Please use coupons when you can.
When touring places to live in, make sure there’s enough outlets in each room/space (to charge electronics, for the tv, desktop, etc.)
Check your eggs before grabbing them
DO NOT finance your first few phones or cars. Everyone around you will, but do not bite the fruit. Ownership is the best flex.
Learn how to preserve your produce
Invest in a deep freezer, if you can
Have a (living) will in place. You will attend the funeral of your friends and families who did not have their affairs in order prior to their passing. Do not be one of them.
Check Family Dollar/ Dollar General before spending at your local supermarkets. Most likely whatever you’re looking for is there & cheaper (even a few cents)
You never need matches until you need matches. Have a stash of matches.
Learn how to change a tire and start a fire
It is very easy to fall behind on your physical exams as an adult. Do not slack with your dentist appointments or your primary care physician.
It’s most likely “jasmine” rice you’re looking for, if you’re looking for the rice that you likely grew up eating. Not regular white rice (I’ve made this mistake)
Don’t be annoying, but learn how to negotiate. Even your apartment rent can be negotiated (not so much corporate companies). Closed mouths don’t get fed
Our favorites turn out to be assholes, sometimes. Or they go out of business. You never want to be stuck having to try someone completely new, therefore have a rotation of go-to spots (hair, nails, coffee, etc.)
Do not hesitate to utilize free resources in your neighborhood. This can be food drives, legal aid (I needed this when I had landlord issues!) or pet services like vaccines! Always try to save money when you can
The first two things you need before you turn 19 are a safety deposit box and a P.O. Box.
Find time for your faith and/or cultural traditions
Unless you have to, do not stop at big chain supermarkets (ALDIs, Whole Foods, Key Foods, etc.). Try to get your fruit from street vendors (if your city has something like that) and your meat from the butcher/meat market.
Do not bother buying IKEA furniture unless it’s something you plan on using for at least the next ten years (like a mirror, something you can put in a guest bedroom eventually) Go to estate sales and invest in high quality furniture that’ll last you years.
Have a habit of donating your clothes. Keeping your closet clean and easy to get dressed in is very important as an adult.
Learn your rights. As a US citizen. As a worker. As a tenant. Your ignorance can always be used against you
Feel free to add your own. Each one, teach one.
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