100 adulting tips to help you get your life together

Finance & budgeting tips 💸

#1 Start saving a small amount of money each month. 

It doesn't matter how small this amount is, it’s just important that you start. It’s your money habits that determine your financial wellbeing — so start a savings habit now.

#2 Open a Lifetime ISA to save for your first-home. 

You can only use a LISA to buy your first home if you’ve had it open for 12 months, so it’s better to get the clock ticking - even if you only put in £1. Plus, you’ll get a free 25% bonus from the government up to £1,000 each tax year on your savings.

#3 Learn about investing in the stock market. 

It’s not as hard or scary as you think (read Unshakeable by Tony Robbins). You’ll soon be making money whilst you sleep.

#4 Spend what you have left after saving, don't save what you have left after spending.

#5 Look for discount codes to shave money off purchases.

This app finds discount codes for you to make it easier.

#6 Don’t forget to put money into your pension so you’ll have enough for later life - here’s a guide on how much you might need to retire.

#7 Whether it’s with friends, housemates or your partner. Keep track of your shared expensesKeep track of your shared expenses at home, on trips and more.

#8 Understand how peer pressure impacts your spending

Understand how peer pressure impacts your spending to put a stop to it 4eva.

#9 You’re never too young to write your will. This team will guide you through it.

#10 Cut down your bills where you can - here are 10 ways to cut your energy bills to start you off.

#11 Learn to be patient. 

Set long term goals and accept that progress will be slow and boring. Patience is essential if you want to be better with money.

Work and career tips 💼

#12 If you know 75% of your job, you’ve been in it too long. 

#13 Learn how to quantify your time. Show your boss how much those unnecessary meetings actually cost.

#14 Master the art of being indispensable at work.

#15 Make that career change! Read “How to find fulfilling work” by Roman Krznaric for inspiration of where to go next.

#16 Learn how to disconnect from work.

Let these Icelandic horses write your out-of-office email.

#17 Overcome your fear of saying no.

Here are some tried-and-tested email templates for when you need to say no.

#18 Go after your dream job.

Use this low-key LinkedIn hack for landing the job at your ideal company.

#19 Make the most of tools and frameworks to help you solve problems, make decisions and understand systems.

#20 Sending your CV? Test if that email address is real.

#21 Don’t get stuck in a one-track career you don’t want. You can switch jobs, or careers at any time. You could even go work for yourself! Here’s the ultimate guide for people who are thinking of going freelance.

#22 Learn how to give criticism at work (without sounding like an a-hole).

#23 Stop waiting for “perfect” to launch your idea.

Wellbeing tips 😌

#24 Don't put yourself on a timeline. 

You don’t have to settle for the wrong person, wrong job, or wrong set of friends just because you’re scared of starting over again. Despite what society tells you, your life goes at your pace, so don’t feel like you have to settle with unhappiness because you’re “late” to the party.

#25 Have hobbies.

It’s easy to get caught up in “adulting” - cleaning, cooking laundry, appointments, work etc. It’s important to make time for hobbies, even if it’s only once a week. 

#26 Treat mental wellbeing like physical wellbeing. 

#27 Curate a healthy relationship with your phone.

Here are some of the best practices for cutting down your screen time without living under a rock.

#28 Learn how to properly rest.

Here are the 5 types of rest to allow yourself.

#29 Don’t withhold your emotions

#30 Master the art of noticing with this book and newsletter.

#31 Having trouble making a decision?

Here’s how to identify the most important thing how to identify the most important thing.

#32 Protect yourself from burnout

If you don’t want to burn out, stop living like you’re on fire. Put in place routines and habits to help balance the different areas of your life.

#33 Discover the power of your surroundings and how aesthetics can make you happy.

#34 Remember, you're running your own race. 

Health tips 🤸‍♀️

#35 Stretch. Your body will thank you later. This app reminds you to stretch when you’re sitting at your desk all day.

#36 Getting in your steps helps you get some movement each day. Make it easier by getting rewarded for walking.

#37 Learn about the science of sleeping (and what it does for you).

#38 Keep yourself motivated by keeping yourself accountable and being prepared.

#39 Don’t sleep on your sexual wellbeing

#40 Change your scenery, even if it’s just on your morning walk. Here’s an app that gives you new walking routes every day that are centred around your home or work.

#41 You want to eat well, but can’t cook? Start with these healthy eating tips:

• Start simple and look up some easy recipes to get you inspired.
• Invest in some easy-to-use cooking equipment, such as a soup maker or a slow cooker.
• Buy pre-chopped or frozen veggies.
• Batch cook — it saves so much time and effort.
• Consider a meal prep company (make sure they're freshly prepared and include a protein source, whole grain carbohydrates and some vegetables).

#42 Put your weekly meal plan on your fridge.

#43 Train yourself to sleep on your back to keep your spine happy and reduce your risk of wrinkles.

#44 Learn how to save any dinner emergency.

Sustainable living tips 🍃

#45 Make the most of your vegetable peels

#46 Build a more sustainable wardrobe. Go through each item and learn how to style it differently with what you have. Only purchase iconic pieces you’ll wear for years, and spread their cost by lending them out. Then rent the rest.

#47 Learn how to break up with fast furniture.

#48 Cut your shower time to one song to save money (and the planet).

#49 A clever way to scrap any need for plastic shopping bags.

#50 How to transition to a plant-based diet (if you want to)

#50 Stop buying tech new - here’s why you should stop buying new laptops.

#51 Eat locally sourced food to reduce your carbon footprint and eat more seasonally. Check out this database of farms in the UK as a starting point.

#52 Make parts of your life more sustainable, one by one. Here’s how: The sustainable(ish) living guide.

Life admin tips 📋

#53 Save all your links for later in one place

#54 Keep up to date with politics

Keep up to date with politics in an easy, digestible way.

#55 Separate the newsletters you enjoy

Separate the newsletters you enjoy from the rest of your emails.

#56 Never be stuck on what to watch again

#57 Don’t use the same password for everything.

Create a secure password vault instead.

#58 Discover how to find the perfect music and podcasts faster

#59 Keep up with the news (without the clutter)

#60 Vary your listening habits by listening to radio stations from all over the world.

#61 Let AI find new podcasts for you

#62 Beat spam with an email address that lasts only 10 minutes

Relationship tips 💕

#63 Learn how to stop giving unsolicited advice

#64 New parents, don't make any relationship decisions in the first two years.

It's a super hard time, you’re both tired and emotionally drained beyond belief.

#65 In a similar vein, create a system to track who is doing what.

For example who put the baby to sleep most times last week etc. So it's clear who needs time off. Think of yourself as a company and review your strategies. What is working and what is not working? Get rid of the things that are not working, quickly!

#66 In every relationship, communication is key. 

Speak to each other, or if that doesn't work, write to each other. Tell each other what you're feeling or going through.

#67 Work on strengthening your adult friendships

This podcast episode about exactly that. 

#68 Set boundaries in the early stages of dating.

#69 Deepen your relationships by asking these questions to the people you love.

#70 See the lighter side of dating. 

This brilliant podcast full of embarrassing dating stories is a good place to start.

#71 Keep in touch with your friends - especially the long-distance onces. 

This app sends you reminders to keep in touch with your mates.

#72 Make housesharing more fair

Here’s how to balance household tasks for a fairer co-living situ.

#73 Understand the relationship habits you pick up from your parents and guardians.

Routine and habit-building tips 🧘‍♀️

#74 Become the person you want to be to build lasting habits.

#75 Establish a morning routine so you can smash your goals on autopilot.

#76 Prioritise yourself for the first hour of every day 

Instead of jumping to grab your phone to check social media and the news, use the first hour of your day to stretch, reflect, meditate, organise your day - whatever you like!

#77 Hit all of your goals by tracking all of your recurring habits tracking all of your recurring habits in one app.

#78 Set a theme for each day

Think Pasta Tuesday, 3,000 steps a day, call-a-friend Friday.

#79 Get all your thoughts out of your head first thing

#80 Every now and then, answer these 83 questions to troubleshoot your life.

#81 Build a better bedtime routine.

Cleaning and organisation tips 🧹

#82 Make friends with bicarb.

Here’s the 21 ways you can use it to clean your home.

#83 Clean your oven regularly.

Here’s how to clean your oven with food-friendly, natural ingredients.

#84 Learn how to keep your plants alive.

Here’s a really cool website about house plants and how to keep them from dying.

#85 Make your home safe

Listen to this podcast about really useful home safety tips.

#86 Keep your freeze tip-top.

This is the best way to organise your freezer.

#87 Don’t ring your Dad, here’s how to bleed a radiator.

#88 Snazz up staying in with this complete guide to building your home bar.

#89 How to wash your pillows correctly (your skin will thank you for it).

#90 Learn when to replace your household appliances.

House tips 🏡

#91 Make your house feel like home, even if you're renting.

Looking for rental-friendly decorating tips? You’re going to love this book “Home Sweet Rented Home”.

#92 Know your rights as a renter.

#93 Understand how mortgages work.

They are likely to be the biggest loan you’ll ever take out, so it’s worth making sure you know how they work. Our guide on the steps to getting your first mortgage is a good starting point. 

#94 Check the air quality before you buy or rent a home.

#95 Buy a house in need of TLC but in a good area.

Invest money in doing it up instead of bidding over the asking price. Don’t get caught up in the bidding nonsense!

#96 A good mortgage broker is worth their weight in gold.

#97 Homes need maintaining, so factor this into your costs. 

You need to keep up with repairs as, without question, there will always be a problem to fix, no matter how perfect the home is when you buy it.

#98 Buying a house with someone else? Make it clear who owns what.

Our guide on joint mortgages will tell you everything you need to know. 

#99 Don’t worry if you break up after buying a house together. Here’s What to do if you buy a home together, then break up.

#100 Stay ahead of the curve of what people look for in a property.

Think home offices, smart home features etc. This will make it easier for you to sell your property later down the line.