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Life Kit

Life Kit

Tools To Help You Get It Together
Photograph of a woman trying on clothes in a store dressing room. She is photographed from behind as she looks at her outfit in the mirror.

If you don't think an outfit looks "flattering" on you, don't blame your body, blame the clothing. That can help you find pieces that make you feel more comfortable. Igor Alecsander/Getty Images hide caption

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Igor Alecsander/Getty Images

‘This outfit isn’t flattering’ 5 Common style gripes and how to fix them

Do you have a tendency to criticize your personal style or your body in the dressing room? Minimize the negative self-talk with these positive and constructive mindsets from stylist Sophie Strauss.

Personal style when your body changes

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Can't decide on a Halloween costume? These 5 questions can help

A little research can go a long way when brainstorming a Halloween costume. Personal stylist Sophie Strauss says she looks to recent pop culture — shows, movies, celebrities, trending news stories or phrases — as a fun place to start. Cavan Images/Getty Images/ hide caption

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Cavan Images/Getty Images/

Life Kit

Can't decide on a Halloween costume? These 5 questions can help

It's hard to nail down a costume idea. You could be anything from an alien to Taylor Swift! Here's how to pick a getup without spending big bucks, or buying a prepackaged 'fit from the Halloween store.

Can't decide on a Halloween costume? These 5 questions can help

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Conceptual illustration of a red toy Monopoly-style house and a red percentage sign balancing on a green seesaw, illustrating the concept of interest rates for a mortgage and refinancing.

As interest rates have dropped, refinancing could make sense, or not. Here’s what to know before you decide.
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Mortgage rates have dropped. Should you refinance your home?

Interested in seeing if you can save money on your mortgage? Here’s what to know about refinancing – and how to think about timing.

How to refinance your mortgage

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Illustration of two toddlers having temper tantrums in public as their parents try to calm the meltdowns. They all rest on the center of an oversized daisy, which grows out of a giant hole in the otherwise sunny yellow ground. Parenting in the thick of your child's outburst can be difficult. Psychologist Celina Benavides explains what to do in the moment — and how to get ahead of bad behavior
Nicolás Ortega for NPR

The tricky etiquette of parenting in public

Your little one is having a meltdown at the park. Everyone is looking at you. What do you do? A psychologist offers parents advice on how to help their kid (and themselves) navigate the chaos.

Your kid is having a tantrum in public. Now what?

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How to talk to your Latinx family about mental health
Erick M. Ramos for NPR

How to talk to your Latinx family about mental health

Shame and stigma play a huge role in discouraging folks in the Latinx community from seeking mental health care — and talking about it with their families. These steps can help you prepare for the conversation with your loved ones.

How to talk to your Latinx family about mental health

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I ditched plastic for a week. Here's what I learned
Becky Harlan/NPR

Life Kit

I ditched plastic for a week. Here's what I learned

Plastic isn't great for your health or the planet. Here's what NPR's Claire Murashima learned from avoiding single-use plastics for a week.

I ditched plastic for a week. Here's what I learned

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Illustration showing an intricate maze formed in the shape of a white speech bubble on a yellow background. The speech bubble maze symbolizes getting to the source of and combatting misinformation with loved ones.
Ricardo Tomás for NPR

To combat misinformation, start with connection, not correction

People trust information more when it comes from sources or contexts they’re familiar with. Help counter misinformation in your community by having conversations with your friends and family.

How to talk to your loved ones about misinformation

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A blurry photograph of a family walking and holding hands, as seen from a high angle. Two parents walk, holding the hands of their child who walks between them. The photo has a dreamy quality.
Yasuhide Fumoto/Getty Images

Perspective

Dear Life Kit: My wife wants to use the last of our savings for a 4th round of IVF

An NPR listener says they are ready to adopt a child and move on from in vitro fertilization. But their wife is focused on getting pregnant.

Dear Life Kit: I'm at my breaking point

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Gen Z, here's the secret to retiring with $800,000
Cha Pornea for NPR

Gen Z, here's the secret to retiring with $800,000

If you're just starting out in your career, it's not too early to start saving funds in a retirement account. But you might have questions: How much should you stash away? How often?

Gen Z, here's the secret to retiring with $800,000

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Are you ready to vote? See how many boxes you can tick with our checklist
Vidhya Nagarajan for NPR

Life Kit

Are you ready to vote? See how many boxes you can tick with our checklist

It's time to make a plan to vote. NPR's Miles Parks joins Life Kit to guide us through all the ways you can vote this year and how to do each, from registration to Election Day.

Are you ready to vote? See how many boxes you can tick with our checklist

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A bar of soap is working very hard to wash someone's arm.
Malaka Gharib/NPR

COMIC: Can I just wash the stinky bits? And other honest questions about bathing

Washing your body seems like a no-brainer. But once you get into the details, things get complicated. Dermatologists offer surprising advice on how often to shower, when to toss your loofah and more.

The dirt on bathing

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This illustration shows a series of stacked 3-D emojis. The emoji on top is a yellow happy face, and going down, it gets progressively sadder until it becomes a red, sad, angry face.
Yossakorn Kaewwannarat/Getty Images; NPR

Perspective

Dear Life Kit: I resent that my WFH partner has more free time than I do

A listener says she has trouble respecting her husband because of his work-from-home habits. While she works long hours, he gets to sign off early. Therapist Moraya Seeger DeGeare weighs in.

Dear Life Kit: I'm at my breaking point

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How to show your friends you care about them
Malaka Gharib/NPR

How to show your friends you care about them

Psychologist Marisa Franco, author of a new book on the science of making and keeping friends, shares how to deepen the bonds in our platonic relationships.

How to show your friends you care about them

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Composting can help fight climate change. Get started in 5 easy steps
Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

Composting can help fight climate change. Get started in 5 easy steps

Whether you've got a small apartment or a big backyard, there are ways to compost your kitchen scraps in any space. This episode is your starter for how to compost your organic waste into rich soil.

Composting can help fight climate change. Get started in 5 easy steps

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How to eat more like a vegetarian — even if you're not one
Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

How to eat more like a vegetarian — even if you're not one

Meat production takes a heavy toll on the environment. Here's how to dial back your meat intake and make a big impact.

How to eat more like a vegetarian — even if you're not one

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Photo collage of one hand coming into the frame from the bottom right corner holding a credit card. A hand holding a credit card reader reaches down from the top left-hand corner. The backdrop shows green clouds on solid blue.

Even if you use a credit card all the time, it can be difficult to understand the ins and outs of how they work. We Are/Getty Images hide caption

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We Are/Getty Images

5 smart habits to keep you out of credit card debt

Stay on top of your monthly payments and avoid costly fees and interest charges with these smart credit card strategies.

Smart credit card habits to keep you out of debt

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How to cut down food waste (and fight climate change)
Lindsey Balbierz for NPR

How to cut down food waste (and fight climate change)

Tossing out overripe avocados, wilted greens and sour milk isn't just costing you money — it's also contributing to climate change. Reduce your food waste with composting strategies and creative recipes.

How to cut down food waste (and fight climate change)

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A high-angle, close-up photograph shows a person holding and reviewing a grocery store receipt in the parking lot, and their grocery cart full of purchased food sits in the background.

A practical tip from NPR reader Lisa Gluskin: check your receipt before you leave the parking lot of the grocery store. If you spot an error at home, you will be less likely to go back to the store to right the wrong. urbazon/Getty Images hide caption

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urbazon/Getty Images

10 more clever and commonsense ways to save money on groceries

Check your receipt. Grow your own veggies. Ask about senior discounts. NPR readers share their top tips on cutting costs at the grocery store.

Photo illustration of a stop sign that reads
Oliver Munday for NPR

Could you live without shopping for a year? Try the 'no-buy challenge'

The goal is to save money, cut back on overconsumption and be more mindful of wasteful and unsustainable shopping habits. This guide can help you start a challenge of your own.

How to buy less stuff

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