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Hey, guys, it's Chelsea on this gorgeous spring day that actually looks nicer than it is because it's actually 90 degrees outside. And we haven't set up our air conditioning yet.

So I'm dying inside, but that makes me look all glowing. So I hope your spring is going just as well. Anyway, today we're going to be talking about something that,.

I think, doesn't always get enough coverage when it comes to Financial Talk. And that is good domestic habits. We try to talk on this site about all the things that you can do it in your home life to not only make sure that you're saving as much money as possible, but you're not tempted to overspend.

The more we can do for ourselves, the less we need to pay someone else for. And just, generally, becoming an adult means mastering a lot of basic domestic habits that make your life easier and less expensive. So let's jump right into it with 11 domestic habits that you should master by 30.

Obviously, it's never too late to master any of these habits, but if you can get them all under your belt by 30, you're way ahead of the curve. Number one is learning how to use basic tools and DIY items to improve and change what you have. Once you learn how to master really basic things like screwdrivers, power drills, sandpaper, paint, et cetera, you're way ahead of the curve when it comes to having the home you want and being able to maintain it.

For example, a lot of your really big basic furniture items can be found for free or really cheap on places like Craigslist or estate sales or thrift stores or even, like in New York City, on the curb. And the difference between using these items to your advantage, and having to go out and pay full price for them, is knowing how to rehab them yourself. Once you've mastered these basic tools, you're able to see items for their potential and not just what they already are.

Plus, you're able to do lots of little things around your home. Number two is navigating hardware and home goods stores. This is an extension to the first point, but it's important to remember that if you don't know exactly what you're looking for when you go to these very important shopping trips, you're never going to get the right things at the right prices.

Learning how to really communicate, which you need to do at home to the person who's helping you buy the supplies, is essential. Just learning basic terms about things like, electricity, plumbing, and carpentry, will be the difference between going into a Home. Depot like a giant toddler and going in like someone who's going to make a home repair.

Not only does this ensure that you will get items at the right price, it also makes it so that you won't have to go multiple times because you keep forgetting what you need. Number three is keep your home tidy and organized enough that you know what you have and where you have it. Basically, you should know where most of the items in your home are.

And keep them tidy and organized enough that you're never scrambling. Not only is it a generally good adult move to keep your surroundings in a clean state, it's also a really good way to ensure that you're not going to be constantly forgetting you have items, and then, buying them again and again. One thing that you'll realize soon when you live on your own is that, if you don't keep track of the things you own, you genuinely forget that you have them.

And buying multiples of things is a really good way to lose money for no reason. Number four is always making food and multiple servings, even when you're cooking for yourself. A, it's cheaper to buy things in bulk than to buy individual servings of it.

B, when you make an extra meal for yourself and put it in the freezer, you are much less likely to be tempted by random takeout. And C, it's always a good idea to be prepping your meals, at least, somewhat in advance so that you have a modicum of control over your day to day diet. Number six is keeping your basic toolkit.

A really good way to approach your day to day home repairs as an adult is to think, A, what can I master and, B, how can I master it? The truth is sometimes you will have to pay a professional to do something more complicated. But if you make a short list for yourself of day to day repairs that you're able to master, you will not have to pay for those things.

But the issue is you have to make sure that you have the tools to do them on hand. Places like Lowe's and the Home Depot have prepackaged, affordable tool kits that have a basic version of all the things you'll need on a day to day. Keep that in the back of your closet and always have it ready.

Combining having the tools on hand with practicing a few basic things will mean that you will not always be running out to call a professional every time something happens. And a good way to practice is just to find someone you know who's good at these things, who's willing to show you. For example, my mom is very good at carpentry.

So when I first moved out on my own,. I asked her how to do basic things like, use a cordless power drill and what nails and screws go with what hammers and screwdrivers and all that stuff. And it was so helpful.

I've used it a million times. Even something as simple as using a stud finder or a level will always come in handy. But you have to have the tools on hand.

And we'll link to a really good basic tool kit in the description. Number seven is planning your day to day home life as you would any other important project. A key to planning ahead and staying on top of your home life is making sure that you have some semblance of an order to things.

And especially, if you live by yourself, there's often no one to tell you to do things ahead of time, which will constantly leave you scrambling at the last minute for everything from what you're going to eat for dinner to how you're going to replace that item that broke unexpectedly. A really good way to make sure you're managing your home life is to get yourself a large dry erase wall calendar with the days of the week written out. You can use it to plan everything from meal prep to basic upgrades around the house to making sure you're taking care of things like, answering all of your mail.

The more you prepare for everything, the less likely you are to forget it and have to pay extra to do it at the last minute. Number eight, keep a well stocked cleaning cabinet. Something that happens to me quite frequently, including this afternoon, is unexpectedly spilling something on a beloved shirt or dress or whatever, and having a tide pen or a Clorox pen or some vinegar is the difference between salvaging that item and having to throw it away.

And spraying down your shower after every use is the difference between keeping a well maintained shower and having to replace the grout after a year because it's eroded away. Keeping things clean on a day to day basis is not just about aesthetics. It's also about prolonging the longevity of these items and getting way more uses out of them.

Even something as simple as treating your nice leather shoes every month or so, can be the difference of several years of use. And making sure your cleaning cabinet is always well stocked means you are infinitely more willing and able to do it. Number nine is make rituals out of your domestic habits.

One of the best things that you can do to save money on a weekly basis is to intelligently meal prep. But the problem is that very few people are able to self motivate to make a bunch of prepackaged meals on a Sunday night. So when it comes to things like meal prep that you aren't necessarily naturally inclined to do, turn it into an entire ritual.

For example, pick a show that you've been meaning to watch or a podcast you've been meaning to listen to, light a candle, or maybe pour yourself a glass of wine, and turn that experience into something that you look forward. For example, I hate cleaning my kitchen. So I've started this ritual where I get up early on Saturday mornings.

I listen to This American Life. I have my iced coffee. And I clean the kitchen from top to bottom.

And it's actually turned into something I look forward to. The point is it goes from being a chore to a bit of self care. Number 10 is start hosting and entertaining.

The more you do things like swap homes with a friend or go visit each other for long weekends or have things like dinner party clubs, the less likely you are to feel like you have to pay an exorbitant amount for these experiences. Everything from travel to nice dinners to movie nights can be really, really affordable if you coordinate with your friends and turn yourselves into little entertainment centers. And not to mention, it also helps you stay way more on top of keeping your home in order.

Number 11 is keep a record of your home spending. Especially in the first year of living on your own, you should be keeping some a ledger of the spending you do on domestic things. Now that's everything from your groceries to your furniture to your toiletries to your day to day home items.

Keeping a record of everything from what you're spending on groceries to how many rolls of paper towels you're going through to how quickly you're using up linens is a really good way to know, not only where you're maybe overspending in a category, but we're not taking care of things. For example, it took me literally two years of using--. I'm not exaggerating-- basically, a roll of paper towels a day to be, like holy shit,.

I should buy kitchen towels. And when you're spending your grocery money and actually keeping track of the things you throw away without eating them, you'll quickly realize, oh, right. I'm tempted to buy that thing at the grocery store, but I never actually end up using it.

Often this is what happens with more obscure fruits and vegetables. The point is, being honest with yourself about the spending you do when you're totally alone, will help you really understand your own habits and where you can improve. Mastering your domestic life is not a difficult thing.

You just have to be honest with yourself, keep track of what you're doing, and plan ahead. And you too can be the budget Martha Stewart. So as always you, guys, thank you for watching.

And don't forget to hit the Subscribe button and go to thefinancialdiet.com for more. Bye. .