Growing up is not easy. However, if you want others to view and treat you like a respectable adult, you’ll need to master a few skills. The following list can help you start on the right foot.
1. Change a Flat Tire
This is a basic skill that anyone who drives should know how to do, even if you plan to call your roadside assistance company if something goes wrong. It doesn’t take a lot of skill to change a flat. In fact, the most important part is making sure you are somewhere safe to complete the task. Flares or reflective markers can help ensure other drivers see and steer around your disabled vehicle while you make the needed swap.
2. Develop a Personal Budget
Unless you are independently wealthy or plan to live off your parents for the rest of your life, you’ll need to master basic money management skills. How to build a personal budget is paramount to this task. You’ll need to know exactly how much money you make (before and after deductions), what bills are non-negotiable, and what expenses can be whittled down if needed.
When listing expenses, include those you pay for quarterly or annually, such as your personal lines insurance policies. Otherwise, a bill may show up that you are sorely unprepared to pay. That can lead to financial strain.
3. Cook Several Basic Meals
Here is another life skill that is an absolute must. It is estimated that the human body can go about a week without food or water and possibly up to a few months without food. However, those are not going to be fun times. So eliminate the risk of starving to death by learning to cook a few basic meals.
4. Check (and Fix) Your Credit Report
A low credit score can make it harder to do everything you want as an adult. You’ll likely pay higher interest rates for things such as a car loan and mortgage, not to mention any unsecured personal debt you take on. If that weren’t bad enough, you’ll have a harder time qualifying for those things. That’s why it is important to know how to check your credit report for accuracy and fix any errors your find.
5. Hold a Conversation
Effective communication is necessary for things to get done. Unfortunately, an alarmingly high number of people seem incapable of holding a decent conversation. If you are an adult and want to be treated as one, then it’s time to learn how to have an adult conversation with other people. This includes things such as:
- Maintaining eye contact
- Reading body language
- Respecting the views of others (even when you disagree with them)
- Respectfully disagreeing and making your own points
- Using understandable language
6. Read a Credit Card Statement
If you use a credit card, you also get a monthly statement detailing your balance, purchases, and payments. Knowing how to read a statement is still crucial, even if you track spending online throughout the month. Doing so allows you to be aware of mistakes, double charges, and changes to your account that could affect your credit.
In addition to understanding how to read the statement, you will also want to know how to make some basic calculations. Luckily, online tools make this super simple and provide the information you need to make responsible payments.
7. Do Laundry
With very few exceptions, every adult must figure out how to operate a washer and dryer. Start by learning how to sort laundry. Use tags or a guide in your washer to get some basic information. Then, follow the instructions on the detergent you select. Be sure to use he products in machines that call for them. If you want to keep things simple, skip the fabric softener and opt for a set of wool dryer balls instead.
Basic skills, such as doing laundry, holding a conversation, and building a budget, are necessary ones that every adult should be able to do.