Saying goodbye to a pet
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
If you are unsure what to do in an emergency, ask a specific question like 'Should we call 911?' to prompt others to act.
It can break the bystander trance and get someone out of their 'what do we do?' state.
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Hire two casual laborers to move heavy items while you handle packing.
It is well worth the cost compared to doing it yourself.
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Do not assume your employer will not notice your absence.
The assumption that a job won't notice you're gone is not always correct.
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When calling 911, state your location before describing the emergency.
If the call is cut off, responders can still be dispatched to the correct address.
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Plan your career carefully before borrowing for college, as degrees may not guarantee employment and trades or certifications can be more cost-effective.
For many, good-paying jobs now favor certifications and trade school over degrees due to lower costs.
- Degrees may still be necessary in very specific situations.
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Do not acknowledge a debt verbally or in writing to collectors, as doing so may be used to argue that you accepted ownership of the debt.
Sit down with your partner twice a year for about an hour to update legal, financial, and asset documents.
To avoid the messiness of unresolved estates.
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Define effort as a percentage of your free time rather than a fixed number of hours to ensure sustainability over two decades.
Fixed hours like five may not be sustainable over 20 years.
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Focus on tasks in your life to manage things.
An ability to focus on goes a long way.
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Focus on spending on laundry over other purchases to maintain employability.
Saving small amounts won't provide housing, but keeping clothes clean helps you keep a job.
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Consider choosing a humorous or unexpected song, such as 'Living in a Box,' for your funeral to provide a moment of levity, based on one person's experience where it caused attendees to hold back laughter.
It can be a good choice that provides levity.
- One person's experience
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Pack light and sports clothing if moving to a tropical climate.
They will come in handy for heat and gym activities.
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Manage expectations by accepting that life may be less exciting than in your twenties due to increased experience.
It is a trade-off.
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Write down your stories, happiest memories, and what you like about friends and family, and place these with your financial documents.
If you are worried about leaving things unsaid, this ensures you don't.
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Prepay for funeral arrangements and burial plots with a local funeral home.
You will need money for the funeral if it is not prepaid.
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Unpack boxes and organize your belongings while you are alive.
Leaving items in boxes burdens your family with having to pack them away if you die.
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Host a frugal baby shower at a location that works for all guests and have friends contribute homemade food to reduce spending.
Homemade food was delicious and helped keep costs low when venue options were limited.
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Stop doing food delivery work immediately if it is damaging your vehicle at a loss.
You are killing your only asset.
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Place a note with your phone number or email address inside every moving box.
If boxes are lost, the finder can contact you, increasing the chance of recovering your belongings.
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One approach that helped: secure free housing with friends before moving to a new area to find a job there.
- This is one person's experience.
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Regularly review the services and products you pay for to understand their costs and benefits.
You may discover hidden benefits or realize they are not worth the cost.
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Spend several months doing something completely different, such as volunteering, traveling, or taking a menial job, to allow your brain time to sort itself out.
Doing something different allows time to think and helps the brain reset.
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Do not store a document containing all your passwords on your computer or in a physical notebook accessible to burglars.
Hackers look for password files on computers first, and burglars could open notebooks to destroy your life.
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If you are homeless, avoid using your status as an excuse to prevent your own progress.
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Do not acknowledge a debt verbally or in writing to collectors, as doing so may be used to argue that you accepted ownership of the debt.
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Instruct loved ones to obtain multiple copies of the death certificate immediately after a passing.
They will need them to stop harassment letters and calls, freeze accounts, and handle other administrative tasks.
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Keep login and password information for online accounts (banking, insurance, etc.) accessible to trusted persons.
Some accounts like 401k, insurance, and banking might not have associated paperwork.
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Create a detailed written folder of funeral instructions including obituary accomplishments, photo locations, music, clergy, floral choices, and clothing.
Having exact wishes in writing provides huge relief.
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Download and keep a personal copy of your Social Security statement immediately, even if you are far from retirement.
To protect your data against potential administrative changes or record destruction; there is no downside to keeping your own records.
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Print sheets of label stickers containing your contact info to speed up the process of labeling moving boxes.
Using pre-printed labels saves time compared to writing on each box individually.
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Accept that rebuilding your professional and personal life to a previous high point requires years of hard work rather than a simple reset.
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Designate a skilled negotiator among family members to secure the best deal on funeral arrangements.
The funeral industry is likely to scam customers or rip them off.
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Read all insurance policies carefully to understand exclusions and coverages.
Policies often exclude things like commercial use of cars or specific water damage types.
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Focus on freezing all financial accounts immediately after death to prevent ongoing subscription charges.
This stops monthly subscriptions from being paid; additionally, dispute any post-death transactions to recover the money.
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If you struggle to remember passwords, record the specific character requirements of websites rather than the passwords themselves.
Knowing the required character types may trigger your memory for account recovery.
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Constantly remind yourself that you only have one life; pursue your goals fearlessly and accept failure as a learning opportunity.
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Consider becoming a trucker, as many companies provide motel rooms during training.
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Plan personal retirement investments, such as maxing out employer 401K matches and investing in index funds, assuming Social Security may not be available.
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Upgrade your character by learning new skills, improving yourself, and gaining knowledge.
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Avoid working on foreign-flagged ships; prefer vessels flagged by Norway, Britain, Denmark, Japan, or the Netherlands.
Foreign-flagged ships are associated with reported horrors, while the listed flags exceed American standards.
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