• Chef@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    Take care of your fucking teeth.

    Take care of your fucking teeth.

    And once more, for the folks who don’t get it…

    Take care of your fucking teeth.

  • BeefPiano@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Start saving for retirement now. You can make literally millions by putting away 10% of your income early on. Do it automatically so you never even notice the money gone.

    If you are worried about making the wrong choice and your company doesn’t have a 401k, open an IRA somewhere (Fidelity if you need someone to make the decision for you) and pick a date targeted fund. Set up auto deposit. Never look at the balance.

    You can always make it better later but for now the best thing to do is start. Don’t let analysis paralysis get in the way.

    • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      If 20 year old me put away 10% of her income, it would just mean borrowing more. Current me would just have more debt and be worse off than now.

      • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yeah a lot of people in there twenties can’t even spare 5%. I’m thirty and I can’t.

        • Juvyn00b@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Some companies in the US have a deal to where they match on 401k. One such organization puts in 5% for your 2%. Two percent is low enough it wouldn’t be a hit to almost any cash in your pocket given that the money is taken out pre tax.

    • anon6789@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I don’t want to come off as insensitive, so I’ll try to phrase things carefully.

      If you have even the slightest spare money per pay period, like $30, and a 401k or 403b is offered to you, you really need to do it.

      That money comes out of your check before taxes, so you will be investing more money than what actually comes out of your check. By deduction 6% of a $15/hr full time job, you’re putting in $36, but your paycheck will only go down about $30-free money!

      Many places will match you some, say half of that first 6%, so now you’re saving $54 while only being out $30. You’ve almost doubled your money in one week!

      Come tax time, you’ve saved $1872, and you’ve been given a free $936. It doesn’t stop there though, because now you only are paying income tax on $29,328 instead of $31,200. If you get a tax rebate now, you will get even more back!

      So now you’re saving $2808 a year at age 20. Let’s put that in one mutual fund, a SP500 index fund. Over the last 10 years, that has returned 12‰, but let’s be conservative and call it 10. If you never make a cent more per hour, by age 65, you will have saved $84,000 and your job has chipped in $42,000, over a year’s pay! But with that 10% compound interest, you have $2,000,000! You are a multi-millionaire for $30/wk!

      If you get a raise or get a better job in the future, this number can be even higher.

      Please keep this in mind. Even if you can’t do it now, do it ASAP. Here are the same numbers, but starting at 30 instead of 20.

      Still amazing, but seeing this difference is why we older on ones tell you not saving earlier was our big regret.

      I hope this was helpful and doesn’t get taken as a “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” thing.

      • EuroNutellaMan@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yes that’s cool and all but I have to pay rent and food and as things stand now the average salary is like enough to cover ⅓ of the rent

          • EuroNutellaMan@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            No, I understand what he’s trying to say. The point is: doing what he recommends requires having money to save up in the first place, and for a big portion of people in their 20s that’s not the case.

            • Poik@pawb.social
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              2 months ago

              It’s valid, and it sucks. If you can even do $5, it’s worth it. But the world is absolutely against you right now. A lot of older folk don’t quite get how bad it’s gotten.

              However, saving a dollar today is worth more than saving two dollars ten years from now. And having an emergency fund might actually save your life.

              Hopefully something happens to shake up housing. These prices are absolutely criminal.

    • TheImpressiveX@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      Question: If I had money saved in a 401k or Roth IRA, what if I died before I retired? What would happen to the money? Would it go back to the government or to a close relative?

  • pezmaker @sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    It’s easy to believe you’re invincible in your twenties. Or “later me can deal with it.”. As that later version of me, I’m not a huge fan of that earlier version in a lot of ways. It’s fine, I’m who I am for what I went through, and I’m righting the ship. But the more cans you kick down the road, the more you have to deal with later and the harder they are to deal with. Physically, mentally, financially. It’s ok to try to live life freely, but definitely be aware of this and consider kicking one less can every chance you get.

    • Shdwdrgn@mander.xyz
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      2 months ago

      So much this… Despite trying to drive defensively I have been involved in two major car accidents. The first one I walked away from, but the second one put me on Flight for Life. Despite the accident itself being pretty bad, the only physical issue was a broken leg that took a couple years to heal properly. However the REAL issue took longer to realize – something from that accident has caused me to have continued sleep issues since then. I’ll be on medications the rest of my life probably, and even then I still have trouble getting restful sleep if I’ve been physically active.

      Yeah it’s easy to feel invincible when you’re young, and your body can heal from a lot, but just remember that those things can also fuck up your shit in ways you might not realize until years later. Things you take for granted now (like sleep) can really screw up your enjoyment of life when they don’t work right.

    • wellDuuh@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It’s ok to try to live life freely, but definitely be aware of this and consider kicking one less can every chance you get.

      Got it.

  • Riskable@programming.dev
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    2 months ago

    If you’re working in the attic, under the house, around dirt/dust/debris wear a mask/respirator. It’s so nice to be able to take deep breaths without coughing later in life (and outclass your peers in the stamina department) 👍

    Pro tip: Even though they’re bigger and bulkier respirators are much more comfy than masks.

    • Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      I took the aftermarket stereo out of my car in my mid 20s so I can hear bass well still but I often read people’s lips because that mid range hearing is not close to how it used to be if there are any ambient noises at all.

  • Concave1142@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    The random aches and pains you start waking up with are here to stay. Learn to embrace them.

    And drink more water.

  • SanguinePar@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Spend quality time with your parents (assuming you’re on good terms of course).

    I lost my dad when I was 30, after a short and unexpected illness, and I regret not spending much more time with him when I could have.

    • Russ@bitforged.space
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      2 months ago

      This hit me like a truck. I lost my father at the beginning of the month due to some tragedy that occurred.

      We weren’t on speaking terms (a decision I made), but I’d always planned to one day see if I could turn things around, which will never happen now. Never in a million years would I ever have expected it to come down to this.

      • SanguinePar@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Aw mate… I’m so so sorry 😔

        That’s a really hard situation, and I hope you’re doing ok. Take care.

  • Don_alForno@feddit.org
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    2 months ago

    Wear earplugs at loud concerts and parties and at work if you have a noisy job.

    People will make fun about you, but believe me, permanent tinnitus really sucks.

    • all-knight-party@kbin.run
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      2 months ago

      Plus, if you preserve your hearing you’ll be able to hear all the high dog whistle frequencies that everybody else won’t be able to, and you’ll feel just a tiny bit superior for no good reason.

  • Dadd Volante@sh.itjust.works
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    2 months ago

    Travel. Try new things. Eat food you’ve never tried before.

    Get into the habit of reading. Actual books, not just things like lemmy.

    Realize that literally every person you meet is a walking story, just like yourself

    Brush your fuckin teeth.

    Also: Floss. Seriously. Take care of your damn teeth. They’re important.

    • lichtmetzger@discuss.tchncs.de
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      2 months ago

      Take care of your damn teeth. They’re important.

      I’m 34 and I already lost half of my teeth. By 40 they’ll probably all be gone. It’s definitely genetics, but also very much the lazyness in my youth that caused this.

      If someone in their twenties reads this: Brush your fucking teeth, seriously. I had a phase in my life where I was living with constant pain for almost a year and almost went insane. Nobody should have to live like this.

    • all-knight-party@kbin.run
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      2 months ago

      Also don’t brush your gums too hard, I did that a bit when I didn’t know better, and my gums receded slightly. Turns out those things don’t come back. Make sure you brush that area though!

      • tamal3@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        My electric toothbrush was an amazing investment. It flashes red lights if I press too hard while brushing. You’d think after 10 years of this thing that I’d develop an intuition about how hard to press, but it still yells at me to back off all the time. It’s made a huge difference for the health of my teeth.

    • considine@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      Don’t eat between meals to re-establish your saliva microbiome and pH. This will do a lot for prevention of carie growth.

  • Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Smoking, drinking and gambling never ends well. Stay away from addictions.

    Don’t try to proof how manly you are to your friends/girls. It rarely pays off. Its ok to have a veggie dish at the restaurant instead of a bloody steak. Its ok to not speed with your car to look cool. Its ok to wear whatever the fuck you want as long as you like it, it fits well and its practical for you. Do what you like and be proud of it.

    Always save time for your hobbies. Growing up doesn’t means you can’t have fun. If you are in a relationship make sure your partner gives you enough space and time for yourself.

  • DJDarren@thelemmy.club
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    2 months ago

    Mine is modest; but practice being mindful of your emotional reactions.

    If something upsets you, interrogate why, and whether your reaction will help. 90% of the time it won’t, so learn to appreciate that you are upset, but don’t let it control you. Because if you don’t you’re going to start seeing the world through incredibly negative eyes.

    For example, I used to be a nightmare behind the wheel, always getting angry with shitty drivers and red lights. But I began trying to catch those thoughts, and asked myself whether they would stop other drivers being shitty, or whether it would stop me getting caught at red lights. Would I still be angry in ten minutes? The answer is almost always no, so to expend that energy feels like a waste of time to me now.

    Sure, I still get pissy, but I don’t sit with it for longer than I need to. You wouldn’t sit in acid, so why sit in anger?

  • Altima NEO@lemmy.zip
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    2 months ago

    Moisturize, use sunscreen. Protect your skin and you’ll look young even in old age.

    • Joe Dyrt@lemmy.ml
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      2 months ago

      Sunscreen sounds unmanly, but think about how you’ll feel with half your nose excised. Put it on your face especially!

      • tamal3@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        And your neck. Golly, that sucker does weird things later in life. Or is it moreso for women?

  • Bob Robertson IX@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    The best raise you can get is by changing jobs. Businesses are not going to be loyal to you, there’s no benefit to being loyal to them - add either a customer or employee. Embrace and welcome change.

    When you get a pay raise immediately increase your 401k (or equivalent retirement fund) by at least 1%.

    Enjoy your 20s, they don’t last long but the person you are today is who you will feel like you are in 20 years. Don’t rush your life. There’s plenty of time to get married and have kids. You and your kids will benefit from you having an extra decade of experience before raising another human.

  • superduperpirate@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Don’t rawdog a rando

    Wearing a rubber every time unless you’re in a committed relationship greatly reduces your chances of an STD or an unwanted pregnancy.

  • SeaJ@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    Use sunscreen and lotion up. That’s the best way to prevent looking like an old catcher’s mitt by the time you are 40.

    • boogetyboo@aussie.zone
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      2 months ago

      My partner played lots of outdoor sport in his youth so he has some skin damage but from his mid 20s when I met him I encouraged proper sun safe behaviours and to moisturise. We live in Australia for Christ sake, this sun is not fucking around.

      He’s got mates of all ages but some of the blokes in their late 20s seem to think looking after their skin is a feminine trait and they play outdoor sports. When he’s been out with these guys, people think he’s the youngest despite being over 10 years their senior.

      It’s so silly. Put some sunblock on and moisturize. It’s not that hard.