Home & Garage

Fix it, build it, maintain it. The house is the biggest thing you own — act like it.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

Your busy months are where seasonal income goes wrong

The slow season gets the blame, but the damage is usually done in the good months. Set a floor, pay yourself a steady check, and stop guessing.

BRO TakeBe a ManMarcus ValeNov 7, 20265 min

Promise less and finish everything

A name for getting things done isn't built on big wins. It's built on small promises you keep, which means making fewer of them.

Ask BRO

Build me a revision plan that I will actually stick to

Ask it

GuideCarsDean ShawNov 7, 20265 min

Ten minutes and a voltmeter before you buy another battery

A dead battery and a dying alternator look identical in the driveway. A twenty-dollar meter tells you which one you've got before you spend the money.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

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Gadgets6 min read

A projector replaces a TV only if it survives Saturday at noon

Most projectors look great at 9 p.m. with the lights off. The ones worth swapping your TV for look good at 1 p.m. with the blinds open.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

GuideMoneyRay OkonkwoNov 7, 20266 min

The tax bill that ambushes self-employed men every April

Nobody withholds for you when you work for yourself. Here's the arithmetic on quarterly payments, the safe harbor, and a separate account that does the work.

GuideOutdoorsWes DunbarNov 7, 20266 min

Leave Your Own Rod in the Truck

Fishing with your kid works best when you don't fish at all. Here's the gear, the water, and the pace that get a kid hooked on the sport.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

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GuideSkillsWes DunbarNov 7, 20266 min

Fix the fuel first, then adjust the carburetor

Most small engines that won't start or run right don't need a screw turned. They need clean fuel. Here's the order to work in, and how to set the screws when they do.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

GuideFamilyCal BrennanNov 6, 20265 min

Write the summer work list before the last day of school

By the first Wednesday of break, someone will say "I'm bored." If you and your wife haven't planned for it, the tablet answers for you.

BRO TakeSchool & LearningAde FisherNov 6, 20265 min

A child who reads "horse" for "pony" was taught to guess

Decades of reading research point one direction. Here's what it says, where whole language got it right, and how to check what your child's school is doing.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

Ask it

BRO TakeDadsCal BrennanNov 6, 20265 min

"Look at me when I'm talking to you" has never worked

When your son stares at the floor, he isn't being defiant. Here's what he's usually doing instead, and how to get the conversation anyway.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

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GuideStyleDean ShawNov 6, 20265 min

Fix the collar that curls and the cuff that slides

Most collar and cuff trouble comes down to a quarter inch of fit or one missing piece of plastic. Here's how to find yours and fix it.

Poll

What was your first ever job?

GuideGearWes DunbarNov 6, 20265 min

A cooler that holds ice till Sunday, and when a cheap one wins

A good cooler is mostly a lid, a seal and a few parts you can replace. Here's what to look for, what to skip, and when the cheap one is right.

GuideWoodworkingWes DunbarNov 6, 20265 min

Strop often, stone rarely, and know which one you need

A strop keeps a good edge alive for weeks. It can't rescue a dull one. Learn the difference before you ruin a chisel's bevel.

CancerDefying.com — The research, protocols and reading in one place

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GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawNov 6, 20265 min

Four pliers do the work. The rest are drawer clutter.

Most of what's in your junk drawer was bought for one job and never touched again. Here are the four that earn their space, and what to pay.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

Boys & Girls5 min

Don't Replace the Ten Dollars He Lost

Old School5 min

The nail by the door and other rules from Grandpa's shop

Ask BRO

Pressure-test my business idea

Ask it

GuideBRO for HerNina CastellanNov 6, 20265 min

The friend who went quiet when you needed her most

Some friends vanish because they're scared. Some were never in it for the hard parts. Sort out which, then grieve the loss properly.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

PartnerCoconut.com

Fishing6 min read

Pick Your Line by the Water, Not the Fish

The number on the spool matters less than what your lure runs through and how clear the water is. Get those right and the pound test mostly picks itself.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

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