7 Home Economics (Adulting) Skill everyone needs

Leave your gender-roles at the door.

Man or woman, sexism or feminism cannot help you if you’re starving and broke. So if you can’t even fry an egg for you or a friend, you have bigger concerns than debating who cooks in the kitchen.

Call these the non-negotiable adulting skills. They actually taught them in schools in a class called ‘Home Economics’ once upon a time. Nowadays you can call it “Adulting 101”.

Since they’ve removed it from the curriculum, the public (and you) have been lesser for it.

Today, I’ll cover the basics.

Because essential life skills and personal independence is not exclusive from saving money. They are the bedrock to help you build wealth.

Here we go!

Adulting Skills needed for a Better Financial Future.

1. Budgeting Basics

You have income and you have expenses. The only way you do not have a budget is when you have neither income or expenses.

But you’re not a dependent, and you have goals to reach like getting rich/wealthy. (So you must create a plan for how to spend your money and give every dollar a job.) Because a wish without a plan to get there is just a dream.

Understand Income and Expenses. Track them.

Then give your money a goal and a direction. Be it a short-term goal like a vacation, or a long-term goal like retirement. Set a portion of your income aside for exactly those goals. Review and adjust it periodically. This is so you can see if you’re being on track and identify which areas you can cut back.

2. Smart Shopping

You can not not shop. (It’s easier said than done.) Shopping is a part of everyday life, and it can be easy to overspend if you’re not careful.

Money can’t be idle but with some smart shopping techniques, you can save money and make the most of your budget. Here are some tips to help you be a savvy shopper:

Comparative Shopping. You might grab the first thing off the rack and go. It’s an efficient use of time – but not always the most efficient use of money. Check other locations to compare prices and quality of similar products before spending. Using a price comparison website takes no time at all and you avoid overpaying.

Coupons and Discounts. They get you the same product without the full price. What’s not to love about that? You can find coupons in newspapers, magazines, online, or through loyalty programs. Be aware of discounts exclusive to certain days of the week.

Nowadays instead of clipping them out of newspapers, I use Rakuten, the cash-back app. It has all the stores I shop on the daily – so it’s no extra effort to get cash back. Since its inception, Rakuten has helped savvy shoppers earn over $1 billion dollars in cash back at their favourite stores.

It’s FREE to sign up and you can redeem your FREE $10 bonus after your first $25 purchase.

When shopping, I also consider both the quality and price of a product. (aka Quality vs Price analysis.) Sometimes, a cheaper item may not be the best value if it doesn’t last as long or doesn’t work as well as a more expensive option. On the other hand, a more expensive item may not be worth the price if the quality doesn’t match the cost.

Forget the brand names, stick to what serves you.

3. Cooking and Meal Planning

If you went from your parents’ house to your partner’s house without ever knowing how to cook…that is not the badge of honor you think it is.

Going out to eat everyday is not a daily necessity. I found that having the skill to feed yourself and host others saves the wallet – and compound return in more ways than one.

Meal prepping. Plan your meals every week. Batch them on Sundays! From grocery shopping to cooking all the meals in one go. I mark Fridays as “leftover nights” to eat what we couldn’t finish before they expire. You’re more in control of your diet, and leaves little room for temptation.

I personally utilize $5 Meals. I didn’t want to eat out every day but I also wanted to save time researching and meal prepping. If that sounds like you too, then this is for you too. It’s a weekly meal plan service for only $5 a month. You will receive a delicious meal plan that costs less than $2 per meal.

You can get your FREE 14-day trial here and start saving big bucks on your food expenses!

Nutrition on Budget. Understand how purchasing seasonal produce is often cheaper and fresher than out-of-seasons produce. Once you have learned at least 2 staple go-to meals, purchase those staple items in bulk.

4. Home Maintenance Skills

It doesn’t matter if you own or rent. The place you live needs to run smoothly and that requires the occasional upkeep.

You can certainly pay for someone to fix things – that will save you the time. Especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.

I admit I’ll bring in a specialist for the plumbing – I’m humble enough that’s out of my expertise and time to learn.

But knowing how to repair the most basic of home maintenance – like replacing a light switch – I can’t be bothered to ask for help.

Keep a basic toolkit at home: a hammer, screwdriver, pliers, and a wrench.

Gawd help you if you can’t use a hammer and nail.

Preventative Maintenance is common sense. Because changing air filters regularly is cheaper than surgery for asthma. Inspecting the roof for damage is cheaper than replacing the whole thing. Cleaning the gutters is cheaper than dealing with rot and clogs.

Extend the life of your equipment by checking in on them. Regularly.

5. Investing

You’re not here to play it safe and be stagnant for 80 years.

Invest in every aspect of yourself – not as a frugal skill but as a necessity. Like a video game, you’re upping your stats.

Invest in the Market. That doesn’t mean pick a random stock and pray for the best – this is where the “the stock market is a casino” lie comes from. Don’t just go to the bank and dump your money with them either. Whatever money you make will be taken up by the bank fees.

Instead, use a simple platform and start with index funds.

Invest in yourself. Invest in education and skill development. Your potential doesn’t end at an age. And learning doesn’t stop after school. Take workshops and courses and hobbies. Treat life as a video game and acquire as many skills and tools in your arsenal – max out those stats!

You’ll be more marketable, more valuable, and stronger to tackle what comes your way. It helps when it comes to commanding a pay raise or promotion, too!

6. Time Management

The biggest illusion of life: you think you have time.

Then you raise your head one morning, aged and confused and wonder, “How did I get here?”. And all your goals and dreams sit unchecked in the corner – collecting dust.

The ability to discern what takes priority. Getting tasks done on time shows you’re reliable and trust-worthy. Getting tasks in proper order shows discernment and focus. People are more inclined to trust you if you have good character.

The ability to say no shows respect for you and others.

Because time and life will happen with or without you.

BONUS: 7. Interior Design

No, it’s not about pillows. It’s about how you live.

Your environment is a reflection of your day-to-day habits. It’s a feedback loop. So what exactly does your environment say about you?

Take your bedroom for example. It’s the first thing you see when you wake. It’s the last thing you see when you go to sleep. It’s how you live and operate. So ask yourself: Is it functional? Or does it cause you stress? Do you feel happy in it? Or does it make you anxious?

Happily, your environment can be engineered. See above number 4, 2, and 1 to invest in some furnishings that spark joy and good use!

Commonly Asked Questions

What Skills in the Kitchen Should I master?

Do you read the nutrition label on the side of the package? And if you do, does it feel like you’re reading gibberish? Every product will say “low-fat” this and “whole-grain” that.

Cutting through the marketing BS gimmick is a superpower. Know what’s marketing fluff and see what’s really in your food. You’ll be surprised how much sugar and additives there are. Just ordering a salad at a restaurant might seem healthy – but it’s far from it. That’s been debunked.

If you don’t know what you’re putting in your body; you’ll be paying a hefty medical bill down the line.

How does better shopping Help me Financially?

Heard of consumer rights and responsibilities? If you do not know your consumer rights, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable.

Scams and frauds are abundant but they use the same tricks. Knowing your rights means you can spot these villains.

Especially now in the digital age. Where your personal information is now valuable as gold. Protecting yourself from identity thieves and data miners is protecting your digital footprint. A safety shield is better than none.

But don’t be a Karen.

How does My Relationships impact economic security?

While it might not be tangible or clear at first, getting your finances together will involve everyone. How many families have been broken apart because no one set up their will? Or their inheritance was robbed? The number one reason a divorce and family separation is because of financial strain.

Kids are cute, but did you know they can cost up to a quarter of a million dollars to raise? Understanding the true cost of children and planning for it avoids financial pitfalls. (And the potential resentment.)

When you understand how to manage time and resources – and the unexpected expense or loss of income – you can reduce stress and truly enjoy the well-being of a family unit.

How the Heck does a Tidy Home help achieve long-term financial success?

Home Management is a science. Organization sparks joy. Marie Kondo says so.

Think of clutter as a little nagging whisper that tricks you into buying things you didn’t know you already have. Only for it to be buried under the “I might need this someday” pile. You’re less likely to waste money on duplicate or panic buys when you have an organized system.

I think my mom had about 5 vacuum cleaners before we realized this was getting out of control.

Having a decent inventory of your stuff and an organized home system is an efficiency boost. Your routines are streamlined. And your energy and time is saved. And time is money.

Get back in the Kitchen! 7+ Home Economic Skills Every Adult Need for a Better Financial Future