Who doesn't get the urge to cheat from time to time?  Or, in the case of The Sims 3, sometimes a lot!  I mean, hey, "cheat" is such a loaded word, isn't it?  Depending on what you're trying to accomplish, cheats can help you get there.   

How to enter a cheat code

While playing your game, pause the action and type CTRL + Shift + C at the same time.  A little gray bar will appear at the top of your screen.  This is where your commands will be entered.

How to exit Cheat Mode once you're done

Hit the ESC key to close Cheat Mode and drop back into the game.

ResetSim

Even if you don't use cheats (I prefer not to, myself) you need to learn how to use this particular cheat.  Any time a Sim gets stuck, resetSim will get them unstuck.  Some occasions when I have used resetSim:

• After teaching a toddler how to talk, both toddler and mama got stuck in their "teaching" interaction.
• After playing in the sprinkler for too long, Sims will get stuck in the mud there.
• Taxi cab stuck on the street outside my Sims' home.
• Wedding guests stuck on the property celebrating.
• Birthday party guests stuck on the property celebrating.
• A Sim who died on a community lot got stuck there as a ghost.

To use resetSim, type "resetSim Firstname Lastname" and hit Enter.  So for a Sim named John Doe you would type "resetsim John Doe."

jokePlease

Does what it says on the tin! Type this in the cheat code bar and hit Enter and it will give you a joke.

Make It Rain!

There are two cheat codes for money.  Both of them can only be used when you are on the family's lot.  

• kaching (adds $1,000)
• motherlode (adds $50,000)

moveobjects

This is another cheat that you may want to use even if you don't use cheats!  Moveobjects is off by default, which means that there are some items that you cannot move in Build or Buy mode.  For example, you cannot pick up and move a Sim, or an object that a Sim is using.

But sometimes you need to move things!  I once had a painting easel get stuck as "in use" by a Sim who had died.  To make it worse, it was blocking something that I needed my Sims to get to.  I turned on moveobjects, moved the easel, then turned moveobjects off.

This cheat can also come in handy if you want to make some unusual design choices!  For example, you could put a car on the roof of your house.  (Not sure why you'd want to, but you could.)

To turn it on, switch to Build or Buy mode.  Enter Cheat Mode and type:

    Moveobjects on

Forcetwins

This is handy if you want to be sure to have twins!  Enter Cheat Mode, then click on your pregnant Sim to select her.  Then enter "forcetwins" and come birthing day, you'll have to pick two names!