you will tear up!
No more tears
If the lady in the item above used an industrial helmet to protect herself from crying, this guy is taking things a little lighter than that. But still just as intense. Instead of a helmet, he just wrapped his face in cling wrap and called it a day.
Aside from his shield of choice, can we also talk about how this guy’s hair matches his purple onion? They’re both shades of purple. Maybe his thing is matching with the food he intakes? In which case, we wonder what he’s cooking up with that onion.
Sunglass fix
Take a look at this photo. Do you notice anything out of the ordinary? Or is it just a normal pair of sunglasses to you? If you’re not finding anything odd, look closely. Zoom in. Even more zoomed in than this photo already is.
Still not seeing it? Alright, fine. We’ll tell you what it is. The nose bed on the left is actually not a nose bed at all. It’s half a piece of pistachio nut that’s been glued on. Do you see it now? This is a cheap, albeit not exactly a durable or reliable hack.
Ghosting
Sometimes, ghosting someone doesn’t have to involve gradually limiting contact with them. It can involve a little bit more deviance than that. Here’s a dumb but useful life hack if you want someone to stop messaging you and just leave you alone, for a little bit at least.
Save or screenshot this image in case you need it in the future. Texting this to the other person is bound to confuse them and make them stop. The fact that it says they will be charged for further messages will also put them off trying to message you again.
That’s what friends are for
Applying for jobs is always so stressful. On top of making sure your CV is on point and your cover letter isn’t littered with grammatical errors, you also need to make sure you have a recent reference and that your reference says good things about you!
Here’s a hack for you if you don’t have a recent reference. Or, if your most recent employer wouldn’t have anything good to say about you. Just put your friend down as reference! If anyone calls them, they can give you a glowing review.
Possessive over gum
If you’re the kind of person who gets really protective over your gum, Twitter user @banterpapi69_ has a solution for you. Put the gum in a Tylenol pill bottle. That way, when people see you popping one in your mouth, they won’t ask for it.
It’s actually a pretty simple hack, but it does go a long way. Although, it may make other people wonder whether you’re in any kind of serious pain. I guess it’s worth it if it means you get to save a couple of extra pieces of gum.
Leap year
Some people would do anything for a semblance of a long life, huh? This Twitter user used the concept of a leap year to prolong life. Of course, they know that leap years don’t exactly work that way. But, you can convince yourself it does!
It doesn’t make a difference if you were born on the 29th of February or not. If you managed to survive another trip around the sun, you’ve aged a year. Just because leap years only occur once every four years, it doesn’t mean you age the same way!
Catfishing the roommate
Well, this is a roundabout way to get your roommate to clean the apartment. But if they absolutely refuse to after so much nagging, it only makes sense that you would resort to a somewhat complicated method.
The poor roommate has no idea what he’s in for. All he knows is that a hot girl is coming over, and he has to clean the apartment. Imagine his dismay and confusion when the girl does not turn up and then ghosts him on Tinder. Well, at least then the apartment is clean.
Still does the job
We’re convinced that the only place where it’s cute to assemble furniture together is in movies. They make it look like it’s such an adorable part of the moving in montage and a way to become closer. In reality, we would much rather not have to put our bedside table together.
This guy clearly shares our sentiments. Despite not assembling the bedside table, they still put the purchase to good use. The box basically still does the job. It’s not exactly a table, but it does do well to hold bedside table items.
Parenting fun
Who said parenting has to be stressful? For the most part, parenting is actually a really fun life experience. You just have to know how you can make it fun for you as well. Well, this reddit post has a suggestion for people that are feeling this.
Pushing around a stroller doesn’t cause too much grief in general. But why settle for just fine when you can make it an adventure? Apparently, this genius idea to stick a stroller to a skateboard can make walks more fun for both mom, dad, and baby.
Travel pillow
Long haul flights or long train journeys very easily can knock you out. Halfway through it, you will find yourself wishing you had a fluffy and soft pillow to rest your head on. But what do you do when you don’t have a travel pillow to carry with you?
Apparently, the solution is to use a reliable Twix bar. Judging from the looks of it, that bar is half melted and barely providing any cushion. But, at least it kind of helps as a barrier between your head and the side of the window.
Broken key
Making a replacement car key can be pretty expensive. Also, you would most probably have to wait for some time before you can actually receive the new one. Rather than spend time and money, why not use a spare potato you have at home?
This might sound crazy, but this reddit user did it and it went fine for them. Of course, you would still need to make a replacement key. You can’t just walk around with a potato everywhere you go. But, at least you have something to use until the replacement gets to you on time.
Prolonging shelf life
Well, this has got to be one of the more ridiculous hacks we’ve seen on this list. Surely this Twitter user doesn’t think he can fool a banana into thinking it’s still hanging on the tree? We know he probably loves bananas, but is he joking or is he being serious?
Almost all attempts to prolong the shelf life of fresh fruits and veggies end up being a waste of time. The only way to make them last for a little longer is to keep them in the freezer. But of course, doing that greatly decreases the freshness of the food.
Prolonging shelf life, part 2
The caption on this reddit post reads: “Take an item that is about to expire and place it into another container without an expiration date to make it last forever.” We call health risk on this dumb hack! Don’t do this at home…
Imagine placing milk into a bottle, and then forgetting the expiration date all together. The chances of you pouring bad milk into your cereal or coffee and then ingesting it is so high we don’t even have to guess. Do yourself a favor and don’t pay any regards to this reddit user!
Natural car AC
Alright, we can’t decide if this is actually a genius move or a cheapskate move. If the AC in your car is damaged it’s definitely going to cost a lot to get it fixed. But, if you’ve got the time to build this contraption, why wouldn’t you just take your car to the shop?
It’s all fun and games with this makeshift air conditioning system until it starts to rain outside. Then you’re going to have rain water spraying you in the face. Then you won’t think your idea is so brilliant. If anything, this system is a safety hazard and should be nixed.
The ultimate ad blocker
Why use an ad blocker software when you can literally block the ads on your screen yourself with a piece of paper? This person’s aunt must be a boomer, judging by the way her solution to annoying internet ads is almost too practical.
We’re not sure if she literally screwed hinges to her computer permanently because she has no idea what an ad blocker is, or if she just doesn’t want to take her chances and pay for one. This is such a permanently damaging solution to a very simple problem!
Free Windows
Now, here’s a life hack that’s actually useful. We’re not sure how this is listed under controversial life hacks, but we’re bringing it to light anyway because more people need to see this. If you’re in need of a Windows license, the library might be a good place for you to search.
Who knew a thread you found on Facebook would be able to get you a free Windows key? So what are you waiting for? Get yourself and your computer to the nearest library, steal the library computer’s product key, and call it a day.
How to get free Doritos
Have you ever been in a situation where someone offers you a bag of chips and you reach in thinking you wouldn’t want more than one handful, only to realize you could go for the entire bag? Well, @ChrisHallbeck has a trick for you.
How do you get free Doritos? Sneeze into someone else’s bag! Duh! Especially in the time of COVID, this is basically enough for you to get all of the Dorito bags at the party. The next time you’re at a party, feel free to try this trick out.
No dirty dishes
Too lazy to do the dishes? Here’s a life hack that an 11-year old came up with. Put the bowl inside a Ziploc bag, and then just throw away the bag when you’re done. Return the bowl to the cabinet and call it a day.
This can even work with plates too. Of course, it’s not exactly a sustainable option, since you’ll end up just throwing away a bunch of plastic bags. But, if it means you don’t have to wash the dishes, then by all means try this hack out for fun.
Wife hack
This guy thinks he has found the ultimate hack to fool his wife. So much so that he called the hack a “wife hack.” Take a look for yourself how proud he is of this discovery as he shows it off to the dudes in their group chat.
Unfortunately, this hack is really a hit and miss. If your wife is on the ball, she will know which dishes are dirty and which dishes are already clean. She will definitely know that those dishes he put out have already been washed the night before, especially if they haven’t been used in a few days.
Cabinet wall
The chaotic energy that is exuding from this picture below is beyond insane. We had to stop and take a proper look at the photo to figure out what’s really going on. The reddit caption read, “Dad’s life hack didn’t make om as happy as he had hoped.”
Maybe dad was just trying to make all these items easier to reach? Shelves are overrated because you have to reach for things, move boxes around, and always remain organized. If they’re out on the wall, you can grab things much easier, right?
Planting hack
Planting can take up so much time. You can spend the entire morning digging little holes in your garden, and that’s not even the time it takes to plant the seedlings. But, this guy on reddit figured out how to save precious time.
The planting hack is to use an electric drill to drill the holes in the ground for you. That way, the planting holes will only take you three seconds at a time. Apparently, this reddit user spent only two hours planting 300 bulbs!
Tinder hack
Tired of never getting a good match on dating apps? Wishing somebody, anybody, would swipe right on you? Then let Twitter user @human_dis4ster teach you a thing or two. This guy knows how to trick girls into swiping right. Almost like an art.
It’s great that this hack actually makes total sense that we feel like we would be totally tricked if this happened to us. How has nobody ever thought to do this before? We can totally see people flipping their phones upside down and accidentally swiping right when they meant to swipe left.
Sneaky
Okay, are we the only ones who just found out that any TV remote can work on basically any TV? The caption on the original post reads, “My dad apparently sneaks his remote into a local bar so he can change the channel when he doesn’t like what’s on.”
We’re still reeling from this crazy realization. Are you telling us that the remote for our TV at home works with the TV at the bar, at random restaurants, and at the barbershop? We’re going to start bringing our remotes everywhere then to test this out.
DIY sun hat
Sometimes, a standard baseball cap or a snapback just doesn’t do the job. Especially when it’s exceptionally bright and scorching outside. One day, it happened to be too hot for anyone to function outside. But this car technician still had to carry on his job.
This guy fashioned a makeshift sun hat for himself. It looks like the hat is made out of the top of a pizza box, doesn’t it? It’s like a pizza box with a hole cut in the middle just big enough to fit his head and block his face from the sun. Very resourceful.
Bedside cup holder
Now why can’t this guy just get a proper bedside table? This contraption just looks extremely precarious and dangerous. There is no way that tape can hold a glass full of liquid overnight. If anything, it’s just going to create more of a mess.
But hey, if this is easier and more affordable than actually getting a bedside table, do what you have to do. We only hope that the glass never falls down in the middle of the night and wake the people up.
Making a stain work
What do you do when you spill wine on your white shirt? Turn it into art! Don’t just bin it because you were a little tipsy and spilled your drink all over your shirt. Find a way to turn the stain into something everyone can appreciate.
Reddit user joecool32 definitely knows what’s up. Check him out, rocking a white t-shirt with a cold brew stain on it. You would think that’s just a regular print shirt you can find at H&M or something. But nope! He just drew over the stains with a Sharpie!