22 Tips For Adulting To Become The Best Adult In Life

Did you know exactly how to start adulting when you turned 18? I did not. If you didn’t and still don’t that is okay. However, what is not okay is not seeking the information that you need to help you better transition into adult life. Now, since Adulting Starts Here is all about sharing practical tips to help young people transition into adulthood, I wrote this post with adulting tips in mind that can be helpful to all young adults ranging from their teenage years to their mid-twenties.

Young adults should know adulting tips like paying their credit card statement in full each month and learning to organize their lives. However, many of us do not. High school does not teach this type of stuff and often our parents are not able to help us as much as we would like.

No matter. I have just what you need. Below are 22 adulting tips that every adult should know, especially by the age of 22. There are some real nuggets of wisdom here, so enjoy!

Have a High-Yield Savings Account (HYSA)

High-Yield Savings Accounts are a must-have as an adult. They are very different from a regular checking account and better than a normal savings account. They deliver higher interest returns compared to regular banks and still deliver the same protections if not more.

There are so many online banks out there that deliver higher interest returns and also great perks. Look into these and see what your options are.

Of course, I am not a financial advisor and none of this is explicit financial advice, so do your own due diligence. I am just stating information in hopes of encouraging you to do your own research.

Budgeting Has A Big Impact On Your Financial Health

Learning how to create and maintain a budget now will help you get a better grasp on your money as you start earning more. Budgets are spending plans for your money. They help you give every dollar a job so you can see where your money goes and have peace of mind knowing that it is covering what you need it to cover.

There are a ton of budgeting tools out there for you to use. I use a software called YNAB (You Need A Budget) and it helps me not only budget but also plan for my financial future as a whole. If interested, I have a referral link for a 34-day free trial of YNAB. Yes, it is worth every penny.

Read More: Why YNAB Is My Favorite Adulting Tool

Have Money Goals

As young adults, it is not enough to just budget. You should also develop goals for your money. It shouldn’t just be sitting in your bank accounts with no plan to manage it. Do you have a student loan that needs to be paid off? If so, one of your money goals should be to pay off that student debt. Are you looking to buy a house soon? If so, what are the different directions to you could take to put yourself in the best position to save for a down payment? Your money goals will be unique to you.

So, what are three goals that you have for your money? Your timeline can be short-term, long-term, or both!

Resist Impulse Buying

Just as it is important to budget it is also important to resist impulse buying especially at the expense of your budget and credit score. Impulse buying if left unchecked can really leave you with a ton of debt on your credit cards and wreck your financial standings.

A tip I have been following for a while now to help myself resist impulse buying is waiting 24 hours and saving up twice the cost. Once I do both those things and I still want the item then I will buy it. Often though, I no longer want the item. Unless it is dealing with food… I love my food.

Create And Fund An Emergency Savings Account

This is one of the major adulting tips. Do not overlook it!

Building up strong emergency savings is a must for all adults. The earlier you start, the better and easier it will be. Waiting until later in life to develop this fund means you will need to save more because you will probably have more responsibilities as you grow older. As an 18-year-old though, you usually only have to take care of yourself, so your expenses won’t be as high compared to when you have a mortgage and a family. So start building now little by little.

If you do not know anything about emergency funds, I wrote a detailed post below explaining how to get started developing your emergency savings account. Check it out!

Read More: How To Create An Emergency Fund As A Young Adult

Paying Your Credit Card Statement Monthly Builds Credit

Building credit is extremely important. Good credit helps make adulting so much easier when it comes time to apply for an apartment or mortgage, buy a car, and even finance a new phone. Having a good credit score means you are able to get lower interest rates and thereby not have to pay more money in interest charges.

I am actually looking at buying a car right now, and because of my good credit score, I am eligible for some of the lowest interest rates my bank offers. This will  translate into a lower car payment and help me spend less money over time on a car.

So make it a habit to check your bank statement and pay your credit card statements off each month in full then watch your credit score increase.

Find Ways To Develop Passive Income Streams

Do your best to develop more than one income stream, so when one ends you are not stuck with no form of money coming in. Even better though, is to develop passive income streams so that you do not have to trade your time for money.

I’m not one of those guys trying to sell you some random crash course on how to create passive income streams that will allow you to retire in 5 years. However, side hustles can help you reach certain financial goals, or at least offer a medium for you to discover a new skillset.

So, consider doing some research on passive income streams and see where you can diversify your income.

Quality Over Quantity

Realize that quality is better than quantity. This rings true in so many different facets of life from clothes to friends.

Find those high-quality, high-value things and focus on them. It could be as simple as paying a little extra for better quality underwear or as complex as finding new friends who better fit the future self you are trying to become.

Pay Yourself First On A Regular Basis

This is one of the most common adulting tips and life skills.

When you get income, always always always, pay yourself first. It does not matter if it is just $1. Pay yourself first. As you continue to grow your income, increase the amount on a regular basis. Now this money isn’t for spending. Use this money to grow your savings and set yourself up for retirement.

You could start off by paying yourself 10% of any income that you receive. As you become comfortable doing that, try and up that 10% to 20%. If you couple this with increasing your actual income, you are increasing the amount you can pay yourself even further.

Learn To Cook A Balanced Diet

Cooking at home is usually way cheaper than eating out in the long term. Learn to do it. It will save you money and it will help make you more aware of if you are eating a balanced diet. Your physical health is extremely important, so learning how to cook for yourself cheaply and nutritiously is a great way to save money and be healthier.

If you do not currently enjoy cooking, figure out what you do not like about it and then try and fix that.

Do you think cooking is boring? Try and make cooking a way to express your creativity by preparing unique meals.

Do you hate doing dishes? Start cooking one pot or pan meals to minimize the amount of dishes.

Start off with just trying to cook one new meal every 2 weeks. Stick to that for a few months and re-evaluate your stance on cooking. You might find that you now enjoy it!

Organize Your Life

As a young adult, it is on you to stay on top of things. Organize your life so that you can properly manage yourself and practice healthy habits that promote your physical and mental health. You want to live a proactive life, not a reactive one. So, use a calendar and figure out an organization method that works best for you. If interested, I have an article linked below that dives more into how to organize your life as an adult.

Read More: How To Organize Your Life As A New Adult

Embrace Accountability

Realize that you have the power to write your own story. As a young adult, if life is not going the way you planned, take a step back, re-evaluate, and make a change. We have time on our side. Be proactive. Additionally, this means owning up to your mistakes and strive to establish good habits.

Recognize where you have fallen short, acknowledge them, and work to achieve your best self. Take this next decade to embrace accountability and you will put yourself in a better position to make your life what you want it to be.

Keep A Clean Living Space

A cluttered space often creates a cluttered mind. Your things need to have a home. Establish a home for your items and then make an effort to keep those items in their designated areas. Personally, I enjoy coming home to a nice clean space. It really helps me relax after a long day of dealing with a lot of people

Ask For Help

No one has all the answers. Ask for help when you need it. Recognize that help comes in different forms as well. Go to a therapist, family member, life coach, or whomever you need to and get the assistance that you need.

There is no need to go at it alone when there are people who can help you. Just be wary of asking for help before you attempt to do the work yourself.

Remember you should be leading your life.

How to Delegate

Just how you should know how to ask for help, you should know how to delegate as well. Delegating tasks can be immensely helpful when we have too much to handle ourselves. This will especially become evident in the workplace.

How to Say “No”

It’s important to develop your boundaries and understand your limits. It is okay and often necessary to say no, especially when being asked to take on more work or stress. Know when to say no, but be aware so as to not stifle your development. 

The first time you say no will likely feel uncomfortable, but it will become easier with practice.

You are capable of more than you think.

How To Prioritize

Knowing how to prioritize is an essential skill to have as an adult. There is so much that goes on in life and you must decide where to spend your time, energy, and money. You have to prioritize and prioritize well. Otherwise, you might see things fall through the cracks that you do not want to lose out on – I’m talking about you 8 hours of sleep.

Make Time For Fun

It’s okay to have fun. Just because you are an adult, it does not mean that you must give up all things enjoyable in life. Build a social circle and go do the things that bring you enjoyment. 

There are plenty of things in life that will try to stress you out and make life feel overwhelming. So, take the wins and create those moments of fun and memories.

Maintain Some Type of Fitness Routine

Your health is important. Nurture your health by sticking to some type of fitness routine. Developing a healthy routine now as a young adult will make it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle once the world comes knocking and life gets busy.

If you don’t know how to come up with a routine there are plenty of free apps that you can download. You don’t even have to go to the gym. There are plenty of at-home workout apps and online sources that you can use.

The most important thing is to just get active and continue to do so on a consistent schedule.

Have Health Insurance

It is paramount that you have some type of medical insurance at all times. Your health plan doesn’t have to offer the most comprehensive coverage and access to a health savings account. However, your health insurance should provide a basic level of coverage for major or unforeseen medical issues.

Plus, start learning about life insurance and see if it is right for you and what insurance company is the best fit for you.

Protect Your Privacy

Another one of the overlooked adulting tips.

Your privacy is important, especially as more and more information goes online.

Do not just give up your privacy rights. Be aware of when, where, and how you give out your personal information. You are an adult now. Having your identity stolen can be difficult to come back from.

Social Media Is Forever

I am sure you have heard the saying “social media is forever” and it is not a joke. What you post and share can be found by those who really want to find it. Be cognizant of what you post and share especially if you want to enter into certain public service roles.

Delayed Gratification

Delayed gratification is such an important thing everyone should know by 18.

It is my favorite of the adulting tips.

Understanding how to resist the pull of immediate rewards in pursuit of more long-term gains is essential.

More so, it is powerful.

Practicing delayed gratification increases your ability to adapt, develop dedication, and progress in all aspects of life. It is a very versatile skill to practice and nurture.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any adulting tips or life lessons to share? Tell us in the comments!

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Best of luck adulting!

And Remember,

Adulting Starts Here

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