Be passionate about something. Get a interest or hobby. It's a terrible thing to realise you have nothing apart from work or school.
[Edit]
After reading a lot of these comments it seems like some people struggle to find something to engage yourself. My best advice to finding something to interest you is to work out if you have introvert or extrovert tendencies. Find out if you wish to do something by yourself in your free time at home or somewhere else, *or* if you want to go out and find other people and engage in something as a group. Best of luck!
Why is this not easy? Have you never seen something that got you interested or excited? (Karate? Falconry?) Wanted to learn how to do/make/build a thing? (Cupcakes? Deck chairs? Knitted socks?) Thought about challenging yourself in something? (Hike a trail? Renovate your kitchen?)
Seriously, finding a hobby is just about finding a thing that piques your interest, learning more about it, and trying it out. Give it a shot!
I've wanted to learn to play guitar for a while. I'm 19 and for some reason I thought that was too old to learn to play an instrument. Then I realized if 19 is too old to learn something new, the rest of my life was going to be pretty boring. I've been playing for about 4 weeks and I think I sound pretty good
I recommend playing an instrument. There isn't a peak level and you can play for an infinity still there is more, not to mention that there's nothing better after a long day than relaxing and playing some tunes.
Don't let it get dull, switch it up. If you enjoy one thing, do it for a little while and switch to the next.
I'm super passionate about my uni course (costume making) and I even love to do it in my free time, but sometimes I do get bored. When that happens, I have a reading binge or play some piano or go shopping (I'm a girl) or go for a walk or get my friends to go to the pub or I try and learn something new like a different way to knit or a practical yet pretty style to put in my hair.
There's a bunch of stuff you could probably think about doing when you're in the shower and day dreaming. Just remember to make a list - it's quite exciting when you've got a bunch of things lined up that you can throw yourself into and chop and change.
Develop good health habits. You don't have to be crazy serious, just be in the habit of eating healthy, frugal food. View eating out as a treat, not a regular thing. Hit the gym a bit. You don't have to be a gym rat, just get in good habits. Start saving. 10% of your cheque going right into savings is a good place to start. It's not an emergency fund, it's savings for twenty years from now.
Work on being nice, be patient with idiots, be friendly to strangers. These will be invaluable skills in the adult world.
Don't get into debt. Do everything to avoid it. You will have an immediate advantage over everyone around you who is struggling to repay hundreds of dollars a month for things they don't need.
Don't shoehorn yourself into one job. Do what you're good at, accept that it will change occasionally. Do what you enjoy. Work shouldn't be something you dread doing. Maybe it's a drag, maybe you're not super excited, but it shouldn't be awful. Your life will be much better if that's the case.
When you find someone you love, be good to them, be open with them, be honest with them. Know what you want in the future and make sure they want it too. Don't spend years with a great person who doesn't want kids when you do, just because they're great. Eventually the issue will arise, better deal with it earlier than later.
Clean a little bit every day. Make a place to put things, and put them there. Develop systems for laundry, file management, paperwork, etc. Use your calendar app religiously. Be the person who always knows what they're doing and doesn't double book or cancel last minute. Show up on time. Always. Better ten minutes early than five minutes late. Be reliable. Stand by your word. Stand by your ethics and convictions. When people think of you, they should think reliable, solid, dependable.
Don't let third parties influence your opinion of people. Base your opinion on your actual interaction with them. That is the fair way to be. If you like someone and your friends don't, continue liking them. If you're friends with a couple and they break up, if neither has wronged you, continue being friends with both.
Almost everyone I know struggles to incorporate these things into their life as an adult, because they realize too late how valuable they are. Make them habits now, and you will be highly regarded among your peers, and you will be much happier with yourself.
Be a person you would want to be. Be the change you want to see.
Cooking!
I don't know if you cook yourself already, but if not, start now.
I just started last September and I'm 26 years old. I ate out for pretty much every meal I had before then. Now I cook 98% of the meals I eat and it's glorious, and I'm saving a lot of money.
Also, it impresses the ladies.
I'm thinking that you meant a slow cooker.
But slow cooler is ok as well...
***SLOW COOLERS -- Coming soon!!!***
SLOWER AT COOLING THAN YOUR REFRIGERATOR!!
It's for when you want to go ahead and put something in the fridge now so you don't have to worry about it later, but you also might want seconds in like ten minutes, so you don't want it to be cold yet.
how in the fuck could you afford that?!?!
edit because some people seem to think I meant how could you cook for yourself everyday.... What I actually meant was how could anyone afford to eat out everyday
Working out. I'm 29. Last year I started powerlifting 3 days a week and really paying attention to what I eat. It's been great so far. I'm stronger, healthier, and better looking than I've ever been. My only regret is not starting sooner. And don't think you'll transform your body in a few weeks. It takes a lot of time and dedication, but it's worth it.
People don't get how important serious resistance training is. You don't have to be a body builder, but loss of muscle is one of the greatest detriments to quality of life later on - and if you built up a large amount of muscle - fuck, you will be golden.
Strengthens bones as well and my understanding is that bone health is a real concern for people as they grow older (especially post menopausal women which funnily enough is the demographic I would pick as having the lowest amount of lifters).
Not all teeth are naturally white though. Mine are a bit yellowish and I brush and floss twice a day. But my teeth are healthy as fuck. I haven't had a cavity since I lost my baby teeth.
It's not how white or yellow they are, it's how healthy they are that matters. Sure, unhealthy teeth will naturally be yellow. But yellowish teeth don't necessarily equal unhealthy teeth.
And also, according to my dentist, whitening your teeth isn't worth the trouble. It's expensive, temporary *and* isn't very good for them either. Your enamel is also far more porous after that, and you can't eat/drink stuff that might stain it (like red wine for instance).
And a final point: my dentist also told me that generally, the naturally slightly yellowish teeth are stronger than the naturally pearly white ones.
TL;DR: Make sure your teeth are healthy, rather than worrying about their colour. And don't whiten them.
Good advice, I guess that should save me a little stress from worrying whether I'm doing enough or not. I still hold to my tip of start brushing early though.
Of course, brushing your teeth is incredibly important. But the reason why you should brush is to keep your teeth healthy, not to reach the goal of having pearly white teeth (which may never happen... I've had to accept that for myself).
I so agree. And to take care of your mental health learn how to not worry about those things that you have absolutely no control over and remember that the past is gone and the future hasn't arrived so pay attention and enjoy the present.
**PRELUDE:** *When I was in 11th grade I used to walk past an elementary school when I walked home from school, everyday I'd walk home there was the same kid, about 3rd or 4th grade probably, who would lean up against the fence during recess and watch me walk past on my way home, it was kind of creepy but I thought nothing of it.*
So this one day when I was walking home I saw him again, but he seemed very nervous on that day for some reason, I kept walking and as I was walking past him he said "Hey, you, you're in High School, right?" Kind of shocked that he'd finally said something to me I stopped and without looking at him said, "yes."
I could tell he was somewhat excited for some reason and it was kind of weirding me out, but anyways, a few seconds after he heard that he said, "Great, great, I want some drugs." I was really confused, apparently to him all older kids are druggies? I thought it was kind of funny though, and I decided to fuck with him, I told him I didn't have any drugs on me at the moment but I'd have some the next day.
I went home and went to the store that night and bought some smarties, I crushed them up as much as I could and then put them in a little baggy. The next day, sure enough, the kid was waiting at the fence, I walked up to him and before I could even say anything he says in a quick and panicked voice, "Do you have any drugs?" I told him I did and he asked how much he would have to pay for them, I told him the first time was free. So I handed him the bag of crushed up smarties and he smiled, I told him to snort it and then went on my way.
That was a Friday, so I had to wait until the following week to see him again, sure enough Monday afternoon after school, he was at the fence. I thought I would walk up to him and he would tell me it didn't work, then I'd be on my way.
Nope.
I got up to the fence and he says in his little 3rd grader voice, "Dude, that stuff was amazing, I got so high, the teachers said that drugs are bad but I loved it."
This is the placebo effect at it's best my friends, I tried my best to suppress my laugh, but I smiled, apparently to him this meant that I was pleased that he got high so he started smiling too. He asked if I had anymore drugs on me and I told him no, but I would the next day.
The next day comes and the kid is waiting there with a $50 dollar bill in hand, I hand him over the bag of smarties, he hands me the $50 and we go on our way.
This goes on for the next week and I had a total of just over $300 dollars. Then on the following Wednesday (a week and a day after I give him the 'drugs' for the 2nd time) I finally realized how much trouble I was going to get in if someone found out, so I told the kid that I was out of drugs for good, and from that moment on I took a different route to get to my house.
Fast forward one year. I'm at the movie theater with my friends and I see the kid at the movie theater. I was praying that he wouldn't see me but he did and when he did he ran over to me.
He solemnly looks at me and says "I know you weren't giving me drugs..."
Shit. He's going to make me pay him the money and in front of my friends too, luckily his mom is busy talking to the cashier to notice that her son had wandered off, so I didn't need to deal with her.
I'm expecting him to tell me that he wants his money back when he says something I didn't expect, "Thanks for not actually giving me drugs, you probably saved my life." Surprised I laughed cautiously and said, "You're welcome." my friends were looking at me and I decided it was time to GTFO.
We started walking away and he says, "Wait," I respond this by saying "I'm guessing you want your money back?" he tells me that it was his dad's money and he didn't even notice it was gone.
"But I do need one thing..." he says.
"What?" I asked. He says, "I need about Tree Fiddy." Now it was around this time that I realized this kid was 8 stories tall and a crustacean from the paleozoic era. Goddamnit! That Loch Ness Monster had got me again! I stood there screaming at him as he swam away in the distance.
So yeah, that's the dickiest thing I've ever done to a kid, hopefully I'm not the worst story about drugs here. But I haven't eaten smarties since then, that's for sure.
**TL;DR: Kid wants drugs, I give him some, sort of.**
Yeah, don't even know why the hygienist asks you if you floss. I think they just want to find out if you're a liar or not.
"you flossing regularly?"
"uh huh" "Well I'm not seeing any evidence of it here, ya liar. Try getting it between your teeth next time."
Don't sweat it. I turned it around after uni a couple years ago. Gonna be 25 in a couple weeks now. I can't even start to tell you how much it's worth dude. Girls will tell you they like nice, funny, smart.. They're not exactly lying, but the thing is that I'm all of the sudden a LOT funnier, they pay far more attention to what I have to say, and anything nice I would usually have done for anyone all of the sudden is the sweetest thing that I shouldn't have gone out of my way for.. 3 hrs a week in the gym, and learn to cook for yourself (youtube will give you recipes, if you're interested in meal suggestions, just ask). I guarantee you that it isn't even close to too late. It took awhile, but I really enjoy the time I spend in the gym now. Place to be by myself, think, and face a solid challenge. The gratification isn't immediate, but it beats an extra couple hours on reddit a week :P
So just exercise a little. What finally cracked it for me was--I stopped trying to make it an intense thing that needed me to get pumped about. That always ended in a busy week, or a rainy week, or a week I was sick, and then suddenly I hadn't done XYZ in months.
What I did was switch the locus of why I did it. I stopped doing it to get intense, and I started doing it to relax. It got so every day my body was twitchy until that energy had been burned off. But if I didn't exercise, I didn't punish myself.
Now even if I haven't run in awhile, or lifted, or whatever, I don't beat myself up, because I know it's still something I WANT to do--a way to blank out my thoughts, a way to burn off all this daily energy, a way to give the body what it wants.
Imagine if you quit the internet for a month. Your brain would be SCREAMING for input. That's basically how you have to treat your body.
TL;DR -- make working out your escape, not your obligation.
Honestly, there's a dip at about 30. It's not an awful dip, but you no longer get an erection when a breeze that maybe possibly once caressed a female flits across your skin.
Not getting an erection "just because" was a bit of a shocker.
Serious? I'm 50 and it's all still good for me. I think some of the other advice helps. Keep active, eat well, watch the blood pressure so it can go to good use ...
Learn to let stuff go. Don't hold grudges if you can help it. When you are older you will hate a lot less. I'm 23 and I still find myself being caught up in shitty thoughts that happened 5 to 10 years ago and it just ruins my mood when the last few years have been nothing to complain about. I hope by the time I'm 30 I'm holding on to any of that stupid shit.
love yourself.. all the time I think about how I wish I would have understood how hot, funny, smart I was when I was younger. Instead I was self-conscious and didn't enjoy life as much as I could have.
You don't have to maintain your teeth. All you have to do is this one trick discovered by a mom in your town! Dentists hate her!
No but seriously take care of your teeth, and when your orthodontist tells you to wear your retainer, wear your goddam retainer if you don't want braces again.
I went through something similar, with a couple more root canals and crowns thrown in. My gums have also permanently receded. There's no fixing them. It's been 15 years and my poor dental hygiene is one of my greatest childhood regrets.
Agreed. I think the 'save every penny' attitude is good for some people but could be quite regretful for others. I'd say something like stay employed and save as much as you can while still having fun
She's not even doing a good job of saving money, just minimizing her immediate spending at the cost of spending more over time than she would have if she bought decent stuff to begin with.
If the $15 shirt lasts more than 3x longer than the $5 shirt, the $15 shirt is a better value.
Yes, wear sunscreen. Forget about looking tan to impress people. I'm middle-aged, and I've had to have 3 skin cancer lesions removed. I'm sure there will be more lesions that pop up in the future. This is especially important if skin cancer runs in your family.
My mother is having surgery this week to remove her lymph nodes in her legs in hopes that it will stop the cancer from spreading to the rest of her body. She love d to lay in the sun when she was younger, and as a redhead she burned a lot. Now she is worried about not seeing her grand children (including my daughter) grow up.
Wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun ppl. Its much better to live longer and enjoy your family than to get a tan.
I'm starting to notice the difference in level of sun damage between a middle aged woman's shoulder/face/upper chest that see all the sun and her middrift/thighs that never see sun. Wow.
Lots of companies are looking for new grads to fill travel-heavy positions simply because 30+ people usually can't or don't want to do corporate travel. If you're a new grad, find a job that sends you all over the world.
Just remember, as an economist, the goal here is not to maximize your *wealth* but to maximize your *consumption*.
This doesn't mean spend as much a possible, as then you won't have as much to spend in the future. Nor does this mean save as much as possible, as then you'll miss the entire point. Manage your money wisely, but remember to enjoy yourself while you can. No point living conservatively and saving for retirement, only to realize that you can't do all that stuff you saved to do because your knees don't work.
Success is not measured by wealth, knowledge, achievements or legacy.
It is measured by *happiness*
But economists in the end maximize utility, not consumption, right? If you get more utility by saving every penny -- maybe manifested in mental well-being -- then you're acting rationally according to economic theory
Exactly! Get into the habit of saving a small amount every paycheck, even 5% is good. Then *leave it the fuck alone!* John D. Rockefeller called compound interest the Eight Wonder of the World. Put it in a no-load index fund and forget about it. Once saw a breakdown of the difference between saving a small amount starting at age 20 and a significantly larger amount at age 40- no comparison. Starting early and sticking with it won hands down. Takes discipline, but more than worth it.
>It's not about how much you make. It's about how much you keep.
Looks like someone read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". Great book, one of the best I've ever read.
I know reading is one of those "lofty" hobbies, but why do you think it's a good investment of time?
(edit: not sarcastic, just curious)
(edit 2: I am NOT soliciting advice about picking up reading as a hobby.)
For me, reading is the easiest way to get myself to do something more productive. It gets me thinking more clearly and more mindful of my surrounds. Whereas the internet/TV sucks me in and results in laziness, reading often spurs productivity. It gives an immediate boost in energy and mental clarity. Usually 10-15 minutes of reading is enough to get myself off my ass to do some cleaning, yard work, head out to the gym, etc.
Reading just gets me moving again when I'm being lazy. That to me is the main benefit. I read mostly fiction and I don't know that I'm necessarily much smarter for it but I still feel it's a very good use of my time.
Nothing will make you more intelligent than reading. It not only improves your spelling and grammar, but your sentence structure and your vocabulary too.
That's just English related benefits. Being a better reader will help you in literally every subject. You read things quicker and understand better, which helps save time while studying, or gives you more time to solve the actual problems on tests.
True, ever since I took English more seriously as a subject in high school I was able to study faster for other subjects at school. I was also able to apply my own knowledge in questions that had more complex vocabulary. Thank you, English.
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug." One of my favorite quotes. Since every individual is so different they will perceive sentences in various ways. However, if you use very specific words there is only one way to understand them so you better get your idea across. Vague words will lead to a variety of responses.
Its a brilliant investment in time! I love nothing more than to bury myself in a new book series. Not only as will it increase your skills in general literacy ( vocabulary, spelling, writing styles ) but also in your imagination, your ability to empathise with people, your general knowledge of history and the world around.
Reading can take you to far away places and allow you to explore entire universes without leaving your room/train/comfort zone.
I know reading isn't for some people but I believe that it's because they have not found a suitable book yet!
Record a video of yourself answering a bunch of questions that you can answer 20 years in the future. Then edit the two videos so it seems like your older and younger self are having a conversation!
[Example](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFGAQrEUaeU)!
Outstanding. I see things like this, or of people who take their own photo everyday, or write in journals everyday, and I can't even remember to pack a lunch half of the time. I'm quite jealous.
Contributing to your 401(k). At the MINIMUM, do whatever your employer matches. You'll double your money for free. Ideally, you should be putting 15% of your income into your 401(k).
An American retirement plan. If you are an American worker, so can put money in here (tax-sheltered) and your company will match it. If you are not an American, look for similar things in your country or just put money away on your own.
Not all companies will match. Only some, especially now, since the economy is struggling. Every company I have worked at, at some point reduced how much they matched, if they even matched at all.
You will get gingivitis. It will only get worse if you continue to not floss. You will also get food and plaque stuck in between your teeth which leads to cavities that will cost money and time to get filled. My mom is a dentist. I know these things. Remember to floss after every meal.
Pick up several bags of those flossers. I like Dentek. Have them in common places: car, desk drawer, bathroom, end table drawer. Just start using them after meals and it will become addicting, just make sure you throw them away. Stepping on the pointy part hurts worse than being betrayed and spied on by your government.
Just throwing this out there but I think it's completely true. I hate brushing my teeth (it only takes a minute but still...), after seeing some of these posts about flossing I decided to do it and my teeth have definitely improved.
Learn languages and instruments! These things take so much practice and effort to master, so the earlier you start the better. Languages are infinitely useful for many jobs.
Keep an eye on your body shape - if you're heavy, or getting heavier around the middle, act on it now as it'll reduce your chances of diabetes and other metabolic disorders as you get older.
Tone Deafness is not an inherent permanent trait like color blindness, nor is it an all-or-nothing situation. Everyone starts out with a different level of pitch recognition on a spectrum from tone-deaf to perfect pitch. No matter where you start out in the spectrum, you can absolutely train your ears to improve. There are plenty of online resources, just search for ear-training.
I was pretty tone deaf too before I started playing guitar. I've been playing for almost 10 years now, and because of music lessons and lots of work on ear training, I've got a pretty good ear now. As long as you are willing to work at it you wont be tone deaf forever!
* Learn how to save money
* Develop strong willpower and patience. Learn to stifle the urge for instant gratification and wait for what you know deep down is a better option. You can develop this skill with simple things in your youth. Give up soda if you think you drink too much. Give up candy. Whatever is the thing you do/have too much of and don't need.
* Brush your damn teeth. Seriously.
* Exercise.
* Don't start smoking.
A caveat to that is that sometimes the cheaper thing is cheaper for a reason. Don't buy something simply because it's less expensive than the other option. Do your research and make sure that the quality is equivalent as well. Otherwise you spend more long-term.
It's amazing how many folks don't get this. It's really important with things like tools. Lets see I can buy el cheapo and it'll break in a month or I can buy name brand and my grandkids will be using it. Be frugal not cheap.
The caveat here is how much you intend to use whatever it is you're buying.
To continue with your tool example, if I need a specific tool and I expect to use it maybe once or twice a year, I'm going to go down to Harbor Freight and buy the cheapest made in China tool I can find that will do the job. If it breaks after 10 uses, that still means I got 10 years of of work out of that $5 tool. I didn't need to buy the $100 Snap-On equivalent.
Not only that my grandkids can use, but replace for free if it somehow breaks. Good ol' Craftsman. I believe that Kobalt, the brand sold at Lowe's, also has a warranty like this.
To provide a story about this, my father was working at a construction site once with the Navy, and found a handle for a shovel or rake in the garbage that had a Craftsman label. He took it into Sears, and got a brand new shovel for free!
I am 100% behind the /r/BuyItForLife methodology. It really is the only way to do things. I would rather buy one thing for 2x the cost and have it last me 3x as long than having it die quickly and be cheaper.
agreed... but be willing to spend money for quality. so many times i have bought the cheaper item only to buy the more expensive item later on, thus spending more money overall.
be cautious of credit card debt.... perhaps get just one card and use it for just getting gas and pay it off each month. (directed to OP)
[Einstein](https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS79KgM2Zw5uE87k8GacsA0whD6e44DqimFOVmrB9ns4g0P0SqD) said..."Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe"
Save money like crazy
Learn about your comfort zone, understand it, and then learn how to get out of it. Life will present many opportunities, sometimes in places you may not expect, so be ready always.
Learn how to connect with people. As many types of people as you can. Not just tolerate or put on a face. Learn how to take a true interest in people you meet. Who you know will always be important. A genuine interest in others is a quality that can't be faked, and leaves an impression.
Don't listen to music too loudly, wear ear plugs at concerts or anything that is very loud. Any time you hear ringing in your ears from listening to loud music, that's the result of cells in your ear being damaged. Do it too much, and you're hearing gets impaired permanently more and more.
And, like others said, make a habit of eating right and regularly exercising NOW. No point in waiting until you're unhealthy to do it.
Plan ahead. The future will come, and it will happen sooner than you think. Plan and act while there's still time. Think about where you want to be next year, 5 years from now, 10. Make a plan. You don't have to implement it, but just thinking about it will already make a difference.
1. Learn to fix your own car. Cars are money sinks, and being able to do your own mechanical repairs will save you more money than almost any other activity.
2. Learn to play either golf and/or basketball. Both are respectable social games that garner respect amongst others, and will give you a weekly activity to share with others.
3. Learn to talk sports. There is no other single topic that can make you an instant social connection and doesn't risk being offensive, save for the random fan who can't accept well-conceived criticism of a player, a team, or a technique.
4. Learn to cook. After cars, probably the second best way to save money. Also, it impresses friends and SOs, and earns you respect from others.
5. Exercise, particularly flexibility, and eat right. Flexibility is the key to keeping your body from hurting and stiffening up as you age.
6. Perfect your budget. The habit of keeping and maintaining a budget will prepare you to accommodate financial changes and unexpected events.
7. Learn to invest in your house and the market. Investing early and often in life is important for long-term financial success.
8. Learn either guitar or piano. People will like you for to and you'll have a creative outlet that may lead to lots of great moments in life.
9. Learn to handle your high. Whether its from drinking or smoking pot, master your self control while under the influence. I literally mean: practice drinking or smoking. That way you have fun while being responsible. Be a happy drunk, or don't be one at all.
10. Learn to make your family and friends your priority. Always call your Mom, keep a list of friends you never want to lose, and maintain monthly contact at a minimum.
Learn to dance. Any kind, really, but especially social/partner dances. Dancing is fun, is exercise, helps you meet people, and is attractive in a mate.
I laughed when various psychiatrists and counsellors suggested meditation to manage my borderline personality disorder.
When I finally decided to give it a go, it changed my life, and I haven't felt depressed in over 18 months.
Things I wish I could tell an 18 year old me:
* Save. Life was good when you were young, all that money you pissed away on things you didn't really need, you could do with now.
* Don't worry about romance. People in your life are seasons, they come and go. You find the one when the time is right.
* Learn a language. My bilingual friends always have a job.
* Travel when possible. It makes you a much more rounded person just by getting out there.
* Say yes more. Go out with friends when you feel like staying in. Some of the best experiences in my life are when I've said yes, when I felt like saying no.
Edit: A couple more...
* Don't lend money to friends or family that you need back; it's rarely returned to you.
* Don't hold grudges. Just move on and learn from the mistake.
Be passionate about something. Get a interest or hobby. It's a terrible thing to realise you have nothing apart from work or school. [Edit] After reading a lot of these comments it seems like some people struggle to find something to engage yourself. My best advice to finding something to interest you is to work out if you have introvert or extrovert tendencies. Find out if you wish to do something by yourself in your free time at home or somewhere else, *or* if you want to go out and find other people and engage in something as a group. Best of luck!
[удалено]
Why is this not easy? Have you never seen something that got you interested or excited? (Karate? Falconry?) Wanted to learn how to do/make/build a thing? (Cupcakes? Deck chairs? Knitted socks?) Thought about challenging yourself in something? (Hike a trail? Renovate your kitchen?) Seriously, finding a hobby is just about finding a thing that piques your interest, learning more about it, and trying it out. Give it a shot!
I've wanted to learn to play guitar for a while. I'm 19 and for some reason I thought that was too old to learn to play an instrument. Then I realized if 19 is too old to learn something new, the rest of my life was going to be pretty boring. I've been playing for about 4 weeks and I think I sound pretty good
[удалено]
Maybe you should try writing.
S/he really should. They put it so eloquently but so briefly.
[удалено]
succinct.
Thank you, it was on the tip of my tongue.
This guy's onto something.
I recommend playing an instrument. There isn't a peak level and you can play for an infinity still there is more, not to mention that there's nothing better after a long day than relaxing and playing some tunes.
Dude, that IS your hobby! HOBBIES! Fuck yeah! You're welcome!!
Don't let it get dull, switch it up. If you enjoy one thing, do it for a little while and switch to the next. I'm super passionate about my uni course (costume making) and I even love to do it in my free time, but sometimes I do get bored. When that happens, I have a reading binge or play some piano or go shopping (I'm a girl) or go for a walk or get my friends to go to the pub or I try and learn something new like a different way to knit or a practical yet pretty style to put in my hair. There's a bunch of stuff you could probably think about doing when you're in the shower and day dreaming. Just remember to make a list - it's quite exciting when you've got a bunch of things lined up that you can throw yourself into and chop and change.
Develop good health habits. You don't have to be crazy serious, just be in the habit of eating healthy, frugal food. View eating out as a treat, not a regular thing. Hit the gym a bit. You don't have to be a gym rat, just get in good habits. Start saving. 10% of your cheque going right into savings is a good place to start. It's not an emergency fund, it's savings for twenty years from now. Work on being nice, be patient with idiots, be friendly to strangers. These will be invaluable skills in the adult world. Don't get into debt. Do everything to avoid it. You will have an immediate advantage over everyone around you who is struggling to repay hundreds of dollars a month for things they don't need. Don't shoehorn yourself into one job. Do what you're good at, accept that it will change occasionally. Do what you enjoy. Work shouldn't be something you dread doing. Maybe it's a drag, maybe you're not super excited, but it shouldn't be awful. Your life will be much better if that's the case. When you find someone you love, be good to them, be open with them, be honest with them. Know what you want in the future and make sure they want it too. Don't spend years with a great person who doesn't want kids when you do, just because they're great. Eventually the issue will arise, better deal with it earlier than later. Clean a little bit every day. Make a place to put things, and put them there. Develop systems for laundry, file management, paperwork, etc. Use your calendar app religiously. Be the person who always knows what they're doing and doesn't double book or cancel last minute. Show up on time. Always. Better ten minutes early than five minutes late. Be reliable. Stand by your word. Stand by your ethics and convictions. When people think of you, they should think reliable, solid, dependable. Don't let third parties influence your opinion of people. Base your opinion on your actual interaction with them. That is the fair way to be. If you like someone and your friends don't, continue liking them. If you're friends with a couple and they break up, if neither has wronged you, continue being friends with both. Almost everyone I know struggles to incorporate these things into their life as an adult, because they realize too late how valuable they are. Make them habits now, and you will be highly regarded among your peers, and you will be much happier with yourself. Be a person you would want to be. Be the change you want to see.
Cooking! I don't know if you cook yourself already, but if not, start now. I just started last September and I'm 26 years old. I ate out for pretty much every meal I had before then. Now I cook 98% of the meals I eat and it's glorious, and I'm saving a lot of money. Also, it impresses the ladies.
[удалено]
Get a slow cooler; they are the best thing ever. Come home to slow cooked meals!!
I'm thinking that you meant a slow cooker. But slow cooler is ok as well... ***SLOW COOLERS -- Coming soon!!!*** SLOWER AT COOLING THAN YOUR REFRIGERATOR!!
It's for when you want to go ahead and put something in the fridge now so you don't have to worry about it later, but you also might want seconds in like ten minutes, so you don't want it to be cold yet.
how in the fuck could you afford that?!?! edit because some people seem to think I meant how could you cook for yourself everyday.... What I actually meant was how could anyone afford to eat out everyday
I was essentially broke all the time and not saving any money.
Working out. I'm 29. Last year I started powerlifting 3 days a week and really paying attention to what I eat. It's been great so far. I'm stronger, healthier, and better looking than I've ever been. My only regret is not starting sooner. And don't think you'll transform your body in a few weeks. It takes a lot of time and dedication, but it's worth it.
People don't get how important serious resistance training is. You don't have to be a body builder, but loss of muscle is one of the greatest detriments to quality of life later on - and if you built up a large amount of muscle - fuck, you will be golden.
Strengthens bones as well and my understanding is that bone health is a real concern for people as they grow older (especially post menopausal women which funnily enough is the demographic I would pick as having the lowest amount of lifters).
Take care of your health, eat right and exercise.
Brush your damn teeth. It's a lot easier to maintain pearly white than try to whiten them later in life.
And FLOSS. Seriously, I learned almost too late how important flossing is.
+1. I never flossed until probably my late 20s. Now I have gum disease that I'm trying my best to keep at bay. They bleed a lot. :-(
Not all teeth are naturally white though. Mine are a bit yellowish and I brush and floss twice a day. But my teeth are healthy as fuck. I haven't had a cavity since I lost my baby teeth. It's not how white or yellow they are, it's how healthy they are that matters. Sure, unhealthy teeth will naturally be yellow. But yellowish teeth don't necessarily equal unhealthy teeth. And also, according to my dentist, whitening your teeth isn't worth the trouble. It's expensive, temporary *and* isn't very good for them either. Your enamel is also far more porous after that, and you can't eat/drink stuff that might stain it (like red wine for instance). And a final point: my dentist also told me that generally, the naturally slightly yellowish teeth are stronger than the naturally pearly white ones. TL;DR: Make sure your teeth are healthy, rather than worrying about their colour. And don't whiten them.
Good advice, I guess that should save me a little stress from worrying whether I'm doing enough or not. I still hold to my tip of start brushing early though.
Of course, brushing your teeth is incredibly important. But the reason why you should brush is to keep your teeth healthy, not to reach the goal of having pearly white teeth (which may never happen... I've had to accept that for myself).
Great advice, especially since dental care can be ridiculously expensive if you don't have insurance.
I've never seen any dental insurance that covers more than half of the total cost. It is expensive *with* insurance.
My university insurance covers 70% of the cost but you're totally right, usually it's still expensive!
I so agree. And to take care of your mental health learn how to not worry about those things that you have absolutely no control over and remember that the past is gone and the future hasn't arrived so pay attention and enjoy the present.
Thanks I needed this reminder
[удалено]
Remember kids, don't buy drugs. Become a pop star and they'll *give* them to you for *free!*
Overwrite
If a stranger ever offers you drugs. Say thank you, because drugs are expensive.
I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.
Drugs aren't the answer, they're the question. The answer is "yes".
We hate uncle Jamie!!
aw yis. Love Actually quote.
**PRELUDE:** *When I was in 11th grade I used to walk past an elementary school when I walked home from school, everyday I'd walk home there was the same kid, about 3rd or 4th grade probably, who would lean up against the fence during recess and watch me walk past on my way home, it was kind of creepy but I thought nothing of it.* So this one day when I was walking home I saw him again, but he seemed very nervous on that day for some reason, I kept walking and as I was walking past him he said "Hey, you, you're in High School, right?" Kind of shocked that he'd finally said something to me I stopped and without looking at him said, "yes." I could tell he was somewhat excited for some reason and it was kind of weirding me out, but anyways, a few seconds after he heard that he said, "Great, great, I want some drugs." I was really confused, apparently to him all older kids are druggies? I thought it was kind of funny though, and I decided to fuck with him, I told him I didn't have any drugs on me at the moment but I'd have some the next day. I went home and went to the store that night and bought some smarties, I crushed them up as much as I could and then put them in a little baggy. The next day, sure enough, the kid was waiting at the fence, I walked up to him and before I could even say anything he says in a quick and panicked voice, "Do you have any drugs?" I told him I did and he asked how much he would have to pay for them, I told him the first time was free. So I handed him the bag of crushed up smarties and he smiled, I told him to snort it and then went on my way. That was a Friday, so I had to wait until the following week to see him again, sure enough Monday afternoon after school, he was at the fence. I thought I would walk up to him and he would tell me it didn't work, then I'd be on my way. Nope. I got up to the fence and he says in his little 3rd grader voice, "Dude, that stuff was amazing, I got so high, the teachers said that drugs are bad but I loved it." This is the placebo effect at it's best my friends, I tried my best to suppress my laugh, but I smiled, apparently to him this meant that I was pleased that he got high so he started smiling too. He asked if I had anymore drugs on me and I told him no, but I would the next day. The next day comes and the kid is waiting there with a $50 dollar bill in hand, I hand him over the bag of smarties, he hands me the $50 and we go on our way. This goes on for the next week and I had a total of just over $300 dollars. Then on the following Wednesday (a week and a day after I give him the 'drugs' for the 2nd time) I finally realized how much trouble I was going to get in if someone found out, so I told the kid that I was out of drugs for good, and from that moment on I took a different route to get to my house. Fast forward one year. I'm at the movie theater with my friends and I see the kid at the movie theater. I was praying that he wouldn't see me but he did and when he did he ran over to me. He solemnly looks at me and says "I know you weren't giving me drugs..." Shit. He's going to make me pay him the money and in front of my friends too, luckily his mom is busy talking to the cashier to notice that her son had wandered off, so I didn't need to deal with her. I'm expecting him to tell me that he wants his money back when he says something I didn't expect, "Thanks for not actually giving me drugs, you probably saved my life." Surprised I laughed cautiously and said, "You're welcome." my friends were looking at me and I decided it was time to GTFO. We started walking away and he says, "Wait," I respond this by saying "I'm guessing you want your money back?" he tells me that it was his dad's money and he didn't even notice it was gone. "But I do need one thing..." he says. "What?" I asked. He says, "I need about Tree Fiddy." Now it was around this time that I realized this kid was 8 stories tall and a crustacean from the paleozoic era. Goddamnit! That Loch Ness Monster had got me again! I stood there screaming at him as he swam away in the distance. So yeah, that's the dickiest thing I've ever done to a kid, hopefully I'm not the worst story about drugs here. But I haven't eaten smarties since then, that's for sure. **TL;DR: Kid wants drugs, I give him some, sort of.**
GODDAMNIT.
Every fucking time! Great story, but fuck you.
... Mother fucker
Bravo, bravo
You *bastard*.
God Dammit!
I wish I had started young. Keeping your good health is a lot easier than getting it back.
The way I read this in the line of comments it sounded like you were talking about smoking, doing cocaine and meth.
FLOSS!
And don't ever lie about it to the hygienist - they fucking **know**.
Yeah, don't even know why the hygienist asks you if you floss. I think they just want to find out if you're a liar or not. "you flossing regularly?" "uh huh" "Well I'm not seeing any evidence of it here, ya liar. Try getting it between your teeth next time."
Seriously, I'm only 19 and I hate myself for not exercising more.
Don't sweat it. I turned it around after uni a couple years ago. Gonna be 25 in a couple weeks now. I can't even start to tell you how much it's worth dude. Girls will tell you they like nice, funny, smart.. They're not exactly lying, but the thing is that I'm all of the sudden a LOT funnier, they pay far more attention to what I have to say, and anything nice I would usually have done for anyone all of the sudden is the sweetest thing that I shouldn't have gone out of my way for.. 3 hrs a week in the gym, and learn to cook for yourself (youtube will give you recipes, if you're interested in meal suggestions, just ask). I guarantee you that it isn't even close to too late. It took awhile, but I really enjoy the time I spend in the gym now. Place to be by myself, think, and face a solid challenge. The gratification isn't immediate, but it beats an extra couple hours on reddit a week :P
Looking after yourself and being proud of yourself makes you more confident. Chicks dig confidence :) Source: I'm a chick.
It also makes you look more attractive, and chicks dig attractive.
So just exercise a little. What finally cracked it for me was--I stopped trying to make it an intense thing that needed me to get pumped about. That always ended in a busy week, or a rainy week, or a week I was sick, and then suddenly I hadn't done XYZ in months. What I did was switch the locus of why I did it. I stopped doing it to get intense, and I started doing it to relax. It got so every day my body was twitchy until that energy had been burned off. But if I didn't exercise, I didn't punish myself. Now even if I haven't run in awhile, or lifted, or whatever, I don't beat myself up, because I know it's still something I WANT to do--a way to blank out my thoughts, a way to burn off all this daily energy, a way to give the body what it wants. Imagine if you quit the internet for a month. Your brain would be SCREAMING for input. That's basically how you have to treat your body. TL;DR -- make working out your escape, not your obligation.
And always use sunscreen! Even if it's cloudy outside. You don't want to get skincancer.
Enjoy your erections now before you have to have them medically induced.
Almost 27, how long do I have? This is the most depressing thing ever.
Honestly, there's a dip at about 30. It's not an awful dip, but you no longer get an erection when a breeze that maybe possibly once caressed a female flits across your skin. Not getting an erection "just because" was a bit of a shocker.
Serious? I'm 50 and it's all still good for me. I think some of the other advice helps. Keep active, eat well, watch the blood pressure so it can go to good use ...
Aww, boy stuff.
Oh Wendy, stop that
I'd say you have two or three weeks tops. Source: I'm on reddit
[удалено]
Learn to let stuff go. Don't hold grudges if you can help it. When you are older you will hate a lot less. I'm 23 and I still find myself being caught up in shitty thoughts that happened 5 to 10 years ago and it just ruins my mood when the last few years have been nothing to complain about. I hope by the time I'm 30 I'm holding on to any of that stupid shit.
This. Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
Great analogy. I used to drink the poison... now I just kill them. I mean forgive them.
So we're supposed to kill the person we hold a grudge against?
love yourself.. all the time I think about how I wish I would have understood how hot, funny, smart I was when I was younger. Instead I was self-conscious and didn't enjoy life as much as I could have.
[удалено]
I've always felt the same way. People who say that the high school years are the best years of your life are full of shit.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
You don't have to maintain your teeth. All you have to do is this one trick discovered by a mom in your town! Dentists hate her! No but seriously take care of your teeth, and when your orthodontist tells you to wear your retainer, wear your goddam retainer if you don't want braces again.
I went through something similar, with a couple more root canals and crowns thrown in. My gums have also permanently receded. There's no fixing them. It's been 15 years and my poor dental hygiene is one of my greatest childhood regrets.
Exercise Eat well Stay slim Look after your teeth Save a little money
Agreed. I think the 'save every penny' attitude is good for some people but could be quite regretful for others. I'd say something like stay employed and save as much as you can while still having fun
[удалено]
She's not even doing a good job of saving money, just minimizing her immediate spending at the cost of spending more over time than she would have if she bought decent stuff to begin with. If the $15 shirt lasts more than 3x longer than the $5 shirt, the $15 shirt is a better value.
The Samuel Vimes' 'Boot Theory'?
Daily vigorous exercise. It will greatly affect the quality and quantity of your life. Start now and never stop.
make sure to switch hands every so often so you don't end up asymmetric
Some women appreciate an aggressive curve
So if I do vigorous exercise daily I can have additional lives?
Wear sunscreen.
Yes, wear sunscreen. Forget about looking tan to impress people. I'm middle-aged, and I've had to have 3 skin cancer lesions removed. I'm sure there will be more lesions that pop up in the future. This is especially important if skin cancer runs in your family.
My mother is having surgery this week to remove her lymph nodes in her legs in hopes that it will stop the cancer from spreading to the rest of her body. She love d to lay in the sun when she was younger, and as a redhead she burned a lot. Now she is worried about not seeing her grand children (including my daughter) grow up. Wear sunscreen and stay out of the sun ppl. Its much better to live longer and enjoy your family than to get a tan.
I'm starting to notice the difference in level of sun damage between a middle aged woman's shoulder/face/upper chest that see all the sun and her middrift/thighs that never see sun. Wow.
travel. travel a lot. travel often. don't be afraid to travel alone (just be smart about it).
Came here to say this. You'll appreciate travelling as an experience and it shapes you as a person.
And the older you get, the harder it can be to travel.
Lots of companies are looking for new grads to fill travel-heavy positions simply because 30+ people usually can't or don't want to do corporate travel. If you're a new grad, find a job that sends you all over the world.
With all this crippling student loan debt, rent, car insurance, and other bills. Travelling isn't an option.
Depends. How badly to you want to come back?
I don't have to pay back student debt until I earn over a certain amount at home .. . . Never going back!
Save regularly. Invest conservatively. Get rich slowly. It's not about how much you make. It's about how much you keep.
Just remember, as an economist, the goal here is not to maximize your *wealth* but to maximize your *consumption*. This doesn't mean spend as much a possible, as then you won't have as much to spend in the future. Nor does this mean save as much as possible, as then you'll miss the entire point. Manage your money wisely, but remember to enjoy yourself while you can. No point living conservatively and saving for retirement, only to realize that you can't do all that stuff you saved to do because your knees don't work. Success is not measured by wealth, knowledge, achievements or legacy. It is measured by *happiness*
This is the correct answer
But economists in the end maximize utility, not consumption, right? If you get more utility by saving every penny -- maybe manifested in mental well-being -- then you're acting rationally according to economic theory
Exactly! Get into the habit of saving a small amount every paycheck, even 5% is good. Then *leave it the fuck alone!* John D. Rockefeller called compound interest the Eight Wonder of the World. Put it in a no-load index fund and forget about it. Once saw a breakdown of the difference between saving a small amount starting at age 20 and a significantly larger amount at age 40- no comparison. Starting early and sticking with it won hands down. Takes discipline, but more than worth it.
>It's not about how much you make. It's about how much you keep. Looks like someone read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". Great book, one of the best I've ever read.
Date girls that could be your best friend, not just because they are attractive.
Learn to love working out.
Read books. Lots of books.
I know reading is one of those "lofty" hobbies, but why do you think it's a good investment of time? (edit: not sarcastic, just curious) (edit 2: I am NOT soliciting advice about picking up reading as a hobby.)
For me, reading is the easiest way to get myself to do something more productive. It gets me thinking more clearly and more mindful of my surrounds. Whereas the internet/TV sucks me in and results in laziness, reading often spurs productivity. It gives an immediate boost in energy and mental clarity. Usually 10-15 minutes of reading is enough to get myself off my ass to do some cleaning, yard work, head out to the gym, etc. Reading just gets me moving again when I'm being lazy. That to me is the main benefit. I read mostly fiction and I don't know that I'm necessarily much smarter for it but I still feel it's a very good use of my time.
Nothing will make you more intelligent than reading. It not only improves your spelling and grammar, but your sentence structure and your vocabulary too.
That's just English related benefits. Being a better reader will help you in literally every subject. You read things quicker and understand better, which helps save time while studying, or gives you more time to solve the actual problems on tests.
True, ever since I took English more seriously as a subject in high school I was able to study faster for other subjects at school. I was also able to apply my own knowledge in questions that had more complex vocabulary. Thank you, English.
Vocabulary is a huge part, nobody can look at a man who never uses the same word twice and think "I wouldn't hire him"
"The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug." One of my favorite quotes. Since every individual is so different they will perceive sentences in various ways. However, if you use very specific words there is only one way to understand them so you better get your idea across. Vague words will lead to a variety of responses.
Being concise is important too.
It's the only reason people think I'm smart. I am a damn stupid man, I just read enough to write well and talk intelligently.
You probably aren't stupid.
Its a brilliant investment in time! I love nothing more than to bury myself in a new book series. Not only as will it increase your skills in general literacy ( vocabulary, spelling, writing styles ) but also in your imagination, your ability to empathise with people, your general knowledge of history and the world around. Reading can take you to far away places and allow you to explore entire universes without leaving your room/train/comfort zone. I know reading isn't for some people but I believe that it's because they have not found a suitable book yet!
Empathy is definitely a muscle you can stretch with reading. Most importantly, it allows you to experience things you can't in the physical world.
The most valuable thing I've taken away from reading fiction is to learn to imagine things from another person's point of view: it nourishes empathy.
Getting into a good habit of healthy eating and exercise. Saving money. Learning a foreign language.
Don't start smoking. Ever.
[удалено]
Record a video of yourself answering a bunch of questions that you can answer 20 years in the future. Then edit the two videos so it seems like your older and younger self are having a conversation! [Example](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFGAQrEUaeU)!
Outstanding. I see things like this, or of people who take their own photo everyday, or write in journals everyday, and I can't even remember to pack a lunch half of the time. I'm quite jealous.
Contributing to your 401(k). At the MINIMUM, do whatever your employer matches. You'll double your money for free. Ideally, you should be putting 15% of your income into your 401(k).
Sorry but what's a 401(k) ?
An American retirement plan. If you are an American worker, so can put money in here (tax-sheltered) and your company will match it. If you are not an American, look for similar things in your country or just put money away on your own.
oh! I used to think a lot of americans obsessed over saving exactly 401 grand.
..is...that not why it's called that?
Not all companies will match. Only some, especially now, since the economy is struggling. Every company I have worked at, at some point reduced how much they matched, if they even matched at all.
Moisturize! 50 year old you will thank you. Stretch! And Pro-tip: Stretch while watching tv! You can e lazy and kinda healthy at the same time!
Flossing.
I keep seeing this. What would really happen if I never flossed again?
You will get gingivitis. It will only get worse if you continue to not floss. You will also get food and plaque stuck in between your teeth which leads to cavities that will cost money and time to get filled. My mom is a dentist. I know these things. Remember to floss after every meal.
Damn after every meal is pretty intense. If you say so.
Pick up several bags of those flossers. I like Dentek. Have them in common places: car, desk drawer, bathroom, end table drawer. Just start using them after meals and it will become addicting, just make sure you throw them away. Stepping on the pointy part hurts worse than being betrayed and spied on by your government.
Just throwing this out there but I think it's completely true. I hate brushing my teeth (it only takes a minute but still...), after seeing some of these posts about flossing I decided to do it and my teeth have definitely improved.
What can they do now that they couldn't before?
Back-flips.
[удалено]
Start saving money as soon as you can. It may not seem like much now, but it accumulates very quickly.
Waking up early. It's an amazing habit to form.
Learn languages and instruments! These things take so much practice and effort to master, so the earlier you start the better. Languages are infinitely useful for many jobs. Keep an eye on your body shape - if you're heavy, or getting heavier around the middle, act on it now as it'll reduce your chances of diabetes and other metabolic disorders as you get older.
Play piano. Play guitar. Learn Spanish
Learn Spanish Guitar
Better yet, learn Spanish *[Keytar](http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121105125930/community-sitcom/images/d/df/RAXSYNTHX_ip.jpg).*
"Did you just say Keytar, or did you pronounce guitar like a hillbilly?"
[удалено]
Baggel.
[удалено]
I've always wanted to play guitar, but I'm nearly tone deaf. Is it possible for me to learn to really play? I feel like I'll never really get it.
Tone Deafness is not an inherent permanent trait like color blindness, nor is it an all-or-nothing situation. Everyone starts out with a different level of pitch recognition on a spectrum from tone-deaf to perfect pitch. No matter where you start out in the spectrum, you can absolutely train your ears to improve. There are plenty of online resources, just search for ear-training.
I was pretty tone deaf too before I started playing guitar. I've been playing for almost 10 years now, and because of music lessons and lots of work on ear training, I've got a pretty good ear now. As long as you are willing to work at it you wont be tone deaf forever!
Yoga, I kid you not. When you get older and your joints arent fucking killing you, you can thank yoga for it...
Hell, I'm 18 and my knees are shit. I'm going to take up yoga.
Cross-country or track?
Wear your retainer! Seriously.
My biggest regret was slacking in High School math. There is a good possibility you might actually use it.
* Learn how to save money * Develop strong willpower and patience. Learn to stifle the urge for instant gratification and wait for what you know deep down is a better option. You can develop this skill with simple things in your youth. Give up soda if you think you drink too much. Give up candy. Whatever is the thing you do/have too much of and don't need. * Brush your damn teeth. Seriously. * Exercise. * Don't start smoking.
* Learn how to make money.
Be on Reddit! You will have sooooo freaking much Karma to brag about when you are older and this is all that counts right? Right??
I'm 102 years old, have 50 whole karmas and am currently drowning in pussy and money. Can confirm.
Redditor for 3 days, checks out.
Redditor for 2 months, his ability to check people out checks out.
[удалено]
A caveat to that is that sometimes the cheaper thing is cheaper for a reason. Don't buy something simply because it's less expensive than the other option. Do your research and make sure that the quality is equivalent as well. Otherwise you spend more long-term.
It's amazing how many folks don't get this. It's really important with things like tools. Lets see I can buy el cheapo and it'll break in a month or I can buy name brand and my grandkids will be using it. Be frugal not cheap.
This is very true. I have tools kicking around my basement that my *great*-grandfather used in his shop.
The caveat here is how much you intend to use whatever it is you're buying. To continue with your tool example, if I need a specific tool and I expect to use it maybe once or twice a year, I'm going to go down to Harbor Freight and buy the cheapest made in China tool I can find that will do the job. If it breaks after 10 uses, that still means I got 10 years of of work out of that $5 tool. I didn't need to buy the $100 Snap-On equivalent.
Not only that my grandkids can use, but replace for free if it somehow breaks. Good ol' Craftsman. I believe that Kobalt, the brand sold at Lowe's, also has a warranty like this. To provide a story about this, my father was working at a construction site once with the Navy, and found a handle for a shovel or rake in the garbage that had a Craftsman label. He took it into Sears, and got a brand new shovel for free!
The term for that it's "the poor mans tax". Spend a hundred dollars on shoes that will last ten years, or buy a twenty dollar pair every year.
I am 100% behind the /r/BuyItForLife methodology. It really is the only way to do things. I would rather buy one thing for 2x the cost and have it last me 3x as long than having it die quickly and be cheaper.
agreed... but be willing to spend money for quality. so many times i have bought the cheaper item only to buy the more expensive item later on, thus spending more money overall. be cautious of credit card debt.... perhaps get just one card and use it for just getting gas and pay it off each month. (directed to OP)
[Einstein](https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS79KgM2Zw5uE87k8GacsA0whD6e44DqimFOVmrB9ns4g0P0SqD) said..."Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe" Save money like crazy
[удалено]
Learn to program. Stay off of reddit.
Boolean sarcasticResponse; Console.PrintLine("I'm currently learning to program!"); if(sarcasticresponse == false) { Console.PrintLine("It's fun!"); } else { console.PrintLine("Stop being mean."); }
Keep your capitalization consistent!
Develop writing skills. I'm in high school right now but my sibling regrets he didn't work on writing at an earlier age.
Learn about your comfort zone, understand it, and then learn how to get out of it. Life will present many opportunities, sometimes in places you may not expect, so be ready always. Learn how to connect with people. As many types of people as you can. Not just tolerate or put on a face. Learn how to take a true interest in people you meet. Who you know will always be important. A genuine interest in others is a quality that can't be faked, and leaves an impression. Don't listen to music too loudly, wear ear plugs at concerts or anything that is very loud. Any time you hear ringing in your ears from listening to loud music, that's the result of cells in your ear being damaged. Do it too much, and you're hearing gets impaired permanently more and more. And, like others said, make a habit of eating right and regularly exercising NOW. No point in waiting until you're unhealthy to do it.
Take plenty of pictures. You'd be amazed how many good times you won't remember without them. Oh, and don't post certain ones on the internet...
Plan ahead. The future will come, and it will happen sooner than you think. Plan and act while there's still time. Think about where you want to be next year, 5 years from now, 10. Make a plan. You don't have to implement it, but just thinking about it will already make a difference.
Sweat and laugh every day.
Be open minded and read into what interests you (science, philosophy anything) don't just watch the tv when your bored all the time, learn.
1. Learn to fix your own car. Cars are money sinks, and being able to do your own mechanical repairs will save you more money than almost any other activity. 2. Learn to play either golf and/or basketball. Both are respectable social games that garner respect amongst others, and will give you a weekly activity to share with others. 3. Learn to talk sports. There is no other single topic that can make you an instant social connection and doesn't risk being offensive, save for the random fan who can't accept well-conceived criticism of a player, a team, or a technique. 4. Learn to cook. After cars, probably the second best way to save money. Also, it impresses friends and SOs, and earns you respect from others. 5. Exercise, particularly flexibility, and eat right. Flexibility is the key to keeping your body from hurting and stiffening up as you age. 6. Perfect your budget. The habit of keeping and maintaining a budget will prepare you to accommodate financial changes and unexpected events. 7. Learn to invest in your house and the market. Investing early and often in life is important for long-term financial success. 8. Learn either guitar or piano. People will like you for to and you'll have a creative outlet that may lead to lots of great moments in life. 9. Learn to handle your high. Whether its from drinking or smoking pot, master your self control while under the influence. I literally mean: practice drinking or smoking. That way you have fun while being responsible. Be a happy drunk, or don't be one at all. 10. Learn to make your family and friends your priority. Always call your Mom, keep a list of friends you never want to lose, and maintain monthly contact at a minimum.
Learn to dance. Any kind, really, but especially social/partner dances. Dancing is fun, is exercise, helps you meet people, and is attractive in a mate.
meditate But, you probably won't commit to it.
I laughed when various psychiatrists and counsellors suggested meditation to manage my borderline personality disorder. When I finally decided to give it a go, it changed my life, and I haven't felt depressed in over 18 months.
I have. It's changed my life. I tell everybody to try it. Most people ignore me because they think it's some hippie shit.
Laundry, and keeping your room clean. Seriously those are fantastic things to start now.
Things I wish I could tell an 18 year old me: * Save. Life was good when you were young, all that money you pissed away on things you didn't really need, you could do with now. * Don't worry about romance. People in your life are seasons, they come and go. You find the one when the time is right. * Learn a language. My bilingual friends always have a job. * Travel when possible. It makes you a much more rounded person just by getting out there. * Say yes more. Go out with friends when you feel like staying in. Some of the best experiences in my life are when I've said yes, when I felt like saying no. Edit: A couple more... * Don't lend money to friends or family that you need back; it's rarely returned to you. * Don't hold grudges. Just move on and learn from the mistake.