How to Clean Your Smartphone’s Charging Port and Speakers

If you’re dealing with audio issues, phone cases and screen covers can also cause problems, Samsung says. Carefully remove and clean them using soap and water, then make sure they’re thoroughly dry before putting them back on. [Note: Some screen protectors are applied with adhesive and can’t be reinstalled once removed.] This alone may resolve…

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Best Electric Bikes for the Money

Our tests show that the best electric bikes tend to cost more because they have higher-quality components and—in many cases—come from a big-name brand. Because there are as many types of electric bikes as there are conventional ones—commuters, cruisers, folding bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, and cargo bikes—it’s important to consider which variety will work…

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The Cost of Car Ownership Over Time

We found that there are significant differences in costs as cars age, underscoring how maintenance and repair expenses rise over time.  The comparison for fresher cars is muddied because a number of brands, including BMW and Toyota, offer free maintenance periods on new cars. And usually, cars need very little work in the first couple…

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7 Questions to Ask Before You Buy a Car

Whether There’s Enough Seating and Storage Why it’s important: Automakers love to boast about how many cubic feet of passenger and cargo space a vehicle has. But numbers won’t tell you whether a car’s sloping roofline will cramp rear passengers’ headroom or if a small trunk opening will make it hard to load your gear….

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How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes

“Mosquitoes’ larvae develop in water,” Gangloff-Kaufmann says, “and they can do it in even the small amount of water that would fit in a bottle cap.” So to get rid of mosquitoes in your yard, it’s imperative to empty outdoor water toys and remove wheelbarrows and other outdoor gear that can catch water after a…

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Big Home Energy Upgrades That Pay Off

They do have a hefty up-front cost. Most households need 11 kilowatts to cover their electricity needs, according to EnergySage, an alternative energy marketplace. After a 30 percent federal tax credit, the average cost to install a system of that capacity is $22,022. But over time, you can save tens of thousands of dollars on…

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Lower Your Home Energy Bills Right Now

Utilities and nonprofits often provide audit services for free. Rhode Island Energy, for instance, offers a free in-home audit to eligible customers. In Iowa, the federally sponsored Green Iowa AmeriCorps does the same for state residents. When there’s a cost—between $200 and $700, according to Angi, the home-services marketplace—you can offset it with a tax…

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Climate Change Could Cost Each American Born Today $500,000

ICF emphasizes throughout the report that its projections are based on numerous assumptions and conjectures and in many cases were extrapolated from specific data points chosen as representatives of broader expense or earnings categories.  For example, the projected cost-of-living increases were based partly on academic or government studies that anticipate rising prices for a hypothetical…

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Best Food Scales

If you’re learning to cook, buy yourself a good set of chef’s knives and a reliable cookware set. When you’re ready to turn yourself into a great cook or baker, invest in a food scale. A food scale is essential during food prep to measure ingredients accurately for consistent results. If you aren’t perfectly packing…

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