Life Kit

Unlike texting and email, old-fashioned letters, hand-addressed and sent in the mail, are "read intentionally," says Rachel Syme of The New Yorker. In her book, Syme's Letter Writer, Syme offers advice on what to write about, how to find the perfect stationery, and why we should communicate more through snail mail. This episode originally published April 15, 2025.

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Having kids comes with a lot of clutter - some of it even shows up before your baby does. From toys that overflow from the toy chest, to unwanted hand-me-downs, and piles of art your kids make, you can't keep it all.   Psychotherapist Denaye Barahona offers advice for parents on the whys and hows of decluttering.  

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Marielle joins Raj Punjabi-Johnson and Noah Michelson, hosts of the podcast Am I Doing It Wrong? about the art of giving advice. The three talk about the best advice they've been given, what they're good at giving advice about, and how they select topics for their respective shows.

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What is happiness? How do you define it? Maybe it's feeling good, having a sunny disposition or being fulfilled, even if you don't feel pleasant all the time. Gretchen Rubin, host of the Happier podcast and author of The Happiness Project, says happiness is less about attaining joy than it is about growing in the right direction. In this episode, she explains how to make small changes that can move you toward happiness, and why knowing yourself helps contribute to this emotion. This episode was originally published on March 6, 2025.

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Between the start of 2022 and the start of 2025, car insurance rates jumped by more than 50%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Luckily, there are tried-and-true tactics for finding the cheapest deal you can -- from comparing rates from multiple insurance companies to not letting your teen get their license just yet. NPR's cars and energy correspondent, Camila Domonoske, breaks down the surprising factors that contribute to high rates and how to make sure you don't get taken for a ride by your car insurer.

Find comparisons in your ZIP code: https://www.npr.org/2025/11/05/nx-s1-5397184/auto-insurance-credit-history-cost 

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