When you first start adulting, it can feel like a lot of things are new and unfamiliar. It can be tough to figure out what to do and how to do it all. But there are a few things that everyone eventually learns about adulting, especially those best adulting tips that people might overlook. Here are a few of the best adulting tips you’ll wish you knew sooner:
1. Respect your time and don’t overschedule yourself
As a young person, you may have an overabundance of free time on your hands. You may not yet understand the value of free time, or know that it’s an important part of your life.
Adulting is all about learning to set boundaries for yourself and respect your own time – especially when it comes to other people’s plans that you may be asked to be a part of.
Don’t be afraid to say no, or to set reasonable expectations for yourself. After all, you are the one person who has to live with the consequences of your own decisions!
2. Learn to budget
Budgeting is one of the best adulting tips and one of the most important skills you’ll need as an adult. And it’s important to build this skill up early on to avoid overspending or running out of money later on.
Make a budget for your monthly expenses, and then keep track of what you spend on a daily basis to make sure you stay on track.
Also, try to create a savings account that you can use for things like emergencies or large purchases in the future.
I am a HUGE advocate for YNAB. I talk about why here. They have been with me since undergrad I have every intention of continuing with this budgeting software.
3. Learn to cook
Cooking can be a lot of work, but it’s also one of the necessities of life – particularly if you work long hours or live on your own. Learning how to cook can save you a lot of money on take-out food, and you’ll also develop a great skill that will help you survive on your own in the future.
Plus, there’s nothing better than making a meal from scratch and being able to enjoy a good meal when you’re done!
4. You Owe Your Employer Nothing
Remember that your employer is not your friend. They are not there to help you, they are there to make money off of you. They are not interested in your personal life or problems, they just want you to do your job and make them money.
Keep this in mind when you’re at work, and don’t let yourself get too wrapped up in office politics or other people’s problems.
5. Learn to be assertive
Being assertive is an important skill in adulting, particularly when you’re dealing with people who may try to take advantage of you. If somebody tries to take advantage of you, don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and assert your own needs.
This can be difficult at first, but it’s important to remember that you’re an adult now and you deserve to be treated with respect.
6. Eat healthily
Eating healthy can be difficult when you don’t live on your own and have to prepare meals yourself. But you need to remember that what you eat impacts your overall health and energy levels.
Make sure you eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and choose lean meats whenever you can. Also, make sure to drink plenty of water every day to stay hydrated and avoid dehydration.
7. Taxes are not your friend
Whenever I think about taxes I think about the amazing show Parks and Recreation and the episode where Ron Swanson explains taxes to a little girl by eating her lunch. It is brilliant. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
Anyways, taxes are not your friend. They are confusing and they take away your hard-earned money.
Everybody hates taxes, but no matter how much you hate them you need to know how to minimize them. The more you know about how your taxes work and what deductions you can take, the less you’ll have to give to the government at the end of the year!
8. You Can And Should Use All Your PTO
This is one of the most unrecognized and best adulting tips. Many people only use up their vacation time, leaving some of their paid time off unused at the end of the year. But that’s a huge mistake!
Use your paid time off in whatever way you can to make your life a little easier in those first few months of “adulting.” For example, you could take a day off to do your taxes or reorganize your closets. It doesn’t matter what you do – just use your paid time off!
9. You Can Switch Health Insurance Plans
This may seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of people don’t switch health insurance plans until they absolutely have to.
That’s a mistake!
You can switch health insurance plans yearly, and it will usually save you a lot of money. Sometimes even more often, especially when you have a major life-changing event like a new job or baby.
Compare health insurance plans and find the one that offers the best coverage for you based on where you are in life and what you need in a health plan. Then make sure to pay that premium every month.
10. You Don’t Need Insurance or a Warranty For Everything
A lot of people think that they need insurance for everything. But that’s not true! Insurance is for those high-cost but low-probability events.
In other words, you should only buy insurance if a large unexpected cost is likely and you can’t afford to cover the expense yourself.
That’s why health insurance is so important and that 2-year microwave warranty is a waste of money.
11. Take advantage of Pre-tax opportunities
If your employer offers a 401(k) plan or a Health Savings Account (HSA), you should take advantage of these pre-tax opportunities.
This means that you’ll be able to deduct money from your income before taxes are taken out of it, which will result in more money going into your retirement account or savings account at the end of the year.
It also means that you lose less money to taxes since there is less money now to be taxed.
Hopefully, you think these are some of the best adulting tips you have heard in a while. And if not, well at least you know them now!
Best of luck adulting!
And Remember,
Adulting Starts Here
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