Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s hard to deny the fact that cell phones are pretty much necessities nowadays. For better or for worse, these handy devices keep us connected, but there are times when they just don’t cut the mustard. Faulty speakers, awkward designs, and flimsy cables have certainly caused us a lot of headaches over the years!

That’s why we scoured the web to find the best possible ways to make that cell phone of yours work for you, and not against you. Here are some of our favorite cheap and easy hacks that you can do to improve your phone’s overall performance.

1. The On-the-go Phone Holder

   How many times have you been enjoying a cup of coffee with your buds and suddenly remembered that you had a hilarious viral video that you wanted to show them? It’s always annoying (and dangerous for the life of the screen!) to prop the phone up against a cup or wall, so just reach for your sunglasses instead!

   Simply place the glasses upside down on a flat surface, with the ends facing out toward you. Next, drop your device in, so that the curves that fit around your ears safely cradle it. Sure, it may not be the most elegant solution, but it sure does work!

2. The Cheapest Speaker Around

   If your phone’s anything like mine, then the thing simply does not play those tunes at a rockin’ volume. You could buy an external speaker, but those are clunky and, oftentimes, pricey!

   To get your music up to an “11”, just place your phone, speaker-side down, into a bowl. Any ceramic piece of kitchenware should work, but glass generally performs best. Pretty cool, huh?!

3. The Emergency Stylus

   The stylus is a great tool for error-free typing, but those things tend to get lost pretty fast, and the cost of replacing them can really add up!

   To make one of your own, just take a pencil or pen and wrap the blunt end snugly with a small piece of aluminum foil. Believe it or not, this will give you the same doodling results as any manufactured stylus on the market.

4. The Cable Repair Trick

   After a while, all cables get a bit rough around the edges! If you have a few that are coming apart at the seams, don’t throw them away—try this trick instead!

   Just grab some scotch tape and wrap a piece around the damaged area several times, until the cord is taut. To give the eyesore a cute makeover, simply wind some yarn around the tape and secure at the end. Easy as pie!

To learn about another cell phone hack that beautifully illuminates any space, be sure to click on PSYMedia’s video below. Bet you didn’t know that your device could do all of that!

What do you think of these DIY cell phone upgrades? Have you tried any of these yourself? Do you know of any nifty device hacks? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!