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Life Kit

Life Kit

Tools To Help You Get It Together
8 simple things you can do to protect yourself from getting scammed
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Life Kit

8 simple things you can do to protect yourself from getting scammed

Scams can happen to anyone. Experts explain how to safeguard your data and money from being exploited or stolen by fraudsters.

8 simple things you can do to protect yourself from getting scammed

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Cut down your household waste with these 5 creative solutions
Kaz Fantone/NPR

Life Kit

Cut down your household waste with these 5 creative solutions

The average American generates five pounds of trash per day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Reduce your household trash by listing your output and taking these simple actions.

Cut down your household waste with these 5 creative solutions

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7 surprising ways the public library can help you save money
Kaz Fantone/NPR

7 surprising ways the public library can help you save money

Baking pans, legal help, language classes and more — libraries can provide so much more than books. See if your local branch offers these free or discounted resources and services.

7 surprising ways the public library can help you save money

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Make your own ancestral altar at home: A cross-cultural guide

Items from NPR Life Kit host Marielle Segarra's ancestral altar, clockwise from right: a Julio Iglesias cassette tape, an address book, a crucifix, a mango candy, a card with a rose depicted on it, eyeglass lenses and a ring. Malaka Gharib/ NPR hide caption

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Malaka Gharib/ NPR

Make your own ancestral altar at home: A cross-cultural guide

Spiritual practitioners and Indigenous educators explain how to set up an special place to honor your loved ones.

Make your own ancestral altar at home: A cross-cultural guide

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Dear Life Kit: My 10-year-old bullies my 8-year-old. How do I make it stop?
Photograph by Michael Blann/ Getty Images; Collage by NPR

Dear Life Kit

Dear Life Kit: My 10-year-old bullies my 8-year-old. How do I make it stop?

​A sister relentlessly picks on her brother despite their mom's best attempt to make peace between them. Psychologist Becky Kennedy shares advice with a parent who feels out of ideas — and patience.

Dear Life Kit: My 10-year-old bullies my 8-year-old. How do I make it stop?

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Oops, I messed up! 7 common public speaking issues — and how to fix them
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Life Kit

Oops, I messed up! 7 common public speaking issues — and how to fix them

It can be anxiety-inducing to deliver a speech in front of an audience. How do you capture people's attention? What do you do if you stumble? A speechwriter and a speech coach share their best tips.

Oops, I messed up! 7 common public speaking issues — and how to fix them

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Applying for health insurance doesn't have to be confusing. Here's a handy glossary
Subin Yang for NPR

Life Kit

Applying for health insurance doesn't have to be confusing. Here's a handy glossary

Picking health insurance takes a lot of work. It's not a one-size-fits-all type of situation, and there are a lot of confusing terms that come up every year. You also need to consider your general health and finances. So how can you make sense of it all?

Applying for health insurance doesn't have to be confusing. Here's a handy glossary

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Thinking about non-monogamous relationships? Here's a beginner's guide
Photographs by brooklyngrace/Unsplash; Sindy Süßengut/Unsplash; Collage by Kaz Fantone/NPR

Life Kit

Thinking about non-monogamous relationships? Here's a beginner's guide

When we think about romance, many of us have a specific script in mind. Two people date, fall in love and get married. But that traditional path doesn't work for everyone.

Thinking about non-monogamous relationships? Here's a beginner's guide

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Live with your parents? Here's how to create a harmonious household
Kaz Fantone/NPR

Life Kit

Live with your parents? Here's how to create a harmonious household

Three people who've spent time living with their parents as adults share advice on how they've coped with their situation. Don't compare yourself to others, they say — and find ways to still live your life.

Live with your parents? Here's how to create a harmonious household

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Spending time in a forest can boost health and lower stress. Here's how
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Life Kit

Spending time in a forest can boost health and lower stress. Here's how

Spending time in the forest isn't just enjoyable, it's good for your health. Here are some research-backed exercises to try the next time you find yourself under a canopy of trees.

Spending time in a forest can boost health and lower stress. Here's how

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Boo! Halloween is coming. Here's how to decide on a costume
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Life Kit

Boo! Halloween is coming. Here's how to decide on a costume

Haven't figured out your costume yet? Don't sweat. Stylist Sophie Strauss explains how to create a Halloween outfit that's unexpected, fun and won't break the bank.

Boo! Halloween is coming. Here's how to decide on a costume

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Why it's OK to put 'dry clean only' clothes in the washer (and more neat laundry tips)
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Life Kit

Why it's OK to put 'dry clean only' clothes in the washer (and more neat laundry tips)

Patric Richardson, host of 'The Laundry Guy' on HGTV, wants you to change the way you wash your clothes. Go ahead and wash those darks in warm water — and embrace the express cycle.

Why it's OK to put 'dry clean only' clothes in the washer (and more neat laundry tips)

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Dear Life Kit: Your most petty social dilemmas, answered
Photographs by Bansah Photography/Unsplash; Sippakorn Yamkasikorn/Unsplash; Daniel Sinoca/Unsplash; Dmitry Mashkin/Unsplash; Collage by Kaz Fantone/NPR

Life Kit

Dear Life Kit: Your most petty social dilemmas, answered

Lunch snubs, bad neighbors and needy in-laws. Advice columnist R. Eric Thomas responds to the bad behavior getting under your skin.

Dear Life Kit: Your most petty social dilemmas, answered

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Yes, end-of-life planning is a tough subject. How to talk to your parents about it
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Life Kit

Yes, end-of-life planning is a tough subject. How to talk to your parents about it

There comes a time when it's the kid's turn to take care of mom and dad. Here's how to broach this sensitive subject with your parents.

Yes, end-of-life planning is a tough subject. How to talk to your parents about it

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These 5 big purchases can save energy — and money — at home

Buying appliances and vehicles that run on electricity, not fossil fuels, can help reduce our carbon footprint. Making these upgrades will cost money — so you will need to plan ahead, says Joel Rosenberg of the nonprofit group Rewiring America. Clockwise from top left: Bloomberg via Getty Images, Schon/Getty Images, Jackyenjoyphotography/Getty Images, Juan Algar/Getty Images; Collage by Kaz Fantone hide caption

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Clockwise from top left: Bloomberg via Getty Images, Schon/Getty Images, Jackyenjoyphotography/Getty Images, Juan Algar/Getty Images; Collage by Kaz Fantone

NPR's Climate Week: A Search For Solutions

These 5 big purchases can save energy — and money — at home

To live a more climate friendly life, invest in home appliances and vehicles that run on electricity, not fossil fuels, say sustainability experts. Here are a few energy-saving solutions to consider.

These 5 big purchases can save energy — and money — at home

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In a reading rut? Here's how to find a book you won't want to put down
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Life Kit

In a reading rut? Here's how to find a book you won't want to put down

Traci Thomas, host of the hit book podcast 'The Stacks,' shares 6 surprising tips on how to find your next great read. One tip? Don't be afraid to judge a book by its cover.

In a reading rut? Here's how to find a book you won't want to put down

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'Do I really need to floss?' and other common questions about dental care
Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

'Do I really need to floss?' and other common questions about dental care

We asked experts to answer five questions about how to properly care for your teeth. Here's what they said about finding a dentist, whitening your teeth at home, and whether daily flossing is necessary.

'Do I really need to floss?' and other common questions about dental care

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Parents, are you overindulging your kid? This 4-question test can help you find out
Kaz Fantone/NPR

Life Kit

Parents, are you overindulging your kid? This 4-question test can help you find out

Giving in to your kid too much can be harmful to their development. Take the 'Test of Four' to examine your relationship with your child — then find out how to say 'no' and enforce rules that stick.

Parents, are you overindulging your kid? This 4-question test can help you find out

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We've heard we need more fiber in our diets. Here are 8 easy tips for getting there
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Life Kit

We've heard we need more fiber in our diets. Here are 8 easy tips for getting there

NPR's Maria Godoy is a self-proclaimed fiber fanatic. She explains how to add fiber to your diet (munch on popcorn!) and provides a grocery list of high-fiber foods that you can print out at home.

We've heard we need more fiber in our diets. Here are 8 easy tips for getting there

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Sweet, gooey poop and a taste for grapes: 7 wild facts about the spotted lanternfly
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Life Kit

Sweet, gooey poop and a taste for grapes: 7 wild facts about the spotted lanternfly

An entomologist shares surprising insights about the invasive bug, which is wreaking havoc on crops and trees across 14 U.S. states. Plus: A poster with our facts that you can print out at home.

Sweet, gooey poop and a taste for grapes: 7 wild facts about the spotted lanternfly

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The new COVID boosters are coming: Here's what you need to know

Experts say the new COVID boosters are a much closer match to currently circulating variants than prior vaccines and boosters. Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Shots - Health News

The new COVID boosters are coming: Here's what you need to know

Updated versions of the mRNA vaccines roll out this week. Experts say they offer good protection against current COVID variants. Who should get them, and when's the best time to roll up your sleeve?

The new COVID boosters are coming: Here's what you need to know

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