Life’s hard enough, so when someone puts together a list of amazing life hacks, we pay attention.  Here are five you might not know about . . .

1.  Put onions in the freezer for ten minutes before you chop them.  They’re less likely to make you cry that way, because it takes longer for the juices to release the chemical gas that makes you tear up.

2.  Use a cheese grater for hard butter, especially if you’re baking.  It softens up a lot faster that way.  And you don’t have to risk liquifying it in the microwave.

3.  Use nail polish remover to get permanent marker off your skin.  That one might come in handy if you have kids . . . or if you pass out at a college party.

4.  Use Windex to get a ring off your finger.  Someone who worked at a jewelry store said it works great.  It’s because Windex has compounds called “surfactants” that lower surface tension.

5.  You can use chips as kindling if you need to start a fire.  Corn chips, potato chips, and even Doritos work.  They’re flammable because of all the fat and oil.  And they burn slowly, which is good.