Successful dating doesn’t always result in a romantic relationship (although that’s ideal). Forming meaningful connections, while learning about yourself and others, can constitute success. Acquiring more knowledge is also a perk.

Below are the top three life hacks I’ve learned from my experiences.

#1. Order fresh wasabi next time you get sushi.

I’m shocked that I didn’t discover this when I visited Japan, nor the number of times I’ve gone out for my favorite food. It wasn’t until a Costa Mesa date last year, when the gentleman called a restaurant in advance “to make sure they have fresh wasabi”, that I took note.

We didn’t make it beyond one date. I was actively appalled by him complaining about “being the smartest person” in his engineering program at Cal State Long Beach. The fact that he resembled a toaster, unbeknownst to me through his Bumble pictures, didn’t help.

But his win of wisdom has served far beyond a single, eventless evening.

Every time I order this, I’m in heaven. I have yet to encounter a sushi restaurant that does not have fresh wasabi, no matter how hole-in-the-wall it may be.

Like many things in life, all you have to do is ask.

#2. Never get body acne again: use Hibiclens in the shower.

I wish I had known this during my adolescent soccer-playing, track-sprinting years! I actually learned this from a chemist, who took me on an unforgettable Jamaica vacation, while I lived in North Carolina.

Hibiclens is an antiseptic soap used in hospitals, and is less than $15 on Amazon.

Ever since I started using this on a shower sponge, I have not broken out in even a speck of a freck. I recommend the pump version–the larger the better–to truly bang out your buck.

Science is a beautiful thing.

#3. Pen caps can be used as chip-clips to prevent products from getting stale.

I’ve grazed many kitchens, and am shocked by how many affluent men fail to have—or use—chip clips on their products.

Yes, this makes a HUGE difference in the longevity of your food!

This negligence was especially painful to encounter two months ago, with an engineer who lived in a Coto de Caza house that was so big, I frequently found myself lost in his hallways. But all of his cereal, chips, and anything that had been opened, was stale to the extent that it was inedible.

You can have all of the money in the world, but who cares if you don’t know how to use it?

I technically learned this from another North Carolina guy, although we were (and still are) friends more than anything.

If you can’t afford chip clips, or just don’t have them around, immediately rescue your reserves by using a pen cap on the top of packages. Be sure to release all air within packaging prior to sealing.

Hopefully you can reap these benefits without the headache and heartache that I’ve already suffered.