Thursday, December 31, 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

At the end of every year, we take a look back at our most popular posts to reminisce (and to help you catch any stuff you might have missed). Here’s one last look at our best posts in 2015.

Most Popular How-To Guides of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Step-by-step guides are our bread and butter here at Lifehacker, and you seem to enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy writing them. Here are the best how-to guides of the year.

Most Popular Food Hacks of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Cooking tips aren’t just for foodies. We all eat every day (unless you’re a robot), and better cooking means healthier food, more delicious meals, and possibly even saving some cash. here were our best food hacks and tips from 2015.

Most Popular DIY Projects of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

We’re always looking for the best DIY tips at Lifehacker, and this year there was certainly no shortage of them. Here are some of the best DIY tips for when you want to tackle projects all on your own.

Most Popular Personal Finance Posts of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Getting your money in order is no easy task, and most of us need all the help we can get. Here are some of our best money guides, explainers, and tips from 2015.

Most Popular Health and Fitness Posts of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

For something so important, there’s an awful lot of confusion over health and nutrition. This year, we covered more health and fitness than ever before, in an effort to dispel that confusion. Here were our best health-related posts of 2015.

Most Popular Windows Downloads and Posts of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Windows 10 made huge waves this year, adding a ton of new improvements, cleaning up a lot of old features, and did we mention it’s free? Here are our best Windows posts from one the platform’s biggest years in history.

Most Popular Mac Downloads and Posts of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

It’s been another year, which means yet another iteration on OS X. While Apple didn’t make any major moves with the Mac this year, there was still plenty to talk about. Here are our best Mac posts from this past year.

Most Popular Explainers of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

In between tips and how-tos, we also often do “explainers,” where we break down complicated topics into simple language. Our goal is to help you understand how these difficult topics work, and show you what you can do with the knowledge. Here are our best from the past year.

Most Popular Featured Desktops and Home Screens of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Every week, we feature customized desktops and home screens submitted by readers that show off beautiful wallpapers and great customization and UI tweaks. Sometimes they’re fun, sometimes they’re functional, and sometimes they’re both, but 2015 was a great year for all of them. Here’s a look at your favorite ones.

Most Popular Featured Bags and Workspaces of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Each week, we showcase what’s in other people’s everyday carry bags as well others’ workspace setups. Take a look back at your favorite ones from this year.

Most Popular Android Downloads and Posts of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

This year, Android got even sweeter. Marshmallow built on the already-awesome foundation Lollipop laid the year before, plus we got two new Nexus phones, and a bunch of improved apps. Here are our best Android posts this year.

Most Popular iOS Downloads and Posts of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

iOS had a big year with iOS 9, new iPhones, and a fancy new iPad Pro. Let’s take a look back on the year with some of our biggest, most popular posts about Apple’s mobile operating system.

Most Popular Clever Uses and MacGyver Tips of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

If you’re clever enough, anything can be a tool. This year we saw a ton of clever tips and tricks than any “MacGyver wannabe” would be proud of, but only a select few stood out as the best.

Most Popular Interviews of 2015

This Is the Best of Lifehacker 2015

Face it: Most of us don’t know what we’re doing. We’re making it up as we go along, and any guidance offered by more experienced people is useful. We’ll take any help we can get. That’s why, every week, we ask notable people how they work.

Want to catch up on the best posts of past years? See our roundups for 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007.


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Saber a Champagne Bottle With a Spoon

Sabrage, the process of opening a bottle of champagne with a saber, is a fun ceremonial tradition that’s great for impressing party guests. You don’t necessarily need a saber or knife for this party trick, however.

This video, from the Wine Folly YouTube channel, shows that you don’t even need a knife to dramatically pop open a bottle of bubbly. Put on some protective eye-wear before you do anything, and be sure to clear the area around you. Chill your champagne so the bottle is extra cold. Then remove the foil and cage from the cork, grab a sturdy spoon (or fork or butter knife), hold the bottle at a 30 or 45 degree angle, and quickly slide the spoon up the neck of the bottle. Now you’re ready to party into the new year, or continue the show by pouring it all into a super classy champagne tower.

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How to Saber Champagne In Slow Motion | YouTube


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Resist Becoming a People Pleaser by Creating a "No Script"

Resist Becoming a People Pleaser by Creating a "No Script"

Saying “no” is an important time-saving skill to learn, especially for those of us who worry too much about being liked by others. Having a “no script” planned out ahead of time can make saying “no” in a nice manner much easier.

Ron Friedman at Harvard Business Review suggests you think of the best ways to say no ahead of time, and write it out. That way you’re not searching for words when you want to say no and have something to quickly fall back on. Friedman explains:

...you don’t have to stop and think about how to phrase your response each time you need to turn someone down. Create an email template, or write out a script that you can use when doing it in person.

When you start planning out your “no script” think about all the things that make saying no more effective. Use the phrase “I don’t” instead of “I can’t” when possible, make the no about the request not the person asking, and make it easy to include a reason why. For example, your “no script” could be something like “I don’t have time right now because [reason], but I’d love to help you out with something in the future.” Eventually, saying no to frivolous tasks will become a time-saving reflex.

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9 Productivity Tips from People Who Write About Productivity | Harvard Business Review

Photo by Henry Burrows.


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Deadspin These Were Your Favorite Videos Of 2015, And A Lot Of Them Are NSFW | Jezebel George Lucas:

Deadspin These Were Your Favorite Videos Of 2015, And A Lot Of Them Are NSFW | Jezebel George Lucas: I Sold Star Wars to ‘White Slavers’ | Gizmodo Lighting 10,000 Sparklers at Once Is the Best Way To Ring in the New Year | Gawker Obama to Seinfeld: Many World Leaders Are Completely Insane |


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Force Refresh the iOS App Store by Tapping the Tab Bar 10 Times

Force Refresh the iOS App Store by Tapping the Tab Bar 10 Times

Every once in a while, the App Store seems to glitch out and get stuck either not properly updating or not showing new updates correctly. Over on Twitter, Zachary Drayer points out that you can force reload everything in the app by tapping an icon on the tab bar 10 times.

All you need to do is tap any of the five menu items at the bottom of the App Store screen 10 times in a row (you’ll need to tap the same one 10 times). When you do that, you’ll see the screen briefly go blank and reload everything. If updates aren’t properly showing or if something’s stuck, it’s a good way to try and get things moving again.

Zachary Drayer | Twitter via AppAdvice


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Why You Shouldn't Memorize a Speech or Presentation

Why You Shouldn't Memorize a Speech or Presentation

Memorizing your presentation will help make it go smoothly (and you feel less nervous), right? Probably not, according to Toastmasters International experts on public speaking.

While you should plan ahead for your speech and memorize its opening, memorizing the entire thing word-for-word could weaken your presentation and backfire:

Many people think memorizing their speeches will ensure success, but “it’s a terrible idea,” says Dr. Genard,author of “Fearless Speaking.” Reciting a speech from memory gives it a canned quality and distances a speaker from listeners. Also, a speaker who forgets one section might lose track of what follows, “and suddenly you’re at sea,” he says. A better approach is to plan a beginning and ending, then hold in mind the main points to make in between, says Gary Schmidt, Oregon City, Ore., past president and spokesman for Toastmasters International.

If you do forget what you planned to say, The Wall Street Journal suggests pausing to take a deep breath or taking a sip of water so you can remember those main points.

Check out the article below for more tips on getting your speech back on track.

A Faux Pas Recovery Plan | The Wall Street Journal

Photo by University of the Fraser Valley.


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Create a Reading Challenge for Your Kids to Get Them Reading Throughout the Year

Create a Reading Challenge for Your Kids to Get Them Reading Throughout the Year

Weekly or monthly challenges are motivating and fun for adults, so why not use this strategy to encourage our kids to read more? You could set a challenge for a number of books in a specific timeframe or use this themed template to broaden your kids’ reading material.

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The template comes from the Clare’s Contemplations blog and includes 20 challenges (a little less than one book every two weeks), such as:

  • A book written over 100 years ago
  • A book you think looks boring
  • A book your mom or dad read when they were your age
  • A book that is set in the future

A love of reading is one of the best gifts we can give our kids. This is just another way to work that into your family’s life. Check out the link below for the full challenge checklist (printable).

2016 Reading Challenge (For Kids!) | Clare’s Contemplations

Photo by craigemorsels.


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The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

Bookmark Kinja Deals and follow us on Twitter to never miss a deal. Commerce Content is independent of Editorial and Advertising, and if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here to learn more.

Top Deals

The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

This ZeroLemon External Battery Pack clocks in at 20000mAh for $20 today, but it’s also solar powered, water resistant, dirt and shockproof, and sports an LED flashlight. [ZeroLemon SolarJuice 20000mAh, $20 with code Z36GZOGN]

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The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

The 10” version of Lodge’s excellent cast iron skillets is the most popular size with our readers, but the 9” is under $14 today, its lowest price ever. [Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet, 9-inch, $14]

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The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

Most of our best headphone deals aren’t on noise-cancelling models, and at $160 (their first discount on Amazon in 2015), this Sony pair is a great buy and includes an in-line remote. [Sony MDR10RNCIP Noise-Canceling Wired Headphones, $160]

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The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

These insanely popular magnetic smartphone vent mounts now come with a Lifehacker recommendation. Oh, and they’re only $5 today. [Mpow Magnetic Smartphone Vent Mounts, $5, Use code O4PGUJLJ]

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The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

Ugh, The Poisonwood Bible. But really, there’s some good stuff in here for cheap, and Slaughterhouse-Five is $2 if you somehow don’t own it already. [Select books from Amazon’s Editors’ 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime, up to 80% off today only]

The Best New Year's Eve Deals: Must-Read Books, Cast Iron, Noise-Cancelling

Fallout 4 on PC is just $40 today on GreenManGaming. [Fallout 4, $40, Use code NWYEAR-20PERC-WTHGMG]

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How to Work Out When the Gym Is Crowded

How to Work Out When the Gym Is Crowded

It’s the least wonderful time of the year to get a peaceful workout. Throngs of eager exercisers will fill the nation’s gyms this week to work on their resolutions. Whether you’re one of the newbies or just a regular trying to get your scheduled sweat on, here’s how to deal with, or ditch, the crowds.

Find Out (and Avoid) Popular Times

Every gym has a predictable pattern of busy and slow times. Monday evenings are usually popular, for example, with people losing their after-work workout mojo as the week drags on.

The exact pattern will depend on your gym’s hours, location, and clientele, but thankfully Google has it all figured out for us. Take a look at the popular times for your gym in Google Maps, and schedule your workout accordingly.

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If Google doesn’t have data for your gym, you can check out similar gyms nearby—or do the old fashioned thing and ask staff when the slow times tend to be. If your gym offers classes, ask which ones are less popular, and consider trying one of those for a change.

Shuffling your schedule can even be good for you. Planning your workouts is a great way to be sure to fit them into your life, and now is the perfect time to create a new schedule, or re-evaluate the one you already have. Who knows, you may switch to lunch break sessions to avoid crowds and then find that you enjoy the new time.

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Claim Your Equipment, But Be Nice and Share

Making it to the gym is just step one. Then you have to actually get your hands on those weights—or your feet on that treadmill.

If there are signup sheets for the cardio machines, make a beeline for them as soon as you arrive so you can claim your time slot and then use the wait time as productively as possible: change your shoes if you haven’t yet, or start warming up in another part of the gym.

If there aren’t official signups, you’ll have to use a little more strategy to snag the equipment you want. Find a place where you can keep an eye on the hard-to-get station while still getting in another part of your workout. For example, if the squat cage is popular, drag a mat up next to it and do your push-ups and planks (or plank alternatives) while you’re waiting. The second the cage is free, you can jump up and claim it. The same strategy works for cardio machines. You can do intervals on that exercise bike with the wobbly handlebars while you wait for a treadmill. Cardio is cardio, and if you’re crunched for time it pays to be flexible.

Since you’re working so hard to claim your equipment, think carefully about which equipment that is. If you pick something that’s only good for one exercise, you’ll be back on the prowl a few minutes later. With a few rounds of this, your quick workout becomes a frustrating time sink.

My preferred approach might be controversial, but here it is. If you have a station that’s good for multiple exercises, you can get through a good chunk of your workout in a short time. For example, a cable machine can be used for a ton of different exercises, so that’s a good one to snag. You can even bring over a set of dumbbells so you have even more options without leaving that spot. Some people might look at this as hogging equipment, but I’d argue it’s just efficient—which ultimately gets you out of people’s way sooner.

Time management is essential to not being a jerk about this. Even if you could do a 45-minute workout in the same spot, you shouldn’t. Instead, keep this part of your workout fast and furious: while one set of muscles is resting, you can do a different exercise that works another body part. This is called a superset, and can really make time fly.

When others are clearly waiting, though, it’s polite to communicate and share. If you and another gym rat have your eye on the same equipment, you can both use it. Just say the magic words: “Mind if I work in?”

Here’s how this works. On most weight lifting machines, you’ll do a set of exercises, then rest for a minute or so before doing your next set. While you’re resting, your newfound friend can be working, and vice versa. This works for any station where you can switch back and forth quickly. A pull up bar: yes. A barbell loaded with 300 pounds for you that has to change to 100 for him: not so much.

Work Out at Home

If this all sounds exhausting, you have other options. Nobody says your workout has to happen at the gym! This is a great time for a temporary change of scenery.

If you have a home gym, you’re off to a great start. Or if you’ve always been meaning to put one together, now’s the time. There are also tons of options for workouts that use your body and not much else. To name just a few:

These aren’t just sorry second-best workouts: it’s possible to still gain strength outside of the gym. High-intensity intervals, challenging moves, and quality movements are key to creating a kickass workout.

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Take It Outside

Time to expand your horizons even more: you don’t need to be in a gym or a house. There are lots of great outdoor opportunities for staying fit. They may veer away from your usual training plan, but the crowds will only really be bad for a few weeks—might as well enjoy a change of pace.

If the weather is cold where you are, try classic winter sports like ice skating and skiing. Even if you’re nowhere near a ski slope, it may be possible to find cross country skis to rent, which you can use on the same trails that you ran or biked or hiked on in sunnier weather.

Snow shoveling is also a great workout. Basically, you’re doing hundreds of deadlifts, and you’re knocking a chore off your to-do list at the same time. Be careful to use good form, of course.

You can also do your usual warm weather sports, although depending on local weather you might have to dress a little warmer. Running, for example, is very doable in the cold. You can also do strength workouts at a playground, or take up a new sport, indoor or outdoor.

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No matter how crowded the gym is, it’s possible to get your sweat on in a million different ways. And who knows, you might like one of these alternative options enough to make it your new favorite workout.

Illustration by Tara Jacoby.

Vitals is a blog from Lifehacker all about health and fitness. Follow us on Twitter here.


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How Long Different Items Stay on Your Credit Report

Past credit mistakes can come back to haunt you. While they don’t stay on your credit report forever, some mistakes drop off faster than others. This infographic from Experian tells you just how long different events stay on your report.

Generally, most accounts stay on your report for seven years, but that’s not always the case. Bankruptcies last longer, obviously, and paid or closed accounts can stay on your report for ten years, provided there’s no negative activity associated with them. The info is pretty basic, but Experian makes it even simpler to see in this graphic. You can read more at the link below.

Infographic: How Long Does Something Stay on My Credit Report? | Experian

How Long Different Items Stay on Your Credit Report


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Plan Your Vacation Destinations from Least Culture Shock to Most

Plan Your Vacation Destinations from Least Culture Shock to Most

Visiting multiple countries—or even regions—gives you a chance to experience different cultures in one vacation. But if you haven’t traveled much, it can also mean culture shock. Ease into the journey by visiting destinations culturally similar to yours first to get your feet wet.

Even if you’re only visiting one city, you can still use this plan to ease into the new culture. Scope out the parts of the city that cater to tourists and explore for a night or two so you’re more likely to find people, shops, and restaurants who speak your native language, and you can eat at food chains you’re familiar with (if you’re really desperate.)

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Experiencing new foods, sights, and ways of doing things is one of the best parts of travel, but can be hard to adjust to if you don’t travel often. Planning your trip so that you ease into culture shock helps make your vacation more enjoyable, and it gives you time to learn the local traditions, dos, and don’ts before you wind up making an embarrassing faux pas.

Europe Trip Itinerary Tips | Rick Steves

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Mix Champagne and Stout For a Bubbly, Creamy Cocktail

Mix Champagne and Stout For a Bubbly, Creamy Cocktail

New Year’s Eve is all about bubbly, and mixing Champagne with an Irish stout like Guinness will bring out the beers fruitier flavors, while stretching your champers supply.

The mixture of two parts Champagne or prosecco to one part stout is called a “Black Velvet,” and it is a delicious, creamy and effervescent treat. Not only is it a great way for stout lovers to enjoy a festive cocktail on NYE, it’s also one of the easiest Champagne cocktails you’ll ever make. Just pour Guinness on top of your bubbly beverage of choice. The stout is heavier than its sparkly counterpart, so the mixing takes care of itself. If this cocktail doesn’t sound like quite your bag, check out the link below; Epicurious has a lovely collection of sparkly cocktails that are perfect of January 31st.

How to Turn Champagne Into a Champagne Cocktail | Epicurious

Photo by David Bowers.


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Hacks! Breaches! Skimming! And some good news, too… [Chet Chat Podcast 225]

Chester's back from vacation, and so is the Chet Chat. We look back at 2015 - and remind you that there's good news amongst the bad!
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Jezebel Old Navy Doesn’t Want Your Kids to Become Artists | Factually This Viral List About 1915 Is

Jezebel Old Navy Doesn’t Want Your Kids to Become Artists | Factually This Viral List About 1915 Is Full of Lies | Gawker The Republican Party Is a Trick | Jalopnik Barack Obama Drives A 1963 Corvette With Jerry Seinfeld! |


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Transform Your Holiday Leftovers into Quick, Simple Quesedillas

Transform Your Holiday Leftovers into Quick, Simple Quesedillas

If you still have leftovers kicking around in your fridge or freezer, this simple quesadilla recipe will breathe new life into those tired bits of leftover cheer and turn them into an anytime lunch, or weeknight dinner.

A.V. Perkins, writing at Blavity, took leftover Christmas ham, a few items she had in the pantry, seasoned it up, warmed it all up on the stove for a bit, and then piled it all between some tortillas and cheese in the waffle iron. The final result? The mouthwatering plate you see in her photo above.

She also explained that while the waffle iron is ideal for something like this, you could just as easily grill your leftover-packed quesadillas to get the same result. If you don’t have ham kicking around in your fridge, leftover dressing, turkey, or just about any other protein would work just as well—and after all, if you do have leftovers in your fridge from the holidays still, it’s definitely time you use them up, if they’re still good.

Hit the link below to grab the full recipe.

How to Turn Your “Christmas Dinner” Leftovers Into Tasty Quesadillas | Blavity

Photo by A.V. Perkins.


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Get Your Financial House In Order In the New Year With This Checklist

Get Your Financial House In Order In the New Year With This Checklist

Today’s the last day of 2015, with tax season not far behind. It’s the perfect time to take stock of your finances and get everything in order. This checklist should help you cover everything.

This list, from personal finance site Financial Samurai, exhaustively covers even the most complex personal finance situations. If you don’t have any investments or savings, you might have less to review (but maybe that’s something you might aim to change in the new year!). However, the list covers every area of your finances, including examining your income streams, reviewing how your investments have performed, adjusting your savings rate, updating your plan to reduce your debt, and reviewing your insurance policies. The list also covers a couple meta-finance topics like work-life balance and relationships. Because let’s be real, it’s not all about the numbers. Check out the full list at Financial Samurai’s site below.

Year-End Checklist For Financially Wise People | Financial Samurai via Rockstar Finance

Photo by Liz West.


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AT&T Is Killing Off Two Year Contracts Starting January 8th

AT&T Is Killing Off Two Year Contracts Starting January 8th

If you like getting a phone from AT&T on a two year subsidized plan, you have until January 8th to do it. Starting on that date, AT&T is killing off its old two year contracts, in favor of payment plans through AT&T Next.

AT&T is the last in line of carriers to ditch the old subsidized model. T-Mobile started the trend back in 2013, with Verizon and Sprint eventually following suit. Recently, AT&T stopped offering two year contracts in authorized reseller stores, but you could still get a subsidized phone in AT&T’s own stores. As of January 8th, however, that will no longer be an option. If you want to buy a phone with AT&T, you’ll need to start making monthly payments on it, or buy your phone outright.

AT&T to ditch most two-year phone contracts on January 8th | Engadget via The Verge

Photo by Mike Mozart.


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Cory Doctorow on Software Security and the Internet of Things


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These are our New Year’s security resolutions; tell us yours

With end users preparing for yet another 366 computer security ground hog days it's down to you to make computer security better in 2016. Our writers join in to get the ball rolling.
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A Step-by-Step Guide to Nursing Your Holiday Spending Hangover

A Step-by-Step Guide to Nursing Your Holiday Spending Hangover

Santa is gone, the decorations are down, and chances are, you’re feeling the sting of your holiday spending. If it crept up on you, your budget is strained, and now you’re worried about your finances, you’ll want to come up with a plan to recover.

Step 1: Assess The Damage

Before anything else, you want to know what you’re working with and how to fix it. Calculate your recovery amount.

Review your budget or bank statements from November and December, then pinpoint all of your out of the ordinary, holiday-related spending. Beyond gifts, these expenses might be:

  • Travel to visit your parents back home
  • Food you bought for Thanksgiving
  • Drinks you bought at a holiday party
  • Office Secret Santa gifts

These are just examples, but the point is: add it all up. Consider every expense that went beyond your budget or usual spending, then come up with a solid number that indicates how much you’re in the hole.

Step 2: Find Ways to Cut Back

After you’ve crunched the numbers and know what you’re dealing with, it’s time to rein in your current spending. You want to come up with a new budget, based on how much you need to recover (or pay off, if you went into debt).

Start by cutting back on your non-essentials. What discretionary expenses can you give up? Look for small indulgences you can nix while you’re in recovery mode. This might be your Friday night sushi fix, your morning Starbucks run, or anything else that’s easy enough to cut. On the other hand, you do need some breathing room in your budget, and yes, that means leaving room for the occasional splurge. Cutting your budget too thin is not typically a smart idea, but an emergency budget should only be temporary, and you can slowly add expenses back in as your finances recover (if you even miss them once they’re gone!)

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From there, take on your fixed expenses. These are your monthly expenses that more or less remain the same. For example, your car insurance, cell phone bill, or Internet service. Find ways to save in each of these areas. For example, you might:

Look into cutting back variable expenses, too. Things like groceries, your electric bill, and gas. These tips might help you get started:

You may have even received gifts in December that can help with some of these expenses: gift cards, extra cash—even leftovers. Be resourceful and make the most with what you have. Cutting back frees up some of your money to use for recovery.

Step 3: Set Your Goal, then Come Up With a Plan

Now that you have your recovery amount and you know how much you can save, it’s time to come up with a realistic goal for repaying your debt or replenishing your savings. To do this, set smaller, specific goals every month.

On average, Americans say they spend about $800 on Christmas gifts alone, so let’s assume your recovery amount is $800. Shoot for a realistic time frame to pay that off, based on your own spending and income: maybe $260 a month for the next few months. Ideally, you’ve cut at least $260 from your budget in the previous step, and now, you can add your payoff goal to your newly reduced budget.

If you depleted your savings account to pay for holiday expenses, replenishing it is as simple as transferring $260 into your savings account every month.

If you put your holiday spending on a credit card (and so many people do), you’ll want to throw that $260 at your credit card payment, but also factor in the extra you’ll pay in interest every month. Use a basic credit card payoff calculator to figure out how long it will really take you to recover. Using the above example, and assuming a 10% interest rate, it will take you four months to pay off that $800 debt. Or, if you wanted to pay it off in three months, you could increase your monthly payment to $270. You can see the numbers here:

A Step-by-Step Guide to Nursing Your Holiday Spending Hangover

If you want to speed up your progress, look for ways to earn extra cash. For example, you could:

Maybe you have other debts to take care of, too. Paying this new one might take longer, and it’s time to come up with a complete, effective debt payoff plan or tweak the one you already have.

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Prioritize each one of your debts, and figure out how your recovery amount stands in line with them. Decide which debt you’ll focus on paying first, fold this new debt into the mix, add the monthly payment to your budget, and draft a timeline of your total debt payoff.

Step 4: Start Saving for Next Year

The best way to avoid holiday overspending is to prepare as early as possible. Yes, it’s hard to think about next year’s spending when you’re still paying off this year’s, but the earlier you get started, the better. You don’t want a repeat hangover when December rolls around.

Even if it’s just a small amount, add a “holiday savings” category to your budget. You could even use a tool like SmartyPig to help you set specific savings goals. Another option might be to open up a separate savings account and transfer a certain amount from your paycheck each month.

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Whatever your method, the idea is to build a small fund that you have to work with next year. If anything, this gives you a limit. When you don’t have a limit, it’s easy to say, Well, I don’t have anything saved, and I’ve already blown my budget, so I might as well go all out!

We’re less likely to overspend when we’re working with a specific amount.

This calculator from Clearpoint Credit Counseling can help you figure out a realistic holiday budget, depending on your income and monthly expenses. It offers a suggested amount to spend, based on your situation, but you can adjust the numbers if you want to budget more or less for next year.

It’s easy to feel guilty when you’re hungover, but when it comes to your finances, guilt doesn’t do much good. In fact, dwelling often makes the situation worse. Instead, focus on a solution. Coming up with a new budget can help, and so can declaring your goal and drafting a plan to carry it out.

Photo by Nick Criscuolo.


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