8 Life Skills to Learn Before You Turn 30

Written by Cora Gold

Your 20s can be some of the most fun years of your life, but they’re also the most formative. Once you turn 30, life starts to feel more real. Time has flown by, but you feel like you still have a lot to learn.

Adulting might not always sound like fun, but it’s necessary. No matter what stage you are in life, there are essential skills that will take you far. These eight competencies are ones you should learn before you turn 30. They could be the difference in landing a job or getting out of a bad situation.

1. Cooking

Imagine it’s Monday night and you just got home after a long day. When you’re on the couch, the last thing you want to do is pause “The Bachelor” and make dinner. Instead, you order from a meal delivery service.

If cooking isn’t your thing, don’t worry — it’s much easier than you think. You’re not trying to impress Gordon Ramsay. Most online recipes are reliable and easy to follow. If you don’t like particular ingredients, you can swap them out. Plus, staying home for dinner saves money. Restaurants mark up food by around 300% to make a profit when you could make the same meal at home taste better.

2. Cleaning

Some people avoid cooking at home because they don’t want to clean. It comes with the territory, but imagine how accomplished you’ll feel once you cook and clean for yourself on the same night. Light a candle and pour a glass of wine to celebrate that one.

Cleaning can feel overwhelming, so take it one room at a time. For any area, a good rule is to start at the top and work your way to the bottom. You don’t have to do it all in one day, so schedule particular times for specific tasks. Saturdays are for dusting, Sundays are for vacuuming and Tuesdays are for laundry. Designating days puts you in a routine and promotes good habits.

3. Car Maintenance

This one is for you passenger princesses out there. If your significant other could drive you for the rest of your life, you’d take it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, you must get behind the wheel occasionally and it’s good to know car maintenance basics. They can extend the life of your prized possession and save money on repairs.

For example, one easy-to-miss element of your vehicle is corrosion. When moisture hits your car, it causes rust that eats away at the metal and damages the internal structure. Get a waxing for your vehicle and use an anti-rust spray to protect your car as long as you can.

Another problem area to watch is your tires. Inspect your tires often to ensure their pounds per square inch (psi) levels meet the manufacturer’s recommendations. Keeping your tires inflated improves your fuel economy by 0.6% on average. The percentage is small, but it adds up in the long run. Underinflation compromises your fuel mileage by about 0.2% for every psi dropped.

4. Sewing

When you think of sewing, you likely imagine your grandmother and her friends making sweaters for the grandkids. Your grandma probably makes lovely pillowcases and scarves, but sewing is not exclusive to older people.

Imagine you’re preparing your outfit for work, a party or another event. When you try on a blouse, a button breaks, and you don’t have time or patience to get a new shirt from the store. Instead of throwing it out, you could sew it back on. Knowing how to sew saves time and hassle. Just think of Murphy’s Law — anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

5. Cybersecurity

Your electronics generally protect your information well. For example, your iPhone is safe because Apple uses encryption to deter cybercriminals from hacking into your phone. The built-in security is helpful, but you can further protect yourself and your sensitive information with cybersecurity basics.

For example, use strong passwords and multifactor authentication (MFA) for all your devices. Complicated passwords are terrific ways to keep your accounts safe. MFA deters even the savvy hackers who obtain your password. If complex passwords aren’t your thing, use a password manager. This software keeps track of all your passcodes and switches them up often. You can even use these apps across devices.

6. First Aid

Accidents and injuries can happen at any time. How would you react if someone you’re with falls and hurts themselves badly enough to where they can’t get up? You don’t need to know how to perform life-saving surgery, but knowing what to do in emergencies is extremely helpful.

One helpful skill to learn is cardiopulmonary resuscitation, better known as CPR. This technique requires chest compressions and giving oxygen to the person in danger. Knowing how to administer CPR could save someone’s life, whether a loved one or a stranger in a restaurant.

7. Language Learning

In the U.S., school systems don’t emphasize foreign language skills like other countries do. For example, in Europe, kids often learn their native language, English and other languages. Learning one or more additional languages is an incredible accomplishment and can open you up to new worlds.

Learning other languages helps you better understand linguistics and improves your knowledge of your native tongue. It doesn’t hurt that knowing languages is a valuable asset when interviewing for jobs. Plus, you’ll be able to easily travel abroad because the language barrier won’t be as intimidating.

8. Money Management

When you’re young, life can feel like a game of Monopoly. You can spend money on this new item because you think you won’t live forever and must indulge now. However, your life will hopefully be long and prosperous. The wealthy part comes from knowing how to manage your money.

You don’t have to pinch every penny in your paycheck, but designing a monthly budget is wise. This chart will outline your monthly expenses and you can decide where to adjust. Once you have your budget, you should work hard to pay off debts and start investing. Index funds, high-yield savings accounts and government bonds are low-risk investments that pay off in the long run.

Living and Learning Every Year

When you’re young, you often put immense pressure on yourself to know and have everything. Life is long and requires patience. You may feel like you have a long way to go and that’s the beauty of life. You’re always learning and getting better — and that’s all you can ask of yourself. Knowing these eight life skills will significantly help you before you turn 30.