My husband and I are short-term rental hosts with two properties, one of which we began renting out in 2016 and the other in 2019. We love being hosts and have had very successful with over 1,000 5-star reviews, repeated Airbnb Superhost status, and many repeat guests. Over the years, we've learned a lot about what guests love and what they loathe, and one thing is universal: Everyone is annoyed with exorbitant cleaning fees, and everyone thinks checkout chores are ridiculous. As both guests and hosts, we 100% agree. @annie.loves.travel This is a hill I’m willing to die on as a host. #airbnb #vrbo #shorttermrentals #checkout #superhost Part of what makes us good hosts is that we've been Airbnb guests ourselves for years. As a family of five that travels a lot, we've found far more value in short-term rentals than in hotels over the years. We love having a kitchen, living room, and bedrooms and feeling like we have a "home" while traveling. We even spent a nomadic year staying at short-term rentals for a month at a time.When you've experienced dozens of Airbnbs as a guest, you see what's annoying and unnecessary and what's to be expected in comparison to a hotel. We started taking mental notes long before we started our own rental about what we would want to do and not do if we ever had one and have implemented those learnings into our hosting habits. Chasing Tom And Jerry GIF by HBO Max Giphy As guests, we hate cleaning fees, so we don't charge one.It helps that my husband has a flexible schedule and grew up in a family that owned a janitorial service, so most of the time he cleans the apartments himself. We could charge a cleaning fee for his time and labor, but even if we were paying for outside cleaners, we still wouldn't put a separate fee on guest bookings. To us, it makes far more sense to just wrap the cleaning fee into the price.From a host's perspective, the one-night stay is where the cleaning fee question hits the hardest. Whether someone stays one night or 10 nights, the cleaning cost is the same. But spreading the cost over 10 nights is a very different beast than adding it to one night, especially from a guest's perspective. On the host side, if we had to pay cleaners without passing that fee onto guests, we'd barely make anything on one-night stays. But on the guest side, a $100 a night stay suddenly jumping to $150 or more (sometimes a lot more) because a cleaning fee was added is painful, and often a dealbreaker. You can see the conundrum. — (@) The way we see it, and as other Airbnb hosts have found, wrapping cleaning costs into the base price comes out in the wash over time, as long as you have some longer-term stays mixed in with the one-nighters. And it's a much better experience for the guest not to get hit with sticker shock on the "final cost" screen, which is already eye-popping when the platform's service fees and local taxes are added on.(I will say, this may only ring true for smaller units. If you're renting a huge home, cleaning costs are going to be higher just because it takes longer to clean. But I still don't think the full cost should be passed onto guests as a separate fee.)There's almost no reason to ask guests to do check-out chores, ever.As for check-out chores—asking guests to do things like start laundry, sweep the floor, take out the trash, etc.—those have never made sense to us. Hosts should have enough switch-out linens that laundry doesn't have to be started prior to checking out, and none of those chores save enough time for the cleaning people to make it worth asking guests to do it. I can see taking out trash if there wasn't going to be another guest for a while, but usually you'd want to clean right away after a stay anyway, just in case it does get booked last-minute. Asking guests to stip the sheets saves almost no time and costs a lot in goodwill.Photo credit: Canva The only thing we ask guests to do is to start the dishwasher if they have dirty dishes (as a guest, that seems like a logical and reasonable request), lock the door, and have a safe trip home. Don't need to pull the sheets. (In fact, we prefer they don't because it's easier to check for stains when sheets are still on the bed.) No need to take out any garbage or recycling. Those things don't take that long, but that's just as much a reason not to ask guests to do it. Annoying your guests by asking them to do something extra—especially if they're already paying a cleaning fee—isn't worth the tiny bit of time it might save the cleaning people.Surprisingly, the vast majority of guests leave the space neat and tidy anyway.In almost 10 years, I can count on one hand how many problems we've had with guests leaving a significant mess. That's been a pleasant surprise, but I think part of the reason is that guests are simply reciprocating the respect and consideration we show them by not making them pay extra fees or do chores on their way out. We're going to have to clean it anyway, so putting work on them is unnecessarily burdensome, even if it's something that doesn't take long. People recognize that. Being regular guests has helped make us good Airbnb hosts.Photo credit: Canva To be fair, it probably helps that we aren't some big real estate tycoon buying up a bunch of apartments and turning them into short-term rentals run by impersonal management companies. People's complaints about how short-term rentals impact local housing economies are legitimate, but our situation is more aligned with the original "sharing economy" model, renting out our home to guests who come through town. Because our rentals are in a small college town with a large university, there often aren't enough hotel rooms during busy weekends anyway, so it's been a win-win all around.I think having personal communication with our guests (but also leaving them their privacy) and not charging or asking anything extra of them makes them want to be respectful. From our perspective, both as guests and hosts, cleaning fees and check-out chores simply aren't worth their cost, financially or energetically.This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

Back in April 2021, then-17-year-old Weronika Jachimowicz got a lot of attention for subverting people's expectations of who excels in high school—and that's exactly what she wanted. Jachimowicz was named New York's Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free School District's 2021 salutatorian. Her yearbook photo next to valedictorian Luke Altman is going viral because of her dramatic Goth makeup and attire.It all started when assistant professor and writer Dr. Jules Lipoff's tweet of the photo of the valedictorian and salutatorian he saw in a newspaper went viral. How many salutatorians have you seen wearing pentagram hoop earrings, a choker, and black devil horns? The juxtaposition of her next to the bowtie-wearing Altman makes the photo even more amusing.The Today Show reports that Jachimowicz at first took her senior photo dressed "normal." During the retake, she decided to "go all out and be herself." — (@) Jachimowicz wanted the world to know that there's no one way someone has to look or present themselves if they want to be academically successful, or successful in any rite.In fact, it's completely normal for kids who are interested in the Goth subculture, as well as any other clique or community, to be good students."The scene has quiet middle-class values—education, highbrow culture, theatre, museums, romantic literature, poetry, philosophy, Gothic architecture," Dr. Dunja Bril, who studies Goth culture in England, told The Independent in 2006."Many Goths like classical music. It's a status symbol to have a good collection of classical pieces—mostly requiems and darker pieces," she added. Goth is a finely-tuned subculture that rewards intelligence and achievement. Giphy "Going to do a university degree is encouraged," Bril continued. "[Being Goth] doesn't encourage people to drop out of school. Whereas in the Punk scene you turn down the normal educational values, in Goth you gain status if you're perceived as being educated. You get people who are in it for the shock value, but they are usually the ones who grow out of it."Another study found that joining the Goth subculture may be good for young people's mental health, offering them protection in the form of strong peer support and community. “Rather than posing a risk, it’s also possible that by belonging to the goth subculture, young people are gaining valuable social and emotional support from their peers," writes New Scientist, quoting the studies author.Since her photo went viral, Jachimowicz has received countless messages of thanks from young people who say she's inspired them to express themselves."In all honesty, that's all I wanted. I wanted to help anyone I could who is struggling with expressing themselves because I've been in the exact same position," Jachimowicz told Yahoo! Life. "When people message me telling me how I have given them the confidence to be who they truly are, I almost cry from happiness."Jachimowicz says that she was able to be herself because she was encouraged by others, so this is her chance to pay it forward. See on Instagram "I was always trying to please others and be like what everyone else wanted me to be, or at least try to fit into what was 'normal.' However, I did slowly start to realize that it's OK to be different," she said. "I've met people in my life who gave me the confidence to fully be myself," she added.In addition to having an unweighted GPA of 97.27%, Jachimowicz was on the fencing, ping pong, and winter track teams. She was also a member of the National Honor Society, Students Against Drunk Driving, and the Unity Club. The Suffolk Times says Jachimowicz had some of her hand-drawn art chosen to appear on the cover of the senior yearbook, as well.She told Fox 5 New York in a 2021 interview that she planned to major in Biology after graduation. - YouTube www.youtube.com Jachimowicz's accomplishments are another reason to never judge someone for how they look or their interests. Just because someone is wearing satanic earrings doesn't mean they aren't highly intelligent or athletic.She believes the most important thing is to be yourself, regardless of what anyone else thinks. "Even if others don't really like my style, it's what makes me happy and I've worked hard to finally come to that conclusion," she said.This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

More than 20 years ago, in 2003, Katie O’Connor planned a wedding while working as a 3rd grade teacher at Avery Elementary School in Webster Groves, Missouri. She became Mrs. French after marrying Roger French. Several of her students attended her wedding, which made a profound impact on one student in particular. Charles Frey struggled a bit in school, but in Katie French’s class, things were different, he told the Webster-Kirkwood Times. “In kindergarten through second grade, school was difficult for me. I was falling behind, and patience and compassion were not things I was given,” Charles said. “It all changed when I started third grade.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by KSDK News (@ksdknews) Katie French Made Learning Fun Charles Frey loved being in Katie French’s class not only because of the way she taught, but also because of how she made him feel. “He was the first kid I’d had on the spectrum, but I tried to treat him like everybody else,” Katie told the Times. “He needed some extra encouragement, but I always held him to the same expectations as everyone else. I never thought a kid with autism couldn’t do that.” Charles said that when it came time to send out his own wedding invitations, his fiancée, Mary, told him to track down his former teacher. The pair did some investigating and found the French family’s address. He sent the invitation, unsure of what to expect. Getting a “yes” RSVP made one of his wedding dreams come true. “If somebody is going to go out of their way to remember me and search me up, of course I’m going to come,” Katie French said. Katie French changed Charles Frey’s life in the best way. They agreed that being together at his wedding was a full-circle moment for both of them. “You don’t always get to see your effort in action, how you’ve impacted kids, so it’s really amazing when you get to see how your hard work has meant something to someone,” Katie said. “That’s why we get into teaching.” This story’s featured image can be found here.

Food costs continue to rise in the United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that food prices rose an average of 3% in 2025 compared to 2024.A December 2025 survey by Swiftly found that 68% of Americans are struggling to pay for groceries. But one frugal shopper on Reddit shared how they cut their grocery bill by 30% using their "laziest habit.""So this started because I got sick a few weeks ago and just did not have the energy to do a full grocery run," they shared. Woman looks at items in pantry.Photo credit: Canva Without the ability to get to the grocery store, they had to work with what they had in the fridge and pantry and found they had more on hand than expected."Stuff hidden behind jars stuck in corners leftovers I swore didn't exist," they wrote. "It turns out my usual habit was just forgetting what I owned then buying duplicates every single week. Rice, cans [of food], frozen veggies, spices everything. Not because I needed them but because I forgot I already had them."The result? Massive savings on food costs."My grocery bill dropped so hard I thought the receipt was wrong," they wrote. "[Now] before I let myself shop I have to make at least three meals only using what I already have. It makes me think before spending plus nothing expires in the back of the fridge anymore. I swear I waste almost zero food now." Taking stock of what is in the pantry.Photo credit: CanvaFellow frugal shoppers appreciated the insight. "Laziness is an underrated trait. We put off purchases because of the hassle including bigger grocery runs and it ends up saving lots of money," one commented. Another shared, "This is actually a killer hack. Forcing yourself to cook only from what's already in the house for a few days clears the mental fog of 'do I have this or not' and stops duplicate buys cold. Most people cut their grocery bill 20-30% the first month just by seeing what they actually own. The random combos usually turn out decent too—rice + canned beans + random spices = dinner. Laziness accidentally becoming discipline is peak frugal."Additional money-saving grocery tipsOther frugal shoppers offered their best tips for saving money on groceries. Here are six hacks for cutting down food shopping costs:"Before I get groceries I make a list of everything needed for the meals I want that week. Then I walk into my kitchen with that list and I hunt through the cupboards, fridge, and freezer looking for anything on the list. If I find something it gets crossed off the list. Then I get groceries." - RandyHoward"This and eating before going grocery shopping." - itoocouldbeanyone"I look in the fridge and freezer first, then plan a menu with things I already have (usually bought on sale), then I make a list of what I still need. Then I check the store flyer for sales on staples I use a lot of and anything else that is at a compelling price and add them to the list." - AnnieLes"I'd go to the grocery store and buy whatever was on sale, then figure out what to make with the ingredients for my weekly meals as I was shopping for 2 weeks at a time. My budget was tight, so I was counting how many cherry tomatoes I could put in my breakfast, etc. My husband's rule is eating all leftovers first. It works." - Ethel_Marie"I have a white board in the kitchen where I keep a list of things that need to be cooked soon. Items that are about to expire. Veggies I only used half of like half a bell pepper. I even write dishes that I know need to be eaten soon like mash potatoes. I’ve found wonderful recipes when I'm trying to cook with items that need to be used." - aramaro87"For this reason I now have stopped regularly shopping on the weekend. I do a big run once a month and make do the rest of the time." - Canyouhelpmeottawa

Adults have talked at length about the potential risks of artificial intelligence use in schools, from concerns about hindered critical thinking, to plagiarism, to decreased connection with educators. But it’s another thing altogether to hear these worries posed by an actual young person. Soborno Isaac Bari, a 13-year old child prodigy, author, and the world's youngest professor at NYU (where he also studied) recently shared on an episode of the Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know podcast that when he sees his fellow classmates using ChatGPT to pass at all costs, it makes him “furious.” Why? For the simple reason that it takes away the gift of failure. Coming from someone who could easily benefit from academic shortcuts, Bari’s stance stands out. Surrounded by high-achieving peers and intense expectations, he argues that learning loses its meaning when the goal becomes avoiding mistakes at any cost. See on Instagram Bari shared how his own father failed Calculus four times. Nevertheless, he continued because of his love of learning. After his fourth failure, Bari’s father got a B, but because he wanted to master the subject, he took the class one last time, and finally got an A. This story of perseverance easily shows how repeated failure did not signal an endpoint, but rather became a vital part of the learning process itself.“After that, he got straight A’s on every course. Because that love of learning was in him no matter how many times he failed,” Bari told Minhaj.He then urged listeners to heed the moral of this story: that failing isn’t the enemy, and a tool which promises to take away the potential to fail is not a friend. Many students grow up believing that mistakes are permanent reflections of their ability, rather than temporary steps toward understanding. In that environment, a technology that offers instant answers can feel less like a convenience and more like a necessity. But Bari warned to not fall victim to this fallacy. See on Instagram “Don’t let ChatGPT live your life. Learn your own education. And work your job. Don't let it take away all those amazing opportunities that make your life rough and special. And don’t be afraid to fail sometimes. Because in the end, it’ll all feel meaningless if you don’t at least have something you consider a failure.”This youngster’s perspective challenges listeners to reconsider how they define progress and success, which isn’t something that always comes up in the AI conversation. Rather than measuring learning by blazing through classes and earning top grades, Bari emphasizes curiosity, effort, and personal investment. Those qualities, he suggests, cannot be generated by an algorithm and are worth protecting, even when doing so feels harder.“Creativity and humanity is the one thing AI can’t replace.”You can watch the full episode of Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know below: - YouTube www.youtube.com