$8,999 tiny home

Need a new computer? Knowing the minimum requirements for what you do helps. For using the internet and watching movies, a 1.3 GHz processor and 2GB to 4GB of RAM is fine. If you do anything more intensive, go for a 3.5 GHz processor and at least 8GB of RAM.

🐾 Amazon hack: Amazon’s new AI chatbot, Rufus, can help you find things to buy and answer product questions. People are using it to find cheaper versions of popular name-brand items. Pro tip: The bot won’t help if you ask for “dupes” (paywall link). Rephrase your request, like asking for “leggings similar to Lululemon pants.” You’ve gotta be smarter than the bot!

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Your valuables, guns and money need to be locked up. Options? Yup, I’ve got ‘em.

• Amazon Basics’ steel safes use an electronic keypad. They’re highly rated and a good deal. The big one (1.8 cubic feet) is under $90 right now. A small option is $50.
• This looks like a normal frame on your wall but slides open to hide whatever you want. Just be aware it doesn’t lock.
• I haven’t tried it, but there are great reviews on this biometric gun safe (on sale for $56). You can use your fingerprint, PIN or a key to open it.
• This is a great option for important docs (26% off). It’s fire-rated for 30 minutes and holds 20 or more hanging folders.
• For fun, hide your stuff in one of these: A can (I like the ravioli and peaches), a fake wall outlet or a dictionary with a lock.

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🥘 I got rid of all my old pots and pans that didn’t match and had PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, lead, cadmium and other toxic materials that can leach into your food, making them unsafe for you and your family. 

Here’s what I bought instead. Let me tell you, these are expensive, but they have no chemicals, and I don’t even need to use spray oil anymore. With the holidays coming up, you’ll definitely use these:

• Loaf pan for breads, lasagna for two and more.
• Nonstick cookware set I got in the cream color.
• Bakeware set so you’ll have all you need to do anything.
• Finally, if you don’t want to buy a set, just try one frying pan or baking dish you use a lot. I know you’re gonna love it. You can always return it if you don’t.

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• I was cutting a bagel with a big serrated knife the other day and scared myself. That’s why I got this bagel guillotine (31% off).
• This 5-in-1 tool opens any bottle, jar or whatever else. It’s only $8.
• Wish I had this when Ian was a kid: An automatic drink dispenser for the milk or anything else heavy in the fridge.
• Amazon’s bestselling veggie chopper is 50% off. No more onion fingers! Press down and you’re done.
• When the kitchen is full of fruit flies, plug in one of these sticky traps. All the grossness is on the back, phew.

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Despite what my podcast cohost, Andrew, would have you believe, I don’t order takeout every night.

• One of my favorite meals is fresh-caught salmon cooked on one of these salt blocks. So, so good.
• Chef trick: Sprinkle Maldon sea salt on meat, veggies, brownies or cookies. It’s crunchy and not too salty.
• Last time I moved, I threw out all my crusty, old baking sheets and got fresh, shiny ones. This brand lasts forever.
• You deserve a real napkin with dinner, not a paper towel.
• Keep your fridge fresh. This odor eliminator works better than a box of baking soda and lasts a decade.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.