Nobody taught you these 4 life skills, and that's not on you. It's crazy to me that you can go to school for 18+ years and still have no idea how to feed yourself, read a pay stub, or have an uncomfortable conversation without spiraling. So, today I'm breaking down those 4 life skills, realistically, so you can stop feeling like you're faking your way through "adulting."
Topics covered:
👉🏻 How to actually feed yourself (without needing to be crazy good at cooking) and the 3-2-1 grocery method
👉🏻 The financial basics everyone needs & why tracking your expenses is non-negotiable
👉🏻 How to communicate clearly - saying what you mean the first time, addressing problems before they blow up, and knowing how to apologize!!
👉🏻 Managing the life admin nobody warns you about - and why your brain is not supposed to be your filing system
Referenced in this episode:
👉🏻 How to Be More Confident Spending Time Alone | 5 Things That Changed How I Think About Loneliness — https://youtu.be/jSORRO2r-4w
👉🏻 134. My Food Philosophy: How My Approach to Eating has Evolved, Grocery Budgets, & Eating Healthy — https://youtu.be/GgFW41OXxHo
👉🏻 The Cleaning System That Keeps My Apartment Spotless in 24/7 Without Constant Resets — https://youtu.be/UTAW61va4Kc
👉🏻 My book, Own Your Money — https://breakyourbudget.com/own-your-money
👉🏻 What’s in My Wallet 2025: Credit Cards That Actually Pay Me Back + How to Choose the Right One — https://youtu.be/NJRxeBiYuNA
👉🏻 How to Start Managing Your Money | 6 Steps for Complete Beginners — https://youtu.be/fIykr3rksA4
👉🏻 161. How to Plan Your Week So You Don’t Feel Overwhelmed | My 60 Minute Sunday System — https://youtu.be/QEcDDxqLW0g
👉🏻 146. How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed by Everyday Life | Manage "Life Admin" & Reduce the Mental Load — https://youtu.be/1KoD6wFB7G0
GET THE NEW PRODUCTIVITY PLANNER!
👉🏻 https://breakyourbudget.com/productivity-planner
Subscribe to the Beyond Your Budget Substack:
https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/
Personal Finance Starter Kit:
https://breakyourbudget.substack.com/p/your-personal-finance-starter-kit
BREAK YOUR BUDGET RESOURCES:
💸 Personal Finance Dashboard:
https://breakyourbudget.com/personal-finance-dashboard
💸 Basic Budgeting Template:
https://breakyourbudget.com/basic-budgeting-template
💸 FI/RE Template:
https://breakyourbudget.com/fire-template
💸 Rent vs. Buy Calculator:
https://breakyourbudget.com/rent-vs-buy-calculator
💳 TOOLS I USE:
💸 Rakuten Cash Back (cash back on purchases you're already making): https://shorturl.at/w0PcH
💸 SoFi HYSA (my fave high yield savings account): https://secure.money.com/pr/pa5344bfc4f2
💸 Classpass (try it for a discounted first month): https://classpass.com/refer/UKLV6BN026
📚 MY BOOKS:
💸 Own Your Money:
https://breakyourbudget.com/own-your-money
💸 Own Your Career:
https://breakyourbudget.com/oyc-book
All Other Resources:
https://breakyourbudget.com/links
👩🏼💻 Inquiries: michela@breakyourbudget.com
📸 Instagram (Break Your Budget): https://www.instagram.com/breakyourbudget/
📸 Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/michela_alloccaa
📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakyourbudget
💸 My ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/michelaallocca
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 — Why school teaches you the Pythagorean theorem but not how to read a pay stub
09:41 — The 4 life skills I think actually matter
13:34 — My actual default meals and why you need 5-10 of your own
17:22 — The 3-2-1 grocery method that I swear by
27:28 — Why a credit card is not free money, and the minimum payment is not what you should be paying
29:31 — The 4 financial accounts I think every single person needs
36:39 — The communication skill that will change every relationship in your life
40:41 — Why I used to take all feedback personally and how I learned to separate criticism from someone just being an asshole
42:53 — How to ACTUALLY apologize
50:41 — Why I use recurring reminders for everything